Chapter 5 - The Father Who Buried the Truth
Aleandro Moretti had spent eight years mourning his father.
Now he was discovering Antonio might have lied about the disappearance of his own sister.
Elena sat across from him in Rebecca Ellis's office.
The photograph lay between them.
Aleandro stared at it.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then he whispered, "That's my father."
Elena nodded.
"Someone left it at my apartment."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
His expression hardened.
"Why didn't you tell me immediately?"
Elena folded her arms.
"Because I'm not required to report everything to you."
The words hung between them.
Aleandro looked at her.
Then slowly nodded.
"You're right."
That surprised her.
He continued.
"I'm sorry."
Elena studied him.
The man sitting across from her didn't look like the terrifying figure she'd seen at Leto's.
He looked tired.
Confused.
And deeply wounded.
"Did your father ever talk about Lucia?" she asked.
"Rarely."
"What did he say?"
"That she made dangerous choices and paid for them."
Elena's stomach tightened.
"Did you believe him?"
Aleandro looked down.
"I was ten when she disappeared."
His voice broke slightly.
"I believed everything my father told me."
Rebecca leaned forward.
"Have you located the original death certificates?"
Aleandro nodded.
"My attorney found copies."
"Are they authentic?"
"That's being investigated."
Elena looked toward him.
"Did anyone ever see Lucia's body?"
Aleandro shook his head.
"My father said the remains were identified after a vehicle fire."
Rebecca's expression changed.
"Was there an independent identification?"
"Not that we've found."
A terrible silence followed.
Elena felt cold.
"What about the baby?"
Aleandro closed his eyes.
"Same report."
Rebecca wrote something down.
Then asked, "Who signed the certificates?"
Aleandro opened a folder.
A physician's name appeared.
Dr. Nathaniel Price.
Elena stared.
"That name sounds familiar."
"Why?"
She searched her memory.
Then remembered Saint Jude's.
The orphanage director had once mentioned a doctor who examined her shortly after she was found.
His name was Price.
She looked up sharply.
"The same doctor may have examined me as a baby."
Rebecca straightened.
"That's important."
Aleandro's expression darkened.
"Then he knew."
Elena swallowed.
"Maybe."
She didn't want to assume guilt before the records were reviewed.
But the coincidence was impossible to ignore.
Over the next several days, investigators recovered documents from Saint Jude's.
The intake record confirmed that Elena had arrived wearing the silver necklace.
It also contained a handwritten note.
Child approximately six months old. Mother requested temporary protection.
Elena stared.
"Temporary?"
Rebecca nodded.
"That's what it says."
Elena's heart broke.
Her mother hadn't intended to abandon her forever.
She had planned to come back.
Then the investigator uncovered something else.
A second intake form had been filed three days later.
It listed the child's name as Sofia Moretti.
The document was marked confidential.
And it had been signed by Dr. Nathaniel Price.
Elena stared at the signature.
Then at Aleandro.
"He knew who I was."
Aleandro nodded grimly.
Before either could speak, Rebecca received a call from Detective Mitchell.
She listened.
Her expression changed.
"Elena, we've located Dr. Price."
Elena stood.
"Where?"
"In Connecticut."
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
Relief washed through her.
Then Rebecca continued.
"He's agreed to speak with investigators."
Elena's heart hammered.
"Does he know what happened to Lucia?"
Rebecca hesitated.
"He says he does."
Then she revealed the first part of his statement.
"According to Dr. Price, Antonio Moretti ordered him to issue false death certificates."
Elena covered her mouth.
Aleandro went completely still.
Rebecca continued.
"But Price claims Antonio wasn't trying to hide Lucia from the family."
Elena whispered, "Then why?"
May you like
Rebecca looked directly at her.
"He says Antonio was trying to hide the family from Lucia."
