Chapter 13
The room beneath the stable had been sealed before Arthur inherited the estate.
Price knew the entrance.
He claimed he had never opened it.
Arthur believed him only partially.
The stone door required two signet rings.
Arthur’s.
And the Custodian ring.
For the first time, both were in one place.
The locks opened.
The underground room smelled of earth and old wood.
No files.
No paperwork.
No desks.
Only a circular table.
Seven chairs.
Each chair carved with a family symbol.
Bellacorte.
Rossini.
Moretti.
Bennett.
Three Sarah did not recognize.
Daniel stared.
“Bennett?”
Margaret whispered:
“Samuel.”
Price shook his head.
“Older.”
The Bennett involvement predated Samuel.
That changed everything.
Margaret’s revenge had been built on the belief her husband was an outsider destroyed by Bellacorte.
Maybe he had inherited a role too.
Sarah walked around the table.
Behind each chair hung a bell.
Different tone.
Arthur looked at Price.
“What is this?”
“The first council.”
“Custodian wasn’t one person.”
“Not originally.”
Price explained.
The role began as a council among people attached to several families.
Its purpose was to prevent open wars.
They settled conflicts in secret.
Then Bellacorte power grew.
Vittorio wanted control.
He reduced the council to one Custodian.
The others became watchers.
Daniel laughed.
“Our father corrupted peace into control.”
“Yes.”
Arthur stared at the Bellacorte chair.
“And now?”
Price looked at the seven bells.
“Someone is rebuilding the council.”
Sarah thought of Emma’s sock.
Elias.
Rose.
The second ring.
“Who?”
A voice came from the doorway.
“I am.”
Everyone turned.
A woman stood there.
Seventy-six.
Silver hair.
Dark coat.
Emma’s drawing made flesh.
Rose.
Maria’s half-sister.
Arthur stared.
“You entered my house.”
“Yes.”
“You spoke to Emma.”
“Yes.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“Without asking me.”
Rose looked at her.
“Yes.”
“That ends now.”
Rose’s eyebrows rose.
Arthur almost smiled.
Sarah continued:
“You do not use my daughter because your generation failed.”
Rose nodded.
“Fair.”
The easy agreement surprised everyone.
Daniel stepped forward.
“Where is Elias?”
“Coming.”
“You have him?”
“No.”
“He is working with you?”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s face twisted.
“My son chose you.”
“He chose to stop you.”
Daniel flinched.
Rose looked toward Arthur.
“And to stop you.”
Arthur nodded.
“Fair.”
Now it was Sarah’s turn to almost smile.
Rose approached the table.
“Maria believed the Bellacorte system could never be destroyed by one man.”
“She chose the five initials.”
“Yes.”
“Why me?” Daniel asked.
“Because Maria believed brothers who hated each other might eventually hate what made them enemies more.”
Daniel looked at Arthur.
Not forgiveness.
Something smaller.
Possible.
Sarah asked:
“Are you current Custodian?”
Rose shook her head.
“No.”
“Who?”
“No one.”
“Then who took Emma’s sock?”
Rose’s expression darkened.
“That is why I came.”
Silence.
“Someone else found the room before us.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Elias?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Rose looked toward David.
Everyone turned.
David went pale.
“What?”
Rose’s voice became cold.
“Your father.”
David laughed.
“My father is dead.”
Margaret stopped breathing.
Arthur saw.
“No.”
David looked at his mother.
“Mom?”
Margaret backed away.
Daniel stared.
“Samuel.”
Rose nodded.
“Alive.”
Margaret began crying.
David looked as if the room disappeared.
“You told me he died.”
“I thought he did.”
“No.”
Margaret shook her head.
“He came back once. Years ago.”
“When?”
“After you were born.”
David stared.
“You saw him.”
“Yes.”
“And never told me.”
“He told me to protect you.”
David laughed brokenly.
“Everyone protects children by lying until they become monsters.”
Nobody answered.
He was talking about himself.
Maybe for the first time he understood it.
Arthur looked at Rose.
“Where is Samuel?”
“Unknown.”
“Is he rebuilding the council?”
“Maybe.”
Daniel shook his head.
“No.”
Everyone turned.
“Samuel hated Bellacorte control.”
Rose looked at him.
“That does not mean he hates control.”
Daniel stopped.
Sarah understood.
Victims could become architects of the same thing that hurt them.
Margaret whispered:
“He would never hurt Emma.”
Sarah turned.
“You watched David hurt me.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Sarah continued:
“You don’t know what people become after enough years of revenge.”
The seven bells moved slightly as air entered the room.
One rang.
Then another.
Someone was above them.
Arthur looked toward the stairs.
Footsteps.
A man descended.
Older.
Thin.
Scar across his jaw.
David stopped breathing.
Margaret whispered:
May you like
“Samuel.”
Samuel Bennett was alive.
