“You want me to reward you before you fucking lift a finger to earn it?” Giovanni seethed.
“No. We want you to align with us. Give us a position in your family. And we will put our lives on the line for her. We’ll give our lives for your Donna. I can’t go to my men with the promise of a reward. I have to go to my men and tell them of a true alliance.”
Giovanni looked over to Rocco. The old man shook his head no. He knew if he agreed he’d plunge the family deeper into drug trafficking and all his work to legitimize them would be for nothing. If it was the price to pay for the return of his wife he’d do it without question.
“Done. We are aligned.” Giovanni said.
Mateo’s eyes gleamed with triumph. He saw the hunger in the young man for power. A gleam of lust sparked in his eyes to remove Giovanni’s power, and be crowned the boss of all bosses. He saw it and didn’t care. All he cared about was his wife.
Mateo stood. “So it is the Triad?” he asked.
“It is. Bring me the priest and find out all you can on Isabella.”
Mateo nodded and walked out. Rocco saw them to the door. He turned and looked at Giovanni who slumped down on the sofa.
“Gio? What have you done?” Rocco asked.
“Do you think he drugged her?” Giovanni asked.
“I don’t understand? How could you agree to that deal, Gio? Benicia is not worthy of that kind of power!” Rocco shouted.
“Was she drunk? Confused?” Giovanni asked. He stared at the Scotch bottle. He saw his wife turn into the arms of his enemy. He saw her smile. She smiled for him the way she often smiled when he touched her.
“Of course he drugged her, Giovanni. You know your wife. She would never betray you.”
“She has before,” Giovanni said. He glanced up to Rocco. “She told me the time they were together in Switzerland that she never slept with him. Two years living with my Bella, and you’re telling me he never tried what I just saw? She never let him in?”
“What does that matter now, Gio? She’s in danger! Do you doubt that?”
He shook his head no.
“This is what he wants, Gio, to get in your head. Don’t let him in,” Rocco said. He reached for the bottle of Scotch. Giovanni didn’t object when he screwed the cap on it and put it back on the bar. “You can’t honor that deal with the Benicias. If you do it will spit on everything your father built. Drugs! We are not fucking drug dealers!” Rocco shouted.
“He hasn’t left with her,” Giovanni said. He ignored his uncle. The truth was he didn’t hear him. He was too lost to his own hell. He wiped his hand down his face. “That video was to distract me. He’s still here. Somewhere close. Why? Why taunt me? What is he after? He’s after something.”
“Everyone is looking for him, Gio. You have allies all through the
Campania
. They are all looking.”
Giovanni scratched his brow. “I need to know what he’s fucking after!”
“To destroy you,” Rocco said.
“Maybe. But that’s not it. You heard him. He’s going to take back what’s his. That’s what he said.” Giovanni glanced up to Rocco. “He has my Bella. What else does he think belongs to him?”
“Eve?” Rocco asked.
“Did you see his hand?” Giovanni stood. He went to the remote and picked it up. He rewound the tape. Giovanni hit play. Kei came on the camera and began to adjust the tilt. Giovanni paused the tape. “There! Look at his hand.”
“What is that?” Rocco asked.
“Some kind of iron thing over his fingers.” Giovanni went to the television and studied it. “It’s like a glove.” He hit play and Kei stepped back. He could see it clearly.
“Go get Eve.” Giovanni said.
“What?” Rocco said.
“Bring her to me!”
“Why?” Rocco disagreed in his tone of voice.
“For days Zia and Bella have been complaining about Eve telling stories of the man with the hook hand. That the man was coming to take her and her mother to some fairytale place.”
“He couldn’t have possibly had access to Eve,” Rocco said. “How could he?”
“HE HAS MY FUCKING BELLA! HE TOOK HER FROM UNDER MY NOSE! Nothing is a fucking coincidence, old man! Nothing! Santo comes out of jail and wants forgiveness, access to my family and my business. What do I do? I put him in charge of security. FUCKING SECURITY! He’s been with my children and my wife. And now Bella is gone. It’s connected.”
