The Last Night of the Annex
Chapter 13 - The Last Night of the Annex
New records from the contractor led investigators back to the fire that killed Elena. The reconstruction raised questions about the alarm system, but the exact cause remained disputed. Witnesses who had worked at the annex were interviewed again. Some remembered hearing an argument that afternoon. Others recalled unusual vehicle movements.
A former receptionist, June Farris, provided a calendar entry showing that Elena had scheduled a meeting with Arthur Bell the evening she died. June also recalled seeing Dominic in the lobby, although he had later said he wasn't there. Investigators sought independent corroboration.
Salvatore read the summary with Dana. He wanted to believe the investigation would produce one perfect answer, the way a detective novel ended with a confession. Instead, every discovery brought more questions.
Dana reminded him that the goal was accuracy, not a story satisfying enough to soothe his grief. Salvatore knew she was right. His son deserved a father who could tolerate uncertainty without turning dangerous.
He began attending counseling himself, something he'd once mocked as weakness. In one session he admitted that he feared Nicholas would grow up remembering him only as the father who arrived too late.
“You arrived when you arrived,” the counselor told him. “What matters now is whether you stay present.”
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That evening Salvatore made spaghetti. He burned the garlic. Nicholas laughed and called it charcoal noodles. They ordered takeout and ate on the floor beneath a blanket fort, with Elena's favorite music playing quietly in the background.
For the first time, the memory of her voice in the house brought warmth along with grief.
