Chapter 10 - Isabella Moretti
Luca grabbed Salvatore by the front of his jacket.
Dominic stepped forward.
Evelyn did not.
She watched.
“Where was she?”
Luca demanded.
Salvatore did not resist.
“Let go.”
“Where was my mother?”
“Alive.”
“Where?”
“Europe.”
“Why did my father tell me she was dead?”
“He didn’t.”
Luca froze.
“What?”
“Anthony told you she left.”
“You were twelve.”
“You refused to accept it.”
“Then months later, after you stopped asking, the family allowed you to believe what was easier.”
Luca slowly released him.
“You let a child believe his mother was dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Isabella discovered the accounts.”
The pattern repeated.
Everyone who found the money disappeared.
My father.
Teresa.
Luca’s mother.
Dominic’s father.
Salvatore continued.
“She threatened to take you and go to the police.”
“Anthony stopped her.”
Luca’s eyes hardened.
“He hurt her?”
“No.”
“He gave her a choice.”
“Leave Chicago.”
“Stay away from you.”
“Or he would expose her own father’s involvement in the family businesses.”
Luca looked sick.
“She left.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she come back eight years ago?”
Salvatore looked at me.
“Because Daniel Dawson found her.”
I stopped breathing.
“My father?”
“He traced one of the offshore companies to Switzerland.”
“Isabella’s name was attached to an account.”
“He contacted her.”
“She returned secretly.”
“To testify?”
“To help destroy the network.”
“Anthony had already changed his mind by then.”
Salvatore said.
“He wanted out too.”
Luca laughed without humor.
“So everyone suddenly developed a conscience.”
“No.”
Salvatore replied.
“They developed fear.”
“Anthony learned federal investigators were closing in.”
“Your mother feared prison.”
“Your father wanted to protect you.”
“And Daniel Dawson wanted the case of his career.”
I stepped toward Salvatore.
“What happened?”
His eyes met mine.
“The night your father died, he was supposed to meet Isabella.”
“She never arrived.”
“Why?”
“Because Judge Hayes warned Anthony that Daniel was wearing a wire.”
My stomach turned.
“And?”
“Anthony panicked.”
“He sent Angelo.”
Luca whispered, “Angelo?”
“To stop Daniel from reaching the meeting.”
“Stop him how?”
Salvatore’s jaw tightened.
“That was never supposed to mean kill him.”
I felt anger rise through my chest.
“But he died.”
“Yes.”
“Angelo forced his car off the road?”
Salvatore looked away.
“That is what I believe.”
I almost hit him.
Luca stepped between us.
Not to protect Salvatore.
To protect me from doing something I could not undo.
“Where was my mother?”
Luca asked.
Salvatore answered quietly.
“She witnessed the crash.”
Silence.
“She saw Angelo’s car.”
“She called Anthony.”
“She told him everything.”
“What happened to her?”
“Three days later, she disappeared.”
“Angelo?”
“No.”
Salvatore’s expression changed.
“Anthony.”
Luca went still.
“My father killed her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you say she died eight years ago?”
“Because her body was identified eight months later in Wisconsin.”
Luca staggered back half a step.
The man who had spent years thinking his mother died when he was twelve had just lost her again.
This time for real.
Dominic asked, “Why tell us now?”
Salvatore looked toward the cathedral ceiling.
“Because Angelo is no longer following my orders.”
That surprised everyone.
“You’re not controlling him?”
Luca asked.
“Not anymore.”
“Then who is?”
Salvatore glanced at Judge Hayes.
The judge stood near the altar.
Sweating.
“He is.”
Hayes suddenly dropped the Bible.
Then ran.
Evelyn shouted.
Two federal agents moved from the side aisle.
Hayes reached the sacristy door.
Locked.
He turned.
Dominic blocked the other direction.
Hayes looked trapped.
Then he shouted.
“Salvatore is lying!”
His voice echoed through the cathedral.
“He planned all of it!”
Salvatore laughed.
“Of course I planned part of it.”
That confession stunned me.
Luca stared.
Salvatore spread his hands.
“I wanted the ledger.”
“I wanted Anthony’s recording destroyed.”
“I wanted control returned to me.”
“But I did not order Claire’s disappearance.”
He looked at Vanessa.
“I did not tell Angelo to take Teresa.”
Vanessa whispered, “That’s true.”
Everyone turned.
She continued.
“Angelo stopped answering Salvatore three weeks ago.”
“After Teresa found the transfers.”
Dominic looked at Hayes.
“So Angelo works for the judge.”
Hayes backed away.
“No.”
Evelyn approached him.
“Judge Hayes.”
“Hands where I can see them.”
Hayes laughed.
Then said something terrifying.
“You are still pretending Angelo is the problem.”
The cathedral lights flickered.
Hayes looked at Luca.
“You should be asking why Teresa Walsh was allowed to find the ledger in the first place.”
A phone began ringing.
Mine.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Teresa whispered.
“Claire.”
“Teresa!”
“I’m inside the cathedral.”
I turned in a circle.
“Where?”
“Under you.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
“The old crypt.”
“I got away from Angelo.”
“But he followed me.”
I looked toward the floor.
Teresa began crying.
“Claire.”
May you like
“There are explosives down here.”
“And the timer says twelve minutes.”
