by J. L. Drake
“What about you, Nonna?”
“You know I don’t leave the property much, and if I were to, I’m sure Sienna and I could come to some kind of arrangement.”
“I like the idea of you getting to know her better.”
“Me too.”
“To a point.” I gave her a sharp look.
“Can’t blame your Nonna for caring about her favorite grandson.”
“Well, when you put it like that.” I laughed as I glanced at my vibrating phone and agreed to take on Abramo as Sienna’s new driver.
Vinni: We need to leave.
We had dropped off the grid for three days and stayed low while Oscar assessed the situation at hand. Before I saw Sienna again, I needed to know we were wrong about the assumptions we had made. It could have been nothing, but my nephew Ugo thought he had spotted someone from our past, and after what happened with the bombing, I couldn’t risk anything else happening, especially with Sienna. Though we had come up emptyhanded, something told me the wolves weren’t far away.
Oscar opened my door while Ugo retrieved my luggage from the trunk.
“Welcome back, Ms. Violetta.” The doorman tipped his hat at me. “I’ll have some hot tea sent up to your room.”
“Thank you.” I didn’t break my stride as I headed to the elevator and pushed the button for second floor.
“I’m good from here.” I took my bag from Ugo and nodded for Oscar to stand post at my door. Once inside the dark room, I took a deep breath and let the stress fall away, just needing a moment to myself. That was until I felt a strange prickle up my spine, alerting me I wasn’t alone.
“You could call for your men,” the calm voice said. I scanned the room and found a pair of expensive shoes in the moonlight. “But by now they have been drawn away from your door and out into the stairwell.” The wooden rocking chair squeaked as she started to rock. I didn’t have to turn the light on to know who it was. We had met once before, and the fear in me ran deep.
“Given your silence, you have connected the dots.” That voice.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Good, then I will make this very easy for you.” The clicking of the rosary beads made my stomach churn. “Just like years ago when you tried to burrow yourself into Francesco’s life, I give you the same warning. But this time,” she paused and stood, just as agile as I remembered, “this will be your last. Take your daughter and leave here. Because if you don’t, I will expose the truth, and something tells me no amount of forgiveness will be given after that is shared.”
The door opened, and Abramo, her right-hand man, stood tall in the doorway. She brushed by me, leaving me alone in the dark, with nothing but a chair still slowly rocking in the moonlight.
I grabbed a pillow and covered my face while I let out a long, frustrated scream. My life had always been controlled by puppet strings. Everyone always telling me what to do and who to be with. The fight for power over my own life hadn’t been easy, and skeletons from my past showing up in my room made me shrink down two sizes.
I grabbed my bag and pulled out the file I used to remind myself of what I was doing and why. Pulling the article out, I read the headline.
Remains of two bodies found in field. Authorities conclude they are the bodies of a mother and daughter who went missing…
A knock at the door. I shoved the paperwork under the pillow.
“Come in.” My voice betrayed me.
“Everything okay in here?” Oscar looked around.
“Yes,” I lied, needing a moment to gather myself before I shared what had happened. I could tell he didn’t believe me, but he knew better than to push.
“I’ll be right outside.”
“Thank you.” I waited for him to leave then curled into a ball on the bed and remembered the last time I’d seen Greta Capri.
“I’m sorry, I can’t stay for dinner, Elenora. I have to go deal with a situation.” Francesco spoke quickly as he kissed my cheek in the lobby of the restaurant.
“Seriously?”
“I’m sorry, but you know when the Don calls, I answer.”
“And when the girlfriend calls?”
“I promise I’ll make it up to you later on tonight.” He winked.
“Fine,” I huffed in disappointment but understood. He took his job seriously, and I was trying to respect that. “I’ll see you later.” I waved and headed inside where I spotted my brother, Angelo. He had a beautiful woman next to him. They both rose to greet me.
“Noemi, this is my sister, Elenora, and her boyfriend…”
“Just cancelled, but he sends his apologies.” I hooked my purse on the seat next to me.
“That’s no problem.” Noemi smiled as she took her seat. I noticed she reached for Angelo’s hand and gave it an excited squeeze. “I’ve heard so much about you, Elenora. I feel like we’re going to be good friends.”
“I think so.” My brother beamed, and I couldn’t help matching their excitement.
“Tell her.” Noemi wiggled in her chair, and I looked at my brother, puzzled.
“I know Papa and Mama haven’t met Noemi yet, but things have been happening so quickly, and, well,” he grinned at her, “we’re moving in together.”
“Oh.” I couldn’t hide my shock, so I quickly reached for my water, taking a moment to recover. “That’s really quick.”
“Love knows no starting point, and we are in love.” Noemi sighed and looked adoringly at Angelo.
I blinked as I digested what Noemi had said. Love did have a starting point. It was after you spent a little time together. It was when you realized your heart beat faster and expanded whenever you caught sight of each other.
“I know, it’s only been three weeks—”
“But when you know, you know.” Noemi cut Angelo off as she prattled their order to the waitress. I forced a smile at my brother as I pushed down the thought that Noemi was a tad overbearing.
