Chapter 3 - The Death Before the Disappearance

Roman stared at Maria.

“My grandfather.”

“Yes.”

“He died in his sleep.”

“No.”

Arthur closed his eyes.

Roman noticed.

“You knew.”

Arthur nodded slowly.

“I suspected.”

Roman looked at Maria.

“What happened?”

She sat beside the piano.

“Your grandfather found the hidden accounts.”

“Before you?”

“Yes.”

“He confronted my father.”

“Yes.”

“And Elena’s grandfather?”

“He was there.”

Roman’s jaw tightened.

“Then what?”

Maria looked at the keys.

“He collapsed during the argument.”

Roman frowned.

“A heart attack.”

“At first.”

“What does that mean?”

Maria looked up.

“He was still alive when I arrived.”

Silence.

Roman stepped closer.

“Who else was there?”

“Your father.”

“Elena’s grandfather.”

“Yes.”

“Commissioner Vale?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

Maria whispered:

“Your father’s secretary.”

The elderly woman from the gala.

Margaret Lane.

Roman remembered her crying.

He said:

“She witnessed it.”

“Yes.”

“What did she see?”

Maria took out an old cassette.

“Listen.”

Roman pressed play.

A woman’s younger voice.

Margaret.

“I saw Mr. Moretti on the floor.”

Roman went still.

“He was breathing.”

Another voice.

Roman’s father.

“Call a doctor.”

Then Elena’s grandfather.

“No.”

Silence.

Roman looked at Elena.

Her face went pale.

The recording continued.

Roman’s father:

“He needs help.”

Elena’s grandfather:

“If he wakes up, we all go down.”

Then a struggle.

A chair scraping.

Margaret crying.

Then the tape ended.

Roman’s hand shook.

“He let my grandfather die.”

Maria nodded.

Roman looked at Elena.

She whispered:

“I never heard that one.”

Maria said:

“Your grandfather kept the original.”

Roman turned.

“Elena’s grandfather?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Insurance.”

Arthur sighed.

“Of course.”

Roman asked:

“And my father?”

Maria looked at him.

“He spent the rest of his life afraid that tape would surface.”

“So he signed the asset agreement.”

“Yes.”

“To keep him quiet.”

“Yes.”

“And kept me from you.”

“Yes.”

Roman walked away from the piano.

Then turned.

“Did my father kill anyone?”

Maria shook her head.

“No.”

“Did he cover it up?”

“Yes.”

“That is still a crime.”

“Yes.”

Roman nodded.

No defense.

No excuse.

That mattered.

Elena asked:

“Where is the original agreement?”

Maria looked at her.

“With your grandfather.”

“At the estate?”

“No.”

“Then where?”

Maria hesitated.

“Private chapel.”

Roman frowned.

Elena went still.

“My family chapel?”

“Yes.”

Elena whispered:

“He has a vault under the altar.”

Roman looked at her.

“You knew.”

“I knew there was a vault.”

“What is inside?”

“I never saw.”

Arthur said:

“Then we go.”

Maria shook her head.

“No.”

Roman looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because your mother did not come back only for the agreement.”

Roman stared.

Maria continued.

“There is one more recording.”

She handed him a second cassette.

His father’s handwriting.

ROMAN.

Roman inserted it into Arthur’s old player.

His father’s voice filled the conservatory.

“Roman, if you hear this, I failed twice.”

Roman closed his eyes.

“First, I failed your mother.”

A pause.

“Second, I failed you.”

Roman’s jaw tightened.

His father continued.

“I let fear turn into obedience.”

Maria looked away.

“I returned her letters.”

Roman’s hand tightened around the player.

“I told myself I was protecting you.”

A pause.

“I was protecting myself.”

Roman opened his eyes.

His father continued.

“I could not bear for you to know your grandfather died because I was too weak to call for help.”

Roman whispered:

“You tried.”

Maria nodded.

His father said:

“But I stopped when Voss threatened you.”

Roman’s face hardened.

Then:

“There is one thing I never told Voss.”

Everyone listened.

“The first agreement he made me sign is worthless.”

Elena looked up.

Roman frowned.

His father continued.

“I signed a second document the next morning.”

A pause.

“With a federal witness.”

Roman sat forward.

“If Maria returns, the second document transfers control not to Voss…”

Another pause.

“…but to Roman.”

Roman stared.

Arthur whispered:

“Your father reversed it.”

The recording continued.

“The witness was Commissioner Vale.”

Roman laughed bitterly.

“The corrupt commissioner.”

Maria nodded.

His father continued.

“Vale kept one copy.”

Roman’s expression changed.

“Where?”

The tape answered.

“In the piano bench at the old conservatory.”

Everyone looked at the bench.

Arthur immediately turned it over.

Hidden seam.

He opened it.

One envelope.

Roman took it.

Inside:

A notarized agreement.

Roman Moretti.

Sole controlling beneficiary upon Maria’s verified return.

And one signature.

Commissioner Adrian Vale.

Roman stared.

“This destroys the Voss claim.”

Elena nodded.

“Yes.”

Maria said:

“Only if Vale’s signature is validated.”

Arthur asked:

“Where is he?”

Maria looked toward the dark windows.

“Dead.”

Roman exhaled.

“Of course.”

Then Elena whispered:

“No.”

Everyone turned.

“My grandfather said Vale died.”

Roman stared.

Elena continued.

“But I saw him last year.”

Silence.

“Where?”

“At a private nursing home.”

Maria stood.

“Adrian Vale is alive?”

Elena nodded.

“Yes.”

Roman looked at the agreement.

Then at her.

“And you never thought that mattered?”

Elena cried.

“I didn’t know he was the witness.”

Roman folded the document.

“Now you do.”

Then looked at Maria.

“Where is the nursing home?”

Elena answered.

“Two hours north.”

Roman picked up his coat.

Maria stopped him.

“Roman.”

He looked at her.

“If Adrian Vale is alive, your grandfather’s version can still fall apart.”

Roman nodded.

“And maybe for once…”

He held up the agreement.

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“…the living witness gets to speak before everyone else decides what he remembers.”

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