Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Sofia Marchesi had not smiled at her brother.
She had not smiled at the doctors.
She had barely spoken to the federal agents who rescued her.
But when Chloe Bennett entered her room, Sofia looked at the fading bruises around Chloe's wrist and said something unexpected.
“He hurt you too.”
Chloe stopped beside the doorway.
“Who?”
“The policeman.”
Her heart began pounding.
“Aaron?”
Sofia nodded.
Chloe carefully lowered herself into the chair across from her.
“How do you know Aaron Miller?”
Sofia pulled her sleeves over her hands.
“He used to visit every Thursday.”
“What did he do?”
“Asked questions.”
“About what?”
“My father's computer. The shipping accounts. The passwords.”
Chloe glanced toward the observation window.
Special Agent Carter stood outside with Lorenzo.
Sofia continued.
“He said my brother ordered me to stay there.”
Chloe felt sick.
“Lorenzo?”
Sofia nodded.
“He showed me papers.”
“What kind of papers?”
“Medical papers. He said I was sick. That I imagined things.”
Chloe understood the strategy immediately.
Aaron had used similar tactics against her.
Whenever she questioned his behavior, he accused her of being unstable.
Whenever she remembered an argument differently, he insisted she was confused.
Eventually, she had begun doubting her own memory.
“Sofia,” Chloe said gently, “sometimes people lie because the truth would expose what they've done.”
Sofia looked up.
“Did he tell you that you were crazy?”
Chloe swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Did you believe him?”
“For a while.”
Sofia stared at the floor.
“I believed him for seven years.”
Chloe felt tears gathering.
She wanted to tell Sofia everything would be fine.
But she knew better than to promise instant recovery.
Instead, she said, “You don't have to decide what to believe today.”
Sofia looked toward the window.
“Is Lorenzo angry?”
“He's angry about what happened to you.”
“Not at me?”
“No.”
Sofia began crying.
“He used to bring me chocolate-covered cherries when we were little.”
Chloe smiled.
“He probably still would.”
Sofia wiped her cheeks.
“Gabriel said Lorenzo forgot me.”
“He didn't.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw his face when he found out you were alive.”
Sofia stared at her.
Then she whispered, “Can you ask him something?”
“Of course.”
“Ask him whether he remembers the blue bicycle.”
Chloe nodded.
When she stepped into the hallway, Lorenzo was waiting.
“What happened?”
“She wants to know if you remember the blue bicycle.”
Lorenzo's face changed.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he laughed softly.
“She crashed it into my father's rose garden.”
Chloe smiled.
“Tell her.”
Lorenzo approached the door.
But before entering, he stopped.
“Chloe?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
She shook her head.
“You don't have to thank me.”
“I do.”
Their eyes met.
Something warm and unfamiliar moved between them.
Then Lorenzo entered the room.
Sofia looked at him.
He stayed near the doorway.
“The blue bicycle,” he said.
Her eyes widened.
“You remember?”
“You painted the handlebars purple because you said blue was boring.”
A tiny smile appeared.
“And you told Dad I crashed because you distracted me.”
“I did.”
“You were a terrible liar.”
Lorenzo laughed.
“Still am, apparently.”
Sofia looked at him for a long moment.
Then she whispered, “I missed you.”
Lorenzo's expression crumpled.
“I missed you too.”
He didn't approach until she nodded.
Then he crossed the room and embraced his sister.
Chloe quietly stepped away.
Some reunions deserved privacy.
Outside, Matteo waited beside the elevators.
“Miss Bennett.”
She turned.
“Please call me Chloe.”
He nodded.
“Chloe. There's something you should see.”
He handed her a photograph.
It showed Aaron standing outside the Velvet Lounge.
Beside him was a woman in a dark coat.
Chloe recognized her immediately.
Elena Voss.
Gabriel's assistant.
The photograph had been taken three weeks earlier.
“What am I looking at?”
Matteo pointed toward the woman's handbag.
A small silver keychain hung from the zipper.
Chloe's breath caught.
She had seen that keychain before.
A silver butterfly with one missing wing.
It belonged to her mother.
Her mother had died five years earlier.
And Chloe had buried that keychain with her.
At least, she thought she had.
“Where did Elena get that?” Chloe whispered.
Matteo frowned.
“You recognize it?”
Chloe nodded.
“My mother owned one exactly like it.”
Matteo studied her.
“What was your mother's name?”
“Margaret Bennett.”
His expression changed.
“Margaret Bennett?”
“Yes.”
Matteo immediately reached for his phone.
Chloe grabbed his sleeve.
“What?”
He looked at her.
“Your mother worked for the Marchesi family.”
Chloe stared.
“No. She was an accountant for a medical company.”
Matteo's face remained grim.
“That medical company was owned by Gabriel Marchesi.”
The hallway seemed to tilt.
Chloe took a step backward.
Her mother's death had been ruled a sudden cardiac event.
There had been no investigation.
No suspicious circumstances.
No questions.
But now Chloe remembered something.
Three days before she died, Margaret had called her.
She sounded frightened.
If anyone asks about the files, sweetheart, tell them you know nothing.
Chloe had assumed her mother was stressed about work.
Now she wasn't so sure.
“Matteo,” she whispered.
He waited.
“Did my mother know Sofia?”
Matteo looked toward the room where Lorenzo and his sister were embracing.
May you like
Then he answered.
“I think your mother was the person who tried to help Sofia escape.”
