Chapter 10 - The Arrest of Adrian Moretti
Detective Hannah Cole entered the hospital with six state troopers.
She was forty-something, sharp-eyed and unimpressed by wealth.
“Adrian Moretti?”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Yes.”
“You’re under arrest.”
Celeste immediately said, “That’s insane.”
Cole looked at her.
“You’re Celeste Vale?”
“Yes.”
“The alleged victim.”
“I wasn’t poisoned.”
Cole raised an eyebrow.
“That’s not what the evidence says.”
Adrian frowned.
“What evidence?”
Cole handed Vincent a warrant.
“A toxicology sample was collected from a glass registered to Ms. Vale.”
Adrian understood instantly.
The poisoned glass.
Michael had switched it.
The investigators believed it had been intended for Celeste.
Cole continued.
“Your fingerprints were found on the stem.”
“Of course they were. It came from my house.”
“And a witness states you threatened Ms. Vale earlier this week.”
Celeste laughed.
“Who?”
Cole looked at Samuel.
“His attorney can discuss that.”
Samuel stepped forward.
“This is clearly manipulated.”
Cole replied, “Then court will be entertaining.”
Adrian looked toward Damian.
“Ask him.”
Damian sat handcuffed against the wall.
He smiled.
“Ask me what?”
“That you orchestrated the glass.”
Damian widened his eyes.
“I have no idea what he means.”
Adrian nearly laughed.
“You kidnapped a child.”
Damian replied, “Did I?”
Cole looked at her officers.
“We found no child restrained when we entered.”
Grace stepped forward.
“He took Lily.”
“Did you personally see Mr. Vale take her?”
Grace hesitated.
“No.”
Damian smiled.
Cole turned to Elias, who had been transported under medical guard.
“He may know.”
Vincent shook his head.
“He’s unconscious.”
Cole looked at Adrian.
“You have a remarkable number of unconscious witnesses.”
Adrian held out his hands.
“Take me.”
Grace protested.
“No!”
Adrian looked at her.
“Stay with Lily.”
Michael stepped forward.
“I’ll go.”
Cole stared.
“And you are?”
Michael paused.
Adrian almost smiled despite everything.
“That is going to be a long conversation.”
Three hours later, Adrian sat in an interview room.
Detective Cole placed photographs on the table.
The poisoned glass.
Celeste’s ring.
The note.
The access card.
“Your fiancée disappears hours after you return home.”
“She was kidnapped.”
“She says she escaped.”
“She did.”
“Your brother has been legally dead seven years.”
“He’s difficult.”
Cole almost smiled.
“Your family attorney admits participating in a fake death identification.”
“Yes.”
“Your uncle allegedly admits financial crimes.”
“Yes.”
“A venture capitalist kidnapped your maid’s child over an inheritance.”
“Yes.”
Cole leaned back.
“Do you understand how this sounds?”
“Completely insane.”
“Good.”
Adrian looked at her.
“But insanity doesn’t make it false.”
Cole studied him.
Then slid another photograph forward.
“Do you know this man?”
Adrian did.
Elias.
The image showed Elias meeting someone outside a restaurant two days earlier.
Not Damian.
Not Victor.
Vincent.
Adrian’s security chief.
His closest employee.
His friend of fifteen years.
Adrian stared.
“When was this taken?”
“Tuesday.”
“What were they discussing?”
“We hoped you could tell us.”
Adrian thought of Michael’s warning.
Someone beside you.
He had trusted Vincent.
Still did.
But trust had nearly killed him before.
“Where is Vincent now?”
“At your estate.”
“Arrest him.”
Cole raised an eyebrow.
“That quickly?”
“Question him.”
“Why?”
“Because if he’s innocent, he’ll understand.”
Cole left.
Twenty minutes later, she returned.
“Vincent Alvarez is gone.”
Adrian’s stomach dropped.
“Gone?”
“He left the estate ten minutes after you were arrested.”
“Vehicle?”
