Chapter 7 - Why James Porter Vanished

Victoria stared at James.

"You were with my mother when she died?"

James nodded.

"Five years ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I promised her."

Victoria laughed through tears.

"Everyone promised my mother something except the truth."

James accepted that.

Luca asked:

"What happened?"

James sat slowly.

For the first time, he looked tired.

Not old.

Tired.

"Helen called me the night she died."

Marco frowned.

"Why you?"

"Because she knew I still worked at the Ferraro estate."

Marco looked confused.

"I had already disappeared."

"Exactly."

James continued:

"She believed someone had entered this villa."

Victoria looked around.

"This villa?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"She didn't know."

James looked at Adrian.

"Or she wouldn't say."

Adrian crossed his arms.

James continued:

"When I arrived, Helen was conscious."

Victoria whispered:

"Was she afraid?"

"Very."

"What did she say?"

"She told me to take the black box."

Victoria looked upstairs.

James said:

"I didn't."

"Why?"

"Because she collapsed."

His voice changed.

"I called an ambulance."

Anna sat beside Victoria.

James continued:

"Helen died before reaching the hospital."

Victoria covered her mouth.

Adrian said:

"Heart attack."

James looked at him.

"That is what you told everyone."

"The report says cardiac arrest."

"Cardiac arrest is how the heart stopped."

James looked at the toxicology paper.

"It doesn't explain why."

Luca asked:

"Did you know about the sedative?"

"No."

"Then why disappear seven months ago?"

James looked at Marco.

"Because he found the toxicology report."

Marco nodded.

"I obtained a copy from an old private physician."

Victoria stared at him.

"You were investigating my mother's death?"

"For years."

"Why?"

Marco's eyes filled.

"Because I loved her."

Anna looked down.

No jealousy.

Only history.

Marco continued:

"And because her last voicemail to me was wrong."

Victoria frowned.

"Wrong how?"

Marco looked at James.

James took out the recorder.

Another file.

Helen's voice.

Weak.

"Marco, someone knows about Anna."

A breath.

"I think they found the box."

Another breath.

"If anything happens to me, don't come back for me."

Then:

"Protect Luca."

The recording ended.

Victoria cried silently.

Luca stared at Adrian.

"You knew she had the box."

Adrian did not answer.

James continued:

"Seven months ago, Marco contacted me."

"From Spain?"

"Yes."

"He asked me to retrieve something from the Ferraro estate."

Luca frowned.

"What?"

"The original guest ledger from the night you were drugged."

Luca stared.

James continued:

"Your private clinic doctor came to the estate before you were found."

"Why?"

"To meet Adrian."

Victoria's father said:

"That's absurd."

James looked at him.

"The ledger has his signature."

Adrian stopped.

Luca asked:

"You found it?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"In the old staff archive."

"What did it prove?"

"That Adrian knew the doctor before your overdose."

Victoria looked at her father.

"You said you only learned after."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

James continued:

"I took the ledger."

"Then?"

"Two men followed me."

"Adrian's?"

"I couldn't prove it."

Adrian smiled.

James looked at him.

"Until one of them called you."

The smile vanished.

James continued:

"I heard your name through the car speaker."

Victoria stood.

"Dad."

Adrian said:

"You believe a butler?"

She stared at him.

"More than you."

That landed.

James continued:

"I got away."

"How?"

"Marco arranged a car."

"And then Spain."

"Yes."

Luca looked at Marco.

"You hid him."

"I did."

"For seven months."

"Yes."

James continued:

"While we checked every document before bringing it to you."

Luca laughed bitterly.

"You all keep deciding when I'm ready."

James looked ashamed.

"Yes."

Luca stepped closer.

"I am done with that."

James nodded.

"You should be."

Luca held out his hand.

"The ledger."

James reached inside his coat.

Then stopped.

"Not here."

Luca stared.

James looked at Adrian.

"I mailed it."

"Where?"

"To a lawyer in New York."

Adrian went pale.

James continued:

"It arrives tomorrow."

Luca understood.

A copy beyond the villa.

Beyond Adrian.

Beyond anyone in the room.

Adrian moved toward the door.

Italian police lights appeared beyond the gate.

Blue.

White.

Victoria looked out.

"What did you do?"

Luca said:

"I called before we left the apartment."

Adrian turned.

"You called the police on me?"

"No."

Luca looked at Marco.

"My father did."

Marco held up his phone.

"Financial prosecutors."

Adrian laughed.

"You think they arrest people because of family recordings?"

Marco answered:

"No."

He looked at Helen's hard drive.

"But they do for bank records."

Adrian's expression changed.

Victoria stared at the drive.

"My mother copied everything."

James nodded.

"Everything she could reach."

Police entered the villa.

No guns raised.

No shouting.

Just names.

Documents.

Questions.

Adrian looked at Victoria.

"Tell them this is a family dispute."

She shook her head.

"Tell them."

"No."

"Victoria."

Her hands trembled.

Then stopped.

"No."

Adrian's face hardened.

"You are choosing them over me."

Victoria looked at Luca.

Then Marco.

Then Anna.

Then James.

Finally back at her father.

"No."

She whispered:

"I'm choosing what happened."

Police led Adrian into another room for questioning.

Not arrested yet.

But no longer in control.

Luca turned toward Marco.

"Now tell me one thing."

Marco waited.

"Was Helen poisoned?"

Marco looked at James.

James lowered his eyes.

Then Anna spoke.

"I know who gave her the sedative."

Everyone turned.

Victoria whispered:

"Who?"

Anna looked toward the room where police had taken Adrian.

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Then shook her head.

"Not him."