Chapter 6 - Six Months Later

Six months passed.

Emma learned to smile before Jessi learned how to sleep through the night.

The burns along Jessi’s arm faded from angry red to uneven pink. The scar at her side remained tender, especially when she carried Emma for too long, but the pain no longer controlled the day.

The legal cases did.

Luca was no longer in jail, but he lived under strict release conditions. Wendy had been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, attempted fraudulent transfer, and witness intimidation. Dominic Shaw faced a broader financial investigation involving predatory lending, undisclosed interests in Meridian Health Properties, and possible conspiracy with Luca.

The criminal assault case against Luca had been joined with the fraud evidence for trial strategy, though the charges remained distinct.

Jessi’s divorce moved more slowly.

Celeste called that “normal.”

Jessi called it “infuriating.”

On a gray Monday morning, Jessi sat in Celeste’s office with Emma asleep in a carrier beside her.

Celeste slid a document across the desk.

“Luca is asking for supervised visitation.”

Jessi did not touch the paper.

“No.”

“That is your position. The court decides.”

“He has not met her.”

“He has seen photographs through counsel.”

“Against my wishes?”

“Only photographs filed with medical evidence. Nothing private.”

Jessi looked down at Emma.

“What does he say?”

“That he regrets the incident, that he never intended to injure you, and that he wants a relationship with his daughter.”

“He still calls it an incident?”

“Yes.”

“He pushed me.”

“I know.”

“He destroyed the camera.”

“I know.”

“He tried to steal my house.”

“I know.”

“Why are we pretending this is complicated?”

Celeste leaned back.

“Because the court distinguishes between what we know emotionally and what is proven legally. That distinction can feel insulting. It is still our job.”

Jessi rubbed her forehead.

“When is the hearing?”

“After the criminal trial.”

Jessi nodded once.

“Good.”

Celeste watched her.

“You look different.”

“What does that mean?”

“Six months ago, every legal letter made you shake.”

“I was eight months pregnant and burned.”

“Yes.”

“Now I’m tired.”

Celeste smiled.

“That can look like strength.”

Jessi laughed.

A knock came at the door.

Maya Alvarez entered carrying a hard evidence case.

Jessi’s attention immediately shifted.

“You found something.”

Maya set the case down.

“We completed forensic recovery on Luca’s laptop and Wendy’s old tablet.”

“Six months?”

“Encrypted data, deleted accounts, warrants, legal challenges. Evidence does not care about anyone’s preferred schedule.”

“What did you find?”

Maya opened her notebook.

“First, the prosecution can now show a clear timeline.”

Jessi waited.

“Eleven months before your father died, Meridian approached him.”

“Four hundred thousand.”

“Yes.”

“He refused.”

“Twice.”

“Then Wendy contacted him.”

“Multiple times.”

“Then Luca forged the eighty-thousand-dollar loan.”

“Yes.”

Jessi looked toward Emma.

Maya continued.

“Your father discovered the theft. He confronted Luca. After that, your father changed his estate instructions.”

Jessi turned back.

“What?”

“We found an email from his attorney.”

“My father had an attorney?”

“For the estate, yes. Helen Price.”

“I met her at the funeral.”

“She told investigators Victor called her three weeks before he died.”

Jessi’s voice dropped.

“What did he say?”

“He wanted a memorandum added to his file.”

“What memorandum?”

Maya slid over a certified copy.

Jessi read.

If Jessi is pressured by Luca Moretti or Wendy Moretti concerning Bell Street, my attorney is authorized to disclose my concerns about unauthorized financial documents and attempts to obtain title. I have advised Jessi verbally to sign nothing without independent review.

Jessi stared.

“He knew enough to name them.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t Helen tell me?”

“She says your father instructed disclosure only if someone contested the estate or pressured you about title.”

“They did.”

“She did not know.”

“Until now.”

“Until investigators contacted her.”

Jessi looked angry.

“So my father set another lock.”

Maya nodded.

“And it worked.”

Celeste asked, “What about the death review?”

Maya’s expression became serious.

“We are closing the homicide inquiry unless new evidence emerges.”

Jessi froze.

“Closing?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

“As sure as evidence allows. Medical review supports natural cardiac death. His implanted monitor recorded a fatal arrhythmia. There is no evidence of poisoning, assault, or unauthorized entry.”

Jessi closed her eyes.

Relief and grief arrived together.

“They didn’t kill him.”

“We found no evidence they caused his death.”

Jessi covered her face for a moment.

“I’ve been afraid to ask that question for six months.”

“I know.”

She looked at Maya.

“But they stole from him.”

“Yes.”

“And he knew.”

“Yes.”

“And he spent his last weeks trying to protect me.”

“Yes.”

Jessi cried quietly.

Emma stirred.

Immediately, Jessi wiped her face and reached down.

“I’m okay,” she whispered to the baby.

Maya gave her a moment.

Then Jessi asked, “What else?”

“The kitchen footage is stronger than we initially knew.”

