Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN WHO OWNED THE BUILDING
Livia Bellini did not look like someone who arranged murders.
Audrey hated that thought the moment it came.
What did someone who arranged murders look like?
Probably ordinary.
Probably well-dressed.
Probably capable of smiling at tenants.
Livia was fifty.
Elegant.
Dark blond hair.
Pearl earrings.
The sort of woman who remembered every café employee’s birthday but never their last name.
Audrey had always liked her.
That made suspicion uncomfortable.
Police did not arrest her.
They questioned.
Then released.
Receipt access could be explained.
She entered after shooting with building manager.
She claimed to print transaction report for insurance records.
Possible.
Why Dario’s receipt appeared separately?
She said she didn’t know.
Vincent remained elsewhere.
He called Audrey that afternoon.
“Do you want to come to meeting?”
She frowned.
“With who?”
“Detective.”
“Why me?”
“You noticed receipt.”
“Police can tell me if they need me.”
“Yes.”
Pause.
“You’re right.”
That was getting irritatingly mature.
Then he asked:
“Are you all right?”
“No.”
Honest.
“You?”
“No.”
Good.
Then Audrey said:
“Did you always sit by that window?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Years.”
“Same time?”
“Often.”
“Who knew?”
“Too many people.”
“Why did you trust café?”
“Carlo’s building.”
Exactly.
Safety through family.
Weakness through family.
Then:
“Why did Dario use green marker?”
“We found compound source.”
“What?”
“Restoration chalk.”
“Used to mark brick replacement.”
“Bellini Restoration.”
“So evidence again.”
“Yes.”
“Too obvious.”
Vincent went silent.
“You think someone framed them.”
“I think maybe someone wants you to think Bellinis did it.”
“Why?”
“Who benefits if you turn on Carlo?”
Silence.
Vincent said:
“My uncle.”
“Name?”
“Sebastian Caruso.”
Audrey sat straighter.
“What does he want?”
“My position.”
There it was.
“Would he frame your cousin?”
“He hates Bellinis.”
“Why?”
“Old family dispute.”
“How old?”
“Thirty years.”
“Ridiculous.”
“Yes.”
“Does he know your café routine?”
“Absolutely.”
“Access to Bellini jackets?”
“Not directly.”
“Restoration chalk?”
“Anyone can get it.”
“Dario’s burn scar?”
Silence.
“Harder.”
“Could impersonate?”
“No.”
“So Dario probably involved somehow.”
“Yes.”
“But maybe not mastermind.”
“Exactly.”
Audrey walked around Samantha’s apartment.
“Why did Dario run?”
“Fear.”
“Of you?”
“Maybe.”
She stopped.
“That’s a problem.”
Vincent’s voice cooled.
“I know.”
“No.”
“I mean if innocent people run because they’re afraid you’ll punish before investigating, your reputation makes it easier for actual planner to frame them.”
Silence.
Long.
Audrey regretted it for half second.
Then Vincent said:
“You’re right.”
That surprised her.
Again.
“I hate this conversation.”
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Means you heard it.”
He almost laughed.
Later that evening, police found Carlo.
At a church.
Not fleeing country.
He had gone to speak with priest and attorney.
Passport was taken by Livia.
Interesting.
Carlo surrendered voluntarily.
His story:
He invited Vincent to café.
Yes.
At Sebastian Caruso’s request.
Why?
Sebastian said city contractor wanted neutral meeting.
Carlo believed him.
Dario?
Dario had borrowed restoration jacket weeks earlier.
Why?
Unknown.
Carlo had not seen brother in two days.
Then Livia’s story shifted.
She admitted taking Carlo’s passport.
“Why?”
“He told me he was going to run.”
“From police?”
“No.”
“From Vincent.”
There.
Carlo feared family justice more than law.
Exactly Audrey’s point.
Police also found Dario alive.
Motel outside Joliet.
He surrendered after attorney arranged.
His statement changed case.
“Yes, I marked Vincent.”
Audrey read summary through detective later.
But not because he knew it was assassination marker.
Sebastian’s man paid him $20,000 to smear green chalk on Vincent’s cuff as “a joke” meant to identify him for paparazzi photograph involving married alderman entering café later.
Ridiculous.
Dario admitted greed and stupidity.
He denied knowing shooter.
Then why run?
Because after shot, he realized what marker was for.
He believed Vincent would kill him before he could explain.
Again.
Reputation weaponized.
Then shooter’s identity emerged.
Not Bellini.
A former military contractor named Owen Pike.
Who paid?
Shell company.
Tracing.
Connected to—
Sebastian’s legal consultant.
Now evidence had direction.
