Page 65

LOVE WILL TEAR US APART

VANESSA

V anessa was lying in bed, watching the news on the wall-mounted TV of her hospital room.

Thankfully, she was alone. Santino had arranged for her to be in a private room.

She’d thank him, except she hadn’t seen him since the fire.

That had been two days ago, or at least that’s how long she thought it had been.

It was hard to tell since she’d been in and out of sleep in between the constant testing, poking and prodding.

At least that damned tube was out of her throat, even though she still croaked like a frog when she spoke.

In the meantime, the news was providing plenty of distraction.

“…Real estate mogul Chuck Claremore is once again under fire, literally. In a shocking turn of events, the Westchester County District Attorney’s office is seeking Mr. Claremore in connection with an arson investigation centering on a fire that burned down the home of his former attorney.

He was granted a request to come in voluntarily for questioning, only to flee before his appointment.

Mr. Claremore, who was recently acquitted of all charges in a recent trial, had been in a dispute with one of the attorneys on his defense team.

That attorney’s home was allegedly set on fire just days after the acquittal. ”

The blonde reporter strolled in front of the burnt husk of the house, turning briefly to glance at it.

The front half was a blackened wreck; even though the back looked somewhat intact, the structure was clearly uninhabitable.

Tears sprang to Vanessa’s eyes looking at it, at the place she and Santino had tried to fill with love, with a family, but in the end, had only housed despair.

“You used literally wrong,” she whispered to the screen.

“That attorney, whose name we won’t share for privacy reasons, was attacked inside the home by one Carmine Spallini before it went up in a blaze.

The detectives on the case believe Spallini set the fire intending to make the attorney’s death seem like an accident but instead, he himself died on the scene.

The victim’s husband, who happens to be a firefighter, got the victim safely out of the house in an act that witnesses are calling the bravest they’ve ever seen. ”

There was a clip of Captain Tanner talking about Santino’s bravery, without naming him, which she appreciated. Next, they showed pictures of both Spallini brothers. Sure enough, the man who’d attacked her was Carmine.

“Now Carmine Spallini, along with his brother Joe Spallini, was a known associate of Mr. Claremore, who has been rumored to have been spotted sailing out of Montauk, Long Island, on his luxury yacht. Joe Spallini is also wanted for questioning in his alleged role in the assault of Claremore’s lawyer. …”

Vanessa muted the volume when the reporter turned to her neighbors, who gestured at the house. Most likely saying things like, “Nothing like that ever happens here.”

Suddenly, Vanessa was glad the house was uninhabitable. She’d never have wanted to live there again, even if it had remained whole. Thoughts of that bloody struggle momentarily clouded her head like the smoke, like the ashes. The way Santino rushed in, the things he’d done, for her …

A soft voice snapped her out of that dark daydream. “Hey, Vanessa.”

Turning at the sound of the voice, Vanessa smiled.

It was Gina standing in the doorway, and her mother Carolina was standing slightly behind.

The first was a sight for sore eyes, but the latter?

She just made Vanessa sore. Nevertheless, Vanessa grinned when Gina tiptoed in and eased her way into a gentle hug that ended in a tight squeeze.

Coughing, Vanessa wheezed, “It’s good to see you Gina, but you’re hurting me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Gina said quickly, pulling back. There were tears in her green-flecked brown eyes. Happy or sad or something in between? “You look awful. But you’re beautiful. How do you feel?”

“Not great, but okay. They think I’ll get to go home in another day or so. Not the burnt one,” she amended quickly. Home? Where was that now? The thought was overwhelming. “I’m going to my brother’s in Chappaqua when I get out.”

Instead of looking relieved, Gina’s face creased with worry. She didn’t ask what would otherwise have been a natural question, something Vanessa had wondered herself: why wasn’t she going to stay at Santino’s house?

Gina glanced over her shoulder at her mother, who lifted her hand in a slight wave. Carolina looked the same. Ear-length brown hair, light blue eyes. Gina and Santino, her two blond children, didn’t have her coloring, but Santino had her chiseled features.

Gina made room for herself on the bed to chat for a few minutes, then she excused herself, pointing at the container of takeout she carried in a bag.