Jessi frowned.

“It already showed the push.”

“Yes. But the system had a secondary audio buffer from the hallway sensor.”

“What did it catch?”

“Two minutes before Luca entered the kitchen.”

Jessi went still.

“Play it.”

Maya hesitated.

“Now.”

Maya opened a laptop.

The recording was audio only.

Wendy’s voice came first.

“She signs today.”

Luca answered, “And if she doesn’t?”

“Then use the other deed.”

“That still leaves her able to challenge it.”

“Not if she looks unstable.”

Silence.

Then Luca:

“She’s pregnant.”

Wendy replied, “Pregnant women fall. Pregnant women panic. Stop being weak.”

Jessi’s face drained.

Celeste whispered, “Jesus.”

The recording continued.

Luca said, “I’m not hurting her.”

Wendy answered, “Then scare her.”

The audio ended as the kitchen door opened.

Jessi stared at the screen.

“He said he wasn’t hurting me.”

Maya nodded.

“And then he did.”

“Wendy told him to scare me.”

“Yes.”

Jessi’s hands trembled.

“So the push wasn’t necessarily planned.”

“Not necessarily. But coercion was.”

Celeste said, “And the scheme to characterize her as unstable was discussed beforehand.”

Maya nodded.

“That will matter.”

Jessi looked toward Emma.

“Was Wendy always like this?”

No one answered.

Jessi laughed bitterly.

“Sorry. Wrong room for that question.”

Maya closed the laptop.

“There is another piece.”

“What?”

“We recovered a voice note Luca recorded after the incident.”

“Why would he record himself?”

“Not intentionally. His phone had an automatic memo function tied to a business app.”

Maya read a transcript.

Wendy: Did you get the signed one?

Luca: No. She wouldn’t sign.

Wendy: Then file Kersey’s version.

Luca: After what happened? Police will look.

Wendy: Only if she talks.

Luca: She said she remembers.

Wendy: Then make her doubt it.

Jessi stared.

“Make me doubt it.”

Maya nodded.

“That is what the hospital conversation was about.”

“Tell them you lost your balance.”

“Yes.”

Jessi stood and walked to the window.

Traffic moved far below.

Six months ago, those words had made her feel trapped.

Now they sounded small.

Desperate.

Recorded.

“What happens at trial?”

Maya answered.

“The prosecution will present the footage, the audio, the forged deed, the financial motive, the notary’s testimony, Evan’s records, Mrs. Patel’s observations, your medical evidence, and your testimony.”

“And Wendy’s messages.”

“Yes.”

“And Dominic Shaw?”

“Separate proceeding for much of his conduct. Some evidence may overlap.”

Jessi turned.

“Will I have to see Luca?”

“Yes.”

“Will he see Emma?”

“Not unless you bring her into the courtroom.”

Jessi looked down at the carrier.

“I want to.”

Celeste immediately said, “No.”

Jessi raised an eyebrow.

“No?”

“No baby in a criminal courtroom unless there is a compelling reason.”

“He almost killed her.”

“And she does not need to be used to prove it.”

Jessi flinched.

“I wasn’t going to use her.”

“I know. That is why I am saying it plainly before emotion turns symbolic.”

Jessi looked at Emma.

Celeste softened.

“You can carry your daughter into the courthouse if that matters to you. But during testimony, let Mrs. Patel or Anjali keep her outside.”

Jessi thought about it.

“Okay.”

The trial began three weeks later.

On the first morning, Jessi arrived early.

Emma wore a pale blue sweater and slept in her arms.

Mrs. Patel walked beside her.

Maya followed several steps behind carrying an evidence case.

Reporters waited near the courthouse entrance because the fraud allegations had connected the case to Meridian Health Properties and Dominic Shaw.

One shouted, “Mrs. Moretti, is that the baby you were carrying during the attack?”

Jessi did not answer.

Another asked, “Do you think your husband wanted to kill you?”

She kept walking.

Inside, Celeste met her near security.

“You ready?”

“No.”

“Good answer.”

Jessi almost smiled.

Mrs. Patel took Emma before they entered the courtroom.

“You go tell the truth,” she said. “I’ll handle the important person.”

Jessi kissed Emma’s forehead.

Then she walked in.

Luca sat at the defense table.

He looked thinner.

Older.

For six months, Jessi had imagined seeing him again.

She had expected rage.

Instead, she felt distance.

Wendy sat behind him with her own counsel.

Their cases had overlapping hearings that day.

Luca looked at Jessi.

His expression changed.

Not remorse.

Not exactly.

Recognition.

As if he had finally realized she was no longer the woman standing beside the stockpot asking why he needed her house.

The prosecutor rose.

“Your Honor, the state is ready.”

Jessi sat behind Maya.

On the evidence monitor, the first still image appeared.

A kitchen.

A marble island.

A packet of papers.

And above the pantry door, a small black camera.

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The camera they had crushed.

The camera that had remembered everything.