Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD
Isabella Russo lived under the name Elena Moreau in a lakeside house in Wisconsin.
Gabriel stood outside the front door for almost a full minute before knocking.
Noelle remained beside him.
"You don't have to do this today."
"Yes."
The door opened.
A woman in her early sixties stared at Gabriel.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
"Gabriel."
He didn't move.
Noelle could see the boy he must once have been hiding behind the man everyone feared.
"My father told me you died."
Isabella's eyes filled.
"He thought that was safer."
"For whom?"
"For you."
Gabriel entered.
The story came slowly.
Isabella had been an accountant before marrying Vittorio.
She discovered the Pierce family's network first.
Henry Pierce used charitable organizations and development companies to funnel bribes, purchase influence, and conceal illegal property acquisitions.
When Isabella tried to expose him, someone attempted to kill twelve-year-old Gabriel.
Vittorio staged her death and hid her.
"Why didn't you come back after he died?" Gabriel asked.
"Because the same people were still watching you."
"You let me bury an empty coffin."
Isabella cried silently.
"I know."
Gabriel looked away.
Noelle touched his hand beneath the table.
He didn't pull away.
Isabella continued.
"Vittorio contacted me the night he died."
"What did he say?"
"That Henry had panicked."
"Did Henry kill him?"
"No."
Gabriel leaned forward.
"Then who did?"
Isabella's face tightened.
"He wouldn't tell me."
"Why?"
"He said the person had made a mistake."
Gabriel frowned.
"A mistake?"
"He said, 'If Gabriel learns who did this, he'll destroy the wrong person.'"
Noelle felt uneasy.
"What does that mean?"
Isabella opened a drawer.
Inside was a sealed envelope.
"Your father mailed this the day before he died."
Gabriel opened it.
A single photograph slid onto the table.
Vittorio.
Henry Pierce.
And a much younger Derek.
Gabriel stared.
Derek couldn't have been older than seventeen.
On the back, Vittorio had written:
THE SON DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE FATHER MADE HIM DO.
Noelle whispered, "Derek?"
Gabriel turned the photograph over again.
Isabella shook her head.
"Henry used his son for years."
Noelle remembered Derek's arrogance.
His manipulation.
His cruelty.
Yet something about the photograph disturbed her.
"Used him how?"
Isabella looked directly at Noelle.
"Your forged signatures were not the first crimes Henry forced Derek to commit."
Gabriel's phone buzzed.
Marco.
Gabriel answered.
His expression sharpened.
"What happened?"
Marco's voice was loud enough for Noelle to hear.
"Derek Pierce just walked into the federal courthouse."
Gabriel frowned.
"Why?"
Marco paused.
"Because he says he wants immunity."
Noelle's stomach dropped.
"For what?"
May you like
Marco answered.
"For testifying against his father."
