Chapter 13 - Helena's Confession)
Helena entered Villa Aurelia wearing cream linen and dark glasses.
She looked exactly as Domenico remembered.
That offended him.
Eighteen months had changed him completely.
It had changed Josie.
It had changed everyone.
Helena looked untouched.
Domenico waited in the library.
Marcus remained by the door.
Rachel sat upstairs with Eli and Josie.
Two police detectives waited outside after agreeing to let Domenico speak to Helena before formal questioning.
Helena removed her glasses.
"You look like Vincent."
Domenico did not answer.
She glanced toward Serena's piano.
"Is that still here?"
"Sit."
Helena looked at him.
Then sat.
Domenico placed Serena's phone on the table.
Her composure cracked.
"You found it."
"Josie did."
Helena closed her eyes.
"Of course."
"What happened at the lake house?"
"You won't like the answer."
"I haven't liked anything for eighteen months."
Helena looked toward the windows.
"Your father made mistakes."
"Everyone keeps starting with Vincent."
"Because everything started with Vincent."
"What did he do?"
"When you were fourteen, Pierce Development was nearly bankrupt."
Domenico frowned.
"I know about the recession."
"You know the public version."
Helena folded her hands.
"Vincent borrowed privately."
"From whom?"
"A man named Arthur Arden."
Serena's grandfather.
Domenico stared.
"Serena's family."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Arthur had money nobody asked questions about."
"Criminal money."
Helena nodded.
"Vincent needed it."
"And what did Arthur want?"
"A partnership."
"In Pierce Development?"
"In everything."
Domenico felt sick.
"What does that mean?"
"Arthur became involved in land purchases. Political payments. Offshore accounts."
"Halcyon."
"Eventually."
"Where does Serena's mother enter this?"
Helena looked tired.
"Arthur used his daughter, Isabel, to move money."
Serena's mother.
"Vincent and Isabel became close."
Domenico's stomach tightened.
"Were they having an affair?"
"Yes."
"Was Serena his child?"
"No."
Helena answered immediately.
"Arthur forced Isabel to marry another man before Serena was born. Serena was already conceived."
"Then why did Vincent pay Isabel for years?"
"Guilt."
"For what?"
Helena's eyes filled with something Domenico could not identify.
"Vincent gave Arthur information that eventually sent Isabel's husband to prison."
Domenico stared.
"Serena's father?"
"Legal father."
"What happened?"
"He died in custody."
Domenico sat back.
"And Serena never knew."
"Not until Celeste found records after Arthur died."
"Celeste blackmailed Serena?"
"At first she tried to blackmail Vincent's estate."
"Meaning you."
"Yes."
"You paid her."
"For years."
"Using Halcyon."
Helena nodded.
"Gareth found the payments."
"And took over the account."
"Yes."
Domenico laughed bitterly.
"Your son discovered blackmail money and decided theft was easier."
Helena did not defend him.
"Gareth always believed Vincent owed him something."
"He hurt Josie today."
Helena's face changed.
"What?"
"He stepped on her hand."
A long silence.
"Is she all right?"
"No thanks to your son."
Helena looked down.
Domenico continued.
"Serena discovered Halcyon."
"Yes."
"Celeste contacted her."
"Yes."
"They met Gareth."
"Yes."
"What happened at the lake house?"
Helena's hands tightened.
"Serena wanted everything exposed."
"Good."
"I begged her to wait."
"Why?"
"Because Halcyon contained more than theft."
"What?"
"Names."
"Whose?"
"Judges. Contractors. Politicians. Police officials. People Vincent paid over decades."
Domenico stared.
"You wanted to protect the family."
"I wanted to protect you."
"By lying about my wife's death?"
Helena's face crumpled for the first time.
"That wasn't the plan."
Domenico stood.
"What happened?"
"Celeste became angry."
"Why?"
"She wanted money."
"Serena refused."
"They fought."
"Physically?"
"Yes."
"Gareth?"
"Tried to separate them."
"What did you do?"
"I went outside."
"Why?"
"I couldn't breathe."
"Then?"
"I heard glass break."
Domenico leaned over the table.
"And?"
"When I returned, Serena was gone."
"Gone where?"
"I don't know."
"Celeste?"
"Also gone."
"Gareth?"
"He was bleeding."
"From what?"
"Celeste had struck him with a bottle."
"Did he see Serena leave?"
"No."
"Then how did a body end up in the lake?"
Helena began crying.
"I don't know."
Domenico stepped backward.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I swear."
"Who called police?"
"Marissa."
"Why was she there?"
"Celeste had brought her."
"What happened to the body?"
"I didn't know until police found it."
"Whose body was it?"
Helena shook her head.
"I thought it was Serena."
"You knew Serena and Celeste looked similar."
"Not enough to fool a medical examiner."
"Unless records were changed."
Helena closed her eyes.
"Marissa handled that."
"You let her."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Gareth begged me."
Domenico stared at her.
"Your son had stolen millions, so you helped bury the truth about my wife."
Helena whispered, "Yes."
"Did you ever wonder whether Serena was alive?"
"Every day."
"Did you look?"
Helena hesitated.
Domenico saw the answer.
"You did."
"I hired someone privately."
"What did they find?"
"Nothing for six months."
"And then?"
Helena reached into her handbag.
Marcus immediately moved.
She slowly removed an envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Domenico looked at it.
A woman stood at a railway station in Portugal.
Dark hair.
Side profile.
The quality was poor.
But Domenico knew the curve of that face.
"Serena?"
"I don't know."
"When was this taken?"
"Nine months after the lake."
His hands trembled.
"You hid this from me."
"I couldn't verify it."
"You hid it."
"Yes."
Domenico closed his eyes.
Every person in his life had made decisions for him in the name of protection.
Gareth.
Conrad.
Helena.
Serena herself, perhaps.
He was finished being protected.
He handed the photograph to Marcus.
"Copy everything."
Helena whispered, "What happens now?"
Domenico looked at her.
"Now you tell the police the truth."
"I could go to prison."
"Yes."
"You'd send your father's wife to prison?"
Domenico's expression did not change.
"I'd send anyone who helped bury the truth about Serena."
Helena nodded slowly.
Then she said something unexpected.
"Gareth didn't come back to the villa today because of the phone."
Domenico stopped.
"Why did he come?"
"He was trying to warn you."
"By hurting Josie?"
"No."
Helena shook her head.
"That was Gareth being Gareth. Angry. Cruel. Stupid."
"Warn me about what?"
"Celeste."
Domenico stared.
"She knows Josie remembers."
"Where is Celeste?"
Helena looked toward the ceiling.
"Closer than you think."
May you like
A scream came from upstairs.
Domenico ran.
