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But I've been playing a different role in the Bianchi family since I found out the truth and lost Foster. I've become the investigator, and I have evidence too. I'm building a strong case. Everything Foster said is checking out.
I have a flash drive of files from all my dad's computers. There's records of all his loans and mobsters he's dealing with. I have all his emails, including several voicemails toRenzo's father before he died. I found handwritten notes from my mom threatening to leave him if he didn't get clean.
Today I've decided to check on my mom's death. I yank open my laptop and type in my mom's name. I have to press my lips together to hold back the tears. Pictures of her wrench my heart. I haven't looked at them. It hurts to see my eyes on her face, my hair on her shoulders. I loved her so much.
I have to pay a fee to access the county records. It takes a minute to find her name among all the dead Ruth Bianchis. Here it is. Deceased. The date shortly after my brother's death. Like Foster said. Cause of death, asphyxiation by drowning.
My dad lied to me all these years. Told me she had a heart condition. Making me worry and get mine checked all the time.
She died trying to save me and Donnie.
My father killed her.
I slam my laptop shut and break into painful sobs. I've been so blind. I feel like I'm mourning my mom all over again, but also the loss of my father and Donnie. This is it for us. I can never trust them again. I have to turn everything I have over to the FBI and let them face the consequences. I feel bad betraying my family, but this is life or death.
I have one last thing to check. I climb out of bed and grab my phone. I look up the number for Odelia, the director of the animal shelter who I work with on the charity events.
"Hi, Milana. Haven't heard from you lately. How's the party planning going?"
God, my life before Foster seems like a million years ago.
"It's good, Odelia. I just have one question because, uh, I was checking the books and I seem to have lost a receipt. Can you tell me how much we donated to the shelter from the last fundraiser? The one the night of the hurricane?" My dad's accountant sends the actual checks. I've never verified the amounts.
"Sure thing, sweetie. Stand by."
My heart pounds in my chest at the thought of the charities we gave money to never receiving the donations.
I hear some rustling of papers and clicking of keys. "Here it is. The final amount was twenty-six thousand dollars. That hurricane must have clamped people's wallets shut. They usually give twice that amount."
My heart skips a beat. "Yes. Um. Okay. Can you email those to me? And receipts for all the other years too?"
"Sure." She seems a little surprised but doesn't ask any other questions.
"Thank you. I'll call you when we're ready to do the next one."
"Awesome. Thank you so much for all the work you do for the shelter."
"Bye."
I set my phone down and flop back into the bed with a heavy heart.
Twenty-six thousand should have been five-hundred thousand.
And we normally give close to a million dollars, not fifty thousand which would be "twice that amount."
My dad lied about this too. He had me working full-time to make money so he could launder it through a charity.
My skin itches. I want to wash this all off me and pretend it never happened.
But it did.
And I lost Foster too. I should have just run with him when Donnie was in the closet. I should've taken the chance and run with Foster and I wouldn't have lost him.
I'm almost ready to go to the FBI. I need one more bit of evidence and it's going to be the most difficult to collect. I have to get my dad's confession on tape so there's no chance he can discredit me. If I accuse him and he gets out of it, he'll kill me. I'm sure of it.
Chapter 22 The Deed
The next day, I'm preparing to confront my dad. I have a mini-camera in my purse that will record the entire thing. I'm going to ask him about killing my mom. I'm going to make him so mad he confesses to me. Then I'm going to run to the Boston FBI bureau. I don't trust anyone in New York. They could all be on my father's side. I made contact there with a detective named Lachlan Cutlass. He's waiting for me to bring him everything I have. My car is packed and loaded. I'm staying in Boston as long as I have to. Lachlan said he'll make sure to protect me until they can issue indictments for my brother and Donnie.
