Chapter 7 - My Sister's Debt
I read my mother's letter twice.
Then I handed it to Stefano.
His face gave away nothing until he reached the last line. After that, the muscles in his jaw tightened.
"What did you tell me about Paula's death?" I asked.
"Very little."
"Who killed her?"
"A man named Anthony Bellini."
Marco swore under his breath.
"And?"
"Bellini was found dead three days later."
"Convenient."
"Yes."
I picked up the cassette. On the label, my mother had written: PAULA - JULY 14.
Father Michael found an old tape player in a storage closet. The machine whined when he pressed play.
Static filled the tunnel.
Then Paula's voice came through, older but unmistakable.
"Ruth, if you're hearing this, I didn't make it back."
My hand flew to my mouth.
Stefano closed his eyes.
Paula continued. "Vincent knows about the books. He thinks Stefano knows too, but he doesn't. Stefano is guilty of plenty, but not this. Tell him I was angry. Tell him I loved him anyway."
Stefano turned away.
"The ledger proves Vincent has been moving money through church charities, city contracts, and family companies for years. Dad found out. That's why Vincent started cleaning up everyone who knew."
The tape clicked.
Then Paula said something that changed the room.
"Claire Bennett saw him the night he followed me."
I stopped breathing.
"Claire was there?"
The tape kept going.
"She was fourteen. She shouldn't have been. She stole Ruth's car to meet some boy. Vincent saw her. Ruth made a deal to keep Claire's name out of it. She hid the original ledger and gave Vincent a fake copy. He believed her until recently."
I felt sick.
My sister had known something for twenty-three years.
My phone vibrated.
A text from Claire appeared.
I'm in a house near the river. Gray door. I can hear trains. He leaves one man outside my room. Please hurry.
Stefano immediately handed the phone to Marco.
"Trace landmarks. Freight rail, river, gray door."
I grabbed his wrist. "She's helping us."
"Or Vincent is using her phone."
"She's my sister."
"And she admitted she fed him information."
"Because she owed money."
Stefano looked at me hard. "Do you know how much?"
I didn't.
Five minutes later, Marco did.
He held up his phone.
"Two hundred eighty-six thousand dollars. Gambling, private loans, two credit lines under Nora's name."
I stared at him.
"Under my name?"
Marco nodded.
A colder betrayal settled beneath the first.
Then another message arrived from Claire.
Bring the ledger. Come alone.
And underneath it, a photograph of Claire tied to a chair.
May you like
Behind her stood Vincent Caruso.
Smiling.