“Gio, let’s wait until we get Domi and—”
“DON’T FUCKING QUESTION ME, OLD MAN! GET HER! NOW!” he stepped to Rocco. His uncle moved quickly on his cane. Giovanni sucked in a deep breath. He paced the floor. He turned to the television and pressed play. At first Bella was still. When Kei joined her in bed she turned over with her eyes closed. He watched the way she kissed and responded to his touch. He rewound that scene fifteen times and studied it. She never opened her eyes. Not once. It wasn’t his wife. He knew her pleasures. Kei had barely touched her and she was moaning. Something was off. The bastard was drugging her. He couldn’t imagine feeling an ounce of relief in his wife’s suffering. But he believed his eyes. This was a violation of her and him. And it was then he was able to see her truly. The scar and dried blood on her forehead, the dark bruise on her neck. Giovanni found it hard to stand. The motherfucker was torturing his sweet Bella.
He wanted him dead!
The wait for his daughter was excruciating. Rocco had returned and was seated with him in silence. He needed silence. He felt rational when no one was fucking talking and asking him stupid questions he couldn’t answer.
There was a knock at the door. Marietta appeared. She had Eve by the hand. His daughter had two French braids with blue ribbons tied to the end. She wore blue overalls with a pink shirt underneath.
“Papa!” Eve ran over to him and he lifted her to his lap. “Papa, where have you been?” Eve asked. “Where is Mommy?”
“She’s on a trip. She’ll be back soon,” Giovanni smiled. He looked up to Marietta who stared at him with confusion. “Papa needs your help. I want to show you someone. I need you to tell me if you’ve seen him before. Do you think you can do that?”
“Yes, Papa, I can do it.” Eve said.
“Gio? What is this about?” Marietta asked with caution.
“No questions,” Giovanni said. Marietta nodded that she’d obey. He picked up the remote. He pressed play and put it on mute. Kei adjusted the camera and then stepped into view. He hit pause.
“That’s Poppy!” Eve said. She got down from her father’s lap. “He’s Captain Hook. He’s going to take me and Mama to Neverland.”
“When did you see Poppy, baby?” Marietta asked.
“In the room.” Eve said.
“Eve,” Giovanni said. “Who brought Poppy to you?”
“Zio Santo. He came in the room and told ChiChi to get lunch. And then he brought Poppy to see me. Gino cried and ran from him. Santo took Gino in another room. Me and Poppy played.”
“At the hotel? During the fashion show? Cecilia was alone with them until Rocco came for them.” Marietta added.
Giovanni closed his eyes to the news. His children were vulnerable. And he’d let his enemy walk in. Anything could have happened.
“Bring me Cecilia.” Giovanni said. He reached for Eve’s hand. She came over to him and he kissed her. He pulled her to him and hugged her so tight Marietta came over to separate them. Eve began to cry. Giovanni let her go. Marietta knelt in front of Eve and tried to calm her. The little girl pushed away from her aunt and returned to her father for comfort. He put her on his knee and kissed away her tears. He held her. “I’m sorry, Eve. Papa failed you. Papa will fix it.”
“I want my Mommy. I want her now!” Eve said and began to wail loudly.
“Me too,” Giovanni said. “Me too.”
“Let me take her, Gio. You’re scaring her,” Marietta said. “Eve, mommy is coming home soon. How about we go upstairs and make her a picture. She’ll like that.”
Eve wiped at her tears. “I’ll make you one too, Papa. A picture for you and Mommy.”
He nodded and let her go. Marietta had to pick her up and carry her from the room.
“Wait, Marietta, Do you know a woman named Isabella?”
“Isabella?” Marietta paused.
“Have you heard that name before? It’s important. Bella’s life depends on it.”
“Once, when I first came to Italy. I…” Marietta struggled with her explanation. Giovanni narrowed his eyes on her. Why was she conflicted? He sensed she was keeping things from him. “I got a note once. That told me the Battaglias knew what happened to my mother. A woman named Isabella signed it. I never knew who she was.”
“Thank you for being honest,” he said staring her in the eye. Marietta nodded and walked out carrying Eve.
“I let this happen,” Giovanni said.
“You were supporting your wife. You did everything to support her.”
