Chapter 9
Once investigators began questioning old employees, the story spread far beyond the estate.
Peter Sloan gave a formal statement.
The former controller of Northbridge provided invoices.
Daniel Price hired a lawyer.
Marcus stopped answering calls from people who had worked with him for years.
Two banks flagged accounts connected to the disputed vendor payments for enhanced review.
Raffaele’s legitimate transportation company appointed temporary oversight while the audit continued.
One newspaper reporter contacted Claire asking whether Anna Corsini’s death was being reinvestigated.
Claire advised no comment.
Raffaele agreed.
He was learning that silence could be restraint instead of control.
Celeste requested one supervised meeting with him.
Claire arranged it in her office.
Celeste looked exhausted.
“Marcus knows investigators are looking at Daniel.”
Raffaele waited.
“He called me.”
“You’re still speaking to him?”
“He called from another number.”
“What did he say?”
“That I should remember who paid for my life before you.”
Raffaele frowned.
Celeste admitted Marcus had supported her financially for years.
After their father died, Marcus paid her college debt, covered rent during a failed business, and helped her through a period when she had almost nothing.
She had spent most of her adult life believing she owed him.
“That explains loyalty,” Raffaele said.
“It doesn’t explain what you did to Lucy.”
“I know.”
Celeste looked down.
“I panicked.”
“You put a three-year-old inside luggage.”
“I thought if I got her to Toronto, Marcus couldn’t reach her.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Lucy had heard enough to destroy him.”
Raffaele stared at her.
“And that mattered more than telling me somebody may have killed Anna?”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
“No.”
“But it mattered enough to run.”
“Yes.”
She admitted the tickets were purchased after Marcus learned Lucy had repeated part of their conversation.
Marcus had told Celeste that if Raffaele heard the phrase “wrong person,” he would know too much.
“Know what?”
Celeste shook her head.
“I didn’t understand it.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
That answer sounded genuine.
Before leaving, Celeste said one more thing.
“Marcus never talked about Anna like she was the target.”
Raffaele looked at her.
“How did he talk about her?”
“Like she was a mistake he couldn’t undo.”
That night Claire received a message from the investigator.
They had found the original event transportation manifest from the charity venue.
Raffaele’s name had been assigned to the black sedan.
May you like
Not Anna’s.
The lead investigator wanted to meet first thing in the morning.
