Chapter 8 - Isabella Finally Told Gabriel the Secret She Kept for Herself
Silvio was taken away.
The ledger stayed with investigators.
The vault chamber became quiet.
Isabella stood apart from everyone.
Her father sat with his head in his hands.
Maria looked exhausted.
Gabriel watched Isabella.
She had not spoken for several minutes.
Then she said:
“There is one more thing.”
Gabriel almost laughed.
“Of course there is.”
She flinched.
He regretted it.
But only slightly.
She walked toward him.
“This one is mine.”
Her father looked up.
“Isabella.”
“No.”
She faced Gabriel.
“I am done letting other people decide when you get the truth.”
Gabriel waited.
She took a folded document from her bag.
A medical record.
Gabriel looked at it.
“What is this?”
“My mother’s.”
He frowned.
Isabella’s mother had died six years earlier.
She continued.
“She was Jonathan Hale’s sister.”
Silence.
Gabriel stared.
Maria’s eyes widened.
“You never told me.”
Isabella shook her head.
“Dad made me promise.”
Mr. Crane closed his eyes.
Gabriel looked between them.
“So Jonathan was your uncle.”
“Yes.”
“Your father was in that wedding because Jonathan was family.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew my mother through him.”
“Not at first.”
Gabriel’s expression hardened.
“When did you know?”
“Two years ago.”
“The same time you learned Maria was alive.”
“Yes.”
Gabriel looked at the paper again.
“Why hide this?”
Isabella swallowed.
“Because Jonathan left me something.”
Gabriel looked up.
“What?”
“A letter.”
She handed it to him.
He read.
ISABELLA,
IF YOU ARE READING THIS, I FAILED TO FINISH WHAT LUCA STARTED.
DO NOT LET SILVIO TURN GABRIEL INTO THE MAN HE WANTED LUCA TO BE.
Gabriel stopped.
His face changed.
Isabella continued.
“Jonathan believed I was close enough to you to see what Silvio had made of you.”
Gabriel stared.
“So our relationship was an assignment?”
“No.”
“Was it?”
“No.”
Her voice broke.
“I met you before Jonathan told me any of this.”
Gabriel said nothing.
“I loved you before I knew Maria was alive.”
Tears fell.
“Then I learned everything.”
“And you stayed.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I loved you.”
He looked away.
She continued.
“And because I was afraid if I told you, you would confront Silvio before we had evidence.”
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
“You were right about that part.”
Isabella stepped closer.
“But I was wrong to keep Maria from you.”
“Yes.”
“I was wrong to decide what you could handle.”
“Yes.”
“I was wrong to let you propose while I still had secrets.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“Yes.”
She nodded.
No defense.
No excuse.
Gabriel seemed surprised by that.
He asked:
“Did you ever tell Silvio Maria was coming back?”
“No.”
“Did your father?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Daniel, standing near the vault door, looked at the case.
He picked up one cassette.
Label:
M.H. CONTACT LIST.
He frowned.
Maria said:
“What?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Jonathan used initials.”
He inserted the cassette into an old player provided by the bank.
A man’s voice.
Jonathan.
“If Maria returns, assume information is leaking through Father Martin’s parish office.”
Everyone went still.
Gabriel looked at Maria.
“Father Martin?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
The recording continued.
“Not Martin himself.”
A pause.
“His secretary.”
Daniel stopped the tape.
Gabriel frowned.
“Who?”
Maria whispered:
“Clara Voss.”
Daniel froze.
Same surname.
Gabriel looked at him.
“Your sister.”
Daniel went pale.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Daniel stepped back.
“She worked for Father Martin for ten years.”
Gabriel stared.
“And for Silvio?”
Daniel looked sick.
“I did not know.”
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A woman’s voice.
“Daniel.”
His face changed.
“Clara?”
Everyone listened.
She whispered:
“I am sorry.”
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