“I knew the fucking fashion show was a bad idea. In my gut I knew we weren’t ready. But I let her guilt me into agreeing!” he kicked the coffee table.
“So now it’s her fault, Gio? Who are you going to blame next? Eve?” Rocco said.
“It’s my fault. Every time I act against my nature I put this family at risk.” Giovanni said.
“Which is why getting into the drug business with Benicia is a bad idea, son,” Rocco reasoned.
“Fuck the drugs, old man! This is my life! My Bella! My children!” Giovanni shouted.
“Gio, you can’t lock the family away from the world. You have to make the world afraid of your family. That’s strength!” Rocco said. “Don’t compromise now. Be who you are in all things!”
Giovanni put his face in his hands. “Go. Find Cecilia, bring her to me.”
The phone rang at his desk. He stood and picked it up. “Gio speaking.” he answered.
“It’s Armando.”
“What the fuck do you want?”
“Marietta called me. I’d like to offer my assistance,” Armando began.
“Don’t need it.” He hung up the phone. Giovanni sat behind his desk. In less than ten minutes Cecilia was marched into his office. She looked terrified.
“Have a seat,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Don Giovanni, I was told the Donna is missing. I’m so sorry,” Cecilia said with tears in her eyes.
He leaned forward. “When did you leave my children alone?”
“I don’t understand. I never leave the children. Never,” she looked to Rocco for assistance.
“Gio, she’s innocent in this.” Rocco said.
“Shut the fuck up!” he said to Rocco. He pointed a finger at her. “In Milano, the day of the fashion show, you and the children were together. When did you leave them alone?”
“I-I-I-I dunno…”
“Think damn it!” he slammed his hand on the desk. “Or I’ll bring someone in to make you think!”
Cecilia burst into tears. She dropped her head when she spoke. “Lunch. For lunch,
signor.
I… Santo come and say to go downstairs.” She shook her head. “I went for lunch and the lady told me she had planned to send it up. I was confused. Santo said I was to bring it up.” She lifted her gaze. “I come back upstairs with Leo and the door is locked. Santo comes to the door after a few minutes. He was alone with the children. That was the only time. I swear it. I swear.”
“Calm down, it’s okay,” Rocco squeezed her shoulder. “Is there anything else you can remember?”
“I come in and Gino is upset. Santo said he was in the bathroom. Gino was scared of him. I could tell. He left. Eve told me she met Captain Hook. She showed me her book. That is all that I know.”
“How the hell did he get to the floor past Nico and Renaldo?” Giovanni asked.
“The Diana is an old hotel, Gio. They have those servant entrances. I’ve used them before to get in and out of rooms. They lead everywhere. No way our men could have known one led to that floor.”
“No way? There is always a way,” Giovanni scoffed.
“Gio.”
“Enough. Leave. Take her and go.” When Rocco and Cecilia didn’t move he glared at them both. “Now!”
Rocco helped Cecilia up and escorted her to the door. Giovanni rocked back in his chair. He picked up the remote and pressed play. The scene of Kei giving his performance came up on the screen. He rubbed his temples and tried to calm himself. He fell forward on his elbows to the desk. His hands covered his eyes.
How did he not know? Not suspect. How could he have not seen through Santo? Lorenzo had warned him. Countless times his cousin had warned him. And he did nothing!
Giovanni tried to stand and stopped. He drew his gun. He held it in his left hand. The right had was fucking useless, broken and swollen. He lifted the gun and aimed it at the screen. He sucked in a deep breath, and before he could prevent it he broke. He unloaded his gun into the television. Sparks and smoke exploded from the contraption. Tears came with such force he dropped back in his chair. He dropped his gun and put his face in his hands. He was so angry, so frustrated, and another even more powerful emotion had a grip on him. Something he hadn’t felt since his father told him what he expected of him on his deathbed. Giovanni was afraid.
**
Lorenzo was led into an interrogation room with his hands cuffed. The men were given standard inmate uniforms to change into. He figured it was a ploy to add additional stress on them. He had no doubt that Giovanni would find a way to get them released and soon. A young inspector looked up from his folder when Lorenzo arrived. Another stood in the corner with his face covered by shadows.