Chapter 8 - The Name Conrad Refused To Say)
Conrad survived.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder.
At the hospital, police placed an officer outside his room.
Domenico remained until dawn.
Detectives wanted the data drive.
Domenico gave them a copy.
He kept the original.
That decision bothered him.
He had spent his entire adult life believing that law, contracts, and systems existed because civilization depended on people using them.
Now his wife was dead.
His daughter had been threatened.
A man had been shot beside him.
And every official record surrounding Serena's final night appeared to contain at least one lie.
Trust had become expensive.
At six in the morning, Marcus drove him back to Villa Aurelia.
Josie was awake.
She ran to him before the front door closed.
"You're okay."
He picked her up.
"I'm okay."
She pressed her face into his neck.
"Did you go by the red light?"
"Yes."
Her body stiffened.
"It's gone now."
She pulled back.
"What?"
"Someone broke it."
Josie stared at him strangely.
Then she whispered, "Good."
Eli appeared behind her.
"Did Conrad tell you?"
"Some things."
"About Dad?"
"Yes."
Eli's face hardened.
She no longer defended Gareth automatically.
That broke Domenico's heart in a different way.
No child should have to learn that a parent might be dangerous.
"Your father stole money."
Eli looked down.
"Did he hurt Aunt Serena?"
"I don't know."
"Do you think he did?"
Domenico chose his words carefully.
"I think he knows more than he's told us."
Eli nodded.
Then she handed him Serena's phone.
"I found another video."
Domenico's heart accelerated.
"What video?"
"It wasn't in the normal album."
She opened an archived folder.
A short clip loaded.
Serena had apparently begun recording accidentally while walking.
The screen showed only portions of the marina floor.
Voices were clear.
Conrad.
Serena.
Then Gareth.
Serena said, "You forged Domenico's authorization."
Gareth answered, "You have no idea what you're touching."
"I know exactly what I'm touching."
"Then think about Josie."
"Don't you ever use my daughter to threaten me."
A crash sounded.
Conrad said, "Stop."
Gareth replied, "You should have stayed out of this, Serena."
The recording ended.
Domenico played it again.
Then a third time.
Josie stood beside him.
She had gone completely pale.
"Daddy."
He stopped the video.
"What?"
"That's when I went downstairs."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded.
"What happened after?"
She squeezed her eyes shut.
Eli held her hand.
Josie whispered, "Mommy went outside."
"Who followed her?"
"Gareth."
Domenico felt a pulse in his throat.
"Did Conrad?"
"I don't know."
"What did you see?"
"Mommy was crying."
"Did Gareth touch her?"
Josie shook her head.
"I saw somebody else."
Domenico froze.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Man or woman?"
"A lady."
Eli looked at Domenico.
"What lady?"
Josie's forehead tightened as she tried to remember.
"She had Mommy's coat."
Domenico stared.
"What do you mean?"
"She looked like Mommy from behind."
The room went silent.
Domenico crouched.
"Josie, this is important. Was your mother wearing her blue coat?"
She nodded.
"The lady had the same one?"
"No."
Josie's voice became frustrated.
"Mommy took hers off."
"Where?"
"In the house."
"And another woman wore it?"
Josie nodded slowly.
"Then Mommy yelled."
"What did she yell?"
Josie's face suddenly changed.
Recognition.
Fear.
"She said, 'You promised you wouldn't come here.'"
Domenico stopped moving.
"To the woman?"
Josie nodded.
"Then what?"
"I ran upstairs."
"You didn't see the water?"
"No."
"Didn't see Mommy fall?"
"No."
The official police narrative suddenly looked different.
Josie had never witnessed Serena enter the lake.
The child had heard a scream later.
Everyone assumed it belonged to Serena.
Domenico stood.
"Marcus."
The security chief looked at him.
"Find every photograph from Serena's funeral."
"Why?"
"Because I want to know who attended."
Eli whispered, "Who do you think the woman was?"
Domenico did not answer.
He had no idea.
But he remembered something from Serena's childhood.
Something she almost never discussed.
Serena had an older sister.
Her name was Celeste.
The sisters had not spoken in twelve years.
At least that was what Serena had told him.
Domenico searched online.
Celeste Arden had lived in Paris.
Then Madrid.
Then nowhere.
Her public records stopped three years before Serena died.
Domenico called Serena's father.
The elderly man answered from Arizona.
When Domenico asked about Celeste, he became quiet.
"Why are you asking?"
"Was she in Connecticut eighteen months ago?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"I would know."
"Did Serena speak to her?"
"No."
"You're sure?"
Another pause.
"Domenico, leave that alone."
The phrase made Domenico's skin crawl.
"Why?"
"Because Serena wanted it left alone."
"Serena is dead."
Her father inhaled sharply.
"I know."
"Do you?"
Silence.
Then the call ended.
Domenico stared at the screen.
He called back.
No answer.
Ten minutes later, a message arrived from an unknown number.
It contained no words.
Only a photograph.
Serena stood outside a cafe.
The image had been taken from across the street.
Domenico checked the date embedded in the file.
Nine days before her death.
May you like
Across the table from her sat Gareth.
And beside Gareth sat a woman who looked almost exactly like Serena.
