Chapter 10 - The Woman in the Photograph
Thomas placed the gun on the floor before entering.
“I’m not here to hurt anyone.”
Tessa wanted to scream.
Instead she asked the only question that mattered.
“Why did you meet Patrick?”
“To keep him away from you.”
“You could have told me.”
“And put you in danger?”
“I was already in danger.”
Thomas had no answer.
Rachel did.
“We thought secrecy was protection.”
Tessa laughed bitterly.
“It wasn’t.”
Rachel lowered her eyes.
“No.”
For once, nobody defended the lies.
Thomas explained that Rachel had saved Salvatore after the crash.
Vittorio wanted his injured son taken to a private doctor to prevent police questions.
Rachel refused.
She drove Salvatore to a hospital.
That decision saved him.
Later, when Danny was born prematurely, Elena secretly paid for specialized care.
The two families had been connected for decades.
Not by crime.
By debts.
Mistakes.
Protection.
Fear.
Thomas had met Patrick because Patrick threatened to expose Danny’s parentage.
Thomas did not care.
“I was Danny’s father the first time I held him,” he said. “DNA was never going to change that.”
Danny broke down.
He hugged Thomas.
Salvatore looked away to give them privacy.
Tessa noticed.
Later, she found Salvatore alone on Bellamy’s rooftop.
She sat beside him.
He signed.
Your family is complicated.
She laughed.
“Yours is worse.”
Probably.
They sat together.
Then Tessa asked, “Why do you come to Bellamy’s every Thursday?”
Salvatore hesitated.
My mother used to bring me here before the accident.
“Even after everything?”
Especially after everything.
He looked toward the city.
I wanted one memory Patrick couldn’t take.
Tessa understood.
She placed her hand beside his.
He touched her fingers.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Then kissed her.
It was not dramatic.
It was not desperate.
It was quiet.
That made it more powerful.
For the first time in years, Tessa let herself want something that was not survival.
But the peace lasted eleven minutes.
Brett called.
Owen had returned to Bellamy’s.
He had brought something.
They hurried downstairs.
Owen stood inside Table Seven’s room.
A battered metal box sat before him.
“I found it in my father’s garage.”
“Your father?” Tessa asked.
Owen nodded.
“My father worked for Patrick too.”
Inside the box were documents.
Photographs.
A second cassette.
And one legal file.
Tessa opened it.
It concerned the crash.
A witness statement had been sealed.
The witness was sixteen at the time.
The name was familiar.
Carla Ruiz.
Tessa looked up.
Carla had worked beside her for three years.
Carla had mocked her.
Carla had watched Brett send her to Salvatore.
And Carla had known the truth the entire time.
Tessa turned toward the doorway.
Carla stood there.
Tears covered her face.
“I can explain.”
Behind her, Salvatore stiffened.
Carla raised one hand.
May you like
Something metallic was clenched inside it.
And then she locked the door.
