Chapter 12
Bellmont Lodge had no lights when they arrived.
Snow remained beneath the trees despite the warmer city below.
Enzo brought Luca.
Mason.
Two trusted men.
Helena came against Enzo’s preference.
This time he did not pretend preference was an order.
“You understand the risk.”
“Yes.”
“You understand I am not protecting you from consequences if you make this worse.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Owen remained away with Maria and Leo.
Enzo trusted him exactly enough to not leave him alone with the child.
Trust now came in measurements.
The lodge had been preserved.
Old leather chairs.
Stone fireplace.
Carmine’s photograph still on one wall.
Luca stared at it.
“Take it down.”
Enzo did.
No ceremony.
He placed their father’s portrait facedown on the floor.
They found the winter room behind the wine cabinet.
Rebecca’s black key opened it.
Inside were no documents.
Chairs.
An old card table.
A reel recorder.
Shelves holding personal objects.
A child’s shoe.
A broken watch.
Several rings.
A woman’s bracelet.
Enzo stopped.
Rebecca’s.
Another one.
Not the bracelet from Leo’s music box.
This was the thin gold bracelet she wore at formal dinners.
Luca looked at him.
“She was here.”
“Yes.”
Helena whispered:
“Maybe she left it.”
Enzo examined the clasp.
Broken.
He said nothing.
Mason found a tape already loaded in the machine.
“Someone expected us.”
Enzo pressed play.
Samuel Rusk’s voice.
“Enzo.”
Everyone froze.
“If Owen finally sent you here, he has chosen sentiment over survival.”
Enzo stared at the recorder.
Samuel continued.
“Your brother will tell you I am the enemy.”
Luca almost smiled.
“Convenient.”
“Helena will tell you fear made her cruel.”
Her face tightened.
“Mason will tell you spying was loyalty.”
Mason looked down.
“And you will tell yourself Rebecca died because people like me cannot tolerate good women asking questions.”
Enzo’s hands closed.
“Maybe.”
Samuel’s recording laughed softly.
“But Rebecca’s death was not ordered.”
Enzo did not breathe.
“She came here.”
“She confronted Damian.”
“Then she confronted me.”
Pause.
“She walked away.”
Luca glanced at Enzo.
“If you need me to be her killer, choose that.”
“But you will be choosing comfort.”
The recording continued.
“Her crash happened eleven days later.”
“I did not arrange it.”
“Neither did Damian.”
Enzo wanted to smash the machine.
He did not.
Samuel’s voice softened.
“Ask your brother where he was that morning.”
Luca went still.
Enzo turned.
“What?”
Luca stared at the recorder.
Then away.
Enzo’s voice changed.
“Luca.”
“I was in the city.”
Silence.
“You told me you stayed away.”
“I did.”
“You were here when Rebecca died.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She asked me to come.”
Enzo stared at him.
“Did you see her?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“She canceled.”
“When?”
“That morning.”
“Why?”
“She said someone found out.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Enzo stepped closer.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Luca’s voice hardened.
“Because your wife was dead and I was still a ghost.”
“That is not an answer.”
“No.”
Luca looked at him.
“I was afraid you’d blame me.”
“You made that decision for me.”
“Yes.”
Same sickness.
Again.
Everyone hiding truth to control reaction.
Even Luca.
Especially Luca.
The recording resumed.
“There is something else.”
Samuel.
“Rebecca did not come to Bellmont because of Luca.”
Enzo looked back.
“She came because she learned why Leo mattered.”
Pause.
“Not as an heir.”
Helena frowned.
Samuel continued.
“Carmine’s bloodline was never the reason.”
Enzo felt cold.
“What?”
As though answering:
“Leo’s mother carried something Carmine never knew existed.”
The tape ended.
Helena stared.
“What does that mean?”
Enzo did not know.
Rebecca came from a family outside organized crime.
At least publicly.
Teachers.
Small business owners.
Her father died when she was young.
Her mother lived in another state.
No mafia dynasty.
No hidden chair.
Luca walked toward the shelves.
“Rebecca.”
He searched among objects.
Found a small silver pendant.
Not hers.
Inside was a photograph.
Two young women.
One Rebecca.
The other looked like her.
Sisters?
Rebecca had no sister.
At least none Enzo knew.
On the back, handwritten:
R & E — 2001.
Helena whispered:
“Who is E?”
Enzo stared.
He did not know.
Footsteps sounded upstairs.
Mason raised his weapon.
Luca moved toward the door.
A man’s voice came through the ceiling.
“You should ask Maria.”
Enzo froze.
Samuel Rusk.
May you like
Alive.
Inside the lodge.
