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It took a few quiet minutes, but eventually, the text started to take shape — the header alone was enough to make André’s eyes widen.

“It’s from the restaurant’s operations proposal,” Alice said softly. “The one Vittoria had drafted about examining the finances and everything for Giovanni to review.”

André exchanged a tense look with Elisabetta.

James looked up, his expression tightening. “So it’s pretty obvious,” he said slowly, “that this box was meant to hold the documents Vittoria wanted Giovanni to review — her accountant. It explains why she asked the housekeepers to bring it here early, before you two arrived around nine.”

He paused, scanning the dim storage room. “I think she was planning to come here herself — to sort it all out, maybe even hand it over personally. But she never made it. Someone killed her before she got the chance.”

He glanced down at the scattered paper fragments again. “Which raises the real question: where’s the rest of it?”

Alice, crouched beside him, added, “It’s clear someone didn’t want those documents ending up in Giovanni’s hands.”

André stiffened. “We… we don’t know anything about the documents in this box,” he said quickly, raising both hands slightly, as if to ward off suspicion.

James didn’t flinch. “I haven’t said anything about you two yet,” he replied, voice calm but edged. “But I need the truth. I don’t care if you siphoned money from the restaurant. That’s not my concern.”

He looked directly at them. “I only care about finding out who killed Vittoria and Leonardo. So let me ask plainly — did either of you take the documents from this box?”

Both André and Elisabetta shook their heads. “No,” André said firmly. “We saw nothing when we opened it. Just an empty box.”