My heart beats painfully in my chest.
"Like me?" I repeat in wonder.
"Yes. Mamma told me you put bad guys away. I want to do that too!" She's entirely enthusiastic as she tells this. My gaze goes to Catalina and she seems embarrassed.
"I hope you don't mind I told her about your job." She says, two pink dots marring her cheeks.
I'm suddenly so humbled by this.
"Not at all." I hurry to add. "What bad guys would you put away, Claudia?"
Her eyebrows move up, and she purses her lips, deep in thought. She's so cute.
"Those bad nuns like Mother Superior or Sister Celeste. They were always mean to me, mamma and Aunt Sisi. One time..."
"I don't think Marcello wants to hear that, sweetie." Catalina interrupts her.
"No, let her speak."
I want to know. Hell, I need to know.
Claudia shrugs. "They were calling mamma bad names, and they were always giving her more chores than the other sisters. One time she got sick, and they didn't even allow her to see a doctor."
"Claudia!" Catalina gasps.
"Is that true?" I turn to her to ask.
"It is! I understand more than you think." Claudia looks at her mother with sad eyes.
And it hurts. It hurts to know how bad they've been treated, and there was no one there to defend them.
"You don't have to worry about your mother ever being mistreated again, Claudia. I promise you." I assure both of them.
She regards me with hopeful eyes and she sticks out her hand, her little finger in the air. "Pinky promise?"
I look at the raised finger, and then I look back at her. She's smiling, and I can't find it in me to refuse her.
I hold my breath and I slowly wrap my little finger around hers.
"Yayy!" She jumps up, removing her hand from mine.
My finger is still in the air. The contact had been so brief... but I did it.
I look up and Catalina is gazing at me with such tenderness... I almost want to think it's love.
"I want to be a policeman then." Venezia suddenly intervenes and crosses her hands in front of her, almost put off that we hadn't included her in the conversation. "They catch the bad guys." She says smugly.
"But..." Claudia frowns. "You're not a man."
"Why would I be a man?" Venezia suddenly turns.
"Well... it's policeman, right? So it's a job for a man."
"Women can be policemen too. Think of policewomen if you want." I explain. "I told you, you can be whatever you want. Your gender shouldn't stop you. Just replace the man in the profession with woman and you can do it."
Both Claudia and Venezia look pensive, but agree with my observation.
In the meantime, Amelia comes in and informs us that breakfast is ready.
The girls race towards the dining room, while I stay behind and offer Lina my arm.
"You were great, you know?" She raises on her tiptoes to give me a kiss.
"I meant everything I said."
"I know. You're the best." Her eyes are sparkling with warmth, and I take her mouth for a quick kiss.
"Damnation!" A voice curses out.
I look to see Assisi on top of the stairs shielding her eyes.
"Sisi?"
My sister casually comes down the stairs, ignoring Lina's question.
"Sisi, wait!" She says as Assisi makes a left for the dining room.
"What?" She huffs out a breath.
"What's that?"
Lina's hand goes to Assisi's neck and she moves her hair aside to reveal a red spot.
"Are you ill?" She asks, worried about her friend.
"What? No... something must have bitten me." She stammers, her eyes looking anywhere but at Lina. "I'm hungry, I'll see you in the dining room."
"Odd..." Lina remarks once she's back by my side.
"I agree." I frown. I'd noticed for a while now that Assisi's behavior had changed. I don't claim to know her well enough to comment on her personality, but she's completely different than what she'd been like in the beginning.
And there's also the matter of her being extremely secretive, even with Lina. She's taken to not getting out of her room, and that worries me.
"Guerra wants Assisi to meet his son." I tell her, grimacing at the thought. I explain our conversation and that I'd tried to refuse.
"Where does that leave us?" She asks, nibbling on her bottom lip.
"I agreed to a casual meeting, nothing more. I couldn't refuse and risk a confrontation. Or I should say another confrontation. But don't worry. I told him it would be Assisi's decision in the end. Nothing's going to happen."
"I hope so." She whispers, but clearly she isn't convinced.
"Think of it as keeping our enemies close." I add.
Because certain things just don't add up. And I mean to discover who exactly is terrorizing my family.
"I DIDN'T THINK I'D be sitting in a room with you two again." Adrian crosses his arms as he regards me and Vlad.
We moved to the study to discuss things of a more confidential nature. Catalina, Claudia and Venezia are still in the living room, chatting. Assisi had been rather abrupt in her departure, but given her behavior lately, it wasn't entirely too surprising.
"I didn't think either." I reply drily. In all honesty, I didn't think Adrian would ever forgive me what I'd done. After visiting him in the hospital, he'd dropped by to tell me he's had some time to think things through, and while he doesn't know if he can forgive me, he's willing to try. It had been such good news, considering he's my dearest friend.
"Come on, boys, don't be so pessimistic." Vlad makes a tsk sound, getting up from his chair and pacing around, his eyes perusing the stacks of books in the library.
"Why don't we just get to point?"
