Code of Silence

by Heather Woodhaven

  EIGHTEEN

  Gabriella avoided the closet and her mother’s room. Aunt Freddie had moved back into her old room in the house, with visits from a health care aide. The FBI took her mother’s room for their headquarters...as well as the kitchen. The first couple of days after she’d left the hospital they’d kept her isolated, asking her questions that she could only assume they also asked Aunt Freddie.

  After they seemed satisfied she’d told them all she knew, they spent their time searching the property for the mysterious coins and making sure the security teams were in place. Thankfully, they allowed her to get a new cell phone. But still, she and Aunt Freddie stayed separated. Gabriella didn’t even know how to start a conversation, didn’t know how to process what had happened. Almost two weeks had passed, and she still felt at a loss for words.

  Gabriella flopped on her bed and pulled the corner of the quilt to her chest. The small frayed edges kept her fingers occupied as she relived telling Luke she loved him. Had he heard? Too little, too late? Especially now she had family ties to the mafia?

  A slight knock at the doorway made her sit up on her elbows. The door swung open, revealing Aunt Freddie dressed in a black-and-purple floral dress with a loose sweater jacket on top. Her silver hair sat in waves on top of her head, and if not for the fact that Gabriella knew they weren’t related, she’d have imagined her own hair to look similar in fifty years.

  “You okay, Aunt—” Her voice caught. She’d forever think of her aunt as Freddie and not Amalia, but now that she knew the truth...

  Her aunt shuffled forward, and the light from the window highlighted her eyes. Recognition and sharp wit shined back at Gabriella. Except for a brief moment yesterday, she’d been lucid the past few days. “Call me Freddie,” her aunt said. “It’s been so long, and I don’t want to remember the life that Amalia lived.” Pain creased the area around her eyes. She reached a hand out.

  Gabriella grabbed Aunt Freddie’s hand. “Are you okay?”

  Aunt Freddie released her and moved her hands to either side of Gabriella’s face. “She wanted to tell you.”

  Her throat tightened at her aunt’s words, and she avoided her aunt’s piercing gaze. She didn’t want to talk about her mother yet. It hurt too much. The lies, the—

  “So many times,” Aunt Freddie continued. “It’s my fault she didn’t, honey.”

  Gabriella stiffened. “What?”

  “I’m ashamed, but you have to understand your Uncle Claudio was not a nice man.” Her voice shook with a passion Gabriella didn’t understand. Her hands drifted to Gabriella’s shoulders. “He promised me if I ever left him, he’d find me and kill me.” Aunt Freddie’s eyes clouded over. “So when we left, I begged your mom never to tell you, even years later. I made her promise to wait until Claudio was gone. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  Gabriella’s breath grew hot as her middle tightened, squeezed by an invisible corset of pain. What must it have been like to live in such fear? How would she have responded if she were her mother?

  Aunt Freddie grabbed Gabriella’s hands and sandwiched them between hers. “Your mother was the light of my life, Gabbie. When she came along—” Freddie choked out a sob “—I loved her like my own. Just like I love you. I hope you can forgive me, Gabriella.”

  “You were like a second mother to me,” Gabriella whispered. “And to know how you tried to shield and protect and raise my mom...what you risked...” Gabriella closed her eyes, the tears burning against the lids. “How could I not?”

  They clung to each other and cried, not only for the hurt from the past, but for the missing person in this conversation—her mother.

  Three weeks later

  Luke’s shoulders sagged. Once the pain medications were no longer necessary, he’d struggled to sleep at night. Thoughts of revenge and hits out on his family or Gabriella plagued any shut-eye he managed to get. His phone vibrated.

  FBI says threat over. No more guards needed.

  Luke exhaled. Finally. That meant the grand jury had met today. The FBI had made both Gabriella and Luke write a list of any family members and loved ones the mafia would potentially target until the grand jury heard the case against them. It turned out to be an above-and-beyond gesture, as Luke and Gabriella weren’t required to give testimony. The bag of evidence combined with the audio of Rodrigo was more than enough.

