Chapter 10 - ELENA'S CONFESSION
They found Elena Rossi at Saint Agnes Cemetery.
She was sitting beside Sophia’s grave.
Lorenzo approached alone at first.
Hunter and Nico remained several yards away.
Elena wore black.
At sixty-seven, she still carried herself with the rigid elegance of the old Rossi family.
She did not turn when Lorenzo stopped behind her.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
“Did you help him?”
Elena closed her eyes.
“You mean my son?”
“Yes.”
She looked toward Sophia’s name carved in stone.
“I helped him once.”
Lorenzo's jaw tightened.
“With Leo?”
“No.”
“With the bomb?”
Elena turned sharply.
“God, no.”
“Then what?”
Her eyes filled.
“I erased a security recording.”
Lorenzo stared.
“Why?”
“Because I saw Dante enter the nursery.”
Hunter moved closer.
Elena noticed her.
“You must be Hunter.”
Hunter said nothing.
Elena looked back at Lorenzo.
“I confronted him.”
“He told me he was checking on Leo.”
“I wanted to believe him.”
“So you erased the footage.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Nico had already begun questioning everyone.”
“I thought if Dante was innocent, the footage would make him look guilty.”
Lorenzo laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“You protected him.”
“I’m his mother.”
“Sophia was family.”
“I know.”
“Leo is family.”
“I know.”
“He tried to kill them.”
Elena's tears fell.
“I know.”
Lorenzo turned away.
She stood.
“There is something else.”
He stopped.
“The night Margaret saw me, I was not poisoning Leo.”
“What were you doing?”
“Replacing a bottle.”
Hunter frowned.
“Why?”
Elena looked at her.
“I had followed Dante.”
“I saw him hand Celia something.”
“I became suspicious.”
“I switched Leo’s bottle with one I prepared myself.”
Hunter's stomach dropped.
“That explains why he had one good feeding that week.”
Halloran had mentioned it.
One unexplained night when Leo suddenly tolerated several ounces.
Elena continued.
“I knew then.”
“But I still said nothing.”
Lorenzo stared at her.
“You knew your son was hurting mine.”
“I suspected.”
“And you protected him.”
“I was trying to save both of you.”
“You saved no one.”
Elena began crying.
“I know.”
Lorenzo walked toward the cemetery road.
She called after him.
“Dante didn't act alone.”
He turned.
Elena opened her handbag.
She removed an old phone.
“He left this at my house.”
Nico stepped forward.
“What is it?”
“A second phone.”
“Dante kept it hidden.”
“I found it after the bombing.”
“Why didn't you give it to us?”
“Because I was afraid of what was inside.”
Lorenzo took it.
Nico powered it on.
Most messages had been erased.
One contact remained.
HALLORAN.
Hunter turned toward the doctor waiting in the car.
“No.”
Lorenzo's face hardened.
They drove back to the estate in silence.
Dr. Halloran was in the nursery when they arrived.
He smiled as Hunter entered.
“Leo took another half ounce.”
Then he saw Lorenzo.
The smile disappeared.
Nico locked the door.
Halloran looked around.
“What is this?”
Lorenzo placed Dante’s phone on the table.
“Why was my cousin calling you from a secret number?”
Halloran stared.
“I don't know.”
“Wrong answer.”
Halloran sat slowly.
Hunter felt sick.
The doctor had been there through everything.
He had warned Lorenzo about organ failure.
He had tested the bottles.
He had helped Leo recover.
Halloran looked at the crib.
Then at Lorenzo.
“I was treating Sophia.”
Lorenzo froze.
“What?”
“Before the explosion.”
“For what?”
“Anxiety.”
“No.”
“Not officially.”
Halloran lowered his voice.
“She came to me because she was afraid someone inside the family wanted her dead.”
Hunter stared.
“Why didn't you tell Lorenzo?”
“Sophia made me promise.”
Lorenzo slammed both hands onto the table.
“My wife is dead.”
Halloran flinched.
“She thought telling you too early would start a war.”
“It started one anyway.”
“I know.”
Lorenzo picked up the phone.
“Why did Dante call you?”
Halloran swallowed.
“Because he knew Sophia had spoken to me.”
“He threatened my daughter.”
Hunter closed her eyes.
Another threat.
Another frightened person.
Another silence.
“What did you give him?”
Lorenzo asked.
“Nothing.”
“What did you hide?”
Halloran looked toward Leo.
“Sophia gave me a sealed envelope.”
Lorenzo stared.
“Where is it?”
Halloran took a long breath.
“In my office at St. Gabriel’s.”
“What’s inside?”
“I don't know.”
“She made me promise to give it to you only if both she and Leo were in danger.”
Lorenzo's voice became quiet.
“My wife died two months ago.”
“My son nearly died this week.”
Halloran lowered his eyes.
“I was a coward.”
Lorenzo looked ready to strike him.
Hunter stepped between them.
“Then stop wasting time.”
May you like
She looked at Halloran.
“Get the envelope.”
