Chapter 4 - The Woman Who Ran the House
Carmine read the name three times.
Odette Pruitt.
His housekeeper.
The woman who had organized his mother's funeral.
Who had chosen Palmira's medications when nurses changed shifts.
Who had managed every employee who entered the Orsini estate for twenty-two years.
The woman who had hired Nell.
Nell whispered:
“That can't be right.”
Benny disagreed.
“It can.”
Carmine folded the letter.
“But why?”
They returned to the mansion before dawn.
Odette was already awake.
Of course she was.
She stood in the breakfast room arranging flowers when Carmine entered.
Nell stayed upstairs.
Benny watched from the corridor.
Odette looked at Carmine.
“You're up early.”
“So are you.”
“I always am.”
Carmine poured coffee.
“Do you remember Fontaine Bakery?”
The flower stem in Odette's hand stopped moving.
Just once.
Then continued.
“No.”
Carmine saw the lie.
“Magazine Street.”
“I've known many businesses on Magazine Street.”
“Emmett Fontaine.”
Odette placed the flower down.
“What is this about?”
“Answer.”
Her eyes hardened.
“Yes. I remember the name.”
“How?”
She exhaled.
“Your father.”
“What about him?”
“He asked me to deliver an envelope once.”
“When?”
“Years ago.”
“To Fontaine?”
“Yes.”
“What was inside?”
“I didn't ask.”
Carmine studied her.
“Did you know Vincent Salerno?”
Odette's expression changed.
There it was.
Something deeper.
Pain.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He was my brother.”
Carmine stared.
Even Benny shifted in the doorway.
Odette removed her glasses.
“My mother married twice. Vincent kept our father's surname. I took our mother's.”
“Why didn't my father ever tell me?”
“Because he knew.”
“He knew you were Salerno's sister?”
“Yes.”
“And still employed you?”
“For twenty-two years.”
“Why?”
Odette laughed bitterly.
“Because family names don't always determine loyalties.”
Carmine placed Emmett's letter on the table.
Odette saw her name.
She sat down.
“You found it.”
“You knew it existed.”
“I suspected.”
“Tell me everything.”
Odette looked toward the staircase.
“Where is Nell?”
“Safe.”
Her eyes closed briefly.
“Good.”
Carmine's patience thinned.
“Odette.”
She opened her eyes.
“Vincent wanted the Fontaine property. Emmett refused. At first it was business. Then Vincent discovered Emmett had kept old financial records.”
“The flash drive?”
“Yes.”
“You helped him?”
“No.”
“Your name is in Emmett's warning.”
“Because I was the one who warned Emmett that Vincent knew.”
Silence.
Carmine leaned back.
Odette continued.
“I overheard my brother speaking with Mercer. They planned to pressure property owners until the entire block could be acquired.”
“Did you know about the fire?”
“Not until afterward.”
“Did you know about the chain?”
Her face tightened.
“Yes.”
“Who put it there?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I am not lying.”
Carmine's voice lowered.
“Your brother?”
“I believe he ordered it.”
“Who carried it out?”
“I never learned.”
“What about the investigator?”
“Paid.”
“By Vincent?”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
“Dante discovered enough to become dangerous.”
Carmine went still.
“My father died four years ago from a heart attack.”
Odette looked at him.
“Yes.”
Something in her voice chilled him.
“What aren't you saying?”
She said nothing.
“Odette.”
“Your father's heart condition was real.”
“That wasn't my question.”
“He had been receiving medication.”
“I know.”
“One prescription changed three weeks before he died.”
Carmine felt the room narrow.
“Changed how?”
“Different manufacturer.”
“So?”
“Dante complained the tablets tasted strange.”
Benny stepped forward.
“Are you saying Salerno poisoned him?”
“No. I'm saying your father became suspicious.”
“Did he test the pills?”
“I don't know.”
“Why haven't you told me any of this?”
Odette stood.
“Because you were twenty-nine years old and had just inherited a war you didn't understand.”
Carmine's voice sharpened.
“You don't get to decide what I understand.”
“I made that decision anyway.”
“And Nell?”
Odette's expression softened.
