Chapter 7 - VICTORIA'S OFFER

Victoria called Emma directly.

Emma answered on speaker while Vincent, Marco, Thomas, and police listened.

“You caused quite a spectacle.”

“You tried to hit an old woman.”

“She insulted me.”

“That defense is not improving.”

Victoria exhaled.

“I want to meet.”

“No.”

“You should.”

“Why?”

“Because your father has spent twenty-three years hiding something that belongs to my family.”

Emma looked at Thomas.

His face hardened.

“What?”

“A recording.”

Victoria continued.

“My uncle believes Thomas stole it from Carlo Moretti.”

Thomas whispered, “I didn’t.”

Victoria heard.

“So he’s there.”

Vincent stepped closer.

“Victoria.”

Silence.

Then her voice changed.

“Vincent.”

“You threatened Thomas.”

“I did no such thing.”

“Your uncle did.”

“You cannot prove that.”

Emma said, “Then why are you calling?”

Victoria offered two million dollars—enough to erase Thomas’s bills and Lily’s tuition worries.

All for the cassette from Room 614.

Victoria’s voice sharpened.

“Don’t be naive.”

Emma looked at her father.

Twenty-three years of fear lived in his face.

“I’m not selling anything.”

“You’ll regret that.”

“I heard you the first time.”

Victoria hung up.

Vincent stared at Emma.

“Two million is a lot of money.”

She turned.

“You think I should have taken it?”

“No.”

“Then why say that?”

“Because refusing is easy when you pretend the offer meant nothing.”

Emma looked away.

He was right.

Isabella picked up the cassette.

“We need to hear this.”

The old player in Room 614 still worked.

Then Carlo Moretti’s voice.

“Raymond, you were seen near the fuel line.”

A second man answered.

Raymond Langford.

“You don’t know what you saw.”

Thomas closed his eyes.

The recording continued.

Carlo: “You nearly killed my wife.”

Raymond: “Your wife was not the target.”

Everyone in the room froze.

Carlo asked, “Then who was?”

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Raymond answered:

“Thomas Carter.”