Chapter 27
“Why did you accuse Allesia?”
Bellini looked at her.
“Because she was in the study,” he said. “Because I saw her come out, and I knew what was in that safe, and I knew that if Vittorio’s people found out she’d seen the wall open, she was dead.”
Allesia stared.
“You were trying to get me out of the house.”
“I was trying to get you out of the city.” Bellini closed his eyes. “I went to Mrs. Conte. I told her there was a problem and that the maid needed to go, quietly, that same morning. I thought she’d give you a severance and a car and send you north.”
“And instead she packed my suitcase before dawn.”
“She had the letter ready when I called.” Bellini opened his eyes. “I should have known then. I should have known, and I didn’t, because I am a coward and I have been a coward for twelve years.”
“Mrs. Conte,” Dante said.
“She’s his.” Bellini’s voice was flat. “She’s been his since before your mother died. She was Bianca’s housekeeper, and she loved Bianca — I believe that. But she loved her own life more, and Vittorio has a way of finding the thing you love and putting his hand around it. She sealed the room. She took the folder from the safe. She made sure nobody ever went down that corridor again.”
Dante sat without moving.
“Why now?” he said. “Why take the folder now, after eleven years?”
“Because the ledger.” Bellini coughed. “Your mother made a copy. Giovani Romano kept it. Vittorio didn’t know where. He’s been looking for eleven years. When he heard a maid had a photograph of Bianca in her wallet, he panicked.”
Dante looked at Allesia.
She had gone very still.
“He knew about the photograph?”
“He knew about you.” Bellini’s eyes moved to her. “He’s known since the beginning. Giovani changed your name, moved you around, taught you to keep your head down. It worked for eleven years. But then you took a job in the one house in Chicago where the man you were hiding from keeps his books.”
Allesia put a hand against the doorframe.
“He knew I was here,” she said.
“He knew,” Bellini said. “He didn’t know how much you knew. That’s what he was trying to find out. That’s what he’s still trying to find out.”
Dante stood.
“You’ll be moved tonight,” he said. “To a place of my choosing.”