Chapter 5 - The Warning Behind The Greenhouse)
Eli nearly dropped the phone when Gareth turned toward her.
She had been filming from behind the hedge.
For one terrifying moment, she thought he saw her.
Then a gardener called his name from the terrace.
Gareth walked away.
Josie remained against the greenhouse wall.
Eli rushed to her.
"What did he mean?"
Josie's face was wet with tears.
"Nothing."
"Stop saying nothing."
Josie flinched.
Eli immediately regretted her tone.
"I'm sorry."
She hugged her.
"You don't have to tell me. But we need to tell Uncle Dom."
"No."
"Josie."
"He'll take Daddy."
"Who?"
"Gareth."
"How?"
"He said Daddy hurt Mommy."
Eli stared.
"What?"
"He said if I talk, police will think Daddy did it."
"Did what?"
Josie covered her ears.
Eli stopped.
She waited until Josie's breathing slowed.
Then she took her into the greenhouse.
The room smelled of wet soil and roses.
Serena's gardening gloves still hung beside the door.
Josie touched them.
"Mommy was mad that night."
"The night she died?"
Josie nodded.
"At your dad?"
"I don't know."
"What do you remember?"
Josie closed her eyes.
"Mommy took me to the lake house."
"Okay."
"Daddy was coming later."
"Okay."
"Gareth was there."
Eli swallowed.
"Are you sure?"
"And Mr. Lane."
"Conrad?"
Josie nodded.
"They were yelling."
"About what?"
"Mommy said no."
"No to what?"
"I don't know."
"What happened next?"
Josie's fingers tightened around Serena's glove.
"I went upstairs."
"You were supposed to be sleeping."
"I wasn't."
"What did you see?"
"The red light."
Eli waited.
"Mommy went outside."
"Alone?"
Josie began shaking again.
"I saw somebody behind her."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Was it my dad?"
"I don't know."
Josie suddenly covered her face.
"I don't know."
Eli stopped asking.
That evening Domenico returned early.
He found the girls in the kitchen.
Eli almost told him immediately.
Then Gareth entered behind him.
He had been waiting at the gate.
Again.
Always there.
Always close enough to hear.
Domenico noticed Josie's expression when Gareth appeared.
This time he did not ignore it.
"Josie, go upstairs with Eli."
Gareth frowned.
"Why?"
Domenico turned toward him.
"I wasn't speaking to you."
The girls left.
Domenico waited until their footsteps disappeared.
Then he placed a tablet on the counter.
A security log filled the screen.
"The gate cameras show you arrived at the lake house at 7:14 the night Serena died."
Gareth did not blink.
"I've never denied being there."
"The police report says you arrived after 9:00."
"Then the report is wrong."
"You gave the statement."
Gareth's eyes shifted.
"Eighteen months ago."
"You remember Serena dying. You remember where you were."
Gareth poured water into a glass.
"You're becoming obsessive."
"Why were you there?"
"Conrad asked me to meet him."
"Why?"
"Business."
"Serena's attorney says she wanted an emergency revision to Josie's trust."
Gareth set down the glass.
"And now you've decided that makes everyone a murderer?"
"I didn't say murderer."
"You didn't need to."
Domenico stepped closer.
"Why did Serena want the trust changed?"
Gareth laughed quietly.
"Maybe because she finally understood who she married."
Domenico's eyes went cold.
Gareth continued.
"You worked nonstop. You controlled everything. You made decisions for everyone."
"And Serena told you this?"
"Serena told many people things she didn't tell you."
The sentence hit harder than Gareth expected.
Domenico's grief moved visibly across his face.
Gareth saw it.
And pressed harder.
"She was planning to leave."
Domenico said nothing.
"She wanted Josie protected before she did."
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't she tell you about the meeting?"
Domenico's hands curled.
Gareth smiled.
"Exactly."
From the upstairs landing, Eli heard everything.
So did Josie.
That night, Josie refused dinner.
Domenico went to her room.
She pretended to sleep.
He sat beside her.
"I know you're awake."
Her eyes opened.
"Did Mommy want to leave you?"
Domenico's chest tightened.
"You heard us."
"Was she?"
"I don't know."
Josie turned away.
"She loved you."
Domenico looked toward Serena's photograph on the dresser.
"I know she loved you."
"She loved you too."
He swallowed.
"I hope so."
Josie sat up.
"Gareth lies."
Domenico looked at her.
"About what?"
She started to speak.
Then someone walked past the bedroom door.
Josie went silent.
Domenico noticed.
He stood and opened the door.
No one was there.
But farther down the hallway, the guest suite door slowly closed.
Domenico returned to Josie's bed.
"Listen to me."
She looked up.
"If anyone in this house scares you, you tell me."
Her eyes filled.
"Even family?"
"Especially family."
She whispered, "What if they say you'll go away?"
"I won't."
"What if police take you?"
"They won't."
"What if Gareth says you killed Mommy?"
Domenico became completely still.
Josie immediately realized she had said too much.
"Why would Gareth say that?"
She looked toward the door.
Domenico's voice softened.
"Josie."
She shook her head.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"He said he'll hurt Eli."
Domenico stood.
He walked into the hallway.
"Gareth."
The villa echoed with his voice.
Doors opened downstairs.
Staff looked up.
Gareth stepped from the guest suite.
"What?"
Domenico crossed the hall.
"What did you say to my daughter?"
Gareth's eyes moved toward Josie's room.
"Nothing."
Domenico grabbed the front of Gareth's shirt.
"That word is no longer available to you."
Security staff rushed upstairs.
Eli came from her room.
Josie began crying.
Gareth raised both hands.
"You're frightening the children."
Domenico released him.
He turned toward head of security, Marcus Hale.
"Escort Gareth off the property."
Gareth's face changed.
"Domenico."
"Now."
"You're making a mistake."
"Then I'll live with it."
Gareth glanced toward Josie.
For the first time, she did not look away.
Marcus stepped forward.
"Mr. Vale."
Gareth buttoned his shirt.
He smiled.
"Fine."
As he passed Domenico, he whispered, "You have no idea what your wife was hiding."
Then he left.
Domenico believed removing Gareth from Villa Aurelia would make Josie safe.
May you like
Less than twelve hours later, the alarm system failed.
And someone entered Serena's greenhouse.