  The phone and contacts they recovered on Benito’s phone helped them recover the mole in the New Jersey FBI office who had helped keep tabs on the Boise FBI activity. Thankfully, every other agent had proved to be clean.

  Luke rushed to his truck and headed over to see Gabriella. The FBI had wanted to keep them separated until the threat was neutralized. They were able to talk on the phone, but five weeks had been too long to go without seeing her.

  He pressed the clicker, signaling to turn left. The black iron gate hung open to the Radcliffe Ranch. Luke’s breath caught. He gunned the gas and stormed up the driveway until he spotted Gabriella, smiling and hugging her great-aunt.

  Gabriella turned away from her aunt, focusing entirely on his truck. Luke pressed the brakes and pulled over to stop.

  As he hopped out of the truck, his heart rate sped up, providing another reminder that so much of the blood pumping through his veins was no longer his own. Two transfusions later, his wounds still stung, but full recovery was imminent thanks to the hospital and a merciful God.

  “What’s wrong?” Gabriella called out, jogging to meet him.

  “I wanted to ask you the same thing,” Luke said. “The gate was open.”

  Gabriella reached for his hand and beamed. “We’re no longer in danger. The grand jury met today. They’re all put away. The Mirabella crime family is no more.”

  “Yes. I came as soon as I heard.” He threw a thumb over his shoulder. “Still, it may not be the best idea to leave the gate open.”

  “Don’t worry. The security systems are all back up and running thanks to the cash you found in the house.” Gabriella pointed to the van pulling up the driveway. “And I only opened it when I knew they were on the way to pick up Aunt Freddie. She’s ready to go back.”

  Luke matched her grin, knowing Gabriella wrestled with guilt and worry that she wasn’t up to the task of caring for her aunt alone. They’d talked on the phone daily the past few weeks, and while Gabriella could manage her in the daytime during summer break, Aunt Freddie would wake up in the night and start roaming, unsure of where or who she was. It terrified Gabriella. “So she likes it at the assisted-living village?”

  Gabriella nodded as Aunt Freddie approached. “I remember you,” her aunt said.

  Gabriella placed a hand on her aunt’s back. “You remember him, Freddie?”

  Aunt Freddie’s gaze never left Luke. She held up a finger. “Oh, yes I do. Your mother was so impressed the way he treated you.” Freddie put a hand on Gabriella’s shoulder. “She never liked that Thad.”

  Gabriella rolled her eyes but laughed. “Yes, she made that clear. She had good instincts.”

  Luke found himself standing a little taller. He tried not to let it get to him, but Aunt Freddie’s words puffed his chest. The fact her mother had mentioned him and Freddie remembered filled him with hope that was hard to tamp down.

  “You here to talk sweetly to my Gabbie?” Aunt Freddie asked.

  Luke flinched. How would Gabriella feel if he let Aunt Freddie know she preferred to be called by her full name? Probably not a good move, though. Gabriella blushed at her aunt’s words, and even though Luke would’ve loved to talk to her sweetly, he remained determined to act as his brother and father had advised. “I’m actually here on business.”

  Gabriella’s face fell. Luke didn’t know how to interpret it. He thought she’d have been relieved. Maybe she’d had other offers from developers, or perhaps she’d found another way to k
eep the property. He could’ve kicked himself. His timing once again proved to be rotten.

  Freddie’s eyebrows rose. “Well, I’ve had my share of overhearing business talks for more than a lifetime.” She hugged Gabriella around the shoulder. “You sure we’re okay?” Aunt Freddie moved her shaking hands to either side of Gabriella’s face.

  “I’m sure,” she answered and closed her eyes as if she knew what was coming.

  Aunt Freddie kissed Gabriella’s forehead. “God bless you, baby girl.” She waved at the parked van behind them. A young man in a light brown jacket hopped out of the car and offered his arm. Freddie squeezed Luke’s arm as she walked by. “I hope to see you again soon, young man.”

