Chapter 14 - REHEARSAL
The church was almost empty during rehearsal.
White flowers had already been arranged around the altar.
Celeste arrived nineteen minutes late.
Perfect hair.
Cream coat.
No apology.
She walked toward me as though the previous forty-eight hours had been nothing more than a disagreement.
“You look tired.”
“You look comfortable.”
“I sleep well.”
“I’ve noticed.”
She kissed my cheek.
I didn’t move.
Her eyes searched mine.
“Where is your mother?”
“Resting.”
“And Delia?”
“Alive.”
A small muscle moved in her jaw.
“Good.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“No.”
Her smile returned.
“I suppose I don’t.”
The priest approached.
Celeste slid her arm through mine.
From a distance we looked exactly like what the newspapers believed.
A wealthy Chicago couple preparing for an expensive wedding.
No one looking at us would know that one of us had attempted to steal an empire.
Or that the other had brought recording equipment into the church.
Jonas sat in the last pew.
His phone faced us.
Everything transmitted to three locations.
One belonged to federal investigators.
One to my attorney’s replacement.
One to a reporter Sofia trusted enough to hate.
We walked toward the altar.
Celeste whispered, “Did you open the safe?”
“Yes.”
She missed one step.
Only one.
Then recovered.
“What did you find?”
“My father’s regrets.”
“Antonio had many.”
“You knew him better than I realized.”
“Our fathers were partners.”
“Partners don’t usually murder each other’s children.”
Her hand tightened on my arm.
“Keep your voice down.”
“Why?”
“Because people are listening.”
I almost smiled.
“Yes.”
“They are.”
Celeste looked toward the pews.
She saw Jonas.
Nothing more.
“You think you can frighten me?”
“No.”
At the altar I turned toward her.
“I think Leonard can.”
“My father isn’t afraid of you.”
“He isn’t supposed to be.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means tomorrow I sign exactly what you bring.”
For the first time, genuine suspicion entered her eyes.
“Why?”
“Because I’m tired.”
“Of what?”
“Family wars.”
Celeste studied me.
She wanted to believe it.
Greedy people often mistake exhaustion for surrender because surrender is what they are waiting for.
“What about Ewan’s shares?”
I shrugged.
“If he’s alive, let lawyers fight over them.”
The color left her lips.
“You believe Delia.”
“I believe paperwork.”
She lowered her voice.
“If Ewan came back, a lot of people would be hurt.”
“I know.”
“Including you.”
“I know that too.”
“You could lose the company.”
“Maybe.”
Celeste smiled.
Now she believed she had found my fear.
She leaned close enough that I smelled her perfume.
“Then sign tomorrow.”
“I will.”
She kissed my cheek again.
When she walked away, Jonas approached.
“Did we get it?”
“All of it.”
He nodded.
Then his expression changed.
“What?”
“Your mother’s house alarm.”
My phone buzzed.
A security camera appeared.
Someone had entered the estate.
The intruder crossed the back hall.
Older.
Silver hair.
Vincent leaned over my shoulder.
His face went white.
“Victor.”
Onscreen, his brother opened my mother’s bedroom door.
May you like
And raised a gun.
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