Chapter 9 – The Ghost at the Front Door
The silence in the diner was absolute, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator.
Ellie let out a terrified whimper and buried her face in Gabriel’s side. Without a word, Gabriel wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, his dark eyes never leaving Chloe’s face.
“You haven’t seen her in five years,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “You didn’t even send a card for her birthday. You are not taking her.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and tapped the legal envelope on the counter. “It’s not up for debate, Ruth. I have a court order signed by a judge this morning. Ethan’s little midnight flight constitutes child abandonment. As the biological mother, my rights supersede yours.”
“You abandoned her first!” Linda shouted from the counter, her face red with anger.
Chloe shot Linda a dirty look. “I didn’t abandon her. I sought mental health treatment at a luxury retreat in Aspen. The courts recognized it as a medical necessity. Ethan and I never formally divorced, which means I retain full parental rights.”
My stomach churned. Ethan hadn’t divorced her? He had always told me the paperwork was finalized years ago. Had he lied about that, too?
“Why now?” I demanded. “You don’t care about Ellie. You never did. Why do you suddenly want her?”
Chloe’s eyes drifted past me, landing on Gabriel. She smiled knowingly.
“I heard about the excitement last night,” Chloe said smoothly. “Word travels fast in certain circles. I heard Ethan tried to sell this dump to Victor Thorne’s people, but Gabriel Moretti stepped in and bought the deed instead.”
She looked back at me, her eyes flashing with greed.
“And I know that to protect the property from Ethan’s creditors, Gabriel put the deed in a trust. In Ellie’s name.” Chloe smirked. “My daughter is now the sole owner of a prime piece of commercial real estate backed by the Moretti family. As her mother and legal guardian, I control her assets. Including this diner.”
I felt the breath knocked out of me. She didn’t want Ellie. She wanted the land. She wanted the money.
“You’re a monster,” I whispered.
“I’m a pragmatist,” Chloe corrected, checking her watch. “I have a car waiting outside. Tell the brat to get her coat. If you refuse to hand her over, I’ll have the police here in five minutes to arrest you for kidnapping.”
“Call them,” Gabriel said.
His voice was quiet, but it commanded the room. He didn’t stand up. He just sat there, his arm wrapped securely around Ellie.
Chloe narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”
Gabriel took a slow sip of his coffee. “Call the police, Chloe. Let them come.”
“I have a legal court order, Mr. Moretti,” Chloe snapped, stepping forward. “Your mafia intimidation tactics don’t work on me. My lawyer is the best in the city. If you interfere, I’ll drag you into federal court.”
Gabriel smiled, a cold, chilling expression.
“Your lawyer is Richard Vance, isn’t he?” Gabriel asked.
Chloe hesitated, clearly thrown off guard. “How do you know that?”
“Because Richard Vance is Victor Thorne’s cousin,” Gabriel said, finally standing up. He towered over Chloe, his presence dominating the small diner. “You didn’t hear about last night through ‘certain circles,’ Chloe. You were working with Thorne all along. When Ethan couldn’t deliver the diner, they called you as a backup plan.”
Chloe’s face paled, but she held her ground. “Prove it. It doesn’t matter anyway. The custody papers are ironclad.”
Gabriel looked at me. “Mrs. Bennett. Did Frank ever show you a photograph of Chloe before he died?”
I frowned, my mind racing. “A photograph? No. Frank never liked Chloe, but he never showed me any pictures.”
“Linda?” Gabriel asked.
Linda gasped, her eyes widening. “Oh my god. The safety deposit box.”
Chloe stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
“Frank kept a safety deposit box at the downtown bank,” Linda said, speaking quickly. “He said he put something inside it the week after Chloe left. He told me it was an insurance policy. In case she ever came back.”
Gabriel turned to Chloe. The color had completely drained from her face.
“Whatever is in that box,” Gabriel said softly, “I promise you, it will destroy you. Walk out that door right now, leave Ellie with her grandmother, and I will let you live your pathetic life in peace. Try to take this child, and I will unleash hell on you.”
Chloe stood frozen for a long moment, her hands trembling slightly. She looked at Ellie, then at me, and finally at Gabriel.
Then, she snatched the envelope off the counter.
“You have 24 hours,” Chloe hissed. “I’m taking this to a judge tomorrow morning. And there isn’t a damn thing you or a dead man’s safety deposit box can do to stop me.”
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the diner, the bell chiming violently behind her.
