Chapter 6 - Isabelle's Second Ledger

The stone swan had not moved in years.

Moss darkened one wing. Winter cracks lined the base. The west terrace looked almost exactly as it had when Isabelle Moretti used to drink coffee there before sunrise.

Dominic stood at the edge of the terrace and did not step forward.

Sophia noticed.

"You don't have to come down."

He looked at her.

"Yes, I do."

Marcus and a forensic technician moved toward the fountain.

Sophia pointed to a narrow panel beneath the basin.

"There's a maintenance latch behind that stone."

Marcus crouched.

"Locked."

"It always was."

"Key?"

Sophia looked at Dominic.

"Mrs. Moretti kept one on a blue ribbon in the greenhouse cabinet."

Dominic's expression shifted.

"I threw away a blue ribbon after the funeral."

Sophia stared at him.

"What?"

"It was in Isabelle's desk. I thought it was from flowers."

Marcus said, "We can open it."

A technician used a non-destructive tool and released the latch.

Inside the damp compartment sat an old metal biscuit tin wrapped in two plastic bags.

Sophia let out a breath.

"She really did use it."

Dominic crouched.

Marcus photographed the package before opening it.

Inside were children's drawings, two sealed letters, a small silver bracelet, and a black notebook.

Dominic reached toward it, then stopped.

Marcus put on gloves.

"Let me."

The notebook contained columns of dates, company names, account codes and initials.

Sophia could not understand most of it.

Dominic could.

His face changed page by page.

"These are payments."

"To whom?" Marcus asked.

"Private contractors. Consulting entities. Security retainers."

"Anything familiar?"

Dominic pointed.

"V.M. Strategic."

Marcus frowned.

"Vittorio Moretti?"

"Could be."

Another entry.

"O.P. Transport."

Sophia whispered, "Owen Pike."

Dominic turned the page.

There were seven payments to O.P. Transport in the two months before Isabelle's death.

One payment occurred the morning after the crash.

Marcus said, "That's enough for warrants if the accounts can be traced."

Dominic kept reading.

"Not enough for what I want."

"What do you want?"

"The truth."

Sophia looked at the two letters.

"Those may help."

One envelope was addressed to Dominic.

The other to Luca.

Dominic held his letter but did not open it.

Marcus asked quietly, "Want privacy?"

"No."

Dominic broke the seal.

The paper inside was covered in Isabelle's handwriting.

Dominic,

If I am wrong, burn this and call me paranoid.

If I am right, Luca must never become the price of this family.

Vittorio has been diverting money through security companies and using those companies to maintain men loyal to him rather than to Moretti Holdings. I found forged instructions in our estate file. He wants control of the continuity trust because it gives him a legal way to take the company if Luca dies.

I confronted Owen because he delivered the forgery. He admitted only that he works for "the old house," which is what Vittorio's men call his private organization.

I do not know how deep this goes.

I told Evelyn enough that she would understand if something happened to me.

I did not tell you because I was afraid you would confront Vittorio before I had proof.

That was a mistake.

If you are reading this, I ran out of time.

Do not answer violence with violence for Luca's sake.

Make the truth public.

Make it impossible to bury.

And please remember that our son needs a father more than he needs an empire.

Dominic stopped reading.

The terrace was silent except for water moving faintly inside the old fountain pipe.

Sophia looked away to give him the small privacy he had refused.

Marcus said nothing.

Dominic folded the letter carefully.

"He knew her better than I did."

Sophia looked back.

"Who?"

"Vittorio. He knew she'd try to protect me from my own reaction."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

His voice was flat.

"He counted on me being exactly who I was."

Marcus pointed to the second envelope.

"That's for Luca."

Dominic placed it back in the tin.

"He gets it when he's old enough."

A guard approached quickly.

"Mr. Hale."

Marcus stepped aside with him.

Sophia watched their faces.

"What happened?"

Marcus returned.

"We have a problem."

Dominic stood.

"What?"

"Financial Crimes flagged a transfer from one of the shell companies in the ledger."

"To whom?"

Marcus hesitated.

"Me."

Sophia stared.

Dominic did not move.

Marcus continued.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, eighteen months ago, into an account in my name."

Dominic's voice was quiet.

"Did you receive it?"

"No."

"Does the account exist?"

"I don't know."

"That's a bad answer."

"I know."

Marcus pulled out his phone and handed it over.

"Take it. Take my badge too."

Sophia looked at him.

"You think someone framed you."

Marcus laughed bitterly.

"Either that or I secretly took a quarter million dollars and forgot."

Dominic took the phone but not the badge.

"Who found it?"

"Outside forensic accountant."

"Connected to Vittorio?"

"Not that we know."

Dominic said, "Then we verify before deciding."

Marcus looked surprised.

"You're not suspending me?"

"I am."

