Chapter 5 - THE BLUE SEAL)
After the fight, nobody in the backstage area moved until Cesare told them to.
Ethan remained beneath the fallen props, one hand against his jaw.
Vanessa sat among the collapsed acoustic panels.
Julian looked as if someone had drained all the blood from his body.
Elsie held Cesare's leg.
Cesare unfolded the pink paper.
The financial seal became clearer.
Lombardi Foundation.
Certified Transfer Authorization.
A partial date was visible.
March 18.
Four weeks before Clara died.
Cesare looked at Julian.
"What is this?"
Julian opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Cesare looked at Vanessa.
She was trying to stand.
"Sit down."
She froze.
He did not raise his voice.
She sat.
Cesare pulled out his phone.
Julian stepped forward.
"Dad."
"Don't."
"I can explain."
"Then start with why my dead daughter-in-law's name is hidden beneath my granddaughter's drawing."
Vanessa stood again.
"This is ridiculous."
Cesare turned.
She stopped.
"You will remain exactly where you are."
"You can't order me around."
"Watch me."
The guests in the distant reception area were beginning to stare.
Cesare called his longtime attorney and foundation counsel, Margaret Sloan.
"Come backstage."
He ended the call.
Then he called security.
"Close the private exits. Nobody leaves the venue until I say otherwise."
Ethan pushed himself up.
"You can't detain people."
Cesare looked at him.
"I'm not detaining anyone. I'm protecting family records after you tried to attack me while your sister attempted to take evidence from a three-year-old."
Ethan's mouth closed.
Julian looked at Elsie.
She would not look back.
That hurt more than anything his father could say.
Minutes later, Margaret Sloan arrived.
She was fifty-seven, sharp-eyed, and had represented the Lombardi family for twenty-three years.
Cesare gave her the paper.
Margaret inspected it.
Her expression changed almost immediately.
"Where did this come from?"
"Clara."
"Are you certain?"
"Her signature is there."
Margaret examined the fold.
"This isn't just a transfer authorization."
"What is it?"
"Part of an internal forensic ledger."
Vanessa became still.
Margaret continued unfolding the crumpled flower.
More numbers appeared.
"These transaction codes were used for emergency foundation transfers."
Cesare frowned.
"Emergency transfers for what?"
"Property acquisitions, disaster relief, and bridge financing."
"We haven't used that system in two years."
Margaret looked at him.
"Apparently someone has."
Cesare turned toward Julian.
Julian whispered, "Dad."
"How much?"
"I don't know."
Vanessa snapped, "He doesn't know because there was no crime."
Margaret looked at her.
"No one said crime."
Vanessa realized her mistake.
Cesare did too.
"Interesting."
Vanessa's lips parted.
"I meant whatever you're implying."
Cesare took Elsie's hand.
"Rosa said Clara left an envelope."
Julian's head lifted.
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
That was enough.
Cesare saw the exchange.
"Where is it?"
Nobody answered.
Margaret stepped closer to Julian.
"If you know something, now would be the appropriate time."
Julian looked at his daughter.
Elsie had stopped crying.
That was worse.
She was staring at the floor.
Julian finally whispered, "I made mistakes."
Cesare closed his eyes briefly.
"How many?"
Julian looked at Vanessa.
She shook her head.
Cesare saw it.
His face hardened.
"Look at me, son."
Julian did.
"How many?"
"Six approvals."
Margaret inhaled.
Cesare asked, "Amount?"
"I thought it was twelve million."
"You thought?"
Julian swallowed.
"Vanessa said they were temporary transfers."
Cesare looked at her.
Vanessa laughed in disbelief.
"He's lying."
Julian turned.
"You brought me the files."
"Because you asked for them."
"You told me Clara approved the structure."
"She did."
"No."
Everyone turned toward Elsie.
The child was looking at Vanessa.
Vanessa stared at her.
Elsie pointed to the flower.
"Mommy said bad lady used Daddy's pen."
Julian went completely still.
Cesare crouched beside her.
"What did Mommy say?"
Elsie tried to remember.
"She said Daddy signs when he's sad."
Julian's eyes filled.
Elsie continued.
"Mommy said Grandpa has to see blue numbers."
Cesare looked at the paper.
"Did Mommy give you these?"
Elsie nodded.
"She said hide them."
"Where?"
"In my box."
Rosa covered her mouth.
Julian stared at his daughter in horror.
Clara had known.
Not only about the transfers.
About Julian.
About Vanessa.
About everything.
Margaret looked at Cesare.
"If Clara created a forensic ledger, there may be copies."
Vanessa interrupted.
"There aren't."
Silence.
Margaret slowly turned toward her.
Vanessa realized what she had admitted.
Cesare stepped closer.
"How do you know?"
Vanessa recovered quickly.
"Because Julian said he cleaned out her office."
Cesare looked at Julian.
Julian looked ashamed.
Margaret asked, "What happened to Clara's computer?"
"Wiped."
"By whom?"
Julian hesitated.
"Ethan."
Ethan swore under his breath.
Vanessa turned on Julian.
"You coward."
Julian's voice broke.
"You told me Clara was involved."
"She was."
Cesare held up the flower.
"Then why did she hide this?"
Vanessa had no answer.
Rosa suddenly remembered something.
"The envelope."
Everyone looked at her.
"I only saw the front, but it felt thick."
"Documents?" Margaret asked.
"No."
Rosa thought.
"Something hard."
Cesare frowned.
"A key?"
"Maybe."
Elsie tugged at his sleeve.
"Mommy had a little black thing."
Julian stared at her.
"What black thing?"
Elsie held her fingers about two inches apart.
"She put it in the bird."
Cesare looked confused.
"What bird?"
Elsie pointed toward the corridor.
"The gold bird at home."
Julian's face collapsed.
Cesare understood immediately.
May you like
In Clara's study at the Lombardi estate stood a small brass sculpture of a sparrow.
And unlike the rest of Clara's belongings, nobody had ever removed it.