"The point." Vlad twirls around, raising an eyebrow. Adrian groans out loud.
It's well known they don't get along. Adrian has a strong dislike of Vlad because of his close relationship with his wife, Bianca.
For all our old acquaintance, not even I knew about Vlad and Bianca's partnership. They've known each other for some ten years, being partnered up for assassination jobs. Vlad is somewhat of a loose cannon with his rage issues, so Bianca ended up being the perfect partner for him with her cool temper. Not to mention that she literally had his back in missions. Vlad prefers reckless close-range killing, whereas Bianca is addicted to her pistols and rifles.
"You said you had news." I shoot back at Vlad. I wonder if he has ADD or something because he never stays put.
"News? Oh, indeed." He pulls a pack of gum from his pocket and pops one into his mouth. "I talked to Quinn." He takes a seat again, reclining back and putting his feet on my desk.
I raise an eyebrow at him, but he ignores me.
"How did you get in touch with him?" Adrian asks.
"The normal way." He makes a face, as if contemplating he'd resort to violence is such a farfetched idea. "I dropped by his gym."
Why do I get the idea that there's more to this than he's letting on?
"As I was saying, he wasn't behind the attacks. He says he doesn't think it was his father either. They've been a bit messy since Jimenez's death."
"Messy how?"
"They lost their backing and a lot of resources. Might need to get out of New York even. Go back to Boston and all that. He was very forthcoming, which I found unusual." He pauses to chew. "After news of Jimenez's death made the rounds, all the different cartels that answered to him decided to make it out on their own. Ortega is still a major player, and I think he's trying to get the other on his side too. Whatever empire Jimenez had, it's already broken."
"That makes sense with the data I have too." Adrian adds. "I've spoken with some people, thought I should take advantage of this while I'm still alive." He jokes, referring to his plan to fake his death. As Jimenez's son and designated heir, he would be the first target if anyone wanted to recreate Jimenez's reach. "There have been a lot of petty crimes rep
orted in the last month. If you compare that with previous months and previous years, it's definitely an outlier."
"So you think that because they suddenly found themselves sans leadership they just went crazy?"
"It would make sense. The issue is not the crime rate. It's the fact that these people are ripe for plucking. Anyone could come along and give them a purpose. And that would make them dangerous." Vlad comments, his eyes suddenly focused.
"Well, whatever happens, I'm out of this particular issue." Adrian raises his palms imitating a surrender gesture.
"It's something I'm monitoring." Vlad gives him a look. "After all, it's my job to make sure the market remains in equilibrium." He winks at me. "But I don't think it's going to happen right now, which gives our shipment problem priority. That and the fact that whoever did it tried to blame the Irish." He shoves some more gum in his mouth before continuing. "Although, there is one thing that I've noticed."
Both Adrian and I look at him expectantly. There's no denying that for all his instability, Vlad is brilliant – and even brilliant might be an understatement.
"There's suddenly a lot more clamor within the five families. Your new involvement notwithstanding, I don't think there's been so much traffic in New York since..." he bites the inside of his cheek, trying to find his words, "the 90s. You only have to look at who's present. When was the last time that the Marchesi stepped foot in the city? What about Guerra? I don't for one second buy that the banquet was to threaten you. I bet Benedicto doesn't even care that his wastrel nephew died." He takes a deep breath, and I can see he's getting excited. Of course, Vlad always gets excited when it comes to chaos and mayhem, and this seems like the perfect recipe for him. "And lastly, we have DeVille. They've been the most active. If I were Benedicto, I'd watch my back."
"You forgot Enzo."
He dismisses my words with his hands.
"And you forget I have ears in his office." He chuckles. "He's floundering, although nothing to do with business. There are a few things I found that are... titillating. I would have never guessed that about him." He smiles sheepishly, and both Adrian and I are waiting for him to reveal what he knows.
"He's not going to tell." Adrian shakes his head, already resigned.
"I won't have to. It's going to come out sooner or later." Vlad shrugs.
"Anyway," I start, moving away from that particular subject. "from what you're describing, I'm getting the sense that you suspect one of the five families."
"Bingo." His hand shoots out, and he points at me with a fake smile. "Although," his smile immediately falls, replaced by a slight frown. "they made a mistake in that they involved me too. Now I feel compelled to intervene." He says in all seriousness.
"As if you wouldn't have otherwise." I reply drily. He's always involved in other people's business.
"You might be right on that, but not with so much pathos. I'm already losing sleep over this."
"I think you're losing sleep from other reasons." Adrian chuckles.
"Hastings, did you just make a joke?" Vlad turns to him, scandalized. "You might be saved still." Vlad leans towards him to whisper, not too quietly. "P.S. though, it wasn't that funny."
"Anyway," I clear my throat again, sensing the impending conflict. "If it's one of the families, then that changes things. I'll try to be more vigilant." I say, already going through everything that happened at the banquet and cataloguing everyone who was in attendance.
