Hopefully, he’d get out of Italy once again, but this time, he’d make arrangements to take his aunt and his mother with him. Whether his aunt liked it or not. And he’d never return. But his freedom was going to require help from more than just a relative this time.
Thankfully, Rachel hadn’t given him away on the phone. And had caught on to what he needed. She’d made it clear by her flat tone that he was in trouble with her, but she’d help him now if she could. It was that big heart she always tried to hide that would no doubt compel her to do the right thing.
But would she ever forgive him?
He threw his arm over his face and groaned. Things had happened so fast after Gina had shown up on his set. On top of the voice mail from Ally saying his father had contacted Rachel, he’d lost it and just seen red. The thought of his father being in the same state, much less the same room, as Rachel and his kids was too much. That switch inside he tried so hard to control flipped.
Why hadn’t he trusted Rachel? While he’d been so set on protecting her and their children, he had gone and done the one thing she feared the most: left her just like her father had done to her as a child. He needed to find the right words to make her understand. Hopefully, he hadn’t scarred her so deeply she’d never be able to forgive him.
“Need you to come with me, Mr. Romano,” the guard he didn’t care for called out.
His stomach dropped. What now? The judge said he’d be released only when the money was in his account. That was never going to happen, but it was too soon for the judge to know that.
He stood and turned his back so the guard could handcuff him. With metal digging into his wrists, the guard grabbed his arm and tugged him out to the hallway and then guided him into a small room. The man pointed to a chair. “Sit.”
He complied, and then the guard left and slammed the door closed behind him. He had no idea how much time had passed as he sat on the hard chair with his hands behind his back, staring at the white walls, before the door opened again. It was Gina.
He smiled and said, “It’s nice to see a friendly face.”
She shook her head slightly, took his handcuffs off, and then sat down. Stone-faced, she opened a folder. “Mr. Romano, I need to confirm that you were given a chance to contact your lawyer, and that you refused. Instead, you made a personal call. If so, I need you to sign this paper.” She closed the folder and laid a pen on top before she slid it forward.
When he opened the folder, on top of an official document was a handwritten note: Keep the file cover open so the camera that’s recording us can’t see the papers inside. When I contacted the lawyer and he said you never called, I knew something was wrong. Pretend you don’t understand something in the paperwork, then close the folder and slide it back.
He cleared his throat. “I’m not sure what some of these legal terms mean. I can’t sign this.” He slid the folder back.
“It’s just standard boilerplate. Let me translate the words in English for you.” She wrote on the notepaper, and then slid it back.
Do you want me to contact someone?
He studied the page again. She’d already translated the words on the document that said he’d waved his rights before she’d sat down. “Ah, yes. That helped.” He wrote Rachel’s cell number on the scrap of paper, and then signed his name on the document. He didn’t want to risk any unnecessary pen strokes and get caught. Gina and Rachel together were his only chance to ever get out of jail. He handed the pen over and then slid the folder back.
Gina scooped it up and tucked it under her arm. “Thank you, Mr. Romano.” She got up and cuffed him again, although not nearly as tightly as the other guy had.
She knocked on the door, and it immediately opened. She left, and the guard took his arm and marched him back to his cell. The slamming of the iron bars and echo of the lock turning in the sparse cell should have been as irritating as fingernails on a chalkboard. Instead, for the first time in twenty years, he dared to hope his father would finally end up where he belonged. Behind bars for the rest of his pathetic life.
Chapter Seventeen
The things we do for love aren’t always by the book.
Rachel put her book away and stared out the window of Marcello’s plane as it made its final approach into Florence. She’d tried to distract her mind with one of her happy romances, but not even her favorite author could chase away her nerves this time.
The rolling hills and stone walls were so beautiful, the scene looked like a painted portrait. It would have been nice to be vacationing in Italy rather than battling for Marcello’s freedom.
Her stomach, in knots for the last few hours, cramped harder. She had to garner sympathy from the Italian police and the press, who, according to Stella, would be waiting for them. Hopefully, the statements Stella had Lance make to the reporters back home, along with the police spokesperson confirming the blackmail investigation, would do the trick. Both were timed to hit just a few minutes before her cry for help and would give them just enough time before the judge and Marcello’s father got wind of the new investigation into their actions and had a chance to run. It was a risk, and everything had to happen just right for the arrests, but after Gina had contacted her and filled in the missing pieces, it seemed the best plan.
Well, the quickest plan, anyway. The LA police wanted to do things a bit differently. That was why she was planning to make the press work in her favor. In the past, any news about Marcello was big news, so she hoped that held true. And hoped the Italian police wouldn’t become angry with her for telling her story before all the facts were gathered by them.
“All set, Rachel?” Ally asked from across the aisle.
She nodded. “As set as I’m going to be. Gina said she’d be there if we needed her, but I’m hoping the Florence police can handle this so we can keep her out of it. At least until we get to the bottom of things. She still has to live in her little town.”
Ally nodded and packed up her things as they approached the airport. “What about Marcello? Will you take him back after this is all over?”