Livia’s printed receipt?
She admitted Sebastian called after shooting and told her police might blame building liability.
He instructed her to print Dario’s transaction line from manually entered account.
She thought it was insurance documentation.
Did she know false?
She knew Dario hadn’t bought coffee.
Then why obey?
Sebastian told her Carlo would be implicated unless she did.
Family pressure.
Everybody scared.
Everybody hiding.
Audrey saw pattern before Vincent did.
Not mastermind brilliance.
Fear chain.
Sebastian knew exactly what each person feared:
Carlo feared Vincent.
Livia feared losing Carlo.
Dario feared punishment.
Jenna feared employer.
Then use them.
That made him dangerous.
Vincent came to Samantha’s apartment three days later.
Alone except Mateo waiting downstairs.
Audrey opened door but did not invite him in immediately.
“You’re not bleeding?”
“No.”
“No men chasing?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Then she stepped aside.
Samantha was at work.
Vincent stood in kitchen looking too expensive for small apartment.
He brought something.
Audrey’s café apron.
Cleaned.
Folded.
She stared.
“What is that?”
“Police released belongings.”
“My manager gave this.”
“Why did you bring it?”
“You left it.”
She almost smiled.
Then:
“Jenna fired?”
“No.”
“She wants you back.”
Audrey crossed arms.
“I thought you said I didn’t work there anymore.”
Vincent winced.
“Yes.”
“Still standing by that?”
“No.”
“Good.”
He placed apron down.
Then looked at her.
“Sebastian.”
“What?”
“I think you were right.”
“About?”
“My reputation.”
Audrey waited.
“He built plan around it.”
Vincent’s voice was quiet.
“He knew Dario would run.”
“Knew Carlo would panic.”
“Knew Livia would lie.”
“Because all of them believed I would punish first and listen later.”
Audrey said nothing.
Then he admitted:
“They had reason.”
That mattered.
“What have you done?”
He looked toward window.
“Things I regret.”
“Very specific.”
“I’m not giving you criminal confession.”
“Fair.”
Then:
“But yes.”
He looked back.
“I’ve made men afraid to explain themselves.”
“That helped Sebastian.”
“Yes.”
“And now?”
“Now I let police do their work.”
“Very revolutionary.”
He almost smiled.
Then:
“I’m also cleaning my own house.”
Audrey’s shoulders tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“Removing people tied to Sebastian.”
“Without hurting them.”
She stared.
Vincent understood.
“Employment.”
“Access.”
“Authority.”
“Good.”
Then he said:
“You saved my life.”
Audrey looked away.
“Accident.”
“Still.”
“I knocked coffee on you.”
“That moved me from chair.”
“Yes.”
“Covered marker.”
“Yes.”
“Made shooter miss.”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Vincent took an envelope from coat.
Audrey immediately frowned.
“No.”
“You don’t know what it is.”
“Money.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Medical and lost wages.”
“I’m not injured.”
“You lost shifts.”
“Because café closed.”
“Because someone tried to kill you.”
“You.”
“Me.”
He nodded.
“That makes expenses my responsibility.”
Audrey thought.
That was different from reward.
“How much?”
“Your documented lost wages.”
“Transportation.”
“Temporary hotel if needed.”
“No gift.”
“Correct.”
She accepted lost wages only.
Nothing more.
Vincent seemed irritated.
Good.
Then he asked:
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why won’t you take more?”
Audrey looked at him.
“Because then every time I disagree with you, I’ll wonder whether you think I owe you softness.”
His face changed.
That landed deeply.
“I would never—”
“You might not intend to.”
She shrugged.
“Power makes things weird before people notice.”
Vincent stood silent.
Then:
“Coffee?”
Audrey stared.
“You’re asking me for coffee?”
“Yes.”
“You have terrible timing.”
“I’ve been told.”
She made two cups.
No near-boiling this time.
They sat at Samantha’s tiny kitchen table.
For the first time, not boss and waitress.
Not target and witness.
Two people.
Then Vincent’s phone buzzed.
He read message.
His face hardened.
“What?”
Audrey asked.
“Sebastian is gone.”
“Gone where?”
“Unknown.”
“Police?”
“Looking.”
Then another message.
Vincent stared.
Mateo called from downstairs.
“Boss, get away from window.”
Vincent moved instantly.
Audrey’s stomach dropped.
Then her own phone lit.
Unknown number.
One sentence:
You should have let the coffee hit the floor.
Audrey showed Vincent.
His face became terrifyingly calm.
Sebastian Caruso knew exactly who had ruined his plan.
And now Audrey was no longer an accidental witness.
May you like
She was part of the reason Vincent was alive.
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