Chapter 12 - THE LAST CRIME THAT BROKE THE FAMILY
Victor’s arrest had already opened dozens of investigations.
The evidence from Nora’s storage locker transformed them.
Financial fraud.
Kidnapping.
Witness intimidation.
Murder.
Attempted murder.
Illegal medical confinement.
And now Michael Falcone’s death.
His preserved medical records showed something investigators had missed.
A toxic substance rarely tested in routine autopsies.
Elena knew because Michael had secretly told her through an intermediary that he feared Victor was poisoning him slowly.
He planned to testify.
Victor acted first.
Roman sat alone in the library after the news.
I found him there.
Not because he summoned me.
Because I chose to go.
He stared at his father’s photograph.
“He was not a good man.”
I said nothing.
“He ordered violence. Hid money. Protected criminals.”
Still nothing.
“But he was my father.”
I sat beside him.
“That can all be true.”
Roman looked at me.
“I spent years trying to become strong enough that nobody could do to my brothers what happened to my mother.”
“And?”
“I became unbearable.”
“Sometimes.”
A faint smile.
“You don’t soften anything.”
“You already have expensive furniture for that.”
He laughed.
Then his face became serious.
“Why did you stay?”
“At the manor?”
“Yes.”
“Initially?”
“Twelve dollars.”
His laugh came out unexpectedly loud.
I smiled.
“After that?”
I thought about it.
“Because underneath all the intimidation, none of you ever actually punished me for saying no.”
Roman looked surprised.
“Declan broke a glass.”
“And paid for ten minutes.”
“He gave you two hundred dollars.”
“Overtime rates are improving.”
Roman smiled.
Then whispered:
“We don’t deserve your loyalty.”
“Good.”
His eyebrows rose.
“I’m not loyal because you deserve it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I care because I choose to.”
That landed.
He looked down.
“I don’t know how to live without controlling outcomes.”
“Learn.”
“With you?”
I immediately pointed a finger.
“Do not make that romantic.”
His mouth twitched.
“I wasn’t.”
“Good.”
He lied badly.
Then Lily entered.
She had been discharged and was staying at Falcone Manor under strict instructions that nobody could interrogate, intimidate, or buy her anything ridiculous.
Gabriel had already violated the third rule with a gaming laptop.
Lily held Mom’s recipe box.
“I found another card.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
One recipe.
Biscuits.
Mom’s handwriting.
On the back:
THE BOYS ARE NOT YOUR ONLY FAMILY HERE.
I stared.
Elena read it.
Her face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Adrian took the card.
Then looked at Mrs. Hess.
The house manager.
She had been standing quietly in the doorway.
Mrs. Hess went pale.
Roman noticed.
“Mrs. Hess?”
She began crying.
“Oh, Nora.”
Then she looked at me.
“My name isn’t Hess.”
Silence.
“My name is Caroline Carter.”
My breath stopped.
Carter.
May you like
She whispered:
“I’m your mother’s sister.”