Dinner consisted of Noemi talking mostly about herself and her dreams of the future. I realized as she spoke her dream required a lot of money. I wondered how my brother would keep up as he ran his side of the family business. The few times I asked about her family, she sidestepped and acted like they didn’t matter. Finally, when she paused for a breath, I took the opportunity to take a restroom break. As I headed to the back of the restaurant, I saw an old lady watching me. She sat contentedly while her white rosary beads slid through her fingers. A man stood tall behind her. I dismissed the strange woman’s curious interest in me and carried on with my night.
“It was lovely getting to know you, Elenora.” Noemi tugged on her sweater and excused herself. My brother and I sat quietly for a moment.
“I know,” he laughed, “she’s a lot at first, but once she calms down, she’s really wonderful and funny.”
“Who am I to judge? If you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“But?” He eyed me.
“All I’m going to say is just make sure she’s with you for the right reasons.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning she seems a little controlling. It’s only been three weeks, and she’s already working out your future and, forgive me, but a lot of what she said puts you behind a desk working, while she plays out her dreams.”
“I love her, Elenora.”
Love? Yikes.
“Then, of course, I stand behind any decision you make.”
We switched topics when Noemi returned to the table, and we gathered our things to leave. Just as I said my goodbyes and was heading to the parking lot, I spotted the old lady again. She stood next to a lovely old classic car. Her white beads hung from her fingers, and her cold, dark gaze made sure I knew she was looking at me.
I wanted to call out and ask what her problem was, but she slipped into the car and was swallowed up within its shaded windows.
I flipped onto my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to decide if I should share the news about tonight’s visitor with Francesco. I never mentioned my enco
unter with Greta Capri all those years ago either. Mainly because when I finally decided to, it was too late, and the damage had been done.
My hand shook as I reached for the doorhandle. The last time I was here, I had come face to face with psycho Nonna, but I had made a promise to Noemi before I ever met Nonna, and I took pride in keeping my promises. Even if it terrified me to my very core.
“Good afternoon.” Noemi waved me inside. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this. I just feel so terrible for the young girl having no one to talk to.”
“I understand the feeling and don’t mind at all.”
“Good.” She pointed to the back yard. “She spends a lot of time in the garden. She enjoys the butterflies.” She looked over her shoulder as though someone was watching. “I’ll leave you two alone, then.”
Okay…I felt incredibly awkward, but I was starting to realize this might be the norm for this house. I headed down, deep into the garden, and spotted the girl. She stood very still as I approached.
“Hello,” I said gently, so as not to scare her, “I’m Sienna.”
“Hi,” she said quickly as she nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
“Do you mind if I join you?” I had no idea if she understood any of what I was saying, but to my surprise, she nodded. “I used to live on the streets. I had no home, no friends.”
I figured I should just jump in. She might connect with me if she understood that I wasn’t a Capri. I was just someone she might be able to relate to.
“I was really lonely and felt like I didn’t belong.” When she didn’t react, I dug deep, trying to find something in my life that might spark a conversation. “I remember one time eating out of a trash can, I was so hungry. I’d say that was my lowest point, but it wasn’t. I was so hungry once I stole money from a mother on a bus. She had three kids to feed, and I stole from her.” I rubbed my head at the guilty feeling in the pit in my stomach. “I told myself that when I got money, I would pay her back. Of course, I didn’t.”
“Stomach can control head,” she said in broken Italian. “I have many regrets.”
“Regrets hurt.” I pressed my hand to my chest, and she nodded.
“Sienna,” she tried to pronounce my name, and I smiled, “I,” she pointed to herself, “Anja.”
“That’s a pretty name, Anja.”
She looked back at the house and twisted her sweater tighter around her body, which was odd as it was a very warm day.
“Anja, do you want to call your family? Talk to your mama or papa?”
“No,” she shook her head, “no family. That’s why I was chosen.”
That caught my attention.
“Do you mean the man who took you?”
Her eyes widened, and I thought she caught on to who I was getting at.
“My Italian very bad. I grow tired. So tired.”
I stepped in her way as she started to leave. “I think your Italian is very good.” I studied her pink cheeks and saw fear flicker across her eyes. “You’re safe here. No one will hurt you.” Her gaze moved up to the house, and I followed her line of slight but couldn’t see anyone. “I just want to be your friend, Anja. Everyone needs a friend.”
“So tired.” She moved past me and hurried toward the house, leaving me to wonder what in the world was going through her head.
I sank down to sit on a stump and tried to gather my thoughts. So many things were happening that I wasn’t sure where to even begin. But my heart broke for Anja. She had no one and was now living in a place where she had to learn the language and live in a stranger’s house. Not to mention one that was ruled by a crazy old lady. I plucked a weed that was encroaching on a flower and scowled at it. Why can’t you leave good things be?
“I told you to keep your head down and not talk to her,” one of the workers snapped at someone else. I squinted through the garden, trying to see who it was.
“Remember what he said. Scared eyes bring big paychecks.”
