Chapter 7 - Catherine's Last Letter
The envelope was addressed to Beatrice.
Not Damian.
Not Laura.
Not the police.
Beatrice.
For when you are old enough to understand.
Valeria did not open it immediately.
She handed it to Beatrice.
"This belongs to you."
The girl stared at her mother's handwriting.
Her hands trembled.
"Can you read it?"
"Only if you want me to."
Beatrice nodded.
Valeria opened the envelope carefully.
The letter was four pages long.
Catherine had written it nine days before her death.
My beautiful Bee,
If you are reading this, then I was not able to give it to you myself.
First, know one thing before anything else.
I loved you every day of my life.
Nothing that happens between adults is ever your fault.
Your father has spent a long time teaching me to doubt what I see and what I feel. I do not want him to teach you the same thing.
Sometimes a person can say they love you while making you afraid.
Love is not supposed to require fear.
Sometimes a person can apologize and still repeat the same cruelty.
An apology without change is only another way to keep control.
Valeria's voice faltered.
Beatrice leaned against her.
"Keep going."
Valeria continued.
I am trying to leave.
If I succeed, we are going somewhere safe.
If I do not, I need you to remember that you are allowed to trust yourself.
You are allowed to say no.
You are allowed to tell someone.
And if your father ever tells you that nobody will believe you, he is lying.
There are recordings.
There are copies of papers.
There are things I have hidden because I became afraid he would destroy them.
But evidence is not the most important thing.
You are.
You do not need proof in order to deserve safety.
The last paragraph was shorter.
One day, someone may love you enough to believe you before you can explain everything.
When that happens, let them.
Do not protect the person hurting you just because you love them too.
Love does not cancel truth.
Mom.
Beatrice broke.
Not loudly.
Her body simply folded against Valeria.
Valeria held her.
"I thought she left me."
"No."
"Dad said she wanted to leave both of us."
"No."
"He said she didn't want me."
"He lied."
Beatrice cried harder.
Valeria pressed her cheek against the girl's hair.
"He lied."
Sirens approached.
Police arrived minutes later.
Marcus arrived shortly afterward.
Damian did not return.
The metal box contained more documents.
Bank statements.
Copies of Catherine's emails.
Notes from a therapist.
And a handwritten account of several incidents.
Nothing proved Damian caused Catherine's accident.
There was no evidence of that.
Valeria refused to invent a crime simply because she now knew what kind of man he was.
But there was overwhelming evidence that Catherine had feared him.
There was also evidence he had lied for years.
Police began searching for Damian.
Valeria took both children to her sister's home that night.
At eleven thirty, Damian finally called.
Valeria answered on speaker while Marcus listened.
"Where are you?"
Damian sounded calm.
"You broke into private property."
"Where are you?"
"You had no right to open Catherine's letter."
"It was addressed to Beatrice."
"She is ten."
"And she asked me to read it."
Silence.
Then Damian said, "You've poisoned her."
Valeria stared at the phone.
"No. You terrified her."
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I know about the recordings."
Long silence.
"I know about the forged emails."
Nothing.
"I know about the photographs."
Damian finally spoke.
"You went through my private files."
"Yes."
"Thank you."
Valeria frowned.
"For what?"
"For admitting it."
Marcus wrote something on a pad and pushed it toward her.
DO NOT ARGUE.
Damian continued.
"You've become obsessive, Valeria."
She remained silent.
"You dragged my daughter into your paranoia."
Still silent.
"You broke into property. You stole documents. You've been secretly recording and photographing personal materials."
Valeria understood.
He was creating another story.
Even now.
Marcus pointed to the pad.
END CALL.
Valeria said, "Bring Beatrice's belongings to Marcus's office tomorrow."
Damian laughed.
"You think she's staying with you?"
"She is safe tonight."
"She is my daughter."
"Good night, Damian."
She ended the call.
Beatrice had been standing in the hallway.
Valeria had not seen her.
"He's going to take me."
Valeria stood.
"No."
"He can."
"We are going to fight that."
"What if you lose?"
Valeria approached slowly.
"Then I fight again."
Beatrice began crying.
"What if he makes them think you're crazy?"
"Then I tell the truth again."
"What if nobody believes me?"
Valeria took her hand.
"I believe you."
Elliot appeared behind Beatrice.
"So do I."
The three stood together in the hallway.
For the first time in days, Beatrice's shoulders relaxed.
Then Valeria's phone rang.
It was the security company.
"Mrs. Calloway, we have an alert from your residence."
"What kind?"
"Someone has entered using the master code."
Valeria's stomach dropped.
"Can you see who?"
A pause.
"Yes."
"Who is it?"
"Your husband."
Valeria looked at Marcus.
May you like
The security operator continued.
"He appears to be removing camera equipment."
