Chapter 7 - The federal agent who already knew my wife
Her name was Special Agent Mara Keene.
She entered my study the next morning carrying no visible file.
“Mr. Bellucci.”
“You know where my wife is.”
Her face gave me nothing.
I stood.
“Do not insult me.”
“I’m not.”
“Is she alive?”
“I’m not authorized to answer that question yet.”
That was the first confirmation.
Not legal confirmation.
Human confirmation.
People do not say “not authorized yet” about a dead woman.
I sat slowly.
Mara watched me.
Then:
“Before we continue, I need you to understand that Mrs. Bellucci made decisions independent of you.”
“Where is she?”
“Independent of you.”
I stared.
Mara continued.
“She was not kidnapped by this office.”
“I didn’t say she was.”
“You were about to.”
Fair.
Then:
“Did Lucille know she was alive?”
“That is what we are investigating.”
“You already knew.”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
Eleven months.
Everyone around me had spoken of widowhood.
Condolences.
Funeral without body.
Black suits.
May you like
Empty grave marker.
And somewhere, my wife had been breathing.
