Chapter 6 - THE NANNY WHO LEFT BEFORE THE SHOOTING
Anna Whitmore vanished.
Her apartment was empty.
Bank account drained.
Passport gone.
That did not look innocent.
For eighteen months, she had been Leo's nanny.
Gabriel hired her after a prestigious agency recommended her.
The agency existed.
Her references did not.
Every prior employer was fabricated.
Someone had planted her inside the house.
Just like someone may have planted me.
That difference mattered.
“What did Leo mean when he drew her behind the attackers?” Mara asked.
Leo explained in fragments.
Before leaving that afternoon, Anna took him toward the sunroom even though he wanted to play upstairs.
She told him painting would make Daddy happy.
Then she opened one curtain that was normally kept closed because of glare.
A visual marker.
From outside.
The attackers knew exactly which section contained Leo.
Anna had positioned him.
My stomach turned.
Gabriel left the room before his son saw his face.
I found him later in the hallway.
“What?”
He stared through the window.
“Sofia hired Anna.”
Impossible.
“Sofia died three years ago.”
“She created a childcare trust before Leo was born. Instructions listed preferred agencies if she died.”
Anna's agency had been added to the approved list.
When?
Two months before Sofia's death.
By Sofia herself.
Either she'd been manipulated.
Or Anna originally had another purpose.
Then Mara found the connection.
Anna Whitmore's real name:
Anna Bellini.
Antonio Bellini's daughter.
My cousin.
I had never met her.
Gabriel looked at me.
The Bellinis had placed one of their own beside Leo.
But why wait eighteen months to attack?
Then Anna called me.
Not Gabriel.
Me.
Unknown number.
“Elena.”
My cousin's voice shook.
“You have to leave the Rossis.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“Did you help those men?”
“No.”
“Leo saw you.”
“I moved him to the sunroom because I was told Gabriel would meet him there.”
“By whom?”
Silence.
“Anna.”
“Marco.”
Gabriel heard through speaker.
His face became stone.
Anna continued.
Marco contacted her months earlier claiming Gabriel planned to kill remaining Bellinis.
He knew her real identity.
Threatened to expose her.
Then used her access.
The day of the attack, he told her to place Leo in the sunroom because Gabriel planned a family photo.
She left when Marco ordered.
“I didn't know men were coming.”
“Why run?”
“Because after the shooting, Marco sent me a photo of you bleeding.”
My skin went cold.
“What did it say?”
Anna began crying.
NEXT TIME SHE DOESN'T GET IN THE WAY.
The attack had been aimed at Leo.
But Marco expected me to be there too.
Then Anna said:
“Elena, there's something your mother never told you.”
“What?”
“The Rossis didn't kill Antonio Bellini.”
Gabriel looked up.
Everyone believed his family had ordered my uncle's death.
May you like
Anna whispered:
“Sofia Rossi did.”
