Chapter 9 - My Mother Disappears
I called Mom.
No answer.
Dr. Rice answered on the second ring.
"Liya, Eleanor left twenty minutes ago."
"With who?"
"She said Adrian's uncle wanted to speak to her. I thought you knew."
"Did she leave willingly?"
"Yes. She was annoyed, not frightened. Two men escorted her."
Mara cursed under her breath.
Adrian's voice became cold.
"Where would he take her?"
The attorney answered.
"Family house."
Adrian looked at him.
"If she's harmed—"
"Your uncle wants conversation, not war."
Celeste, who had arrived outside with Marco, said, "Men always say that right before creating both."
The Moretti family house sat behind stone walls outside McLean.
Salvatore greeted us in a library with my mother sitting beside the fireplace drinking tea.
"Liya," Mom said. "You look terrible."
I nearly screamed.
"You left without telling me!"
"My phone died."
Salvatore smiled.
"Mrs. Hart is perfectly safe."
Adrian stepped between us.
"Why is she here?"
"Because she has something that belongs to my family."
Mom set down the tea.
"Evidence doesn't belong to the person it incriminates."
Salvatore's smile tightened.
Then he made an offer.
Five million dollars for the original ledger page and Carlo's letter.
Mom laughed.
"Your brother offered me nothing. He just did the right thing."
Salvatore's face went flat.
"My brother was sentimental."
Adrian said, "He was better than you."
The room changed.
Salvatore stood.
"Careful."
Then the lights went out.
Glass shattered in the hallway.
Marco shouted.
When the emergency lights came on, Salvatore was still there.
Mom was still there.
May you like
But the attorney who had brought us in was on the floor.
And Carlo's original key was gone from my coat pocket.
