Chapter 11 - The Man Who Vanished Before He Could Confess)
For forty eight hours, no one found Gareth.
Police treated his disappearance as potentially voluntary.
Domenico did not.
There was too little blood in the vehicle for a fatal injury.
No body.
No witnesses.
No phone.
Someone had either taken Gareth or helped him disappear.
Eli responded by becoming silent.
Domenico arranged for Rachel to come immediately.
When she arrived from Boston, Eli ran into her arms and finally cried.
Rachel Vale had spent four years trying not to speak badly about Gareth in front of their daughter.
That restraint ended in Domenico's library.
"He threatened children?"
Domenico nodded.
"And you didn't call me when you first knew?"
"I didn't know enough."
"You knew enough when Eli started hiding a phone from her own father."
Domenico accepted the anger.
"You're right."
Rachel stopped.
She had expected him to defend himself.
He did not.
"I missed things," he said. "Too many."
Rachel looked toward the door where Eli sat with Josie.
"Gareth is good at making people question what they see."
"You experienced that?"
"For twelve years."
Domenico looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were his brother."
"Not by blood."
"You loved him like one."
That was true.
Rachel continued.
"When I left him, he convinced half our friends I was unstable. He told lawyers I drank. He told teachers I forgot Eli at school. Every accusation contained just enough truth to become believable."
"What truth?"
"I had one glass of wine at dinner. Once. I was ten minutes late to school pickup because of traffic. He built lies around facts."
Domenico looked toward the window.
"That's what he did with Josie."
Rachel nodded.
"And probably with Serena."
Domenico told her about Halcyon.
Celeste.
Marissa.
The medical examiner.
Rachel's expression darkened.
"Marissa Cole."
"You know her?"
"I met her once."
"When?"
"At Gareth's office."
Domenico stood.
"How long ago?"
"Three years."
"Before Serena died."
"Yes."
"What were they doing?"
"I don't know. Gareth introduced her as outside counsel."
"Did you see anyone else?"
Rachel thought.
"Conrad."
Domenico swore under his breath.
Rachel continued.
"And Helena."
Domenico froze.
"My stepmother?"
"Yes."
Helena Vale Pierce was seventy one.
Elegant.
Private.
She had moved to Switzerland after Vincent's death and visited the United States only occasionally.
Domenico had always believed she disliked business.
Maybe that belief had been useful to someone.
He called her.
No answer.
Her assistant claimed she was traveling.
"Where?"
"I don't have permission to disclose that."
"This is her stepson."
"I understand."
"Her son is missing."
A pause.
"Mrs. Pierce is aware."
Domenico's anger surged.
"Then put her on the phone."
"She cannot speak now."
The call ended.
Marcus investigated Helena's travel.
Her private aircraft had left Zurich two days earlier.
Destination unknown.
Flight tracking disabled.
The mystery widened.
That afternoon, Conrad woke fully after surgery.
Police permitted Domenico ten minutes.
He entered the hospital room.
Conrad looked weak.
"You shouldn't be here."
"Who signed Serena's death certificate?"
Conrad's eyes closed.
"Gareth told you."
"He told me to ask."
"Then he was scared."
"Of whom?"
Conrad said nothing.
Domenico placed the photograph of Celeste on the table.
"Was she at the lake house?"
Conrad looked at it.
"Yes."
Domenico's heart hammered.
"What happened?"
"She arrived after Gareth."
"Why?"
"She wanted money."
"For what?"
"Silence."
"About Halcyon?"
"No."
Conrad stared at Domenico.
"About Vincent."
Domenico's father again.
"What did Vincent do?"
"I don't know."
"You keep saying that."
"Because some things he never told me."
"Then what did Celeste know?"
"She had documents."
"What documents?"
"Old hospital records. Payments. Birth records."
Domenico frowned.
"Whose birth records?"
Conrad looked toward the police officer outside.
Then whispered, "Serena's."
Domenico stared.
"Why would my father have Serena's birth records?"
Conrad's face went gray.
"I don't know."
"What did Serena discover?"
"That Vincent paid her mother for years."
Domenico stopped moving.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Was my father Serena's father?"
Conrad shook his head quickly.
"No. At least I don't think so."
"Then what?"
Conrad's breathing became labored.
"The payments began after Serena was born."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
"Who does?"
"Helena."
Domenico's entire body went cold.
"My stepmother."
Conrad nodded.
"She knew everything Vincent did."
"Where is she?"
"I haven't spoken to her."
"Did Helena order Serena killed?"
Conrad stared in horror.
"No."
"Did Gareth?"
"No."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because when Serena disappeared, Gareth panicked."
Domenico heard the word.
"Disappeared."
Conrad realized his mistake.
Domenico leaned forward.
"You didn't say died."
Conrad closed his eyes.
"Conrad."
A monitor beside the bed accelerated.
The officer opened the door.
Domenico ignored him.
"What happened to Serena?"
"I never saw her body."
"Neither did Gareth?"
Conrad said nothing.
"Did Celeste?"
"I don't know."
"Was Serena alive when you left the lake house?"
Conrad nodded.
Domenico's vision blurred.
"Say it."
"She was alive."
"How long before she supposedly drowned?"
"Maybe forty minutes."
"What happened during those forty minutes?"
Conrad looked terrified.
"Ask Helena."
The nurse ordered Domenico out.
He left the hospital with his mind breaking into impossible pieces.
At Villa Aurelia, Josie was waiting near the pool.
She held a red ball.
"Daddy?"
He knelt.
She touched his face.
"Why are you crying?"
He had not realized he was.
He pulled her close.
"I'm okay."
She whispered, "Mommy isn't in the water."
Domenico stiffened.
"What?"
Josie looked toward the lake beyond the property.
"That's what the lady said."
"What lady?"
"The one in Mommy's coat."
"What did she say exactly?"
Josie closed her eyes.
"She told Gareth, 'Serena isn't in the water anymore.'"
Domenico's blood turned cold.
Before he could ask another question, Eli screamed from the terrace.
"Josie, look out."
Gareth was walking across the lawn.
No blood.
No visible injury.
May you like
Nothing but fury on his face.
And that was the afternoon everything finally exploded beside the pool.
