Chapter 4 – THE MOTHER WHO REMEMBERED A NAME

Isabella’s memory came and went.

Some mornings, she remembered everything.

Other days, she forgot where she was.

But she never forgot Delaney for long.

One afternoon, Delaney arrived to find Isabella sitting near the window.

The older woman looked troubled.

“Mrs. Bianchi?”

Isabella turned.

“Delaney.”

She smiled.

“Hello.”

Isabella reached for her hand.

“There’s something I need to tell Damon.”

Delaney sat.

“What is it?”

The older woman looked toward the door.

“About his father.”

Delaney hesitated.

“Would you like me to call him?”

Isabella nodded.

Damon arrived minutes later.

He knelt beside his mother.

“Mom?”

She gripped his hand.

“Your father kept something.”

Damon frowned.

“What?”

“A book.”

He stared.

“What book?”

Isabella closed her eyes.

“A little red book.”

Damon looked at Delaney.

She shook her head.

She didn’t know what it meant.

Isabella continued.

“Numbers.”

Her voice trembled.

“Names.”

Then she whispered:

“Don’t trust Adrian.”

Damon went still.

Adrian Bianchi was Damon’s cousin.

He managed several family businesses.

He had been close to Damon since childhood.

Damon leaned forward.

“Mom, why?”

Isabella looked frightened.

“He was in the study.”

“When?”

She shook her head.

“I don’t remember.”

Damon took her hand.

“It’s okay.”

But his expression had changed.

Later, Damon asked Delaney what Isabella had said before he arrived.

She told him exactly.

He listened.

Then nodded.

“Thank you.”

Delaney hesitated.

“Damon?”

He looked up.

“Your mother seems frightened of something.”

He nodded.

“I know.”

She took a breath.

“Please don’t assume she’s confused just because she can’t explain it clearly.”

Damon stared.

Then smiled sadly.

“I won’t.”

That evening, Damon called Frank.

“Find out what Adrian has been doing with my father’s records.”

Frank nodded.

“And the red book?”

Damon looked toward the library.

“We start there.”

Share