Chapter 7
Mark stood when he heard.
“No.”
Richard watched him.
Not defensive.
Shocked.
“Who serviced her car?”
“I don't know.”
“It was your garage.”
“I know.”
Claudia had gone very still.
Richard noticed.
“You?”
Her eyes flashed.
“You think I cut Anna’s brakes?”
“I asked if you knew who serviced the car.”
“No.”
Richard held her gaze.
Her breathing stayed steady.
Too steady.
Mark turned toward her.
“Claudia.”
She looked at him.
Something passed between them.
History.
Richard saw it.
“What?”
Mark stepped closer to his wife.
“Tell him.”
Claudia’s nostrils flared.
“Tell him what?”
“The argument.”
Richard’s attention sharpened.
Mark looked at his father.
“Anna and Claudia fought the week before the crash.”
Richard said nothing.
Claudia laughed sharply.
“Everyone knew that.”
“I didn't.”
She looked at Richard.
“That’s because Anna didn't report every argument to you.”
Mark continued.
“Anna accused Claudia of turning me against the family.”
Claudia’s hand closed around her bracelet.
“She accused me of sleeping with him.”
Silence.
Richard looked at Mark.
His son’s eyes dropped.
There.
Richard felt the answer before he asked.
“Were you?”
Mark’s throat moved.
“Yes.”
Claudia looked away.
The betrayal shifted again.
Their affair began six months before Anna died.
Anna discovered it.
She planned to leave Mark.
Take Lily.
And give Richard evidence of Mark’s financial misconduct.
Richard’s fingers tightened around the edge of the desk.
“You were going to lose your wife, your daughter, and your access to my money.”
Mark looked directly at him.
“Yes.”
A perfect motive.
Too perfect.
Richard did not rush.
“Did you kill her?”
Mark’s face twisted.
“No.”
The answer came with anger.
Then grief.
Then fear.
Richard had seen lies for decades.
This did not feel simple.
He turned toward Claudia.
“Did you?”
She stepped forward.
“No.”
Her voice was low.
Sharp.
But her hand had begun trembling.
Richard saw it.
Then the security team produced an old garage visitor log.
Someone entered the private garage two nights before Anna’s crash.
Using Claudia’s access card.
Mark closed his eyes.
Claudia whispered:
“My card was stolen.”
Richard’s expression changed.
“Did you report it?”
“No.”
“Why?”
She swallowed.
“Because I knew who took it.”
Richard waited.
Claudia looked toward Mark.
Mark’s face emptied.
“It was your father.”
Richard went still.
“What?”
Claudia’s eyes remained on Mark.
“Your father took my card.”
Mark stared at her.
Richard’s breath slowed.
May you like
Mark’s father was Richard himself.
Claudia was accusing Richard Bellacorte of being the last person with unauthorized access to Anna’s garage.
