Chapter 9 - THE TRUTH ABOUT MARCO'S FATHER
Carlo Bellini died eight years earlier in a boating accident.
That was the official record.
Dominic had attended the funeral.
Carried the coffin.
Promised Marco his father’s place beside him would never be forgotten.
Now Isabella said:
“It was not an accident.”
Marco stood utterly still.
Dominic’s voice dropped.
“Mother.”
“Carlo was gathering evidence.”
“For Vincent?”
“Against him.”
Marco stared at her.
“My father worked with Vincent.”
“No.”
Isabella shook her head.
“He pretended to.”
The ledger signatures were part of that cover.
Carlo authorized security transfers so Thomas and Isabella could move evidence and money.
Later, he discovered Vincent revived offshore accounts after Antonio’s death.
Carlo began collecting proof.
Then he died.
“Did Vincent kill him?”
Marco asked.
Isabella’s eyes filled.
“I do not know.”
Again.
No false certainty.
“But Carlo told me two days before he died that Vincent had threatened him.”
Marco walked out.
Dominic followed.
He found him in the courtyard punching nothing.
Just pacing.
Good.
Dominic did not offer comfort too quickly.
Finally Marco said:
“You knew my father had secrets.”
“I knew everyone’s father had secrets.”
“Not funny.”
“No.”
Marco turned.
“If Vincent did this—”
“We prove it.”
“And then?”
“Then he answers for what we can prove.”
Marco laughed bitterly.
“That sounds very corporate.”
“It sounds like what keeps us from becoming him.”
That stopped Marco.
Dominic continued.
“We do not punish first and investigate later.”
This Moretti generation would not repeat that pattern.
Inside, Emily studied the photograph of Thomas.
She noticed something.
The newspaper date was current.
But the building behind the car window?
She knew it.
“Dominic.”
He returned.
“What?”
“Zoom in.”
Brick wall.
Blue awning.
Partial sign.
ST. AGNES.
Emily’s childhood parish in Brooklyn.
Her grandmother’s church.
Thomas was in New York.
Not Canada.
Close.
Why?
Then Lily came downstairs.
She looked at the photograph.
“Grandpa.”
Everyone turned.
Emily crouched.
“What did you say?”
“Grandpa.”
“You’ve never met him.”
Lily frowned.
“Yes I did.”
Emily went completely still.
“When?”
“At Grandma’s funeral.”
The room stopped breathing.
Margaret’s funeral.
Eight months earlier.
A man stood at the back.
Hat.
Gray coat.
Emily remembered him vaguely.
She assumed neighbor.
Lily apparently spoke to him.
“What did he say?”
“He asked if Rabbit still had his secret.”
The key.
Thomas knew Margaret hid the key in Lily’s toy.
He had been in Brooklyn.
Watching.
Emily’s anger overtook fear.
“He came to Mom’s funeral and didn’t speak to me?”
Lily nodded slowly.
“He cried.”
That did not help.
Then she added:
“He gave Grandma’s priest a letter.”
Emily turned.
“What priest?”
“Father Michael.”
Within twenty minutes they were calling St. Agnes.
Father Michael remembered Thomas.
He had left one sealed letter.
Instructions:
Give it to Emily only if she comes asking for her father.
They drove to Brooklyn immediately.
The letter waited in the rectory safe.
Emily opened it.
Thomas wrote:
I am sorry.
Not enough.
Never enough.
Then:
If you are reading this, Vincent found the trust.
Do not look for me.
I will come to you when I can.
At the bottom:
Dominic Moretti is not responsible for what his father did.
But he is responsible for what he does next.
Dominic read that twice.
Then Father Michael said:
“There’s another thing.”
“What?”
“Thomas came here yesterday.”
Emily stood.
“Yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Where did he go?”
Father Michael looked toward the church.
“He said he needed to confess something before seeing his daughter.”
“What?”
The priest shook his head.
“I cannot tell you.”
Confession was protected.
But then he added something he could say.
“Thomas was not alone.”
“Who was with him?”
“A woman.”
Description:
Late sixties.
Silver hair.
Italian accent.
Dominic already knew.
May you like
His aunt Sofia Moretti.
Vincent’s wife.