“Mom made you some penicillin soup. We’re gonna fix you up way better than whatever that is,” she said, gesturing at the leftovers on the tray Vanessa had pushed to the side. “I’ll go heat it up in the cafeteria. Be right back.”

Giving her mother a small, encouraging smile, Gina took the bag and left before Vanessa could stop her. She actually wasn’t all that hungry, but then, she figured the point of Gina leaving wasn’t really about soup, anyway. That guess was proven correct when Lina moved closer.

She fluffed her hair with nervous fingers, her eyes taking in Vanessa’s hospital gown, makeup-free face and hair done in not very neat two-strand twists with a bandana tied at her hairline.

In prior times, Vanessa would have been embarrassed to be under that searching gaze without being coiffed and on point, but these days, after everything, she cared a whole lot less.

“Hello Vanessa. I’m so glad to see you, even under these circumstances.” Hesitant, still, Lina hovered at the foot of the bed.

Glad to see her? Too shocked to speak, Vanessa remained quiet.

Lina settled herself into the empty chair, making sure the skirt of her pretty navy dress was smooth as she did.

At her throat, her grandmother’s gold St. Theresa medallion glinted with the light.

The dress was paired beautifully with a pair of red pumps.

Vanessa had to hand it to her; Lina had style.

Their love of quality, understated clothing had been something they’d had in common. Then Lina’s smile faded.

“We drove by the house. It looks…Well. Was Santino able to salvage anything?”

“I wouldn’t know. We haven’t really spoken in a couple of days.

I had most of my docs in a fireproof box on the second floor, so at least I hope I won’t have to jump through hoops proving I’m myself.

” That bit of foresight was due to Santino, who’d insisted on shelling out the money for it when they moved in.

Suddenly, the suspicion that Lina’s purpose was to ask about the insurance money for the house popped into her head.

Was she coming to demand it on Santino’s behalf since he’d bought the place?

Waiting for the punchline, the other shoe to drop, or whatever other phrase applied, Vanessa paused again.

She and Bobby had been talking a lot about what he called the Season of Honesty. All the truths, both big and small, that they’d all kept to themselves over the years had cost them big when revealed. They’d pledged to stay honest from this point on.

Season of Honesty? This one’s for you, Robert Neville Watson.

In a voice that was measured, Vanessa asked, “Why did you really come here today, Lina?”

“To see how you were. Why does anyone come to see someone in a hospital?” Lina replied archly. She straightened the pointed collar of her dress.

“I can understand Gina coming to visit me. She actually likes me. But why you ? Was it to check for a pulse?”

Maybe that was too honest. Vanessa waited for the outraged tirade and instead, was shocked again when Lina’s shoulders began to shake. Soon enough, she broke out in laughter and Vanessa joined in.

“My gosh. That’s such a Vanessa thing to say.

” Lina laughed for a bit longer, wiping her eyes.

Then she sobered, her gaze at Vanessa piercing and direct.

“I came to see if my daughter-in-law was alright after surviving what sounded like a traumatic ordeal. And I never disliked you as a person. I know I was hard on you. I didn’t give you a lot of reasons to believe I cared. I’m…” She took a gulp of air. “Sorry.”

An apology from Carolina D’Alessio Donahue? Unheard of. Just not done. But yet, she’d offered one.

While Vanessa was busy absorbing that little chip of rare gold, Lina expelled a quick breath and continued. “I wouldn’t have come all the way here just to say that except for Santino and what he’s about to do. He’s leaving New York.”

How could four words stop her entire world like that? Four words, and her heart ceased beating. She’d thought, after everything, they might talk and work things out. Despite his signing, despite the fact that he hadn’t been by her side when she woke up, she’d assumed they would…

So stupid.

What the fuck had she been thinking? She’d thought she hadn’t heard from him because he was back at work, or maybe his injuries had caught up to him after all.

But now it was clear he was avoiding her.

That last kiss she’d felt when she’d been dreaming, the things he’d said.

None of it had been a dream. He was leaving, for good.

“He’s been avoiding me up until I tracked him down at the station house and when I saw him…

” Lina had to stop. “He’s not like he was the first time you broke up with him.

That was scary enough. It’s different this time.

He’s different. That light in his eyes is gone.

It’s just gone. I don’t know if it’s about what happened in that house or if it’s you. Or both.”