Chapter 5 - The Voice on the Telephone|
Massimo replayed the call three times.
The voice was faint, distorted, and interrupted by static, but he recognized it.
Elena.
Sophie watched him turn pale beneath his usual composure.
“Could it be a recording?”
“Yes.”
“Could someone imitate her?”
“Yes.”
“Then we shouldn't assume—”
“I know what I heard.”
His anger frightened her more than the gun had. Not because he threatened her, but because the man who seemed capable of controlling every room in Chicago suddenly appeared powerless.
He walked to the window and pressed both hands against the sill.
“Six years,” he said quietly. “Six years of believing I failed her.”
Sophie approached but kept a respectful distance.
“You don't know what happened to her.”
“I was supposed to pick her up that night.”
“Why didn't you?”
“I received a call from my father. There had been an attack on one of our warehouses. He needed me. I told Elena I would be late.”
He closed his eyes.
“She said she understood.”
“And you couldn't have known what would happen.”
“I should have gone.”
Sophie had no easy answer. Grief did not respond to logic, especially when guilt had been feeding it for years.
Finally, she said, “You can spend the rest of your life punishing yourself for something you couldn't predict, or you can find out who actually caused it.”
Massimo looked at her.
“Which would you choose?”
“The truth.”
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he called Rafael.
“Trace the number. Find out whether that call came through a recording or a live connection.”
Rafael left to begin the search.
Sophie returned to her shop later that afternoon under escort. Massimo accompanied her, claiming he needed to inspect the security arrangements. She suspected he simply didn't want to be alone.
Maya met them at the door.
“So this is him.”
Massimo extended his hand.
“Massimo Romano.”
Maya shook it, then looked at Sophie.
“He's prettier in person.”
“Maya!”
“What? I have eyes.”
Massimo's expression remained neutral, but Sophie noticed the faintest movement at the corner of his mouth.
For an hour, the three of them reorganized the shop's delivery schedule. Massimo insisted on reviewing the routes. Maya insisted on feeding everyone sandwiches. Sophie insisted that neither of them understood how flowers worked.
For the first time since the threats began, she laughed.
Then a delivery van pulled into the alley.
Its driver was unfamiliar.
Sophie stepped toward the window.
“That's strange. We're not expecting a shipment.”
Massimo immediately moved in front of her.
“Stay back.”
The van's rear doors opened.
A man jumped out, dropped a package near the back entrance, and ran.
Rafael pursued him, but the man disappeared between two buildings.
The package contained a small velvet box.
Inside lay a gold engagement ring.
Sophie recognized the engraving from the photograph Adriana had shown her.
Elena's ring.
Beneath it was a folded note.
ASK MASSIMO WHAT HE DID THE NIGHT SHE DIED.
Sophie looked up.
Massimo was staring at the ring as if it had become a weapon.
“What does it mean?” she asked.
He did not answer.
She waited.
“Massimo?”
His jaw tightened.
“Elena wasn't driving the car.”
Sophie felt a chill.
“What?”
“The police report said she was alone. But the ring was removed from her hand before the accident was recorded.”
He picked up the note.
“There was someone else in the car.”
“And you knew?”
“I suspected it. I never had proof.”
Sophie looked at the ring.
“Then whoever sent this wants you to believe you were responsible.”
Massimo's eyes met hers.
“Or they want me to remember that I might have been.”
His phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Dominic Shaw, the trust's lawyer.
“Mr. Romano,” Dominic said smoothly. “I believe we need to discuss the upcoming vote.”
“Do we?”
“Your uncle is concerned about your judgment lately. Particularly your association with a woman who has suddenly become central to several unfortunate events.”
Massimo's expression turned lethal.
“Say her name again.”
Dominic paused.
Then he said, “Sophie Miller.”
Massimo ended the call.
Sophie felt her stomach drop.
May you like
Dominic knew exactly who she was.
And he was no longer pretending otherwise.
