Chapter 7 - Antonio Bellini Had Tried to Confess Before He Died

The letter was inside the bottom of the archive box.

Under the ledgers.

Sealed.

No name on the front.

Elena opened it.

Her hands shook.

Inside was Antonio’s handwriting.

Elena,

If Victor finds out I gave Luca’s name to federal investigators, I will not live long enough to explain why.

Luca stared.

Serena whispered:

“He went to the government.”

Victor looked away.

Elena continued reading.

I gave them everything tied to Luca.

Every company.

Every account.

Every false signature.

I told them my son was a minor when I used his name.

I told them he knew nothing.

Luca’s face changed.

For the first time that night, something his father did had protected him.

Too late.

But real.

Elena continued.

I also gave them records connecting Victor to the Voss accounts.

Victor’s jaw tightened.

Julian stared at him.

“Did you know?”

Victor said nothing.

The letter continued.

Victor suspects me.

Domenico is dead.

There is nobody left to hide behind.

That is probably good.

Luca closed his eyes.

Antonio wrote:

If anything happens to me, do not let Luca believe I became brave at the end.

I became cornered.

There is a difference.

Silence.

Elena cried quietly.

Antonio continued.

I should have told him when he was eighteen.

I should have told him when you found me again.

I should have walked into his house and accepted whatever he called me.

Instead, I kept waiting for a safer day.

There was never one.

Luca looked away.

The last paragraph:

The federal contact is Daniel Reese.

He has a copy.

Victor cannot erase everything.

Elena lowered the letter.

Julian looked at his father.

“You knew about Reese.”

Victor finally answered:

“Yes.”

Luca stared.

“What happened to Dad?”

Victor looked tired.

“He met Reese.”

“And?”

“Two days later, Antonio was dead.”

Elena whispered:

“Heart attack.”

Victor shook his head.

“Poison.”

Silence.

Luca’s voice dropped.

“Did you order it?”

“No.”

“Who did?”

Victor looked at Julian.

Not Serena.

Julian went pale.

“Why are you looking at me?”

Victor answered:

“Because you know the man.”

Julian stared.

“Who?”

Victor said:

“Dr. Adrian Kessler.”

Serena frowned.

“Our family physician.”

“Yes.”

Julian looked horrified.

Victor continued.

“He handled Antonio’s final examination.”

Luca asked:

“Did you tell him to do it?”

“No.”

“Did he work for you?”

“Yes.”

“That is not the same answer.”

Victor looked at Luca.

“I told him Antonio was dangerous.”

Elena whispered:

“What did you ask for?”

Victor said nothing.

Luca stepped closer.

“What did you ask him to do?”

Victor closed his eyes.

“To stop Antonio from meeting Reese again.”

Serena covered her mouth.

“How?”

“I did not specify.”

Julian shouted:

“You knew exactly what that meant.”

Victor looked at him.

“No.”

“You built your entire life on people understanding what you meant without you saying it.”

Silence.

That landed.

Luca stared at Victor.

“So you did not say ‘kill him.’”

“No.”

“You just sent a corrupt doctor to stop him.”

“Yes.”

Elena’s face hardened.

“And then accepted the result.”

Victor did not answer.

Luca looked at the letter.

“Where is Reese now?”

Julian answered.

“Retired.”

“How do you know?”

“Dad kept a file on him.”

Victor looked furious.

Julian continued.

“Connecticut.”

Luca stared at Victor.

“You kept watching him.”

“Yes.”

“Because he has the copy.”

“Yes.”

Elena looked at Luca.

“We need to find him.”

Victor laughed softly.

“You think one retired agent solves nineteen years?”

“No.”

Luca looked at his mother.

“But he may solve my father’s death.”

Victor looked toward the stairs.

Police sirens sounded outside.

Ruth had called them while making copies.

Victor looked at Serena.

“You called police on your own father?”

She shook her head.

Ruth walked back in.

“I did.”

Victor stared at her.

She smiled.

“I’m retired.”

“I have hobbies now.”

Even Luca almost smiled.

Police entered.

Victor did not resist.

Before they took him, he looked at Luca.

“Serena will lose everything.”

Luca looked at her.

She answered before he could.

“Then I lose it.”

Victor’s face changed.

She continued.

“I would rather lose money than become another person who tells Luca the truth can wait.”

The officers led Victor away.

Luca watched.

Then picked up Antonio’s letter.

Elena whispered:

“What now?”

Luca looked at the name.

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Daniel Reese.

“Now we find the man my father trusted when he finally stopped trusting himself.”