Chapter 9 - THE LAST LIE
The person Sophie had contacted was Detective Laura Bennett.
She had met Bennett six months earlier after a man followed her home from work.
At the time, the detective had seemed more interested in the harassment than in the debt.
Sophie had kept her number.
She had also kept every threatening message Brent had sent.
Now she had evidence of something much larger.
The photographs of the documents had been uploaded to a secure account.
Bennett had already received them.
And she was on her way.
Margaret didn't know that.
She stood in the warehouse holding Catherine's envelope.
“Anthony, you've lost everything.”
Anthony remained still.
“Have I?”
“Your brother is dead. Your lieutenant is compromised. Your wife lied to you. And the girl you're trying to save is going to spend the rest of her life running from the consequences.”
Anthony looked at her.
“You don't know anything about my wife.”
Margaret laughed.
“She was terrified of you.”
The words struck him.
“Catherine loved me.”
“She loved the man you pretended to be.”
Anthony lowered his weapon slightly.
“Tell me what happened in the hospital.”
Margaret hesitated.
Raymond looked at her.
“Don't.”
Anthony noticed.
“You're afraid of something.”
Margaret tightened her grip on the envelope.
“Catherine was already dying. The doctors told her there was no chance.”
“Then why was she meeting you?”
“Because she wanted to make a deal.”
“What deal?”
“She offered to keep quiet if I left you alone.”
Anthony felt the room shift.
“You told me she was dead.”
“She was.”
“Then why is there a photograph of her alive six days before?”
Margaret looked away.
Anthony understood.
The photograph had been taken after Catherine's final hospital admission, but before the official death records were completed.
Catherine had been moved to another facility.
Not to recover.
To meet Michael Mallory's contact.
She had spent her final days helping prepare the evidence.
And Margaret had helped her.
“Why?”
Margaret's eyes filled with something that looked almost like regret.
“Because I loved my sister.”
“Then why betray her?”
“Because she chose you over me.”
Raymond suddenly grabbed Margaret's arm.
“Give me the envelope.”
She pulled away.
“You promised me control.”
“I promised you a way out.”
“You promised—”
Raymond struck her.
The envelope fell.
Sophie rushed forward.
Anthony caught her arm.
“Stay back!”
Caleb moved toward Raymond.
A fight erupted.
Marcus tackled one of the guards.
Evan managed to free himself completely.
And in the chaos, Victor tried to escape through the side entrance.
Detective Bennett's officers were already outside.
“Police! Drop your weapons!”
Raymond raised his gun.
Anthony moved.
One shot.
Raymond fell.
Silence followed.
Anthony stood over him, breathing hard.
Margaret was on her knees.
Caleb had his hands raised.
Sophie ran to her brother.
Evan held her tightly.
For several minutes, nobody moved.
Then Detective Bennett entered.
“Anthony Bellucci, put the weapon down.”
He looked at her.
Then at the gun in his hand.
He placed it on the floor.
Bennett approached.
“We have enough evidence to charge Kessler's entire operation. Your brother's accounts, the shipment records, and the documents Sophie sent us.”
Anthony nodded.
“Good.”
She looked at him carefully.
“You understand you're not walking away from this without questions.”
“I understand.”
As officers escorted Margaret away, she turned toward Anthony.
“You think this is over?”
He said nothing.
She smiled through her tears.
“You should ask Catherine what she hid from you.”
Then she disappeared through the warehouse doors.
Sophie approached Anthony.
“It's over.”
He looked at her.
“Not yet.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
Anthony opened Catherine's envelope.
Inside was a letter.
The first line was addressed to him.
Anthony, if you are reading this, there is something I never had the courage to tell you.
He read the next sentence.
May you like
And his entire world stopped.
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