Chapter 5 - The Signature Rebecca's Father Could Not Explain

Vincent stared at Thomas.

"Who else?"

Thomas did not answer.

Rebecca had arrived behind him.

Dark coat.

No red gown.

No engagement smile.

Vincent looked at her.

Then at Thomas.

"Who forged my signature?"

Thomas said:

"Michael."

Silence.

Anna stepped forward.

"No."

Thomas looked at her.

"He admitted it."

Vincent's face emptied.

"My father."

"Yes."

"For what?"

Thomas took out an old folder.

Loan guarantee.

Vincent Bellini.

Age nineteen.

Signature.

Vincent stared.

"I never signed this."

"I know."

"What did it guarantee?"

"Michael's medical debt."

Anna frowned.

"He wasn't sick then."

Thomas shook his head.

"Not his."

Vincent looked at him.

"Whose?"

Thomas glanced at Anna.

Her face changed.

"No."

Vincent turned.

"Mom."

Anna looked down.

Thomas answered:

"Anna's."

Silence.

Vincent stared.

"You were sick."

Anna nodded.

"When?"

"Fourteen years ago."

"With what?"

"Cancer."

His face changed.

"You had cancer."

"Yes."

"And Dad used my name to pay for treatment."

"He had no access to your accounts."

"So he forged me."

Anna cried.

"He was terrified."

Vincent looked away.

Rebecca whispered:

"He paid the loan."

Thomas nodded.

"Every dollar."

Vincent laughed bitterly.

"That does not make it mine."

"No."

Thomas agreed.

Vincent looked at Anna.

"Did you know?"

"After."

"How long after?"

"Two years."

"And you said nothing."

"No."

He nodded once.

Another truth.

Another person he loved choosing silence.

Then Thomas said:

"Michael discovered Enzo had forged your signature years earlier."

"So Dad thought doing it again was somehow acceptable."

Thomas shook his head.

"No."

"He hated himself for it."

Vincent looked at him.

"Convenient."

Thomas accepted that.

Rebecca stepped forward.

"Vincent."

He looked at her.

"I want to show you something."

She handed him her phone.

Bank instruction.

Dated three months ago.

REBECCA MOREL TRUST - SHARE TRANSFER PREPARATION.

Recipient:

VINCENT BELLINI.

Vincent frowned.

"You were transferring the thirty-one percent back."

"Yes."

"Before the wedding."

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She cried.

"Because my father told me the transfer would expose the old forged guarantees."

Vincent looked at Thomas.

"Would it?"

"Possibly."

"That isn't an answer."

Thomas sighed.

"Yes."

Rebecca continued:

"I was trying to separate the shares before we married."

Vincent looked at her.

"Secretly."

"Yes."

"You see the problem."

"I do."

He handed the phone back.

Rebecca said:

"I didn't want our marriage to absorb the lie."

"Then you should have told me the lie."

She nodded.

"I know."

Anna looked at Rebecca.

"Did you meet me last week because of the transfer?"

Rebecca nodded.

"Yes."

Vincent stared.

"What did you ask her?"

Rebecca answered:

"Whether Michael wanted the shares returned."

Anna said:

"And I told her yes."

Vincent looked at his mother.

"You knew about the shares."

"For years."

"And you never told me."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because your father asked me not to."

Vincent closed his eyes.

Rebecca whispered:

"He believed Thomas would return them eventually."

Thomas looked ashamed.

Vincent opened his eyes.

"But you didn't."

Thomas said:

"Not after Michael died."

"Why?"

"Because I discovered the trust had been used as collateral."

Rebecca stared at him.

"What?"

Thomas looked at his daughter.

"I never told you."

Her face hardened.

"For what?"

"A private loan."

"Whose?"

Thomas took a breath.

"Mine."

Silence.

Rebecca stepped backward.

"You borrowed against my trust."

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Five million."

Her voice broke.

"For what?"

"To pay Enzo's old partners."

Vincent frowned.

"Why?"

"Because after Enzo died, they came looking for the money he had hidden."

Anna whispered:

"Thomas."

He looked at her.

"I thought if I paid them, everyone could finally be free."

Vincent laughed bitterly.

"And you used Rebecca."

Thomas nodded.

"Yes."

Rebecca stared at her father.

"You told me the trust was frozen because of Michael."

"I lied."

She began crying.

Vincent watched.

For once, she looked as blindsided as he felt.

Thomas continued:

"I repaid most of it."

"Most?"

"Four point two million."

Rebecca shook her head.

"So the shares cannot transfer."

"Not until the collateral is released."

Vincent asked:

"Who holds the loan?"

Thomas looked toward the harbor.

"One man."

"Name."

"Samuel Voss."

Anna went pale.

Vincent noticed.

"You know him."

She whispered:

"Your grandfather's lawyer."

Thomas nodded.

Vincent's face changed.

"Still alive?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Portland."

Rebecca stared at her father.

"Why did you visit Henry last month?"

Thomas hesitated.

Vincent's voice hardened.

"Why?"

"Because Samuel asked me to."

Henry looked up.

Thomas continued:

"He wanted to know whether the lighthouse box still existed."

Vincent looked at the steel box.

"Why?"

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Thomas answered:

"Because the confession is the only thing stopping him from claiming Bellini Marine."