Chapter 6 - THE COAT
The missing coat had belonged to their father, Salvatore Moretti.
Adrian explained it in clipped sentences.
Twenty-five years earlier, Salvatore had ordered matching black coats for himself and his two sons for a family ceremony. Adrian and Gabriel had eventually outgrown theirs.
Salvatore's remained in storage.
Until seven weeks ago.
“When did you discover it missing?” Sophia asked.
“After Elena died.”
“And nobody thought that mattered?”
Gabriel answered bitterly.
“In this family, an old coat disappearing wasn't exactly our biggest problem.”
Now it mattered.
Someone had worn Salvatore's coat.
Someone had carried Elena's rosary.
Someone had displayed a Moretti watch.
Someone had constructed the appearance of a family member.
Possibly Adrian himself.
Victor ordered the storage records brought upstairs.
Only four people had authorized access.
Adrian.
Gabriel.
Margaret.
Victor.
Nobody spoke.
Sophia looked around the room.
The trap had tightened again.
Every clue pointed inward.
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“I took the coat.”
Everyone turned.
Adrian stared at her.
“What?”
“Three months ago.”
“Why?”
“Your father asked for it.”
“My father can barely remember my name.”
“He remembered the coat.”
Margaret's voice trembled.
“He wanted it brought to the facility for his birthday.”
“Did you take it?”
“Yes.”
“And bring it back?”
Margaret hesitated.
“No.”
The room chilled.
“It disappeared from his closet there.”
Adrian immediately ordered a car.
Sophia did not expect to go.
But Isabella did.
“If Daddy goes, I'm going.”
Adrian began to refuse.
Then stopped.
Perhaps he was learning.
An hour later they arrived at the private nursing facility.
Salvatore Moretti sat near a window beneath a blanket, his once-powerful body diminished by age and illness.
His eyes wandered until they landed on Isabella.
Then something cleared.
“Elena's girl.”
Isabella approached cautiously.
“Hi, Grandpa.”
Salvatore smiled.
“You have her eyes.”
Adrian sat opposite him.
“Dad, I need to ask about your coat.”
The old man's smile vanished.
“No coat.”
“You asked Margaret to bring it.”
“No.”
Margaret paled.
“You did, sir.”
Salvatore shook his head violently.
“No coat. He asked.”
Adrian leaned forward.
“Who?”
Salvatore looked frightened.
“The boy.”
“Gabriel?”
“No.”
“Which boy?”
Salvatore began rubbing his fingers together.
“Bad blood. Came back.”
Victor stiffened.
Sophia noticed.
“Daniel?” she asked.
Salvatore's eyes snapped toward her.
Then he began whispering.
“Not my blood. Her blood.”
Elena's.
Daniel.
Sophia's pulse raced.
“Daniel came here?”
Salvatore suddenly grabbed Adrian's wrist.
“He looked like you.”
Adrian froze.
“What?”
“He wanted the coat.”
“Why did you give it to him?”
“I didn't.”
Salvatore's gaze shifted toward Victor.
“He did.”
Every head turned.
Victor went pale.
“That isn't true.”
Salvatore pointed.
“You.”
Victor backed away.
“He's confused.”
The old man became furious.
“I remember your face!”
Adrian stood.
Victor's men instinctively moved, uncertain whose orders mattered now.
Victor raised both hands.
“I came here, yes.”
Adrian's voice was dangerously quiet.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
“Why?”
“Elena asked me to.”
The reversal stunned them.
Victor explained that Elena had become convinced Daniel was studying Adrian's routines, clothing and family habits.
She suspected he intended to impersonate Adrian long enough to gain access somewhere.
“Where?” Sophia asked.
“I didn't know.”
“So Elena asked you to remove the coat?”
“No. She asked me to check whether Daniel had contacted Salvatore.”
“Had he?”
“Yes.”
Victor looked at Adrian.
“I didn't tell you because Elena begged me not to. She wanted proof before you started a war.”
Adrian turned away.
Again Elena had hidden danger from him because she feared his response.
The truth hurt more than an accusation.
Isabella had wandered toward her grandfather's dresser.
Emma, beside her, examined photographs.
Then Emma lifted something.
“Bella.”
It was a child's drawing.
Older than Isabella.
Two boys and an adult man.
Salvatore suddenly shouted.
“No!”
Emma dropped it.
Sophia hurried over.
On the back was a photograph taped beneath the paper.
A woman Sophia did not recognize stood beside a teenage boy.
The boy's resemblance to Adrian was startling.
Salvatore began crying.
“Put it away.”
Adrian stared.
“Who is that?”
His father refused to answer.
Gabriel took the photograph.
“Oh, God.”
“What?”
Gabriel looked at Adrian.
“I've seen her.”
“Where?”
“In Mom's old albums.”
Salvatore covered his face.
Adrian crouched before him.
“Dad.”
The old man's shoulders shook.
“Who is she?”
Finally he whispered:
“Your mother's sister.”
Adrian looked again at the boy.
“And him?”
Salvatore closed his eyes.
“Daniel.”
The room went silent.
Daniel had not simply been Elena's former husband.
He was Adrian and Gabriel's cousin.
The resemblance was no accident.
He had Moretti blood through their aunt.
Enough resemblance to imitate Adrian from a distance.
Enough family knowledge to understand the watches, coats and routines.
But Sophia saw another problem.
“If Daniel wanted Adrian blamed for something, why kill Elena? Why leave clues only the family might recognize?”
Victor answered.
“Because Elena discovered what he was really after.”
Isabella looked up.
“What?”
Victor's eyes moved toward her.
Sophia immediately stepped between them.
“Don't.”
Victor understood.
He lowered his voice.
“I think Daniel wasn't trying to get into the mansion.”
Adrian stared.
“Then where?”
“The family trust.”
Gabriel went pale.
The Moretti trust controlled legitimate companies, properties and accounts worth hundreds of millions.
But Adrian shook his head.
“Daniel has no claim.”
Gabriel was still staring at the photograph.
“Maybe he does.”
Adrian turned.
“What does that mean?”
Gabriel pointed to a handwritten date on the back.
Daniel's birth date.
Then he looked at Salvatore.
“Dad.”
The old man refused to meet his eyes.
Gabriel's voice broke.
“Why was Daniel born only four months after Adrian?”
Salvatore began to sob.
And Adrian understood before anyone said it.
His face changed.
“No.”
Salvatore looked at his oldest son.
“I made one terrible mistake.”
Adrian backed away.
Sophia felt the entire story shift again.
Daniel was not merely Adrian's cousin.
May you like
Salvatore whispered the truth.
“He's my son.”
