Chapter 12 - THE MAN WITH TWO FACES
Bethany stared at Elena.
"Calvin Reed?"
The name felt poisonous.
Her mother's charming boyfriend.
The man who had brought flowers to Lorraine's house.
The man who had apparently helped kidnap her.
The man whose identity had been linked to Salvatore Moretti.
Elena nodded weakly.
"James was forced to take that identity."
Dante's face hardened.
"Salvatore's?"
"Yes."
Bethany shook her head.
"That's impossible."
Elena looked at her.
"Vittorio arranged it. He used false records, photographs, and carefully controlled appearances to confuse anyone investigating the family."
Dante frowned.
"Why?"
"Because Salvatore was actually killed seventeen years ago."
Silence.
Bethany looked toward Dante.
"Then who called you nephew?"
Elena closed her eyes.
"James."
Bethany backed away.
"My father?"
Elena nodded.
"He was pretending to be Salvatore."
Bethany felt sick.
"Why would he threaten Lorraine?"
"Because Vittorio was monitoring every call. James believed that if he acted convincingly, he could keep Lorraine alive."
Dante paced toward the window.
"Then why take her?"
Elena's expression changed.
"He didn't."
Dante turned.
"What?"
"Vittorio's men took Lorraine. James was forced to appear in the video."
Bethany covered her mouth.
She remembered Calvin's smile.
His calm voice.
The way he'd always treated her with kindness.
Had he been her father all along?
Had he spent eleven months sitting across from her at Sunday dinner, unable to tell her the truth?
Then Elena whispered, "He wanted to know you."
Bethany's knees weakened.
"Why didn't he just tell me?"
"Because Vittorio threatened to kill you if he did."
Dante looked at Marco.
"Find James Carter."
Marco stepped into the hallway.
Minutes later, he returned.
"Boss, we found a location."
"Where?"
"An old Moretti-owned property outside Springfield."
Dante's expression changed.
"That's my father's former estate."
Marco nodded.
"And there's something else."
He handed Dante a tablet.
A security camera showed a man entering the estate.
Calvin Reed.
James Carter.
Bethany's father.
He carried a black briefcase.
Behind him walked Vittorio Moretti.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Alive.
Dante stared at the screen.
Then another figure appeared.
A woman with dark hair.
Bethany recognized her immediately.
Lorraine.
Her mother.
But Lorraine wasn't restrained.
She wasn't crying.
She was walking beside Vittorio voluntarily.
Bethany's voice broke.
"Mom?"
Dante zoomed in.
Lorraine turned toward the camera.
Then handed Vittorio a thick black folder.
Bethany stared.
The folder bore the same symbol as the stolen hospital ledger.
Dante looked at her.
May you like
His next words were almost a whisper.
"Bethany, I don't think Lorraine was kidnapped."
