Chapter 12 - THE SECRET BEHIND THE WEST WING DOOR
The west wing had been locked for four years.
Dominic believed it held nothing but memories of his sister.
Piper had heard the recordings.
The screams.
The voice calling her name.
Now Isabella was telling them that the room contained evidence of murder.
They returned to the mansion with Detective Hayes and a police team.
The estate was secured before anyone entered.
Vincent's vehicles were nowhere to be found.
Dominic led them down the long hallway.
Piper walked beside his wheelchair.
At the locked door, Isabella stopped.
Her hands trembled.
“Are you sure?” Dominic asked.
She nodded.
Garrett handed over the key.
The door opened.
Inside was a bedroom preserved exactly as Isabella had left it.
A white bed.
Bookshelves.
Photographs.
And a large wooden music box on the dresser.
Piper frowned.
“Where's the recording equipment?”
Isabella approached the music box.
She opened it.
A soft melody began playing.
Then she pressed a hidden switch.
The back panel slid open.
Inside were several memory cards and a small digital recorder.
Dominic stared.
“You hid everything in there?”
Isabella nodded.
“Mom gave me this music box when I was twelve.”
Piper stepped closer.
“What about the screaming?”
Isabella looked embarrassed.
“I installed a motion-triggered recording to scare anyone who entered without permission.”
Piper stared at her.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
Isabella smiled weakly.
“Sorry.”
Dominic shook his head.
“You two are going to get along terribly well.”
Piper laughed despite herself.
Rebecca collected the evidence.
One recording contained a conversation from twenty years earlier.
Elena Rizzo's voice filled the room.
Vincent, I know what you've been doing.
A man's voice answered.
You should've stayed out of it.
Then another voice spoke.
A woman.
Older.
Cold.
Elena, please. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.
Dominic went pale.
Piper looked at him.
“Who is that?”
He stared at the recorder.
“My aunt.”
Isabella nodded.
“Margaret Rizzo.”
Piper frowned.
“Vincent's wife?”
“Yes.”
Dominic closed his eyes.
Margaret had helped raise him after his mother's death.
She attended every birthday.
Every holiday.
Every family dinner.
She'd held his hand at Elena's funeral.
Now her voice was on a recording made shortly before Elena died.
Rebecca played the next file.
Margaret's voice sounded again.
The medicine will make it look natural.
Piper covered her mouth.
Dominic didn't move.
The recording ended.
For a long moment, the room was silent.
Then Dominic whispered, “She watched me bury my mother.”
Isabella began crying.
“I tried to tell you.”
Dominic looked at her.
“Why didn't you?”
“Because I was afraid you'd kill them.”
He lowered his eyes.
“And you would've been right.”
Piper knelt beside him.
“Dominic.”
He looked at her.
She held his gaze.
“You don't have to become the man they made you.”
His breathing slowed.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he nodded.
Rebecca approached.
“We have enough to seek warrants.”
Dominic looked toward the recorder.
“Then do it.”
Suddenly, the mansion's security alarm sounded.
Garrett's radio crackled.
“Unauthorized vehicle at the north gate!”
Dominic straightened.
“Who?”
A guard answered.
“Black SUV. Three occupants.”
Then another voice shouted.
“They're armed!”
Piper's heart slammed against her ribs.
Dominic looked at Rebecca.
“Get everyone out.”
But before anyone moved, the lights went out.
The mansion plunged into darkness.
May you like
And from the hallway came Vincent Rizzo's voice.
“Hello, Dominic.”