Rachel shrugged as the plane’s tires hit the tarmac. “I can’t think about that right now. I need to stay focused on the problem at hand.” But that wasn’t entirely true. The same question had been in the back of her mind for the whole plane ride. He’d left her twice already. Would she be a fool to let him do it again?
The plane came to a stop, so Rachel gathered her things too, waiting for the flight attendant to open the hatch. He’d been with Marcello for years, and Johnny had been as worried about Marcello as all the rest of his employees. They loved him because he treated them like family. If only he could treat his real family that way.
When the cool breeze filled the cabin, Rachel waited for Ally to go first and then followed behind down the stairs. They’d both brought just backpacks so they could move quickly. “Keep the plane ready to go, guys.”
Johnny nodded. “Will do. Let us know when you’re on the way, and we’ll meet you back here.”
They’d had to bring a spare crew in case they were able to turn right around and go home in order to comply with flight regulations. Those people were still sleeping in the back of the plane. She wanted to get Marcello out of Italy as soon as possible.
Assuming everything went their way, that was. But she didn’t like to lose, and one of the reasons she rarely did was because she always planned for all contingencies. She’d contacted the Florence police herself after the cops back home had done so. And she’d hired the best Italian lawyer, who’d helped Gina get permission to transfer Marcello to Florence as a worst-case scenario in case they insisted on keeping him in jail until they did their investigation.
She’d researched Florence’s politics, studied how their government and judicial system worked, and had an ace up her sleeve if she needed it. Marcello’s fame had come in handy all around in the last twenty-four hours.
As soon as she and Ally stepped onto the tarmac, two policemen approached, checked th
eir passports, then escorted them through the waiting press, who shouted out questions in broken English.
Rachel grabbed Ally’s arm to stop her and then turned to the reporters. They’d heard the news from the US just as planned, as was evident by their questions full of facts that Stella and the police back home had announced.
She worked up her best forlorn expression and held up a hand for quiet. Then in Italian, she said, “I know you all have many questions about Marcello. All I can tell you is what I know and have been told. I can’t speak for the authorities, but only from my heart. And I’m asking for your help to find justice for Marcello so we can bring him home.”
That caused another barrage of questions. She patiently answered the ones about the blackmail, his father, and the fear that Marcello had from being an abused child that drove him to confess to a crime his father had committed. When she spoke about the abuse Marcello had endured, her tears were real. She couldn’t bear the thought of a child being treated as he had. The things Wilma had told her made her want to track Marcello’s father down and make him endure all the horrible things he’d done to his son.
But time was running short, so she begged off and let the policemen lead them through the people and into a waiting car. Once she and Ally were settled in the back, the policeman who drove said, “Your friend Gina has been very busy these last few hours. And your lawyer found a judge willing to hear the facts. He’s sent officers to bring the judge and Lorenzo to Florence for questioning. But in the future, we’d prefer you not speak to the press. Let us handle it from now on.”
Yeah, well, he could prefer all he wanted. She was going to use the tools she had. “And the charges against Marcello?”
“My superiors will fill you in on all that. We’ll be at the station in just a few moments.”
“Thank you.” Rachel glanced at Ally, who was biting her thumbnail. She’d become upset during the press conference. It’d been the first time she’d heard all the brutal details of Marcello’s past. “It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”
Ally nodded and then turned to stare out the window as they raced to the police station.
“Hey. Look at me, please.” She laid a hand on Ally’s arm and gave a quick squeeze. “Once we find out where we stand and how much time we have, I need you to stay tough and do your part while I’m busy with the police. Avery has already set the wheels in motion, but she needs someone here with boots on the ground and passwords to make it happen. Marcello’s counting on us, okay?”
With tears in her eyes, Ally nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do my part. But I hope his father ends up in jail for the rest of his life.”
Rachel blew out a long breath. “He will if I have any say in the matter.”
Marcello paced back and forth in his cell, concerned that it’d been almost two weeks since he’d given Gina Rachel’s phone number and he still hadn’t heard anything. How much longer would his father and the judge wait for the money? And what would they do to him if they figured out he’d tried to expose their crimes? Maybe they’d figured out what he’d done. No one would answer any of his questions.
“Hey. You ready to blow this Popsicle stand or what?” Ally’s voice said from behind him.
His heart nearly leapt from his chest as he spun around to confirm it was really her. “Bella! I have never been happier to see anyone in all my life.”
Ally and Gina grinned while the guard opened the cell, and said, “Looks like you’re a free man, Marcello. Thanks for the autograph for my wife. Hang on for a minute, and I’ll get your things.”
“Sell them online and keep the money.” He rushed out and wrapped Ally in a hug. “Thank you for saving me.”
He put her down and then kissed Gina’s cheek. “Grazie, bella.”
“Prego. But I had some help. Your fiancée is a badass, Marcello.” She grabbed his arm and led him down the hallway. “We’ll tell you all about it in the car. Let’s go.”
