Chapter 11 - THE FATHER AT THE GATE|
Vincent had buried his father fifteen years earlier.
He remembered the funeral, the black cars, the rain, and the closed coffin. He remembered standing beside Camila while hundreds of men paid their respects.
Now a man claiming to be Arthur Russo stood outside the estate.
Vincent ordered the gates locked.
“Show me the cameras.”
The image appeared on the monitor.
The man was older, thinner, and leaning on a cane. But the shape of his face was unmistakable.
Camila entered the room.
She looked at the screen.
Then she dropped the cup in her hand.
“Thomas?”
Vincent turned toward her.
“No, Ma. It's not Thomas.”
The man outside raised his face toward the camera.
“Camila. Open the door.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“It's him.”
Vincent placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Stay here.”
But Camila shook her head.
“He promised he'd come home.”
The man outside spoke again.
“Vincent, I know what you've found. I can explain everything.”
Vincent ordered Paulie to keep the gates closed while a team checked the man's identity.
A DNA test would take time, but facial recognition and old medical records confirmed that he was almost certainly Arthur Russo.
The man had not died fifteen years earlier.
Someone else had been buried in his place.
Vincent went to the gate alone.
“What do you want?”
His father looked at him.
“To see my wife.”
“You don't get to walk back into this house.”
“I know what Dominic did.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“What did he do?”
“Your uncle betrayed us. He helped Beatrice destroy Lena. He wanted the family businesses.”
Dominic appeared behind Vincent.
“That's a lie.”
Arthur looked at him.
“You should have stayed gone.”
Vincent raised one hand.
“Enough. Both of you.”
He turned to his father.
“Why did you fake your death?”
Arthur's face darkened.
“Because I discovered someone inside the family was planning to kill Camila.”
“Who?”
Arthur looked toward Nora.
“Your cousin.”
Nora stepped forward.
“Me?”
“Not you. The people who wanted your inheritance.”
Vincent stared.
Arthur continued.
“Your father left you a controlling interest in the legitimate businesses. Dominic wanted it. Beatrice wanted it. They needed you to believe Dominic was dead and Nora was nobody.”
Nora shook her head.
“Why would my mother be killed?”
Arthur lowered his eyes.
“Because she had proof of the arrangement.”
Vincent looked at the man who had been absent from his life for fifteen years.
“You're telling me you abandoned your family to protect us?”
Arthur nodded.
Vincent's answer was immediate.
“No. You abandoned us because you were afraid.”
He turned away.
“Take him to the guesthouse. He stays under guard until we know the truth.”
As the gates opened, Arthur whispered one final sentence.
“Vincent, there's something else. Beatrice isn't the one who ordered Lena's death.”
May you like
He looked at Dominic.
“Your uncle did.”
