Chapter 8 - THE HOUSEKEEPER WHO NEVER EXISTED
“Rose worked in your house?”
Luca stared at his mother.
She nodded.
I felt an uncomfortable chill.
I'd been employed at the Moretti mansion for six weeks.
Long enough to recognize most of the staff.
Not long enough to know everyone who'd worked there before me.
“Under what name?” I asked.
Mrs. Moretti looked exhausted.
She raised her hand.
Then signed.
Margaret.
Luca frowned.
“Margaret?”
His mother nodded.
“Margaret Ellis?”
Another nod.
Luca stepped backward.
I remembered that name.
The older housekeeper who'd left just before I started.
I'd heard staff mention her occasionally.
They said she was quiet.
Professional.
She knew every room in the house.
And she'd disappeared suddenly after Mrs. Moretti's accident.
“Margaret worked here for almost two years,” Luca said.
He looked stunned.
“She handled my mother's personal belongings.”
Mrs. Moretti nodded.
“She was Aunt Patricia's daughter?”
His mother began to cry.
Luca covered his mouth.
For a moment, he looked like a boy who'd discovered that every adult he trusted had been hiding something from him.
Then he whispered.
“I knew her.”
I watched him struggle.
“She made my mother's favorite soup. She repaired the old garden bench. I gave her Christmas bonuses.”
He looked toward the floor.
“And I never knew she was my cousin.”
Mrs. Moretti reached for him.
She was afraid.
He nodded slowly.
“Of me?”
She hesitated.
Then signed.
Of name.
The Moretti name.
It had frightened Rose so much she'd hidden herself inside her own family home.
Sophie sat beside me, holding the silver necklace.
“Did she know about me?” she asked.
Mrs. Moretti nodded.
My sister's eyes filled.
“She knew I was alive?”
Another nod.
“Then why didn't she come find me?”
Mrs. Moretti signed.
She tried.
Dad leaned forward.
When?
Mrs. Moretti looked at Sophie.
Birthday.
My sister frowned.
“Which birthday?”
Twenty-one.
Sophie slowly lifted her head.
“Two years ago?”
Mrs. Moretti nodded.
Sophie stared at me.
“Claire, do you remember that package?”
I did.
A small box had arrived without a return address.
Inside was a blue scarf and a handwritten card.
For the girl who deserved every birthday.
We'd assumed it came from one of Mom's old friends.
Sophie pressed a hand against her mouth.
“That was her?”
Mrs. Moretti nodded.
Sophie began crying.
For years, someone had loved her from a distance.
Someone she'd never been allowed to meet.
Luca looked toward Dad.
“Why didn't Rose contact you?”
Dad signed.
I didn't know where she was.
Mrs. Moretti moved her fingers.
She knew.
Dad frowned.
Who?
Mrs. Moretti pointed toward herself.
Then signed.
I stopped her.
The room went silent.
Luca stared at his mother.
“You stopped Rose from finding Sophie?”
She nodded.
“Why?”
Her fingers trembled.
Threat.
“What threat?”
She looked at me.
Then at Sophie.
Your father.
Dad stiffened.
Mrs. Moretti shook her head.
Not Daniel.
She pointed toward Luca.
My husband.
Luca slowly lowered himself into a chair.
His grandfather had been dead for years.
His father had inherited the business.
And then Luca had inherited it.
But the family's fear had survived every funeral.
“What could he still do?” Luca whispered.
Mrs. Moretti signed.
He left instructions.
Dad looked alarmed.
For whom?
She hesitated.
Then signed a name.
Samuel.
Dr. Whitcomb.
The man who'd concealed Eleanor's identity.
The doctor who'd supervised Mrs. Moretti's recovery.
The man who'd claimed her hospital records were difficult to access.
Luca stood.
“I'm calling the police.”
I nodded.
“Good.”
He looked at me.
“You sound surprised.”
“I thought you'd handle it yourself.”
