Chapter 7 - The Lawyer Who Signed the Death Certificate
Leonard Russo lived in a private nursing residence outside the city.
Eighty-one.
Retired.
No visitors.
Christian arrived at noon.
Charles stayed in the car.
“He’ll talk more freely without me.”
Christian looked at him.
“You sure?”
“No.”
Christian went inside with Amelia and Samuel.
Leonard sat beside a window.
Thin.
White-haired.
A blanket over his knees.
He recognized Christian immediately.
“So.”
Christian closed the door.
“You look disappointed.”
Leonard smiled weakly.
“I always knew one of you would come.”
Samuel placed the black flight bag on the table.
Leonard’s smile disappeared.
“Where did you find that?”
Christian sat across from him.
“My father is alive.”
Leonard closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“Of course you do.”
Amelia stepped forward.
“My mother gave your client something.”
Leonard opened his eyes.
“Your grandmother was not my client.”
“My grandmother’s lawyer.”
“Yes.”
“Did Eleanor give her a cassette?”
Leonard looked at Samuel.
“You told them.”
Samuel said:
“I told them enough.”
Leonard sighed.
“The tape exists.”
Christian leaned closer.
“Where?”
“Not here.”
“Where?”
Leonard looked at Amelia.
“Your grandmother gave it back to Eleanor.”
Amelia stared.
“Why?”
“Because she was afraid.”
Christian’s patience broke.
“Everyone was afraid.”
Leonard nodded.
“That was Richard’s greatest weapon.”
Christian stood.
“Where is the tape?”
Leonard looked at him.
“Your mother had it.”
Silence.
Christian froze.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Elena knew?”
“Everything.”
Christian stared.
His mother had died believing Charles was dead.
At least that was what Christian had believed.
Leonard continued.
“She met Charles twice after he disappeared.”
Christian stopped breathing.
Samuel looked away.
Amelia whispered:
“Oh my God.”
Christian’s voice became almost inaudible.
“My mother knew my father was alive.”
“Yes.”
“Until she died?”
“Yes.”
Christian looked toward the door.
Then back.
“And she lied to me.”
Leonard’s eyes softened.
“She was protecting you.”
Christian laughed bitterly.
“Apparently everyone was.”
Leonard lowered his gaze.
“Elena wanted Charles to come home.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
Christian’s jaw tightened.
“Because he was ashamed.”
“Partly.”
“What else?”
Leonard hesitated.
Then pointed toward Samuel.
“Ask him.”
Christian turned.
Samuel went pale.
“What?”
Leonard spoke.
“Tell him who was in the hangar.”
Samuel shook his head.
“Leonard.”
“Fifteen years is long enough.”
Christian stared at Samuel.
“You said you never saw the second man’s face.”
Samuel looked at the floor.
“I lied.”
“Who was it?”
Samuel’s voice shook.
“Your mother.”
Christian did not move.
Amelia covered her mouth.
Leonard closed his eyes.
Christian whispered:
“My mother was at the airport?”
“Yes.”
Samuel looked sick.
“She followed Charles because she suspected Richard was setting him up.”
Christian’s voice hardened.
“And?”
“She saw the attack.”
“Did she help?”
“She called me.”
“You?”
Samuel nodded.
“I got Charles out through the maintenance road.”
Christian looked at Leonard.
“And you?”
Leonard answered:
“I forged the flight clearance that made the plane appear to have departed.”
Christian stared.
“You helped him disappear.”
“Yes.”
“Then signed the papers declaring him dead.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Leonard’s eyes filled with shame.
“Because by then Richard owned me.”
Christian’s face hardened.
“How?”
“My son owed him money.”
Samuel looked away.
Leonard continued.
“I had already forged the company documents. When Charles discovered it, Richard told me I would lose my son too.”
Christian sat again.
“Where is the tape?”
Leonard breathed slowly.
“Elena hid it after she became ill.”
“Where?”
“In something you would never throw away.”
Christian frowned.
Leonard smiled sadly.
“She told me once.”
“What?”
“She said, ‘Christian still keeps his father’s first gift in the music room.’”
Christian’s expression changed.
Amelia looked at him.
“What gift?”
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