Chapter 4 - Peter Sloan
Peter Sloan did not look dangerous.
That was almost worse.
Fifty.
Gray blazer.
Soft voice.
The kind of man who looked like he should be leading a museum tour.
When he saw Beatrice, he signed immediately.
I am sorry.
Beatrice turned her face away.
Gabriel watched Chloe.
"What did he say?"
Chloe translated.
Peter sat only after Beatrice agreed.
He had not moved to California.
He had been paid to disappear.
By Dominic.
Dominic denied it.
Peter took out his phone.
Bank transfers.
Monthly deposits from a consulting company tied to one of Dominic's brothers.
Gabriel's face became unreadable.
Peter said, "I was hired as an interpreter. Then Mr. Serra started telling me which parts mattered."
Chloe felt nauseated.
"What does that mean?"
Peter looked at Beatrice.
Then at the table.
"It started small."
Beatrice complaining about household staff.
Questions about bills.
Requests to see Gabriel privately.
Peter would shorten.
Soften.
Omit.
Then came legal meetings.
Dominic told him Beatrice was overwhelmed and wanted yes-or-no summaries.
Peter complied.
"Why?" Gabriel asked.
Peter looked ashamed.
"Money."
Simple.
Ugly.
Then fear.
When Peter tried to quit, Dominic reminded him that he had falsified medical interpretation records and signed confidentiality statements.
Peter stayed.
Gabriel whispered, "You told me my mother agreed to sell Bellmere."
Beatrice's head snapped up.
Peter looked down.
"No."
Gabriel went still.
Bellmere was the lakeside house Beatrice inherited from her own parents.
She had supposedly sold it because maintaining it was difficult.
Peter said, "She refused."
Beatrice's hands moved.
Chloe translated.
"She says it was the last place your father was happy."
Gabriel looked at Dominic.
"What happened to the money?"
Dominic finally stopped pretending.
"Are you going to hold a trial at dinner?"
Gabriel said, "No."
He glanced at Chloe.
"I'm going to hear my mother."
That sentence changed Beatrice's face.
Peter produced one more item.
An old text chain.
Dominic:
She needs to stop mentioning Salvatore's plan.
Peter:
She keeps signing THE BOX.
Dominic:
Tell Gabriel she means jewelry.
Gabriel frowned.
"The box?"
Beatrice looked at him.
Then smiled sadly.
Finally.
She signed:
Your father's red recipe box.
Gabriel stared.
Chloe thought she had misunderstood.
"Recipe box?"
Beatrice nodded.
Salvatore cooked every Sunday.
Tomato sauce.
Bread.
Braised meat.
He kept handwritten recipes in a red metal box in the old Costello apartment above the first restaurant.
Gabriel had not been there in years.
Beatrice signed:
He hid the real instructions there.
Dominic said, "There are no instructions."
Beatrice looked at him.
Then signed:
You searched the wrong apartment.
Gabriel's eyes sharpened.
Beatrice continued.
Not Il Canto.
The first place.
Taylor Street.
Gabriel stood.
Paolo did too.
Dominic remained seated.
Chloe looked at Beatrice.
The older woman signed one request.
Come with me.
Chloe blinked.
"Me?"
Beatrice nodded.
Gabriel said, "You don't have to."
Chloe looked at him.
That was the first decent thing he had said to her.
Then Beatrice signed:
He will pretend he understands me if you don't.
Gabriel almost smiled.
"She's probably right."
Chloe sighed.
"Fine."
She untied her apron.
Marco appeared in the doorway.
"Chloe?"
"Apparently I'm taking a very long break."
Then Dominic laughed.
Everyone looked at him.
He shook his head.
"Taylor Street burned fifteen years ago."
Gabriel stopped.
Dominic smiled.
"Whatever box she thinks exists is ash."
Beatrice raised one finger.
Then signed:
Basement.
----------------------------------------
The next chapters are on the left side of your screen.
May you like
If you enjoyed the story, bookmark my site: https://metro.treeiq.biz
New stories are posted daily, so check back for updates.
