Chapter 9 - The Lake House
The lake house stood at the end of a narrow road beneath tall pine trees.
Fog drifted across the water.
The property looked exactly as Luca remembered.
White siding.
Dark green shutters.
A wraparound porch.
Elena's wind chimes beside the front door.
He parked the car and sat for a moment.
The last time he'd been here, Sophia was a baby.
Elena had been alive.
They'd spent an entire weekend cooking badly, laughing, and arguing about whether their daughter would grow up to be a doctor or an artist.
Elena had said Sophia would decide for herself.
Luca had kissed her and told her she was right.
He opened the car door.
Rebecca stepped out of the second vehicle.
Marco followed.
They had brought an independent forensic technician to document anything they found.
Hannah remained in Brooklyn with Sophia.
Luca wanted her safe.
He also knew that if Dante was watching, bringing Hannah here could expose her to danger.
The front door opened with Luca's old key.
Inside, dust covered the furniture.
The air smelled of cedarwood.
A family photograph still hung above the fireplace.
Elena was laughing.
Sophia was asleep against her chest.
Luca was looking at both of them instead of the camera.
He touched the frame.
Then forced himself to move.
“Where do we start?” Rebecca asked.
“Bedroom.”
They climbed the stairs.
Elena's room was exactly as she'd left it.
A blue sweater folded over a chair.
A paperback novel beside the bed.
A half-empty bottle of perfume on the dresser.
Luca picked it up.
For a moment, he could almost hear her teasing him for stealing her side of the blanket.
Rebecca quietly waited.
Then Luca opened the closet.
Behind a row of winter coats was a small wooden chest.
He lifted it onto the bed.
Inside were old photographs, postcards, baby clothes, and a jewelry box.
No blue metal box.
He searched the drawers.
Nothing.
Marco checked the attic.
Rebecca examined the study.
An hour passed.
Then Luca noticed something strange.
The dresser had been moved.
Only slightly.
A rectangular patch of faded wallpaper showed behind it.
He pulled the dresser away.
There was a small recessed panel.
He pressed the edge.
It clicked open.
Inside sat a blue metal box.
His hands shook.
Hannah's brass key fit perfectly.
Luca opened the lid.
Inside were three objects.
A flash drive.
A photograph.
And a sealed envelope.
The photograph showed Dante standing beside a man Luca didn't recognize.
They were outside a private airfield.
A small aircraft sat behind them.
The date printed on the back was two days before Elena's death.
Luca turned it over.
Elena had written one sentence.
He says this man is an investor. Why does he keep asking about Sophia?
Rebecca studied the photograph.
“Do you recognize him?”
“No.”
She photographed it.
Luca opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Luca,
If you found this, then I wasn't able to tell you everything myself.
Please forgive me for hiding it.
I tried to protect Sophia without destroying your relationship with Dante.
I thought if I found enough evidence, I could force Charles to admit what he'd done.
I was wrong.
The financial records are on the drive.
So are the original medical reports.
But the most important thing isn't on that drive.
It's something I learned about the man in the photograph.
His name is Victor Sloane.
He isn't an investor.
He's the person Dante hired to make problems disappear.
And yesterday, I saw him outside Sophia's bedroom.
Please don't let Dante near our daughter until you know why.
I love you.
Elena.
Luca lowered the letter.
His hands were trembling.
Rebecca touched his shoulder.
“We need to copy the drive.”
He nodded.
The technician connected it to an isolated laptop.
Several encrypted folders appeared.
One was labeled FOUNDATION.
Another was labeled SOPHIA.
The third was labeled INSURANCE.
Luca frowned.
“Insurance?”
Rebecca leaned closer.
The technician opened it.
Inside were scanned policies.
Life insurance.
Disability insurance.
Key-person coverage.
And one document that made Rebecca go still.
“Luca…”
“What?”
She pointed at the screen.
“There's a policy on Elena's life.”
“I know.”
“No. Not the one you purchased.”
Luca stared.
“This is a separate policy.”
“How much?”
Rebecca swallowed.
“Twenty-five million dollars.”
Luca felt his stomach turn.
“Who was the beneficiary?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“The Whitmore Foundation.”
Silence.
Then Marco's voice came from the doorway.
“Sir.”
Luca turned.
“What?”
“Someone's outside.”
He moved toward the window.
A black SUV sat near the tree line.
Its engine was running.
Luca recognized the vehicle from the restaurant alley.
Dante's security team.
Rebecca grabbed her phone.
“I'm calling the police.”
Marco checked the doors.
Luca looked back at the laptop.
“Copy everything.”
The technician worked quickly.
Outside, the SUV's headlights turned on.
A second vehicle appeared behind it.
Marco pulled the curtain.
“They're coming up the driveway.”
Rebecca's voice rose.
“Police are on the way.”
Luca looked at the blue box.
There was something else beneath the lining.
He lifted the fabric.
A tiny memory card was taped to the bottom.
On it, Elena had written:
FOR SOPHIA WHEN SHE'S OLD ENOUGH.
Luca gently removed it.
Then footsteps sounded on the porch.
A knock followed.
Three slow taps.
“Luca.”
His brother's voice.
“Open the door.”
Luca stared at the entrance.
Dante continued.
“I know you found the box.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“Don't answer.”
Luca remained silent.
Dante sighed.
“I didn't want it to happen this way.”
Luca felt his heartbeat slow.
“What way?”
May you like
His brother's voice came through the wood.
“The way it happened with Elena.”
