Page 42 of Lorenzo

I look at the page in front of her, though I cannot see the details from my chair.

“The killer called.”

Donna’s blue eyes meet mine. “That is the most obvious possibility.”

Alessio’s fingers stop moving against the chair.

“Why?” he asks. “Why kill her and then call the police?”

“To make sure she was found,” I say.

“No, I understand that part.” He looks at Donna. “I mean, why wait until 2:00? If they wanted the police there, why leave her for an hour?”

Donna closes the folder and rests her hand on it.

“They needed time to stage the room.”

Alessio stares at her.

“They had to make sure anything inside supported the version of events they wanted the police to see,” she continues. “They also needed to wait until after 1:30.”

“The time on the footage,” Julian says.

“Yes. If the call came in before the recording showed Alessio leaving, the timeline would collapse immediately. Police could not be directed to a dead woman’s room before the time their suspect supposedly left. Otherwise they’d discover he wasn’t in there.”

Alessio sits back slowly.

“So they waited until the footage said I was gone.”

“They waited long enough to establish that you had left after the estimated time of death,” Donna says. “Then someone made sure the police found her.”

My jaw clenches.

The sequence is deliberate. Genevieve dies. Someone alters the recording to show Alessio in the room until 1:30. The call comes after 2:00, giving the killer time to set up the room and leave before the police arrive.

“Whoever called knew what time would appear on the footage,” I say.

“That is where the evidence points.”

“Someone inside the hotel,” Alessio says.

“Possibly,” Donna replies. “Or someone who had help from inside the hotel. The surveillance system, the emergency call, and the room all need to be examined separately before we assume one person handled everything.”

Julian picks up his pen and makes a note. “I’ll push for the call recording and the originating number.”

Donna looks at him. “Push quietly. If whoever made the call believes no one has questioned its timing, I’d prefer to keep it that way.”

Julian nods once.

She takes out another page and hands it to Julian.

“You need to get the bartender to come forward as a witness. He saw Alessio leave.”

My son’s attention sharpens. “He remembers me?”

“You were memorable,” she says.

“Does he say what time?” I ask.