Marcus's jaw tightened.

"But I'm not accusing you."

"Who runs security?"

"Naomi."

Marcus removed his badge.

"I'll cooperate."

As he turned away, Sophia said, "Marcus."

He stopped.

"When was the fake account opened?"

He checked the printout.

"Three days after Isabelle died."

Dominic looked at him.

Marcus stared at the date.

"That's not random."

"No," Dominic said. "It isn't."

Naomi Brooks assumed control.

Within an hour, she returned with another discovery.

"The shell account in Marcus's name used a scanned copy of his passport."

Marcus, now seated under supervision in the library, said, "My passport was stored in executive security files."

Naomi nodded.

"At the time, Owen Pike had administrative access."

Dominic said, "So Owen could have created it."

"Possibly."

Julian, still being watched, leaned against the bookshelves.

"Or someone is making Owen the answer to everything."

Sophia looked at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We have Owen at the cake. Owen with Isabelle. Owen delivering the forged trust letter. Owen connected to Marcus's fake account."

"That sounds like guilt."

"It also sounds convenient."

Dominic nodded slightly.

"Keep going."

Julian pointed to the ledger.

"If Vittorio ran this for years, why use the same operative for every critical task?"

Marcus answered from the chair.

"Because Owen is loyal."

"Or because Owen is expendable."

Sophia thought of the man Lily had seen.

"Maybe both."

Naomi entered.

"We got a hit."

Dominic stood.

"On Owen?"

"Yes. Toll camera, thirty-eight minutes ago. Vehicle registered to a landscaping company. Driver image is a probable match."

"Where?"

"Heading north toward Westchester."

Marcus said, "Vittorio's country property."

Naomi nodded.

Dominic looked at her.

"Prepare a team."

Marcus spoke immediately.

"Do not go in heavy."

Dominic glanced at him.

"You're suspended."

"I'm still right."

Naomi agreed.

"If Vittorio has Evelyn, a visible team could put her at risk."

Sophia said, "Can you track Owen without approaching?"

Naomi nodded.

"We have state police assistance quietly available, but the car turned off before the property."

Dominic walked to the window.

Julian said, "There is another way."

Everyone looked at him.

"Vittorio has a board luncheon tomorrow."

Dominic's eyes narrowed.

"He canceled it."

"No. He moved it."

"How do you know?"

"His assistant sent revised papers this morning."

"Where?"

"The Moretti Foundation club."

Sophia frowned.

"He's holding a luncheon while his wife is missing?"

Julian nodded.

"Publicly, she is visiting her sister."

Dominic turned.

"So he wants everyone to believe nothing is wrong."

"Yes."

Marcus said, "Which means he may not know we found Evelyn's file."

Dominic looked at the second ledger.

"Then we don't tell him."

Sophia understood.

"You keep acting normal."

"As normal as possible."

"And Owen?"

Naomi said, "We watch."

A small voice came from the library doorway.

"Mommy?"

Everyone turned.

Lily stood beside a guard, rubbing one eye.

Sophia hurried to her.

"What are you doing downstairs?"

"I woke up."

"You were supposed to stay with Luca."

"He is making a fort."

Dominic crouched.

"Lily, can I ask you one more question about the man at the cake?"

Sophia looked at him cautiously.

"Only if she wants."

Lily nodded.

Dominic took out a tablet displaying several photographs.

He showed Owen Pike.

"This man?"

Lily looked carefully.

"Yes."

Dominic's jaw tightened.

Then she pointed at another photograph on the screen.

It was an old Foundation gala picture.

Vittorio stood beside several security men.

Lily tapped one of them.

"That shiny lion."

Dominic zoomed in.

Every man in Vittorio's old private security detail wore the same gold ring.

But Lily was pointing at something else.

"The man who did the cake had this?"

She shook her head.

"No. The other man."

Sophia's skin prickled.

"What other man?"

"The man who watched."

Dominic became still.

"What man who watched?"

Lily pointed to the ballroom reflected in her memory.

"The old man."

"Where was he?"

"By the flowers."

"Did he talk to Owen?"

Lily nodded.

"What did he say?"

She frowned, searching.

"He said, 'Not yet.'"

Dominic looked at Naomi.

"Show her the party photos."

Naomi opened the guest gallery.

They moved slowly through the images.

Lily ignored senators, executives, family friends.

Then her finger stopped.

"There."

The man beside the flowers was not Vittorio.

It was Arthur Bellamy.

The estate lawyer who had drafted Section Nine.

Sophia looked at Dominic.

Bellamy had claimed he did not know the trust instructions were forged.

Lily had just placed him in the ballroom, watching Owen Pike, minutes before the cake was poisoned.

Dominic's voice turned very quiet.

"Bring Bellamy back."

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Naomi nodded.

"And don't tell him why."