“When she applied for the housekeeping position, I recognized her surname.”
“Brisco?”
“Her face.”
Carmine stared.
“You knew who she was from the beginning.”
“Yes.”
“Why hire her?”
“Because she was hiding.”
“From Vincent?”
“From everyone.”
“You could have told me.”
“And risk you asking exactly the questions you're asking now?”
“You've been protecting her.”
“Yes.”
Nell spoke from the doorway.
“By lying to me?”
Everyone turned.
She stood there wearing her work uniform.
Her face was pale.
Odette looked genuinely shaken.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I live here more than anywhere else.”
“Nell—”
“You knew.”
Odette stood slowly.
“I knew part.”
“You knew my father didn't cause that fire.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe I did.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Nell's voice cracked.
“For three years, every time I walked into a kitchen, I smelled smoke. Every time I saw an oven, I remembered signing papers that called me negligent.”
Odette's eyes filled.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You could have told me.”
“Truth does not always keep people alive.”
“No. But lies don't let them live.”
Odette had no answer.
Nell removed her white apron.
She placed it on the table.
“I quit.”
Carmine stood.
“Nell.”
She looked at him.
“I can't stay in this house.”
“Where will you go?”
“Anywhere.”
“That's not safe.”
She laughed through tears.
“Neither is this.”
Then she left.
Carmine followed her into the entrance hall.
“Nell.”
She continued toward the door.
He reached it first.
He did not block her.
He simply opened it.
Cold morning air entered.
“If you want to leave, I won't stop you.”
She stared.
“But don't disappear.”
“Why do you care?”
The question caught him.
He could have said because the investigation concerned his father.
Because Salerno might target her.
Because she had evidence.
All true.
None complete.
Carmine looked at her.
“Because for three years this house taught you that being invisible kept you safe.”
Nell said nothing.
“It doesn't anymore.”
Her eyes filled.
“You noticed me because of a pie.”
“No.”
She frowned.
“I noticed the pie because of you.”
That silenced her.
For a moment, something moved between them.
Not romance yet.
Too much pain stood in the way.
But recognition.
Nell looked outside.
“I'm going to see my father.”
“I'll drive.”
“No.”
“Benny?”
“No.”
“Then take a car.”
“I can manage.”
“I know.”
Carmine gave her the keys to a black sedan.
She hesitated.
Then accepted them.
Before she walked away, he said:
“Nell.”
She turned.
“Come back.”
Her expression softened for half a second.
Then she left.
Three hours later, Carmine was in his office when Benny entered without knocking.
“Problem.”
Carmine stood.
“What?”
“Nell never reached Baton Rouge.”
His stomach tightened.
“Where is the car?”
“Found near LaPlace.”
“Accident?”
“No.”
“Phone?”
“Inside the car.”
Carmine's face became dangerously calm.
“Any sign of force?”
“None.”
“Cameras?”
“Working on it.”
Odette appeared behind Benny.
Her face went white.
“Vincent.”
Carmine turned.
“You said he didn't know she was here.”
“I thought he didn't.”
“Apparently he does.”
Odette shook her head.
“No. If Vincent wanted Nell, he wouldn't take her on the highway.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he doesn't need her.”
Carmine froze.
“What?”
“The evidence was hidden for three years. Nell didn't know where it was.”
“Now she does.”
Odette's eyes widened.
“And someone knows you found it.”
Benny immediately understood.
“The flash drive.”
Carmine looked toward his desk.
The drive was inside a locked drawer.
Still there.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Silence.
Then Nell's voice.
“Carmine?”
He gripped the phone.
“Nell. Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
A man's voice said something in the background.
Nell's breathing shook.
Then she whispered:
“They don't want the drive.”
Carmine closed his eyes.
“What do they want?”
A pause.
Then Nell said:
“They want Odette.”
The call ended.
Everyone looked at her.
Odette slowly sat down.
And for the first time in twenty-two years, Carmine saw the woman who ran his household look afraid.
Not for herself.
For Nell.
May you like
Because there was one final secret Odette had not yet admitted.
And Carmine could see from her face that it was the secret Salerno had been waiting years to bury.
