Chapter 12 - The House That Learned to LaughOne year later, the DeLuca mansion no longer sounded like a funeral home.
That lie lasted until 8:12 the next morning.
Detective Hale placed the photograph on Matteo's dining table.
Nora stared at it.
Her father looked older.
Gray at the temples.
Thin.
But unquestionably alive.
Thomas Bennett.
The man whose disappearance had shaped every year of Nora's childhood.
“This can't be real.”
Hale slid another photograph across the table.
Thomas entering a federal building in Washington.
Then another.
Thomas meeting Luca.
Another.
Thomas standing outside Mara's supposed funeral.
Nora sat down.
“Where is he?”
Hale hesitated.
“Protective custody.”
Nora laughed.
The sound broke halfway out.
“Of course.”
Matteo sat beside her.
She didn't look at him.
“What was he protecting himself from?”
Hale opened a file.
“Your father wasn't a construction foreman.”
Nora's eyes lifted.
“He was an accountant.”
“For whom?”
Hale glanced at Matteo.
“The DeLuca organization.”
Silence.
Matteo's expression changed.
Nora stood so quickly her chair fell backward.
“No.”
“Your father discovered Victor was stealing from Matteo's grandfather.”
“No.”
“He agreed to cooperate with federal investigators.”
“Stop.”
“Nora—”
“He left my mother.”
“He entered witness protection.”
“He let us believe he was dead!”
Hale lowered his voice.
“Your mother knew.”
Nora went still.
That hurt worst of all.
“No.”
“She refused protection. She believed disappearing would destroy your childhood.”
Nora laughed bitterly.
“He disappeared anyway.”
Matteo rose.
“Nora.”
She moved away.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
Hale continued carefully.
“Thomas remained away because Victor searched for him for years.”
“And now?”
“Now he wants to see you.”
“No.”
Everyone stared.
Nora wiped tears from her face.
“He doesn't get to walk back into my life because it's convenient.”
“You don't have to see him.”
“Good.”
She walked out.
Matteo found her in the greenhouse twenty minutes later.
Nora stood among rows of white roses.
“My mother died believing he couldn't come home.”
Matteo remained several feet away.
“She protected me from the truth.”
“She protected you from Victor.”
“She lied.”
“Yes.”
Nora turned.
“You're supposed to defend her.”
“Why?”
“Because she's dead.”
“Dead people can still make mistakes.”
That silenced her.
Matteo came closer.
“You don't have to forgive your father.”
“I know.”
“You don't have to forgive your mother either.”
Nora looked at him.
“But you can understand them without excusing them.”
She laughed through tears.
“Since when did you become emotionally intelligent?”
“Since a housekeeper started insulting me regularly.”
Nora smiled despite herself.
Then she noticed his expression.
“You knew my father.”
“No.”
“But your family did.”
“Yes.”
“Does that change what you think of me?”
Matteo looked almost offended.
“No.”
“It should.”
“Why?”
“Because my father helped investigate your family.”
“My family needed investigating.”
Nora stared.
“You're admitting that?”
“I have spent two days discovering half the people I trusted were criminals.”
“You are a criminal.”
“I am aware.”
Despite everything, Nora laughed.
Matteo smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
“There are things I've done that I cannot pretend were legal.”
Nora waited.
“But I never sold drugs. Never trafficked people. Never harmed children. I built the legitimate companies because I wanted Isabella to inherit something clean.”
“Then make them clean.”
He stared at her.
“What?”
“Walk away from the rest.”
“You think it's that simple?”
“No.”
“People will come after me.”
“Then deal with them legally.”
“That sounds remarkably optimistic.”
“You have nine lawyers.”
“Twelve.”
“Even better.”
He laughed.
Then Nora's phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then a man's voice.
“Nora?”
Her knees weakened.
She knew that voice.
Even after twenty years.
“Dad.”
Matteo's expression changed.
Thomas Bennett cried.
Nora almost hung up.
Instead she listened.
“I know I don't deserve anything from you.”
“No. You don't.”
“I wanted to come back.”
“You didn't.”
“I watched from far away.”
“That makes it worse.”
“I know.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Why are you calling?”
“Because Victor's arrest doesn't end this.”
Her eyes opened.
“What?”
“His organization has a contingency plan.”
Matteo moved closer.
“What plan?” Nora asked.
“Someone is supposed to kill Victor before trial.”
“Why?”
“So he can't testify.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Thomas sounded frightened.
“But Victor kept insurance files on everyone. Judges. Police. Politicians. Businessmen.”
“Where?”
“Inside the old DeLuca shipping terminal.”
Matteo's face hardened.
Thomas continued.
“Victor told me once that if he ever fell, he'd burn the whole family with him.”
The call disconnected.
Ten minutes later, news broke.
The armored vehicle transporting Victor from county custody had been attacked.
Two officers injured.
Victor escaped.
Matteo stood before the television.
“He's going to the terminal.”
Hale nodded.
“If the files are real.”
“They are.”
Nora grabbed her coat.
Matteo turned.
“No.”
She gave him a look.
“Don't.”
“This time I mean it.”
“So do I.”
“Nora—”
“Victor knows my father is alive. If he reaches those files, Thomas dies.”
“You said you didn't want to see him.”
“I don't.”
Her voice shook.
“But that doesn't mean I want him murdered.”
Matteo stared at her.
Then nodded.
They arrived at the abandoned shipping terminal before police.
Smoke already rose from one warehouse.
Victor was destroying evidence.
Matteo and Nora entered through a side corridor.
Gunshots echoed.
Dominic took cover.
Hale's officers moved behind them.
Nora saw Victor near a row of burning file cabinets.
Thomas Bennett was tied to a chair.
“Dad!”
Thomas looked up.
“Nora!”
Victor turned.
He smiled.
“There she is.”
Matteo raised his weapon.
“It's over.”
Victor laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
He held up a detonator.
“This family doesn't get happy endings.”
Behind him sat crates marked with explosive warnings.
Matteo's face changed.
Victor pressed his thumb against the switch.
Nora looked at her father.
Then at Matteo.
Then at the fire spreading toward the fuel drums.
There would be no time to run.
Victor smiled.
“Say goodbye.”
A gunshot cracked.
The detonator flew from Victor's hand.
Victor stared at the blood spreading across his wrist.
Behind him stood Luca DeLuca.
Barely able to stand.
Hospital gown beneath a borrowed coat.
Matteo stared.
“You're supposed to be in the hospital.”
Luca shrugged weakly.
“I got bored.”
Dominic tackled Victor.
Police swarmed the room.
Nora rushed to Thomas.
She cut his restraints.
For twenty years she had imagined what she would do if she ever saw her father again.
Hit him.
Hug him.
Scream.
Instead, she simply stood there.
Thomas looked at her.
“I am so sorry.”
Nora cried.
“I know.”
She didn't forgive him.
Not yet.
Maybe not for a long time.
May you like
But when the building began filling with smoke, she took his hand.
And they ran.