A sad smile crossed his face.
“I've spent too many years thinking that's what strength means.”
He contacted the detective assigned to the accident investigation and asked that Whitcomb's involvement be examined.
Then he called Marco.
“Locate Margaret Ellis's employment records.”
A pause.
“What do you mean, deleted?”
Luca's expression hardened.
He listened.
Then ended the call.
“Someone removed her personnel file two days after the accident.”
I frowned.
“Who had access?”
“Vanessa. Our former office manager. And me.”
“Did you authorize it?”
“No.”
Mrs. Moretti grabbed my hand.
Vanessa.
Luca closed his eyes.
“She did it.”
But his mother shook her head.
Protected.
I translated.
Luca looked confused.
“She deleted Rose's records to protect her?”
Mrs. Moretti nodded.
Samuel looking.
I began to understand.
Vanessa had discovered Rose's identity.
She'd tried to bring her to Mrs. Moretti.
But Dr. Whitcomb had been searching for her.
And someone had sabotaged the car before they could safely reunite the family.
“Then why would Vanessa send your mother to Wisconsin?” I asked.
Mrs. Moretti signed.
Rose there.
Luca stared.
“She was trying to reunite them?”
His mother hesitated.
At first.
Those two words frightened me.
“What changed?”
Mrs. Moretti pointed toward the medical paperwork.
Samuel.
Luca looked toward me.
“He convinced Vanessa my mother needed the facility.”
I nodded.
“And he may have known Rose was there.”
Sophie gripped my hand.
“Then my sister might still be in Wisconsin.”
Luca nodded.
“I'll find her.”
Dad signed sharply.
No men with guns.
Luca met his eyes.
“No men with guns.”
Mrs. Moretti touched my sleeve.
Watch.
I remembered the silver pocket watch recovered from the warehouse.
“What about it?”
Open.
Luca frowned.
“It's just a watch.”
She shook her head.
Back.
Two clicks.
Luca took out his phone and called Marco.
“Bring the pocket watch to the house once the police have finished documenting it. Tell them my mother remembers a hidden compartment.”
We returned to the Moretti mansion just before dawn.
Vanessa was waiting in the library.
She looked exhausted.
Her elegant dinner gown was creased.
Her makeup had faded.
When she saw Sophie, her expression changed.
“Anna?”
My sister stopped.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
“Oh, my God.”
Sophie looked at me.
“Claire?”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“I knew your sister wanted to find you.”
Sophie stared.
“You knew?”
Vanessa nodded.
“She begged me to help.”
“Then where is she?”
Vanessa looked toward Luca.
“I was trying to get your mother away from Samuel.”
Luca folded his arms.
“By forging her signature?”
Vanessa's face crumpled.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Samuel told me Rose was in danger. He said your mother would only be safe if we moved her somewhere nobody connected to Chicago could reach her.”
“You believed him?”
“He was my uncle!”
Her voice broke.
“He was the only person who knew anything about my mother. I thought he was protecting us.”
Luca didn't answer.
Vanessa looked at Sophie.
“Rose was supposed to meet us in Wisconsin.”
“Where?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know anymore.”
Luca stared.
“What does that mean?”
“She stopped responding after the accident.”
Marco entered carrying a sealed evidence pouch the police had released for examination.
Inside was the silver pocket watch.
Luca carefully pressed the back twice.
A hidden panel sprang open.
Inside lay a folded strip of paper.
On it were two things.
An old shipping-account number.
And a handwritten sentence.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, ASK SAMUEL WHAT HE DID TO MY DAUGHTERS.
Luca stared at the writing.
“Patricia?”
Mrs. Moretti shook her head.
Then signed.
Eleanor.
Vanessa's knees weakened.
She reached for the table.
“That isn't possible.”
Luca looked at her.
“Why?”
May you like
Her voice was barely audible.
“Because those are the exact words my mother spoke to me the day before she disappeared.”
