Chapter 3 - Belini Had Been Looking for Carmen

Marco found the first proof before sunrise.

Not in the chapel.

In Belini’s phone.

Her messages had been deleted.

Her location history had not.

Three weeks earlier, she had visited Madrid.

Two days later, a private investigator photographed Carmen leaving a church near Atocha.

Emma stared at the images.

Carmen sat across the library table, hands folded around a cup of tea she had barely touched.

Luca looked at Belini.

“You knew who she was.”

Belini did not answer.

“You knew before today.”

“Yes.”

Carmen’s eyes lifted.

Belini continued.

“I knew her name.”

“How?”

“My mother’s files.”

Luca leaned back.

The old leather packet and black ledger remained on the table between them.

Unopened.

Belini looked at Carmen.

“My mother kept records about Teresa.”

Carmen whispered:

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“That is becoming your favorite answer,” Luca said.

Belini’s jaw tightened.

She looked at him.

“When my mother died, I inherited boxes of documents. Most were meaningless. Old family disputes. Bank records. Letters.”

“And Carmen?”

“One file had her name.”

“What did it say?”

Belini looked toward the brass key.

“That she had something Teresa wanted hidden.”

Emma felt the pieces settle.

“You hired someone to find her.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you simply ask her?”

Belini gave a tired laugh.

“Because the file also said she had been instructed never to trust my family.”

Carmen looked away.

Luca’s voice lowered.

“And today?”

Belini hesitated.

That was enough.

Marco placed a technical report on the table.

“The chapel archive was unlocked remotely from a legacy security credential.”

Luca already knew the name.

“Teresa.”

Marco nodded.

Belini closed her eyes.

Emma looked at her.

“You had the code.”

Belini answered quietly.

“Yes.”

Luca stood.

The room changed with him.

Not because he shouted.

Because he did not.

“You used my dead mother’s security profile.”

“I found it in Isabella’s files.”

“When?”

“Years ago.”

“You activated it today.”

Belini’s gaze dropped.

“Yes.”

Carmen looked horrified.

“But you didn’t have the key.”

Belini looked at her.

“No.”

That explained everything.

The remote code opened the chapel corridor.

But only Teresa’s brass key opened the drawer.

Belini had expected to search the archive later.

Then Carmen had appeared in Luca’s restaurant.

Then the key surfaced.

Luca asked:

“Why today?”

Belini did not answer.

Emma looked at the untouched black ledger.

“Because she knew Carmen might give it to him.”

Belini’s eyes moved toward her.

Emma knew she was right.

Luca opened the leather packet.

Inside was one handwritten letter.

Not to Luca.

To Isabella.

The first line was enough to change Belini’s face.

Isabella, if your father learns what I found, take Luca and run before he reaches us.

Luca looked up.

“Your grandfather.”

Belini said nothing.

Carmen whispered:

“Carlo Bellini.”

Luca’s eyes narrowed.

“You knew him?”

“No.”

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Carmen shook her head.

“But Teresa did.”