Chapter 7: The Last Lie Standing
Rebecca folded her arms.
“The house transfer is legal.
You signed it yesterday.”
“I signed approval for roof repairs,” Marcello replied.
“You signed where I indicated.”
“You covered the document beneath it.”
Celeste laughed from beside the officers.
“You should read before signing.”
Marcello placed the red phone’s damaged memory chip on the counter.
“And you should stop speaking before evidence is secured.”
Rebecca reached for her laptop, but an officer closed it.
“You do not have permission to take that,” she said.
The bank investigator’s voice remained on speaker.
“The property filing used the same device as the foundation transfer.
We have requested an immediate hold.”
Rebecca turned to Victor.
“Tell them Marcello ordered you to remove Thomas because Thomas was extorting him.”
Victor wiped his forehead.
“That was not the agreement.”
Celeste stared at him.
“You signed a confidentiality contract.”
“You promised me fifty thousand dollars.
I received five.”
“You will receive nothing if you talk.”
Mrs.
Greene held up the memory card.
“He already talked upstairs.”
Victor looked at Marcello.
“Rebecca paid me to disable the cameras.
Celeste paid me to remove Thomas.
I took the envelope, but I did not know they were moving foundation money.”
“You knew enough,” Marcello said.
Victor lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
Thomas flinched at the familiar words.
Two weeks later, Marcello sat in the front row of the disciplinary hearing while Rebecca faced the legal panel.
The chairwoman lifted the property documents.
“Ms.
Shaw, did you place a transfer agreement beneath a maintenance authorization?”
Rebecca glanced toward Marcello.
“My client understood the transaction.”
Marcello stood.
“Then ask her why the signature page lists Celeste Moore while the property recipient is Vanessa Reed.”
The chairwoman turned the page.
“Ms.
Shaw?”
Rebecca’s attorney touched her arm, but Rebecca pulled away.
“My sister made errors.
That does not make me responsible.”
Sarah stepped forward with Lily beside her.
“The recording says otherwise.”
The audio filled the room.
Rebecca’s own voice said, “He trusts whatever I put in front of him.
Once the house is transferred, we can borrow against it before he notices.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
The chairwoman removed her glasses.
“Your license is suspended immediately pending permanent disbarment.
The property filing is void, and this record will be sent to financial investigators.”
Outside the hearing room, Victor waited with his attorney.
Marcello stopped in front of him.
“Why are you here?”
Victor handed over his security badge.
“The licensing board revoked my credentials.
I also agreed to repay every dollar Celeste gave me.”
“You did not betray me for five thousand dollars,” Marcello said.
“You betrayed everyone in that room because you believed we would stay quiet.”
Victor looked toward Lily.
“I was wrong.”
“Yes,” Lily said.
At the courthouse, Celeste stood before the judge under her legal name, Vanessa Reed.
Rebecca sat behind her at a separate table.
The prosecutor listed the recovered money, the forged property filing, the false identity documents, and the payments to Victor.
Vanessa turned before she was led away.
“You still go home alone, Marcello.
Remember that when everyone congratulates you.”
His breath caught.
Sarah reached for his hand, but he pulled away and walked into the corridor.
She followed.
“Marcello, look at me.”
“She’s right.”
“No.
She found the deepest wound you had and pressed it one last time.”
“I let her into Elena’s home.
I let her use the foundation with my wife’s name on it.”
Sarah stood directly in front of him.
“Then say what you are really afraid of.”
His voice broke.
“That Elena would be ashamed of me.”
“She would be heartbroken that you believed love had to be purchased.”
Tears ran down his face.
Sarah held him as his shoulders shook, and Lily wrapped both arms around his leg.
Mrs.
Greene approached with a sealed envelope.
“I found this in the old nursery safe,” she said.
“Elena left instructions that it be given to you when you were ready to open your heart again.”
May you like
Marcello stared at the handwriting.
Across the front, Elena had written: For the family Marcello has not met yet.