  “How are you today, Ms. Radcliffe?” the attendant asked as he led her away.

  A rosy blush spread over Gabriella’s face, complementing her brown eyes. He didn’t realize he was staring, enjoying her beauty, until she looked down at her feet. “So you’re here on business?”

  The next part would be difficult. He cleared his throat. “You remember how I read your mother’s diary?” He held his breath, waiting for the same reaction she’d displayed the last time he’d mentioned it.

  “Yes. I actually had a chance to read it after the FBI helped me get the safe room back open.” She grinned. “I feel a little sheepish about my reaction earlier, but I was afraid you might’ve found out something horrible about me. Like what if Mom vented about all my flaws?”

  “I didn’t learn anything about you that I didn’t already know.”

  Her eyes widened, and Luke wanted to sprint and dive back into the lake to take cover. “Excuse me, I may need to call a crane to help remove this gigantic foot in my mouth.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Thankfully for you, I came to the same conclusion...you already knew all those things about me.”

  He laughed but lowered his chin. “I also knew your much more abundant list of positive traits, as well. Some that weren’t mentioned.”

  She threw her shoulders back. “Didn’t you say you wanted to talk business?”

  Luke exhaled. For a moment there he thought she’d been flirting. Space. He needed to give her some space and focus on being her friend. She’d been clear in what she’d wanted. He’d admitted to his brother David he wasn’t sure he was up to the job. The challenge of loving Gabriella while she thought of him only as a friend proved downright painful.

  “If you want her in your life, it’s the only way,” David had replied. “You’ll regret rushing love. Trust me.”

  “Yes, business,” Luke said, harnessing himself to the present. “If you read your mom’s diary, you also noticed she wrote a lot about her methodology for sand and gravel extraction. She kept it local to keep the value high but also took great effort in how she removed it...from an environmental point of view.” He threw his hands up in the air. “Quite frankly, she was a genius.”

  Gabriella admired her surroundings. “You won’t hear me arguing. She wanted to be a lifelong student. Believe it or not, she didn’t have a college degree, but she was always taking online classes.”

  “That’s where you get your love of learning.”

  Her eyes brightened as if she’d never thought of it before. “Probably.”

  “I’ve got two things to discuss. First, I insist you ask another developer for a bid—”

  “We’ve already discussed this, Luke. If I feel the need, I will, but I don’t need your insistence.”

  “You may change your mind, because I have a proposition that’s different than we discussed. If I turned this land into a subdivision, it would be highly profitable, but it would destroy everything your mom built.”

  Her face fell. “I realized that before I approached you. Despite finding the money in the safe room—thank you again for proving it was legally earned—there’s still not enough to maintain the property or take care of Aunt Freddie. Even if that wasn’t an issue—”

  “There’s another option,” he interrupted. “We could split the land into a luxury community.” He spun around, pointing in all different directions. “The land suits itself to be split into four or five lots of ten to twenty acres each. There’s plenty of room for a house on each, but if I added a conservation easement of a hundred acres, they wouldn’t be allowed to destroy the water features. And, if the lots sell for the amount I’m thinking, you could keep your mom’s house, if you wanted.”

  Gabriella rose on her tiptoes, her hands gripped together. “Can you really do that?”

  Her enthusiasm proved to be contagious. “My dad and brother are both in the construction business. We brainstormed and researched and came up with this solution. The downside is it would take longer to be profitable.”

  She dropped back to her heels. “Oh. I see,” she said softly.

  “But if you’re willing to consider my other proposition, that may not be a problem for you.”

  She crossed her arms across her chest. “Proposition?”

  “As I was saying, your mom’s work was genius. You inherited her business...”

  “Yeah, but there’s no way I could run it by myself. I don’t know the first thing about—” She lifted an eyebrow as if realizing what he would say.

  He flashed his best smile. “But I can.”

