The Blue Swallow
Chapter 06 - The Blue Swallow
In Rose's photograph, the little silver swallow sat beside a legal folder and a mug of coffee. A handwritten note beneath it read, “Copies go to attorney if anything happens.” The picture's original date preceded the crash by eleven days.
Rose explained that she'd been investigating missing funds from a children's charity associated with Bellandi Holdings. She believed Vivian and a trusted accountant had diverted donations into private companies. Before Rose could confront them, the family's car had been struck on an empty road.
Adrian remembered the aftermath with sickening clarity. Vivian had handled doctors, records, the funeral, and household staffing while he numbed himself with work. He hadn't questioned the woman who raised him after their parents died.
“Trust isn't evidence,” Detective Castillo told him. “Bring us records, not assumptions.”
A forensic accountant traced the charity payments. Some led to legitimate programs; others moved through a dormant vendor controlled by a man named Leon Price. Leon had left Bellandi Holdings shortly after the crash.
Lucy continued settling into a temporary arrangement that allowed her father to remain close while professionals assessed her needs. She enjoyed making pancakes and disliked closed doors. When she spilled flour, she froze. Adrian got a towel and helped clean it without scolding.
He looked at me afterward. “How long before she stops expecting punishment?”
“I don't know. But she needs to see the same answer every time.”
He accepted the uncertainty. That was new.
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A week later, Leon Price's former business partner contacted investigators. He said Leon had kept a recording from a meeting with Vivian—one that mentioned Rose's car by its license plate.
**The recording was stored in a place nobody had thought to search: inside Rose's old music box.**