“Security SUV.”
“Did he take anything?”
“We’re checking.”
Adrian stood.
Cole said, “Sit.”
“My family is at the estate.”
“We have officers there.”
“You don’t know my house.”
“Sit down.”
Adrian did.
Cole’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
“Where?”
Pause.
“Secure it.”
She disconnected.
“They found Vincent’s SUV.”
“Where?”
“Airport parking.”
Adrian stared.
“He wouldn’t run.”
“People say that about people who run.”
Cole placed another evidence bag on the table.
Inside was a flash drive.
“This was found in Vincent’s vehicle.”
“What is it?”
“We checked.”
She opened a laptop.
A list appeared.
Payments.
Monthly.
For six years.
Recipients hidden behind codes.
One account belonged to Elias.
Another belonged to a company connected to Victor.
And the account sending money—
Adrian leaned closer.
Moretti Security Holdings.
His company.
Cole asked, “Did you authorize these?”
“No.”
“Who had authority?”
“Vincent.”
Cole closed the laptop.
“That’s problematic.”
Adrian whispered, “He wouldn’t.”
“You’ve said that.”
The door opened.
Samuel entered.
“You’re being released.”
Cole frowned.
“On whose authority?”
Samuel smiled tiredly.
“The district attorney’s. Celeste gave a complete statement. Michael provided video evidence. And the preliminary lab report confirms the toxin distribution is inconsistent with deliberate dosing by Adrian.”
Cole looked annoyed.
“But we’re not finished.”
Adrian stood.
“Neither am I.”
Outside, Michael waited.
“Vincent’s missing.”
“I heard.”
“You know something?”
Michael looked away.
“Maybe.”
Adrian stopped walking.
“Michael.”
“Years ago, Vincent helped me disappear.”
Adrian stared.
“What?”
“After Hawthorne.”
“You said you escaped.”
“I did. Vincent found me afterward.”
“He knew you were alive?”
“For seven years.”
Adrian felt something inside him break.
“Everyone knew except me.”
“Not everyone.”
“Enough.”
Michael continued.
“Vincent kept me hidden because he believed Victor had compromised the estate security network.”
“Then why was he paying Elias?”
“I don’t know.”
Adrian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Vincent.
“Sir.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Where are you?”
“Don’t trust the financial records.”
“You disappeared.”
“I had to.”
“Why?”
“Because Elias wasn’t working for Victor.”
Adrian stopped.
“Who?”
Vincent breathed heavily.
“He was working for Michael.”
Adrian slowly turned toward his brother.
Michael’s face went blank.
Vincent continued through the phone.
“And sir… Michael isn’t telling you everything about tonight.”
The call ended.
Adrian stared at Michael.
Seven years of grief.
One impossible resurrection.
And suddenly his brother looked like a stranger again.
“What did you hire Elias to do?”
Michael whispered, “Adrian…”
“What did you hire him to do?”
Michael looked down.
“To watch you.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Because someone tried to kill me.”
“So you spied on me for seven years?”
“Yes.”
“Did Elias poison the glass on your orders?”
“No.”
“Did he remove my father’s portrait?”
Michael hesitated.
That hesitation answered everything.
Adrian’s voice turned quiet.
“You planned part of this.”
Michael whispered, “I needed everyone exposed at once.”
“Everyone?”
“Victor. Damian. Samuel. Celeste.”
“And me?”
Michael looked at him.
“I needed to know if I could trust you.”
Adrian took one step back.
“You used Lily.”
“No.”
“You allowed her to live inside a trap.”
“I thought I controlled it.”
Adrian almost struck him again.
Instead he said, “That sentence is exactly what Victor would say.”
Michael flinched.
Adrian walked away.
Then Michael shouted after him.
“Adrian!”
He stopped.
Michael’s next words were barely audible.
“There’s one person we still haven’t found.”
Adrian turned.
“Who?”
May you like
Michael swallowed.
“The man who actually ordered the poison.”
