Chapter 5 - THE WATCH THAT NEVER BELONGED TO HIM
"Why does Mr. Matteo have Daddy's other watch?"
Anna turned so quickly that the brass cover slipped from her fingers.
It struck the stone path.
"Sophie, what did you say?"
The little girl stood in the greenhouse doorway, hugging her yellow blanket.
"Mr. Matteo has the watch."
Lorenzo crouched.
"Where did you see it?"
"Yesterday. When he was fixing the necklace."
Anna glanced toward Lorenzo.
"He was wearing a watch?"
Sophie shook her head.
"It was in his bag. The shiny one with the little train."
Lorenzo remembered Matteo's leather tool roll.
The one he had brought into the study to examine the pearls.
"Are you certain?"
Sophie nodded.
"Daddy has the same train in his picture."
Anna stared at her daughter.
Michael had collected railroad watches before joining the Marines. His favorite had been a silver pocket watch with a locomotive engraved on the back.
She kept a photograph of him holding it.
"Sweetheart," Anna whispered, "go inside with Rosa."
"Is Mr. Matteo bad?"
Lorenzo shook his head.
"We don't know that."
Sophie considered his answer.
Then she looked at her mother.
"Okay. But don't lose my blanket."
When she was gone, Anna picked up the watch cover.
"Michael told me he sold that watch before he deployed."
Lorenzo looked toward the mansion.
"Apparently, someone kept it."
Matteo was in the kitchen drinking coffee when Lorenzo found him.
Marco stood near the doorway.
Anna followed several steps behind.
Matteo glanced up.
His expression changed when he saw the watch cover.
"Where did you get that?"
"Anna had it," Lorenzo replied.
Matteo set down his coffee.
"I see."
"Open your tool bag."
The older man stared at him.
"Lorenzo—"
"Please."
For the first time, Lorenzo used the word without warmth.
Matteo slowly opened the leather bag.
Beneath the jeweler's instruments rested a silver pocket watch.
He lifted it out.
The back was engraved with a steam locomotive.
Anna made a sound that was almost a sob.
"That's Michael's."
Matteo lowered his eyes.
"Yes."
Lorenzo crossed his arms.
"Why do you have it?"
"Michael gave it to me."
"When?"
"Before he deployed."
Anna stepped forward.
"He told me he sold it."
"He did."
Matteo looked at her.
"I bought it."
"Why?"
"Because he needed money to move you somewhere safe, and he wouldn't accept help from Emilio."
Anna looked confused.
"Michael never told me we were in danger."
"He didn't want you frightened."
Her expression hardened.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Matteo said nothing.
"My husband went overseas believing I was safe. I spent years thinking he had financial problems he was embarrassed to discuss. You all knew something I didn't."
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't give me those years back."
The kitchen fell silent.
Lorenzo watched Matteo carefully.
"Why did you keep the watch?"
The older man turned it over.
"Because Michael asked me to give it to Sophie when she was old enough to understand what her father stood for."
Anna stared at him.
"And you decided that meant never?"
Matteo's eyes filled.
"No. I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"That she'd ask why her father's last letter never reached you."
The last letter.
Anna sat down heavily.
"There was another letter?"
Matteo nodded.
"Michael wrote it three days before his final mission."
"Where is it?"
"I gave it to Emilio."
Lorenzo stepped closer.
"Why?"
"Because Michael described the missing charity money. He wanted your father to act if he didn't come home."
Anna's voice was quiet.
"And the part meant for me?"
Matteo couldn't look at her.
"Emilio separated it."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because it contained information that could have put you in danger."
Anna rose so abruptly that her chair scraped the floor.
"I have spent years telling my daughter that her father loved her. I have shown her the same five photographs until the corners turned white. And you're telling me you kept his last words because you thought I couldn't handle them?"
Matteo bowed his head.
"I was wrong."
"Yes," she whispered. "You were."
She walked out before anyone could stop her.
Lorenzo watched her go.
Then he turned back.
"You'll give her that watch."
"Of course."
"And if you know where the letter is, you'll tell me."
Matteo hesitated.
"It was placed in your father's private account book. The blue ledger."
Lorenzo remembered a blue ledger in the wooden box.
He had left it locked in his study.
