Chapter 5 - The Recording
I barely slept that night.
At seven the next morning, I met the unknown sender at a private café near the river.
A woman in her fifties sat in the corner.
I recognized her immediately.
Evelyn Price.
Vittorio's former personal assistant.
She had retired six months before his death.
"Mrs. Moretti," she said, "thank you for coming."
"What do you know about my grandfather-in-law?"
Evelyn placed a small flash drive on the table.
"Mr. Vittorio was worried about the foundation. He believed someone was moving money through companies connected to Sophia Reynolds."
I looked at the drive.
"Why didn't he tell the police?"
"He wanted proof first."
"Did he find it?"
She nodded.
"He made a recording shortly before he died."
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
"What's on it?"
Evelyn looked around before answering.
"A conversation between him, Alexander, and Margaret."
I picked up the drive.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"Because Mr. Vittorio told me that if anything happened to him, I should make sure you received it."
"Anything?"
Evelyn's eyes filled.
"He was frightened, Mrs. Moretti. I'd never seen him frightened before."
I took the drive home.
Natalie arranged for a secure copy to be made before we played it.
The recording began with Vittorio's voice.
"I know about the transfers."
Then Margaret.
"You don't understand what you're looking at."
"I understand perfectly."
Alexander's voice followed.
"Grandfather, this isn't the time."
"When is the time, Alexander? After you've stolen everything?"
A chair scraped.
Then Margaret spoke again.
"You're being manipulated by Claire. She wants control of the foundation."
Vittorio laughed bitterly.
"Claire is the only person in this family who hasn't asked me for anything."
There was a long silence.
Then Alexander said something that made my blood run cold.
"Sophia has nothing to do with this."
Vittorio replied, "Then why is her name on the company receiving the money?"
The recording ended abruptly.
I stared at the screen.
"There's more," Natalie said.
She had found a second file.
This one was shorter.
It contained Vittorio's voice speaking directly to someone.
"If Claire ever asks you about the night I collapsed, tell her the truth."
Then a second voice answered.
I recognized it.
Alexander.
"Grandfather, please don't."
The recording stopped.
I felt the room tilt.
The official explanation of Vittorio's death had been a sudden heart attack.
But why had Alexander been so desperate to stop him from speaking?
My phone rang.
Alexander.
This time, I answered.
"Where are you?"
"At home."
"Don't move."
"Why?"
"Because I'm coming over."
He arrived twenty minutes later.
His face was pale.
He looked at the flash drive on the table.
"Where did you get that?"
I didn't answer.
He stepped closer.
"Claire, give it to me."
"No."
"You don't understand what you're doing."
"Then explain it."
His eyes flickered toward Natalie.
"Leave us alone."
Natalie hesitated.
I nodded.
She walked out.
Alexander looked at me.
"Whatever you heard, it isn't the whole story."
"Then tell me the whole story."
He opened his mouth.
But before he could speak, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Margaret.
He answered.
"What?"
Her voice was loud enough for me to hear.
"Alexander, she's found the recording. You need to get that drive before she gives it to the police."
He closed his eyes.
I stepped back.
"Your mother knew."
He lowered the phone.
"Claire—"
"Did you know what happened to your grandfather?"
May you like
He didn't answer.
And that silence told me more than any confession could.
