Chapter 6 - THE MAN ON THE PHONE
Della called the number back seventeen times.
Every attempt failed.
By the eighteenth, the number no longer existed.
Luca had already sent it to his security team.
They traced the call to a prepaid phone activated less than an hour earlier.
The signal had bounced through three towers.
Then disappeared near the industrial waterfront.
Della paced beside her hospital bed.
"He's alive."
"Probably."
"Probably?"
Luca remained calm.
"It could have been a recording."
"I know Owen's voice."
"You haven't heard him in nine weeks."
"I know his voice."
Luca nodded.
"Then assume he's alive."
Della stopped.
"He said not to trust anyone at Moretti Holdings."
"I heard him."
"You don't seem surprised."
"I'm surprised."
"You don't look surprised."
Luca's jaw tightened.
"People around me have betrayed me before."
"That's comforting."
"It wasn't intended to be."
Della stared at him.
"Who can access your hotel security?"
"More people than I like."
"Who knew you were attending the reception?"
"Dozens."
"Who knew about Fulton Street?"
Luca paused.
"Very few."
"How few?"
"Six people."
"Eight years later?"
"Three are dead."
Della's stomach tightened.
"And the other three?"
"My attorney."
"My cousin Sebastian."
"And me."
Della folded her arms.
"Do you trust your cousin?"
"I did yesterday."
Before she could respond, someone knocked.
Detective Mara Ellis entered.
She wore a gray suit beneath a raincoat and carried a thin folder.
"Ms. Marsh."
Della recognized her from the police interview.
"Detective."
Mara looked at Luca.
"I need ten minutes alone."
Luca glanced at Della.
She nodded.
He left.
Mara closed the door.
"Your statement says Cordelia Vance pushed you."
"She did."
"Several witnesses agree."
"Then why isn't she charged?"
"Because witnesses become less confident after lawyers start calling."
Della's face hardened.
Mara continued.
"I believe you."
Della blinked.
"But belief isn't enough."
"I know."
Mara opened the folder.
"Do you know Owen Hale?"
Della stared.
"Yes."
"Relationship?"
"He was my boyfriend."
"Father of your child?"
Della became guarded.
"Why?"
Mara placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Owen entering a warehouse near the docks.
Timestamp.
Eight weeks earlier.
Three days after Della reported him missing.
Her breath caught.
"Where did you get this?"
"Traffic camera."
"You told me police thought he disappeared voluntarily."
"I wasn't assigned the case then."
Della picked up the photo.
Owen was not alone.
A man walked several feet behind him.
Della looked closer.
The man's face was partially turned.
But she recognized him.
Patrick Sloan.
Assistant security director of the Ashworth Grand.
The same man Evan Vance had met before Cordelia shoved her.
Della whispered.
"Oh my God."
Mara nodded.
"That's why I'm here."
She placed another photograph down.
This one showed a black SUV leaving the warehouse.
Registered owner.
May you like
Moretti Holdings.
Della's eyes lifted toward the door Luca had just walked through.
