Chapter 5 - THE DRAWING OF THE RED DOOR
Three days later, Sophie gave Emma another drawing.
This one was different.
A house.
A red door.
A woman standing beside a black car.
And a small figure behind a window.
Emma studied it.
Who is this?
Sophie hesitated.
Mommy.
Emma's heart tightened.
Gabriel's wife, Isabella Moretti, had died three years earlier.
Officially, she'd been killed in a highway collision.
Gabriel rarely spoke about her.
Sophie touched the drawing.
She was angry.
Emma looked at her.
Who was angry?
Mommy.
Why?
Sophie shrugged.
The man took her book.
Emma paused.
What man?
Sophie looked toward the door.
Then signed:
Uncle Vincent.
Emma felt cold.
Vincent Moretti was Gabriel's cousin.
He managed several family businesses.
He was also the man most often mentioned in newspaper stories about the Moretti organization's criminal past.
Emma didn't press Sophie.
Instead, she asked whether the child wanted to show the drawing to her father.
Sophie shook her head.
Daddy gets sad.
Emma nodded.
Then we'll be gentle.
Later, Emma found Gabriel in the library.
He was studying financial documents.
She knocked.
“May I speak with you?”
He looked up.
“Of course.”
Emma placed the drawing on his desk.
Gabriel stared.
His face changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“Sophie drew it.”
He looked at the red door.
Then the woman.
Then the small figure behind the window.
His hands tightened.
“Isabella.”
Emma nodded.
“Sophie remembers something about your wife.”
Gabriel closed his eyes.
“What?”
Emma hesitated.
“She says Isabella argued with Vincent about a book.”
Gabriel's eyes opened.
“Vincent?”
Emma nodded.
For several seconds, Gabriel didn't move.
Then he stood.
“Marco.”
His security chief appeared.
“Boss?”
Gabriel pointed at the drawing.
“Find out what happened at the red house.”
Marco stared.
“What red house?”
Gabriel's voice lowered.
“The one Isabella visited the week before she died.”
Emma looked between them.
“What is it?”
Gabriel stared at the drawing.
May you like
Then whispered:
“I thought that house had been demolished.”
