Chapter 7 - CAMILLA’S SECRET
Domenico turned toward his daughter.
“You’re sleeping with Mercer’s son?”
“Dad—”
“Yes or no?”
“Yes.”
Marco cursed under his breath.
Giuseppe stared at Camilla.
“You brought Michael into this?”
“I didn’t know who he really was at first.”
Domenico laughed bitterly.
“That seems to be the family motto.”
Camilla stepped toward him.
“I met him at a charity event last year. He told me he worked in private security.”
“He does,” Giuseppe said grimly. “For people who pay well.”
Camilla turned.
“You know him?”
“I know what he became.”
Domenico’s voice hardened.
“Start talking.”
Giuseppe explained.
Daniel Mercer had disappeared seven years after Isabella’s death.
Officially, he retired.
Unofficially, Giuseppe believed he had been murdered.
Michael Mercer spent years trying to discover what happened to his father.
“He thinks the Russo family caused it,” Giuseppe said.
Camilla shook her head.
“He never said that.”
“People trying to use you rarely explain the plan.”
She looked wounded.
Domenico hated seeing it.
But he hated the possibility more.
“Did Michael ask about the vase?”
Camilla hesitated.
That was enough.
“Camilla.”
“Yes.”
Domenico closed his eyes.
“He asked about Mom’s things. Old letters. Storage boxes. He said his father had been investigating Mom’s accident and he wanted answers.”
“So you told him.”
“I thought he was helping me!”
“What else did you tell him?”
She looked at the floor.
“About Grandpa’s garage.”
Giuseppe muttered something in Italian.
Domenico stared at his daughter.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Her phone rang.
Everyone looked at it.
MICHAEL.
Domenico reached for the phone.
Camilla pulled it away.
“He’ll know something is wrong.”
“He already knows.”
Giuseppe pointed at the screen.
“Answer. Put it on speaker.”
Camilla did.
“Michael?”
His voice was calm.
“Cam.”
She closed her eyes.
“Where are you?”
“You tell me.”
“What?”
“You disappeared from your father’s house.”
Camilla looked at Domenico.
“We had a problem.”
“Did he open the envelope?”
Domenico’s jaw tightened.
Camilla whispered, “Yes.”
Silence.
Then Michael sighed.
“I told you not to let that happen.”
“Why?”
“Because your father is going to get himself killed.”
Domenico stepped closer.
Camilla asked, “Were you at my grandfather’s garage?”
Another silence.
“How do you know?”
“I saw you.”
Michael cursed softly.
“Camilla, listen carefully. Your uncle Marco is lying to you.”
Marco rolled his eyes.
“Join the line.”
Michael continued.
“Your mother left evidence connected to my father. Marco has spent years trying to find it.”
Camilla stared at Marco.
“What evidence?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Domenico mouthed, Keep him talking.
Camilla asked, “Where are you now?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Can I see you?”
“No.”
“Michael—”
“You need to get away from your father.”
Domenico’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
Camilla asked.
Michael’s voice lowered.
“Because the night your mother died, Domenico wasn’t home like he told everyone.”
Domenico froze.
Camilla slowly turned toward him.
Michael continued.
“I found traffic-camera footage from that night.”
Domenico stopped breathing.
May you like
Camilla whispered, “What does it show?”
“It shows your father’s car following your mother less than ten minutes before she crashed.”
