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“A dummy corporation your mother set up.”
“Yep. One of the letters confirms it,” she said, her eyes now twinkling.
“As the majority stockholder. They didn’t transfer to your father after her death.”
“Nope. Before she was killed, and I believe more than ever that she was murdered, she changed her will and the trust fund, buying a significant number of stocks.”
I had to laugh. “He thinks you’ll just have the trust fund, making you a small owner like other carefully controlled investors, but when you inherit your mother’s share, you’ll have controlling interest.”
“Exactly. If what I’m reading is correct, when I was sent the locket, she thought I’d find the box then.”
As soon as she pointed to the change in the will, I gritted my teeth. “You never needed to go through the bullshit you did. As of right now, you own that company.”
“Yes, as well as the money she protected in another account, and the smaller trust fund that Daddy dearest knows about. She purposely made it small so it wouldn’t draw his attention or place me in any additional harm. But in the event of my death, all of it went to charity.”
It was impossible not to grin. “Your mother was highly intelligent.”
“She was also intuitive. My father still believes he has majority interest in the stocks and will even when I turn twenty-five.”
“Well, from what I noticed of the pictures, your father could have manipulated the stocks, which is another criminal act.”
Her laugh was bitter but almost joyful. “I know he did. He convinced all his buddies to join in, likely partying with a portion of my mother’s money. If Giovanni knew any of this, he’s poised himself to be king of the city after betraying my father.”
“Jesus fucking Christ. Your mother anticipated something terrible was going to happen.”
“My father killed her.”
“Baby. That was over twenty years ago. We might not be able to find the truth.”
She shook her head several times. “She wrote in the letters that he threatened her. She tried to keep us safe, but he found her.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean he went through with the deed.”
“You don’t know him. He’s a monster.”
What little I knew kept me enraged. A few minutes were all I needed with the man. I’d break his neck with a single snap of my hand.
I moved closer, darting my eyes toward the paperwork. “What else?”
“She had help, friends in Missoula. Take a look. Escavetti was here with one purpose in mind. Me.” After she handed me another one of the letters, I quickly scanned the six paragraphs obviously penned by her mother.
Then I lifted my head. The couple who’d obviously taken Amelie and her mother in, providing them with a secure place to hide was Candy and Mark Wells, the two people Bruno had been sent to murder.
What other surprises lurked in the pages her mother had died in order to protect?
* * *
Amelie
The truth will set you free.
The words sounded harsh in my mind, not comforting, but they played out over and over again, becoming a mantra that had already left scars in my mind. Otherwise, I was numb inside, uncertain I was capable of anything but using the anger inside, the need for revenge. The coming days and weeks would bring additional truths to light.
That terrified me more than the heartfelt letters of a mother written to the daughter she knew she’d never see into adulthood.
“Like I mentioned before, you can trust Gage.”
Maverick’s words were heartfelt, the anguish in his voice still evident. I believed him of course, but no one knew what my father was capable of. I was no longer certain if I knew either. What I’d accepted a long time ago was that money and power meant everything to him. “I know. I just hope he believes me.”
