Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33292 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“What if Tatiana doesn’t want to be found?” Giovanni asked.
“She doesn’t have a choice. If I don’t find her, someone else will, and it will cost her life.”
With that, they all left the room, but Lorenzo grabbed Diego’s arm. “Can I have a word about something?”
Emilio and Giovanni left.
“You’re the one that got the call ten years ago, aren’t you?” Lorenzo asked.
“I assume you’re talking about the hit to Clarissa’s sister, Isabella.”
“Clarissa remembered something.”
Diego frowned. “What?”
“She said the guy that got out of the car went for her.”
“That can’t be right. It was a simple hit.”
“Did you talk to Clarissa ten years ago?”
“No, no one was able to talk to her. Isn’t that why she went to live with her grandmother?”
Lorenzo didn’t like that Diego seemed to know more about his wife’s history than he even did. It pissed him off immensely. Ten years ago, he didn’t want to get to know Clarissa, because he was engaged to be married to her.
“Clarissa was there, and she said the gun was pointed at her. The gunman was going for her, Isabella jumped in front, then he shot and wasn’t prepared for it.”
Diego stared at him.
“Someone who is just making a hit to join a gang doesn’t find a direct target, and she said he was pissed when he missed her.”
“She must remember it wrong.”
“Or is it possible someone put a hit on the backup?” Lorenzo said.
Diego folded his arms across his chest.
“What are you trying to say?” Diego asked.
“The way Clarissa retells it, something doesn’t add up.”
“Lorenzo, you’re talking about something that happened to a ten-year-old girl.”
“But, it’s a ten-year-old girl who watched her sister die. This is not some random stranger on the street we’re talking about. This is Clarissa. She’s not one to make drama. We all know this.”
Diego rubbed his chin. “I’ll check into it, but everything pointed toward some pathetic street gang. There was nothing Clarissa could do.”
“Don’t you think that is mighty convenient?” Lorenzo asked, not even liking where his own thought process was going.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, considering what we know of gangs and how they’re cleaned up, don’t you think the mess all went away a little too soon?”
Diego frowned. Lorenzo was no fool and was highly aware of what Diego was capable of. The man was a beast for the Colombo Mafia. No one wanted this man as an enemy.
“You’re right. Give me a few days and I’ll see what I can come up with.”
Lorenzo shook Diego’s hand, then went to find his wife, Clarissa, standing in the library where he’d left her. Mia and Liana were no longer there, and she was massaging her hands.
“I swear I don’t know anything, and I had no idea when we were on that call together, that she would do something this stupid.”
He went to her, covering her hands with his. “It’s fine.”
“Is it? One of my best friends decided to run, and she could be dead, for all I know.”
“I doubt she’s dead,” Lorenzo said.
“Why?”
“Because the only reason she would be dead is if our enemies got to her first, and if they did, they’d taunt us with it. So far, there has been no kind of ransom video, nor a piece of her body.”
Clarissa frowned. “A piece of her body?”
“You know, as a warning to us that she’s been taken. So far, there is nothing.” He cupped her cheek, pulling her in close, because in that moment, he couldn’t help but think about her in a situation like that. “Please, don’t ever run from me. Wait for me. Hate me, but don’t run.”
“I won’t run.” She pressed her forehead against his. “What happens now?”
“We try to figure out her last steps. That’s all we can do. I have a feeling Tatiana was in my territory, so I’m going to check all bus routes, as well as travel.”
Clarissa frowned. “You might want to check the train.”
“The train?”
“That’s where I think she might have, you know, stopped. There was something about the noise that day, and I don’t think it was a bus stop. And she couldn’t travel by plane, because that would have required her to use a passport, right?”
Lorenzo nodded. “Come on. Let’s head home.”
It was going to be a long ride home, but he had no intention of stopping until he got home, as he wanted his wife in their bed, holding her. He couldn’t imagine what it must feel like for Emilio. His friend must be beside himself with grief.
Lorenzo knew if Clarissa had left him like that without a single word, it would have messed up his head.
He no longer wanted to imagine his life without her.
Chapter Ten
Clarissa stared down at her cell phone, hoping it would ring and that Tatiana had just gone to a hotel. There was no sign of her.