"Marco," he said, "bring it here."
Marco left immediately.
Matteo sat down.
His shoulders seemed smaller than they had the day before.
"There's something else."
Lorenzo remained standing.
"Go on."
"Victor Romano didn't simply steal from the veterans' charity. He used the projects to buy influence over building inspectors and contractors."
"To do what?"
"Win public contracts. Control construction bids. Reward people who kept quiet."
"And my father?"
"Emilio discovered it after he had already signed several agreements."
Lorenzo frowned.
"Then why didn't he stop it?"
"He tried."
"That's not an answer."
Matteo looked at him.
"Your father had made deals he couldn't publicly explain without exposing the organization. Victor knew that."
The truth was ugly.
And painfully familiar.
Lorenzo had spent his adult life trying to make the family businesses legitimate while keeping the old organization under control.
Now he understood why his father had never succeeded.
Marco returned carrying the blue ledger.
He placed it on the table.
"The lock on the study cabinet was open when I arrived."
Lorenzo looked up.
"What?"
"Nothing appears missing."
Matteo immediately stood.
"Show me the book."
Lorenzo opened it.
The first pages contained ordinary handwritten accounts.
But near the back, several sheets had been cut away.
The edges were clean.
"Those pages were there last night," Marco said.
Lorenzo studied the binding.
A narrow cream envelope remained tucked beneath the cover.
He removed it.
On the front, in Michael Carter's handwriting, were two words.
My girls.
Anna was still outside when Lorenzo found her.
She stood beside the rose beds, wiping her eyes with the back of one hand.
He stopped a few feet away.
"Anna."
She didn't turn.
"I don't want another explanation about protecting me."
"I know."
He held out the envelope.
"This belongs to you."
She stared at Michael's handwriting.
Her hands began to tremble.
"Where did you find it?"
"Inside my father's ledger."
For a moment, she couldn't move.
Then she accepted it.
"Will you stay?"
Lorenzo nodded.
Anna opened the envelope.
The letter was only two pages.
She read silently at first.
Then, halfway down, she covered her mouth.
Lorenzo looked away to give her privacy.
But Anna reached for his sleeve.
"Listen to this."
Her voice shook as she read.
Annie,
If I don't come home, please don't let anybody tell Sophie that I was a hero because I wore a uniform. Tell her I was a man who tried to do the right thing, even when I was scared.
Tell her I loved her before I ever saw her face.
Anna stopped.
Tears fell onto the paper.
After a moment, she continued.
And if Mr. Belucci ever comes asking about the charity, give him the notebook I hid where nobody in his house would think to look.
Lorenzo stared at her.
"A notebook?"
Anna shook her head.
"I don't know what he's talking about."
She read the final paragraph.
Then her expression changed.
"What is it?" Lorenzo asked.
Anna looked toward the old greenhouse.
"Michael wrote that I would understand because I used to tease him about hiding his important things among ordinary objects."
"Where?"
She swallowed.
"He says to look where the roses never die."
Lorenzo turned toward the greenhouse.
Anna grabbed his arm.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because somebody was there this morning."
"Who?"
"I thought it was one of the gala decorators. He was carrying a white box and wearing Daniel's security badge."
Lorenzo looked toward the mansion.
"Did he go inside?"
Anna nodded.
"He spent almost twenty minutes near the winter rose collection."
Lorenzo started toward the greenhouse.
But before he reached the door, Marco's voice came from behind him.
"Lorenzo. Stop."
Lorenzo turned.
Marco held a security tablet.
On the screen was footage recorded at 8:14 that morning.
A man wearing a security uniform entered the greenhouse carrying a white florist's box.
Twenty minutes later, he left without it.
Lorenzo recognized him.
"That's Daniel's assistant."
Marco enlarged the final frame.
As the man turned toward the camera, the florist's box opened slightly.
Inside was a black metal device.
Matteo, who had followed them outside, went pale.
"That's a transmitter."
Lorenzo looked at him.
"For the necklace?"
Matteo shook his head.
"Not just the necklace."
He studied the image.
"Whatever they were planning for Sunday night, Sophie interrupted only the first part."
And from inside the greenhouse came a sound that made every man turn.
A soft electronic chirp.
May you like
Followed by a second.
Then a third.
