Louie Morelli's Daughter by Patricia Bellomo

Author:Patricia Bellomo [Bellomo, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780984630516
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2013-02-07T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

Isabella had already been put to bed when they returned from their outing. Angie was in the family room watching Dancing with the Stars when they burst into the house with their packages. Stella was tired, but happy. She showed Angie a set of bracelets Louie had bought her. There were other goodies: A Givenchy dress and a bottle of cologne.

Louie handed Angie a gift-wrapped box. Inside was a silk blouse from Dior. She held it up and fingered the sheer fabric. “Louie, it’s lovely,” she said.

“Stella picked it out.”

Angie smiled at her daughter. They chatted a few minutes, Stella retelling the highlights of her day. Before heading upstairs, she gave Louie a big hug. “Thanks for a wonderful day, Daddy.”

Angie got up and headed toward the kitchen. “Do you want something to eat?”

“No, we ate.”

Louie had his jacket off, his tie loosened. He was studying her intently. She felt a quiet flicker of alarm and turned to face him. “What is it, Louie?”

“Step outside with me a minute.”

They stepped onto the terrace. It was dusk, a steady breeze blowing off the ocean. Planters of red hibiscus gleamed in the half-light.

Louie took her arm. “Did you like your present?”

“What? Oh yes, it’s beautiful.”

“I’d like you to do something for me.”

Again, the twinge of alarm; he was solemn, watching her. “What?”

“You told me Michael left without saying goodbye this morning. Do you remember what time he left?”

Michael. What did this have to do with Michael? She steeled herself, saying, “He left about an hour after you and Stella departed. Around nine-thirty, I guess.”

He gazed out at the ocean, appearing to be studying the boats moving at the water’s edge. Angie caught her breath. “Louie—”

He shifted his gaze to her. “I want you to rethink the time, sweetheart. I want you to remember something: Michael was here until a quarter of twelve. Victor picked him up then. Around noon, Angie, not nine-thirty. Can you remember this?”

Angie’s blood drained from her face. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She clamped a horrified hand to her mouth, and automatically took a step back. “Louie, what have you done?”

His hand stayed on her elbow, increasing its pressure. He said quietly, “Don’t panic on me. I don’t expect this will ever come up. But in the event that it does, you need to remember this. It’s very important.”

She wrenched her arm free. “Goddamn you, Louie.”

He turned to reenter the house, but paused with his hand on the door. “Noon, Angie. Just before. Remember this and forget everything else.”

Angie stood alone on the terrace and watched night blacken the horizon. On the eastern edge of the sky, the moon popped above the water.

Suddenly, it all made sense: Michael’s evasiveness, leaving without saying goodbye to her; Louie taking Stella to Nassau; Victor instructing Consuela not to come before noon.

Louie had done something terrible. Angie knew it in her gut and felt it in her heart. She recalled Johnny’s phone call this morning, and the grim look on Louie’s face after he hung up the phone.

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