Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED
Celia didn't sleep that night.
She sat at Naomi's kitchen table with the photograph in front of her.
Lorenzo.
Graham Hail.
A warehouse.
A date stamped in the corner.
Four years earlier.
She searched public records.
News archives.
Court filings.
Then she found a name.
ISABELLA MORETTI.
Thirty-four.
Former financial director at Duca Maritime.
Reported missing four years earlier.
The articles described her as Lorenzo Duca's former fiancée.
Celia stared.
A fiancée.
Missing.
Four years.
Her stomach twisted.
She opened another article.
Police had questioned Lorenzo.
No charges were filed.
The investigation remained open.
Celia leaned back.
For the first time, she wondered whether Travis's warning contained something more than manipulation.
***
The next morning, she called Lorenzo.
“Can we talk?”
His voice changed.
“Of course.”
“In person.”
A pause.
“Where would you feel comfortable?”
Celia considered.
“A public café.”
“Name it.”
***
They met at a small café near the river.
Lorenzo arrived alone.
Celia noticed.
She also noticed that he chose a table near the window and left the chair facing the entrance for her.
It was a small courtesy.
But she appreciated it.
She placed the photograph on the table.
Lorenzo looked at it.
His expression changed.
“Where did you get this?”
“It was sent to me.”
He studied the image.
Then looked up.
“Who sent it?”
“I don't know.”
Celia swallowed.
“Who was Isabella Moretti?”
Lorenzo went still.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then:
“My fiancée.”
“Where is she?”
“I don't know.”
Celia looked at him.
“Did you hurt her?”
His expression tightened.
“No.”
“Did you threaten her?”
“No.”
“Did you love her?”
Lorenzo looked down.
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more than Celia expected.
She hated that.
He continued.
“Isabella disappeared after discovering financial irregularities in one of my companies.”
Celia frowned.
“What irregularities?”
“Money laundering. Fraudulent contracts. Payments I hadn't authorized.”
“Did she tell the police?”
“She was preparing to.”
“What happened?”
Lorenzo looked toward the river.
“She vanished before she could.”
Celia studied him.
“And you think someone took her?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
He looked at the photograph.
“Graham Hail was one of the last people seen with her.”
Celia's heart accelerated.
“Travis's boss?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
Lorenzo met her eyes.
“Because I didn't want you to think I was helping you to get information about him.”
Celia stared.
“Were you?”
“No.”
She searched his face.
“Then why did you help me?”
He looked genuinely confused.
“Because you were about to be hit by a car.”
Celia swallowed.
The answer was so simple that she didn't know what to do with it.
***
After a long silence, Lorenzo continued.
“Isabella was a good person.”
Celia looked up.
“She tried to stop things she believed were wrong.”
“Did you?”
His expression changed.
“Not soon enough.”
Celia waited.
Lorenzo looked down.
“I inherited an organization built on intimidation. I told myself I could control it.”
“And could you?”
“No.”
He met her eyes.
“People were hurt because I waited too long to change things.”
Celia nodded slowly.
She appreciated the honesty.
But honesty didn't erase the danger.
“I need time,” she said.
Lorenzo nodded.
“Take it.”
He didn't reach for her.
Didn't ask her to stay.
Didn't promise he was different.
He simply let her leave.
***
That evening, Celia received another message.
Unknown number.
ISABELLA IS ALIVE.
Below it was an address.
An abandoned industrial building outside Chicago.
Then a second message.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT THE TRUTH.
Celia stared.
Her first instinct was to go.
Her second was to call Lorenzo.
Then she remembered something Marissa had told her.
You deserve the same protection you give everyone else.
Celia forwarded the messages to Evelyn and the detective handling her stalking complaint.
Then she called Lorenzo.
He answered immediately.
“Celia?”
She took a breath.
“Someone says Isabella is alive.”
Silence.
Then:
“Where?”
May you like
Celia looked at the address.
“That's the problem.”
