Chapter 9 - The Father Vanessa Chose Not to Follow

Police traced the call.

David was in Savannah.

He did not run.

He gave an address.

Old marina.

Private warehouse.

Luca wanted to go.

Police said no.

Vanessa said yes.

She looked at Luca.

"I need to."

He stared.

"Because he's your father?"

"No."

She shook her head.

"Because I've spent fifteen years letting his existence make decisions for me."

Luca nodded.

Police arranged it.

Recorded.

Controlled.

David sat inside the warehouse.

Seventy-two.

Thin.

Gray beard.

No weapon.

Vanessa entered.

Luca watched from another room.

David looked at her.

"You look like Elaine."

Vanessa did not smile.

"You don't get to start with my mother."

He nodded.

"Fair."

She sat.

"Why now?"

"I'm dying."

She looked at him.

"Cancer?"

"Yes."

Luca's jaw tightened.

Another dying man.

Another final confession.

Vanessa asked:

"Why did you come to Richard's house?"

"The trust papers."

"Why?"

"To destroy them."

She stared.

"Why?"

"Because Richard used your name."

"You did too."

"Yes."

David looked ashamed.

"I wanted one thing clean before I died."

Vanessa laughed.

"You picked the wrong family."

He almost smiled.

Then she asked:

"Did you love my mother?"

David looked down.

"Sometimes."

Vanessa's face hardened.

"Wrong answer."

"I know."

"Did you love Maria?"

"No."

"Then why terrorize her?"

"Control."

No excuse.

Vanessa stared.

"Did you kill Eleanor?"

"Yes."

I watched through glass.

My chest tightened.

Vanessa asked:

"Did Richard ask you to?"

"No."

"Did Antonio?"

"No."

"Did anyone?"

"No."

David continued:

"I was angry."

"I pushed her."

"She fell."

"I let Richard turn it into an accident."

Vanessa looked at him.

"And you lived."

"Yes."

"She didn't."

"Yes."

Then Vanessa asked:

"Why did you keep coming back?"

David took a long breath.

"Because people kept paying me to leave."

Luca looked at Richard in the observation room.

Richard closed his eyes.

David continued:

"Every payment taught me fear was profitable."

Vanessa whispered:

"So Richard created the monster."

David shook his head.

"No."

"I was already one."

That mattered.

Vanessa asked:

"Why tell me the money should go to Emma's family?"

"Because Eleanor died trying to do the right thing."

I looked away.

David continued:

"Money doesn't fix it."

"No."

"But it can stop benefiting me."

Vanessa nodded.

Then asked:

"What do you want from me?"

David looked at her.

"Nothing."

She did not believe him.

He continued:

"I wanted to see whether Richard had made you like us."

"And?"

David smiled sadly.

"He didn't."

Vanessa stood.

David said:

"Vanessa."

She stopped.

"I am your biological father."

She turned.

"No."

His face changed.

She continued:

"You are the man whose blood I have."

A pause.

"Richard is my father."

Through the glass, Richard began crying.

Vanessa walked out.

She did not look back.

Police arrested David.

Not dramatic.

No chase.

No gunfire.

Just handcuffs.

Old crimes.

New evidence.

The ledger.

The confession.

The video.

The call.

Everything finally had somewhere to go.

That evening, Luca sat outside the courthouse.

Vanessa joined him.

No red dress.

No ring on either hand.

She looked at his bare finger.

"Is that your answer?"

Luca looked at his hand.

"No."

She waited.

He continued:

"My answer is that I don't know."

Vanessa nodded.

"Fair."

He looked at her.

"You lied to me."

"Yes."

"You told my mother I didn't want her."

"Yes."

"That may be the hardest part."

"I know."

She cried quietly.

Luca continued:

"But you also stopped the trust from entering my company."

"Yes."

"You kept David's money away from me."

"Yes."

"You came to court."

"Yes."

"You helped expose your father."

"My father or David?"

Luca almost smiled.

"Both."

Vanessa looked down.

"What happens now?"

"You move out."

Her face broke.

He continued:

"Not as punishment."

She looked up.

"I need to meet my mother without wondering whether every room contains another Hale secret."

Vanessa nodded.

"I understand."

"And you need to figure out who you are when you are not protecting Richard."

She nodded again.

"Do you want a divorce?"

Luca looked toward the courthouse.

Then said:

"Not today."

She cried.

He continued:

"But I won't promise the opposite either."

Vanessa wiped her face.

"No promises."

"No."

She stood.

Then stopped.

"Luca."

"Yes?"

"I really did love you."

He looked at her.

"I know."

That hurt them both.

Then June walked out carrying one final envelope.

Luca laughed softly.

"Please tell me that's a menu."

June smiled.

"No."

He sighed.

"What now?"

She handed it to him.

Antonio Romano.

Last will amendment.

Dated one week before his death.

Luca opened it.

One line had been underlined.

IF MARIA EVER RETURNS TO LUCA, SHE IS TO RECEIVE THE HOUSE ON KING STREET.

Luca frowned.

"King Street?"

June looked at him.

"Charleston."

Maria's apartment building.

Luca stared.

"My father owned it."

"Yes."

"She has been living in his house."

June nodded.

"Without knowing."

Luca looked at the paper.

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

Then whispered:

"He found one way to stay near her."