Chapter 4
Victor denied ordering Isabelle’s murder.
Immediately.
“No.”
Dominic placed Isabelle’s letter on table.
Victor stared.
“She was wrong.”
“About you?”
“Yes.”
“Convenient.”
“I know.”
“What did she think happened?”
Victor exhaled.
“She thought I hired Daniel.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you pay him?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Dominic’s face hardened.
“For what?”
“To scare her.”
My stomach dropped.
Sophie and Lucy were upstairs.
Good.
They did not need this.
Dominic’s voice stayed low.
“You paid Daniel Shaw to scare my wife.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She was going to expose the security network.”
“So?”
“Some people inside were protected witnesses.”
“There it is.”
Victor looked ashamed.
“Not all.”
“Meaning?”
“Some were criminals.”
“Some politicians.”
“Some abused families.”
“Some witnesses.”
“You didn’t want a public dump.”
“No.”
“Then you threatened her.”
“Yes.”
“Through Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell him to hurt her?”
“No.”
“Kill?”
“No.”
“What exactly?”
“Get the ledger back.”
“How?”
“I said scare her if necessary.”
Dominic laughed once.
“There is no harmless version of that.”
“I know.”
“Now.”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at letter.
“Isabelle found payment.”
“From you to Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“She assumed murder order.”
“Yes.”
“Did you correct her?”
“I never got chance.”
“Because she died.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Dominic looked sick.
Victor continued:
“I saw Daniel in garage before Isabelle left.”
“Then?”
“I told him not to follow.”
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
“You let him.”
“I stayed because Matteo ordered me to secure girls.”
“Why?”
“Lucia thought someone might take them.”
“So you chose girls over Isabelle.”
“Yes.”
No noble framing.
Choice.
Good.
Then:
“Why lie for fourteen months?”
“Because I paid Daniel.”
There.
Self-preservation.
“If police saw payment, I’d be charged.”
“Yes.”
“So you let Dominic believe nothing.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
Dominic looked away.
Not enough.
Police seized Victor’s accounts.
Payment matched red ledger.
But timing showed payment three days before murder.
Code:
RECOVER BOOK / NO PHYSICAL HARM.
Interesting.
Written explicitly.
Daniel exceeded instruction.
Still Victor culpable for coercion.
Not murder order.
Isabelle’s assumption understandable.
Then red ledger named another person.
EVELYN SHAW — CHILD GUARDIAN PLAN.
Payments from Romano Foundation.
Daniel.
Gabriel.
Victor.
Everyone around Dominic touched money.
Why?
Because Antonio built system.
After his death, people fought over pieces.
Evelyn controlled legal.
Victor security.
Daniel finance.
Gabriel accounting.
Lucia intelligence.
Matteo underground investigation.
Isabelle reform.
Dominic central heir.
Girls future beneficiaries.
Emily accidental key.
A machine.
I hated it.
Marco found a hidden audio file in red ledger USB pocket.
Isabelle.
Recorded same day as murder.
“Dominic, if you hear this, I’m sorry I did not tell you sooner.”
He closed eyes.
“I found evidence Victor paid Daniel.”
“I think Victor wants the book, not my death.”
Good.
She had updated suspicion.
Then why letter says Victor ordered? Letter maybe earlier than audio. Dates confirmed.
Audio later.
She continued:
“Daniel is the danger.”
“Evelyn may not know.”
Silence.
Important.
“She is controlling, but I think Daniel is using her authority.”
“Gabriel helps him.”
“If I can get blue ledger into bank, I will tell you everything tonight.”
She paused.
“Victor is guilty of threatening me.”
“But I do not think he will hurt girls.”
Dominic looked at Victor.
Complicated.
Then Isabelle:
“If anything happens, Sophie remembers more than she says.”
My chest tightened.
“Do not force her.”
Good.
“Lucy too.”
“Music helps.”
Then:
“Emily Foster may remember me.”
“I hope she does.”
“I was Izzy to her.”
Tears came.
Memory.
Picnic.
Braids.
Blue song.
“She was my cousin,” I whispered.
Dominic looked at me.
“Did she know you became a housemaid?”
Audio:
“I checked on Emily last year.”
“She lives quietly.”
“She plays piano when she thinks no one hears.”
I laughed through tears.
How did she know?
Maybe social media? Maybe visit to café?
“She should not be pulled into this.”
“If Evelyn does, give Emily the choice I did not have.”
There.
Again.
Dominic looked at me.
“Do you want out?”
The question was immediate.
I thought of girls.
Evidence.
My injuries.
My life.
“I want to stay until the girls are safe.”
“Then after?”
“I decide.”
He nodded.
Good.
Then audio ended with:
“Daniel has another trustee.”
“Someone outside Shaw family.”
Name cut off.
File corrupted.
Of course.
We needed recover.
Digital forensics.
Meanwhile, police searched Daniel’s old home.
He died last year.
Heart attack.
Maybe murdered by Matteo? Not yet confirmed.
They found documents.
Guardianship petition.
Draft.
Emergency custody after Dominic deemed compromised.
Trustee:
Evelyn Shaw.
Successor:
Victor Hale.
Victor went pale.
“No.”
Dominic stared.
“You were next.”
“I never knew.”
“Proof?”
Signature not Victor’s.
Forgery.
Forensics later confirmed.
Daniel planned to use Victor’s name.
Frame him.
Maybe after killing Isabelle.