I froze and held my breath, terrified they might hear me. I was quickly jolted back to a memory of one of Jacob’s men saying that very thing in New York.
Without a thought, I scrambled to my feet and raced to the open door and flung myself inside. I texted Vinni to come get me but stopped short when I heard Mariano’s voice almost in a yell. Slowly, I moved toward the partially closed door and peeked inside.
“We had a deal, Anja. You listen and tell me what you know.”
“She didn’t say anything.” Anja smacked her hand down on the back of the chair, and it wasn’t lost on me that she spoke Italian very well. “She just wanted to make sure I was all right and said if I needed anything to come to her.”
“And did you ask her about—”
“No! I didn’t have the chance. Mariano, you need to back off, I know what I have to do, but breathing down my neck every few days isn’t going to make it happen any faster.”
“I just need to make one call to Stefano and your ass will be shipped back to that hell-hole life of yours. Understood?”
“Yeah.”
“Pardon me?”
She glared at him. “Yes, boss.”
I stepped back, shocked at what I was hearing. Had Anja been planted here by Stefano? And in what sick world did Mariano need to be called “boss?” My stomach rolled, but when I heard a chair scrape in the room, I snapped out of it and raced to the front door as Vinni pulled in the driveway.
“Hey, you!” He opened the door for me. He looked over my shoulder and smiled at someone. I didn’t wait to find out who, and didn’t want to know, so I slipped into the seat, not making eye contact with anyone.
“Have a good one, Nonna.” He waved and joined me in the car. “How was the visit? Seemed short.”
“Yes, but it was interesting.” I started to open my mouth but stopped myself. Perhaps I needed to wait and just share this with Piero.
“I think it’s a start.” His eyes met mine in the mirror as he spoke.
“Mmm.”
“The boss is back. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”
Oh?
“See me or have another tantrum?” I chuckled darkly.
“Oh, yeah, you got him all twisted up.” He grinned. “I’ve never heard about anyone speaking to the boss that way. I can’t believe I missed it.” He hit the steering wheel with a laugh.
“Something tells me we’ll be at it again soon.”
“I’ll bring the refreshments.” He chuckled, and we settled in for the drive home.
Once he parked, I shot out the door and caught Andrea in the study.
“Hi, have you seen Piero?”
“He’s in his office.”
“The door is closed.” I sighed.
“Just knock. He’ll tell you if it’s a good time or not.”
“Thanks.” I hurried down the hallway, took a deep breath, and gently knocked.
“Come in.”
I pushed the door open and found him reading something on the computer.
“Good afternoon, Piero. May I speak to you about something?”
“Now isn’t the best time.”
“Please.” I stopped myself, nervous I was overstepping. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
He nodded and pointed to the chair across from him. He lowered the top of his laptop so I would have his full attention.
“I know everyone has been very busy with everything that’s going on, and I understand that, but I still haven’t had anyone teach me the mafia ropes.” I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “So, when I hear or see things, I don’t know who I go to about it or what the protocol is.”
“That’s fair, and it’s something Elio and I have discussed a few times now.” He removed his glasses and studied my face. “I take it you have some information for me?” I nodded. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what it is, and we’ll go from there.”
“Noemi asked me to try to befriend Anja since she’s all alone here, and when I went
over today, we spent some time in the garden. Her Italian isn’t great, but she could understand me, and I could her. She mentioned that she didn’t have any family and that was probably why she was chosen.”
“True, most girls who are picked up and trafficked are ones without any families to look out for them.”
“Right, but after we talked, I overheard her speaking to Mariano in perfect Italian, and now I’m thinking her being found at the dockyard was what Stefano might have wanted all along.”
His face twisted into a dark expression, and his jaw ticked exactly like Elio’s did as he leaned forward. “Tell me everything.”
He sat like stone as I told him everything I had heard, including the gardeners’ conversation. I tried to remember every detail I could so he could make sense of it.
“I don’t know if it counts for anything, but when I was speaking to Anja, she never once asked me anything about my life here or anything at all, for that matter. I was the one who asked all the questions. Maybe she’s stuck in this situation for whatever reason and has no way out.”
“You have a kind heart, Sienna.” He sighed. “It’s one of the main reasons we love you so much, but I do think it’s time you knew some rules, especially since it’s apparent you’re good at discovering information.” He gave me a half smile as he picked up his phone. “Francesco, I need to skip our meeting. Something’s come up.” He turned his phone off and brought his attention back to me. “All right, let’s start from the bottom and work our way up.”
I nodded and spent the next two hours learning how the Capri Syndicate operated.
“You look fried.” Vinni found me out back sipping a glass of prosecco as I relaxed on a lounge chair.
“I had a meeting with Piero.”
“Yeah, that’ll do it.” He chuckled. “Oh, by the way, this came for you. It was sent to the newspaper, and Wyatt had it sent on to you.”
He handed me a big envelope, and I tore it open to find a letter inside. I examined the writing trying to place it.
“Oh, my God!” I cupped my mouth and sat up with excitement.