“Fiancée?” Ally bounced with excitement alongside. “When did that happen?”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked into the bright lobby. He hadn’t seen sunlight in weeks, and it made him squint and smile at the same time. “Rachel and I were working toward that before all this happened. Now I’m not so sure.” The joy his freedom and the sunshine had brought him quickly faded. “She’s very angry with me, no?”
“How would I know? I’m just the nanny.” Ally and Gina exchanged a look filled with meaning that they weren’t sharing. But it wasn’t good.
His heart began to ache again as he took the front seat next to Gina and Ally slid into the backseat of a little Fiat. That Rachel didn’t come too probably wasn’t a good sign. “Is Rachel still here?”
Gina nodded as she pulled out onto the road. “She’ll catch up with you both at the plane. She had some things to tie up with the lawyer.”
Ally’s head popped between the front seats. “You should have seen her, Marcello. Standing up to those people who told her they couldn’t bend the rules for you. She got all up in their faces and wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
That didn’t surprise him. He loved that about her. “How long have you guys been here?”
“Almost two weeks. Every morning Rachel waited on the courthouse steps before their offices opened to bug them for a decision. Every time they threatened to have her removed, she went to the press and tattled. She even started a Free Marcello hashtag that Deek and I helped go viral. The whole world has been rooting for you. All the news agencies have been showing a counter on the nightly news for how many days you’ve been wrongly held.” Ally dug out a phone, then stuck it in his face. “Tell me that’s not an ass kicker.”
He took the phone and smiled. On the first page of Ally’s newsfeed, Rachel stood before the press in a sexy but stern black suit with that scary lawyer expression she used on him when he’d screwed up. But beyond that, he saw the determination in her eyes. To save him. “That’s the look that will ensure our children won’t dare misbehave.”
Gina chuckled. “She was impressive. The worldwide attention shined the spotlight in places our government wasn’t comfortable showing. But yesterday, when they handed her a gag order forbidding her to talk to the press, I thought she’d lost and you were going to have to sit in the Florence jail for another few months. That’s how long this would have normally taken.”
A slow grin lit Ally’s face. “But Rachel met with a former judge who is the front-runner for mayor in the next election. She traded your talents for his help. Three days later, the word came down that all your charges were dropped, and that Roberto judge guy and your scumbag father were going to have to stand trial for extortion and some other stuff. And they’re looking into charging your father with attempted murder too.”
“Thank God. My mama will finally get some justice.” He closed his eyes as relief filled him as if the weight of an elephant had been removed from his chest. “But what talents am I trading?”
“Just some campaign commercials for him when you get home. You’re trending at the number-one spot online right now, so he made a good trade. The studio time is all set up. But Lance is pissed. He said you don’t work for free.”
Typical of his agent. “Screw Lance.”
“That’s what Rachel said too. You really need to fix stuff between you guys. She’s amazing.”
He’d sat in jail with nothing to do but think of the right words to make her understand. “So, your opinion of Rachel has changed? She’s not the same gold-digging, crooked lawyer out to steal my money you thought she was?”
“No.” Alley leaned back into her seat. “We’re actually friends now.”
That pleased him immensely. “I told you so. Can I borrow your phone? I’d like to catch up on what I’ve missed these past weeks.”
“Sure.” The phone reappeared between the seats. “It’s actually your phone. I added the international plan before we left. Your old number is being investigated for evidence against your father. Be su
re to watch the first time Rachel talked to the press about you when we arrived. She even spoke in Italian that wasn’t too shabby. She made everyone cry. You can’t tell me she doesn’t still love you.”
He hoped that was true.
Rachel accepted her passport from the gate agent and then picked up her backpack. Ally had texted that they were on the tarmac, so she jogged to catch up. She couldn’t wait to be home with the kids again. What she’d hoped would be a few hours in Italy had turned into a grueling few weeks.
Ally’s text also added that Marcello was super sorry and that he couldn’t wait to see his amazing fiancée. Like Marcello would ever say he was “super sorry.” Ally had been as relentless in her matchmaking efforts these past weeks as she’d been with the Italian court system to free Marcello. She and Ally had come a long way since the day they’d met in California.
She pushed open the glass doors that led from the private air terminal to the tarmac and spotted Marcello and Gina talking outside the plane. He was still dressed in prison scrubs. How he managed to make even those look sexy was ridiculous. Ally was trotting up the plane’s steps, probably excited for the surprise she’d made happen for Marcello.
Finally seeing Marcello freed brought tears to her eyes. Tears of one who’d gone to battle and the stress of it all was finally catching up. She’d fought with everything she’d had to bring him home, and she was exhausted. She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since she’d been there.
Ever since the word came that they could all go home, she’d been weepy. Just like when she’d been pregnant and a sweet baby commercial would come on television and make her bawl. Thank God, they’d put a gag order on her and had banned the press from the tarmac. She’d never be able to give a statement without falling completely apart. She needed to pull herself together on the flight, because there was going to be a ton of press when they got home.
Truly A Match (Rocky Mountain Matchmaker Book 4) Page 19