Chapter 14 - THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE|
Eddie Knox was arrested, but he refused to identify the person who had hired him.
The police found a second phone hidden inside his jacket. It contained an address near Lake Michigan and several messages from an unknown sender.
Dominic had been there.
So had Beatrice.
Vincent's shoulder was treated, and he insisted on joining the trip.
Nora argued with him.
“You were shot.”
“Grazed.”
“You're bleeding through your bandage.”
“Then I'll bring extra shirts.”
She glared at him.
“You are impossible.”
“It's a family trait.”
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
They traveled to the lake house with a police escort. The building stood at the end of a narrow road, surrounded by trees and winter grass.
Inside, they found old furniture, medical supplies, and photographs of Lena.
Nora stopped at one picture.
It showed her mother standing beside a little girl.
The girl was Nora.
She looked no older than four.
A handwritten note was attached.
She is safe for now.
Nora's eyes filled.
“She brought me here.”
Vincent examined the room.
“Someone kept this place ready.”
They found a locked cabinet containing medical files and a cassette tape.
The recording began with Lena's voice.
“If you're hearing this, I wasn't able to come home.”
Nora pressed a hand to her mouth.
Lena explained that she had discovered Dominic's involvement in the secret trust. She had tried to persuade him to leave the family, but he refused.
She also revealed that Beatrice had threatened her.
Then came the part that changed everything.
“Dominic did not order my death. He helped me escape. The person who betrayed us was Arthur Russo.”
Vincent looked at Nora.
The recording continued.
“Arthur wanted the businesses transferred to a new trust. He believed Dominic and I would stand in his way. Beatrice helped him. If anything happens to me, don't blame Dominic for everything.”
Nora began crying.
Vincent played the tape again.
At the end, Lena mentioned a place called St. Agnes House, where she had planned to hide.
Paulie searched the name.
It had been a women's shelter outside Chicago.
The shelter records had been sealed, but one employee was still alive.
Her name was Margaret Doyle.
They contacted her.
Margaret remembered Lena.
“She arrived with a little girl,” she said. “She was terrified. A man came looking for her two weeks later.”
“Who?”
Margaret hesitated.
“He showed me a photograph of a woman and said she was his wife.”
“Arthur Russo?”
“No. A younger man.”
Vincent frowned.
“Who?”
Margaret looked at Nora.
“Dominic.”
Nora stared.
“But the tape says he helped her.”
Margaret nodded.
“He did. He came back later. He was trying to take them somewhere safe.”
“Did he succeed?”
Margaret lowered her voice.
“He took the little girl. Lena stayed behind.”
Nora's face went pale.
“Where did he take me?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“To your aunt.”
May you like
Then she whispered:
“Your mother wasn't killed. She disappeared because she was protecting you.”