Then another document:
Life insurance on Isabelle.
Beneficiary:
Romano Children’s Foundation.
$25 million.
Not personal.
Daniel managed foundation.
Motive to benefit fund? But he couldn't personally take unless fees/control.
Administrative control fee 2%.
Half million annually.
Plus asset authority.
Greed.
But likely bigger.
Then Sophie came downstairs with therapist.
She wanted to speak.
Dominic looked at therapist.
She nodded.
Sophie sat beside me.
Her eyes went to Victor through glass.
“He cried.”
“What?” Dominic asked.
“The parking lot.”
Sophie swallowed.
“After Mommy drove away.”
“You saw?”
“In mirror.”
Victor leaned against pillar.
Covered his face.
That did not clear him.
Humanized.
Then:
“Another man came.”
“Who?”
She pointed to old photo Daniel.
“No.”
Then to Gabriel.
“No.”
Then Evelyn.
“No.”
She shook head.
“Uncle.”
Dominic froze.
“Matteo?”
“Yes.”
“Matteo was already there.”
“No.”
“Another time.”
Sophie’s memories layered.
Therapist gently asked:
“At home?”
Sophie nodded.
“After Mommy died.”
Silence.
“Uncle Matteo came to my room.”
Dominic stared.
“When?”
“Night.”
“What did he say?”
“Don’t tell Daddy I’m alive.”
Dominic closed eyes.
Of course.
“Why?”
“He said Daddy would go to jail if he knew.”
“What?”
That made no sense.
Sophie continued:
“He said Mommy signed something.”
“What?”
“A paper with Daddy’s name.”
Forgery?
Maybe Isabelle had unknowingly implicated Dominic.
Marco searched.
Found document in Daniel archive.
Authorization for Victor payment.
Signed:
DOMINIC ROMANO.
Payment to Daniel.
Recovery operation.
Forged signature.
If surfaced, Dominic looked like he ordered intimidation that led to murder.
Matteo feared frame.
So he hid.
Victor hid.
Everyone hid.
Daniel had built blame toward Dominic.
Why?
To remove him from guardianship and foundation control.
There.
Then forensic recovery of corrupted audio succeeded.
The outside trustee name:
MARIA HALE.
Victor’s mother.
Dominic stared.
Victor’s mother had served as Antonio’s private secretary.
Alive?
Victor went pale.
“She died twenty years ago.”
We all looked at him.
He sighed.
“I know how that sounds.”
Marco checked.
Death certificate.
Body cremated.
No DNA.
Of course.
Then one recent trust payment to MARIA HALE FOUNDATION.
Active account.
Someone using her identity.
Who?
Bank login facial capture.
Woman.
Sixties.
Dark hair.
Dominic stared.
“No.”
Victor whispered:
“Mom.”
Alive.
Another parent.
But worse—
Maria Hale was the outside trustee Daniel had named.
And current transaction showed she had just withdrawn five million dollars from the girls’ guardianship reserve.
Destination:
Private aviation account.
Flight departing tonight.
Passengers:
SOPHIE ROMANO.
LUCY ROMANO.
The girls were still in the house.
So the flight plan had been filed before anyone had them.
Before police took Victor back downstairs, Sophie appeared at the top of the staircase. She had heard enough through the house to know something changed. Dominic walked toward her. “You should be upstairs.” “I know.” “Then why aren’t you?” “I wanted water.” Lucy appeared behind her holding two glasses. One was empty. Dominic almost smiled.
Sophie looked at Victor. “Did you pay the bad man?” Victor went still. Dominic looked at the therapist. She nodded. The truth could be answered simply. Victor crouched, but stayed far away. “Yes.” “Why?” “I wanted him to get your mom’s book.” “Did you tell him to shoot her?” “No.” “Did you know he might hurt her?” Victor’s eyes filled. “I knew he might scare her.” “That’s bad.” “Yes.” “Did you say sorry?” “Yes.” “To Mommy?” Silence. Victor looked toward the floor. “No.” “She’s dead.” “Yes.” Sophie thought. “Then maybe say it anyway.” Everyone froze. Victor closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Isabelle.” Not magic. Not absolution. But the room became quieter.
Sophie looked at Dominic. “Can I go now?” “Yes.” She turned, then looked back at me. “Emily?” “Yes?” “Play blue song later.” “I will.” She left. Victor stared after her. “I don’t deserve that kid’s honesty.” Dominic said, “No.” Victor flinched. Then Dominic added, “But you can still answer it honestly.” That was better than cruelty. Victor nodded. Police led him away. I looked at Dominic. “You’re getting good at this.” “At what?” “Not making everything punishment.” He laughed once. “Don’t tell anyone.” “Too late.”
Later that night, I found Dominic alone in the dark dining room. “You should sleep,” I said. “So should you.” “I wasn’t the one who learned half the house had lied for fourteen months.” He looked at me. “Do you regret finding the card?” I thought about my hands. Sophie’s first word. Lucy’s red-tie memory. “No.” Then: “I regret what it cost.” He nodded. “That sounds more honest.” I sat across from him. No silver. No guests. Just two tired people. “What will you tell the girls tomorrow?” I asked. “Only what they ask.” Good. “And if they ask everything?” “Then I tell what they can carry.” I looked at him. “Better.” He almost smiled. “You really are difficult to impress.” “Occupational hazard.”
May you like
Someone planned to take them.
And Maria Hale was coming.