  She pursed her lips, as if replaying his words.

  “Again, think about it. I have enough capital I could offer a down payment. That should at least help you for a while until—”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

  Her abrupt answer took the wind out of his sails. He couldn’t wipe the dumbfounded look off his face. His mind went blank on how to change the subject.

  Gabriella jutted her hand out toward him. “Turn that down payment offer into a buy-in, and we’ll be partners. Deal?”

  “Partners?”

  She nodded. “Yes. I know all my mom’s contacts, and I’m a whiz at bookkeeping.”

  He smiled at her eagerness but hesitated, even though it made good business sense. What if she got a boyfriend? What if he couldn’t handle just being friends?

  The answer came to him quickly. He’d make the choice to act honorable in every situation, and the rest would be up to the Lord.

  His hand joined hers. He relished her touch so much he dropped it. They’d need to keep handshaking to a minimum if he was to keep his distance. “Partners,” he answered.

  NINETEEN

  Gabriella wanted to jump up and down at the day’s turn of events. Her aunt seemed to be doing well and had proved eager to return to her own place at the assisted living village. Her financial needs for herself, her aunt and the property would be met.

  And, last week, when she’d approached the local school district about possible openings, they offered her a job immediately. She hadn’t realized the stellar reputation her nonprofit, and by association, she, enjoyed among local schools.

  “Speaking of business, my executive director for the foundation was able to visit me yesterday.”

  Luke’s eyebrows rose, and he shifted his feet. He sported slip-on leather loafers. Was he choosing dress shoes more suitable for running now? She examined him with new eyes. Instead of the designer jacket and dress pants, he sported a lightweight dark-blue-and-black flannel shirt, a thick leather belt and dark carpenter jeans. And he seemed more comfortable in his own skin. She hadn’t thought it was possible to be even more attracted to him, but yet here she was.

  “Oh? And how is she?” His question snapped Gabriella from her thoughts.

  Ah-ha. She’d caught him. “I didn’t say it was a she.”

  He shrugged. “You already know I nominated your organization for the grant. Give me credit for doing my homework.”

  “Oh, I’d say you did a lot more than homework.”

  He blew out
a breath but didn’t deny it, so Gabriella continued. “Maria told me she was able to track down the mafia money and return it to the lawyer. Except Maria had already allotted the money for a new tutoring site.”

  Luke nodded but avoided her gaze.

  “Here’s the amazing thing: this volunteer who she couldn’t wait to tell me about was also the foundation’s most valuable player during the school year. This volunteer preferred to keep his name off the foundation’s service list, and he donated the exact amount needed to cover the returned money. What a guy, right?”

  Luke cleared his throat. “That’s great,” he mumbled.

  Gabriella playfully shoved his shoulder back. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  His chagrined face sobered. “Haven’t you ever heard the verse in Matthew about giving in secret? Can’t a guy try to do a good thing without telling everyone?”

  She reached for his hand and squeezed. She’d figured as much. And it meant the world to her that he gave his time and his money without expecting anything in return. “I can’t fault that.”

  He shrugged. “You’ve always inspired me, you know that, Gabriella. And I... I’m good at math. I thought I could lend a hand, be of some help.”

  Gabriella’s heart beat faster. It was true, all true, but she’d hoped there was something he’d omitted. Luke had always been a good man with a servant heart, yet she desperately wanted to hear there was more to it. “Is that all? No other reason?”

  He looked up, and the way he looked at her drew her one step closer, without any thought. “There may have been,” he answered.

  As desperate as she was to hear him say the words that he’d done some of it for her, it wasn’t fair to ask Luke to be vulnerable again when she’d yet to do the same. Well, she had, but Gabriella couldn’t be certain he’d ever heard it.

  A breeze brushed past her, swirling her hair around her shoulders and mercifully cooling her warm cheeks. “So, we’re done with business?”

  They stood in awkward silence for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes. “As far as I can tell.”