Chapter 6 - The Fiancée With Two Names
Vivien did not deny it.
That frightened Jonathan more than denial would have.
They met in Teresa's dining room that afternoon.
Rebecca Shaw remained.
Rocco remained.
Meline sat near the window.
Jonathan stood.
Vivien looked around.
"This resembles an intervention."
"Atlantic Meridian," Jonathan said.
Vivien folded her hands.
"What about it?"
"You're listed as a beneficiary."
"Yes."
Rocco swore.
Jonathan's face stayed still.
"Explain."
Vivien inhaled.
"When I was twenty-five, my grandmother died."
Jonathan waited.
"She left me a trust."
"What does that have to do with Atlantic Meridian?"
"The trust owns twelve percent."
Meline frowned.
"You knew?"
"Not initially."
"When did you learn?"
"Two years ago."
Jonathan stared.
"Before our engagement."
"Yes."
"You said nothing."
"No."
Rebecca spoke.
"Why?"
Vivien looked at her.
"Because my father threatened my younger brother."
Jonathan had met Andrew Bianke twice.
Twenty-three.
Quiet.
Studying architecture in Chicago.
Vivien continued.
"Atlantic Meridian existed before the cargo theft."
"As what?"
"A legitimate emergency logistics company."
"Owned by your grandmother?"
"Partly."
"Your father?"
"No."
"Then who corrupted it?"
Vivien looked at Rebecca.
"Someone acquired controlling shares through shell companies after my grandmother's death."
"Who?"
"I've spent two years trying to find out."
Jonathan laughed coldly.
"And marrying me helped?"
"Yes."
Meline looked between them.
Vivien faced Jonathan.
"Our wedding agreement would have merged terminal access."
"I know."
"It also gave me audit rights over shared port operations."
Jonathan understood.
"You wanted access to Moretti manifests."
"Exactly."
"You used me."
Vivien raised an eyebrow.
"The marriage was a contract, Jonathan."
"Not that contract."
"No."
He stared at her.
"You could have told me."
Vivien gave him a sad smile.
"Would you have believed me?"
That question landed painfully.
Meline looked away.
Jonathan did not answer.
Vivien continued.
"My father discovered I was investigating Atlantic Meridian. He told me to stop."
"So he's involved."
"I don't know."
"Why else threaten your brother?"
"Because Papa believes knowledge itself is dangerous."
Rebecca leaned forward.
"What did he say specifically?"
Vivien's expression tightened.
"He said if I kept pulling at old threads, Andrew might accidentally be standing beneath whatever fell."
Meline whispered, "Jesus."
Jonathan looked at Vivien differently.
"You still agreed to the marriage."
"I needed access."
"You were willing to marry someone you didn't love."
Vivien smiled without humor.
"In our families, people have married for less useful reasons."
Meline studied her.
"Did you know Meline was alive?"
Vivien answered immediately.
"No."
"Pregnant?"
"No."
"Did your father?"
"I don't know."
Jonathan believed her.
Or wanted to.
Rebecca opened another folder.
"There's a more immediate problem."
Everyone looked.
She placed surveillance photographs on the table.
Marco Vitali.
Taken two weeks earlier.
Meeting with a man none of them recognized.
Then another photograph.
Same stranger with Salvatore.
Then another.
Same stranger entering a federal courthouse.
"Who is he?" Jonathan asked.
"Leonard Voss."
Rebecca's expression darkened.
"Former customs enforcement."
"Former?"
"Fired nine years ago for corruption allegations that were never prosecuted."
"What does he do now?"
"Consulting."
Rocco laughed.
"Of course."
Rebecca continued.
"Voss understands port security, law enforcement procedures and federal investigations."
Meline leaned forward.
"Could he have created the evidence against me?"
"Possibly."
Jonathan's eyes narrowed.
"Why?"
"Because you were getting close to something."
"I wasn't."
"Meline was."
Rebecca pointed at her.
"Luca had spoken to Peter. Peter eventually spoke to Meline. Voss could not risk her bringing information to you."
"So he made Jonathan distrust me."
"Yes."
Meline looked at Jonathan.
He said nothing.
No defense existed.
Rebecca continued.
"And once you expelled her, Meline became isolated."
"Why not kill her?" Rocco asked.
Jonathan glared.
Rocco shrugged.
"We're all thinking it."
Rebecca answered.
"Because unexplained death draws attention."
Meline touched her stomach.
"And a frightened woman on a bus disappears quietly."
Jonathan's face tightened.
Except Meline had returned.
Why?
He looked at her.
"You came back to Providence."
"Yes."
"Knowing people might still be watching."
"I didn't have anywhere else."
"Why not go to the government?"
Meline laughed bitterly.
"Agent Shaw couldn't protect Peter."
Rebecca accepted that without protest.
Meline continued.
"And eight months ago, I didn't know who I could trust."
Her gaze settled on Jonathan.
"Still don't."
The room became silent.
Later, Vivien and Meline stood together in Teresa's backyard.
Leaves covered the grass.
Meline wore one of Teresa's sweaters.
Vivien leaned against the railing.
"You hate me less now?" she asked.
Meline looked at her.
"I never hated you."
"That seems generous."
"You didn't owe me loyalty."
"Jonathan did."
"Yes."
Vivien studied her.
"You love him."
Meline sighed.
"People keep asking that like love is evidence of intelligence."
"Usually the opposite."
Meline laughed.
Inside, Jonathan watched through the glass.
Rocco stood beside him.
"Two women you disappointed are getting along."
"Don't."
"I find it comforting."
"Why?"
"Maybe they'll kill you together and solve everyone's problems."
Jonathan almost smiled.
Then his phone rang.
Andrew Bianke.
Vivien's brother.
Jonathan answered.
"Andrew?"
Breathing.
Fast.
"Mr. Moretti?"
Jonathan straightened.
"Where are you?"
"I don't know."
Vivien turned from outside.
She saw his expression and came inside.
Jonathan put the call on speaker.
Andrew whispered, "They took me."
Vivien went white.
"Andrew?"
"Sis?"
"Where are you?"
"I don't know."
A man's voice appeared in the background.
Then a sound.
Andrew gasped.
Vivien gripped the table.
"Don't hurt him!"
The unknown man took the phone.
"Miss Bianke."
"Who is this?"
"You've been asking questions that belonged to dead people."
Vivien's breathing shook.
"What do you want?"
"The ledger."
"What ledger?"
"Luca Moretti's."
Jonathan looked at Rocco.
Rocco's face emptied.
The caller continued.
"Midnight tomorrow."
"Where?"
"We'll tell you."
"And my brother?"
"Bring Luca's ledger or Andrew becomes the next thing your family buries."
The line went dead.
Vivien turned toward Rocco.
"You have Luca's ledger?"
Rocco did not answer.
Jonathan stared at his oldest friend.
"Rocco."
Rocco closed his eyes.
Then nodded.
"Yes."
"Where?"
"In the last place anyone would look."
"Which is?"
May you like
Rocco looked toward Teresa.
"Your mother's church."