"Good, because you have a bigger problem on your plate. I've had someone run an analysis on this Chimera's work." He tosses a file on the desk.
"I see." I frown as I go through the reports. Every single Chimera incident had happened at the same time I'd been in the area. It's uncanny.
"It's personal." I utter out loud what I've been thinking for a while now. "And Catalina's being targeted because whoever it is knows what she means to me."
Vlad nods, his gaze intense.
"It has to be someone around you. Who else would know Chimera's M.O. to a T? Another question is why now?"
"See, the ones that we know of started two years ago. I think they're trying to play with me."
"Mind games. Could be."
"The only other person who would be so intimately aware of Chimera is dead." I add, knowing both of them will catch my meaning.
"And dead people don't go around killing other people." Adrian replies drily. "I asked around, and the FBI is seeing the cases as full priority. They've brought in some famous forensic psychologists and criminal profilers, and they had a few things to say."
"Go on." I nod at Adrian, curious for any insight.
"There was more care given to females. And they were always accompanied by some sort of religious symbol. There was one instance in which the female had a cross carved in her palm, another where the cross was physically present next to the corpse. The opinions are split really. One profiler said it might be some internalized misogyny, going on about how the woman is inferior to the man in different religious interpretations. Then another suggested the opposite, that the killer is giving special care to females, and that it might be a case of recreating a certain type of death all over. Conversely, the males are always subjugated to the worst treatments, and their corpses are the ones desecrated."
"That's..." I frown, thinking back to the nun. I turn to Vlad, and see he's thinking the same.
"Theoretically speaking, the nun wasn't desecrated. It was almost like an offering, with how the organs were put on display. The religious symbols are certainly most prevalent in this instance."
"You're right. And the position of the teeth inside her cavity... her womb." I add pensively.
"I think it's a man." Vlad suddenly says, standing up. "If my previous theory is right, then the nun offered herself up, exactly as an offering. Why would a woman do that for another woman? Now I'm sure it could be a case of sapphic love, but what are the odds, really? My bet is on a men though – a very charming man. And you're right about the placement of the teeth. We have to think about this as the killer would – every detail is intentional. The teeth could be interpreted as some symbol of fertility; he's laying his seed in her body."
"Was the nun also sexually assaulted?" I don't remember reading that in the forensic report.
"No, she wasn't. But then none of the other victims were either."
"Right, purity not profanity." I say, going back to the very basic concepts that religion and Chimera both have in common.
"Yes, the women are treated almost reverently, and the men opposite."
"I think we're going off the deep end." Adrian puts a hand up. "You're looking into this too much. Do you really think everything is a symbol?"
"That's the thing. The original Chimera's M.O. was to appeal to the baser instincts. He would intentionally use any personal references to elicit a strong reaction." Vlad mentions, giving me a side glance.
"Then why don't we try to look at the clues through Marcel's lens? If he is the target, then the symbols are directly connected to him."
"A woman with strong religious connections?" I give a dry laugh. "I think I know a few of those."
"Right." Vlad suddenly says, pursing his lips. "Well, let's take them one by one."
Chapter Twenty
AGE FIFTEEN,
WITH ONE LAST SLASH, I throw the knife to the ground and grab a cloth to wipe the blood off. I head to the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror.
Damn, the blood really got everywhere this time. Even my blonde hair is now splattered with red. I turn on the faucet and splash some water on my face.
When I return to the room, father is already there inspecting my work.
There are four lifeless bodies on the floor. This had been one of my more intensive torture sessions, since they didn't seem to fear a teenager as they would an adult.
I'd set to prove them wrong.
It had taken me two hours to break the first man. The others had quickly followed, which proved my theory that they would
be more malleable if they were to see what happened to their friends.
Father stoops low and inspects the mortal blows, his brows furrowed.
"Are you sure you got everything?" He moves over to the next corpse and does the same.
"Yes, sir." I answer, addressing him with his due.
"That was fast." He stands up, looking pensive. "I have to say, boy," he pauses and I mentally cringe at his use of boy, "I am impressed." He doesn't look like it. In fact, his expression shows how much it cost him to admit this. After all, I am always the disappointment.
I don't reply. Even his praise can't affect me anymore. If anything, I find myself growing colder.
"I think it's finally time for the next step." Father narrows his eyes at me, almost reluctant for what's to come.
I simply nod.
In the last years, I've learned that the less I talk, the less I reveal of myself to the world. This way, no one will find any faults or weaknesses in me.
I simply am.
My existence is to serve the famiglia and to do father's dirty work. I've come to terms with the fact that I can be nothing more.
I am, but I am not.
Even the notion of pain can't phase me anymore. Physical pain is just that – physical and as such ephemeral. I can close my eyes and dissociate.
Emotional pain... That doesn't go away. So I do the only thing I can. I stop feeling.
"I'll have someone clean this up." He points to the dead bodies before adding. "Let's see how you'll fare in the position I have in mind." He turns to the exit.
I give him a brisk nod, following.
"There is a reason people don't mess with us." Father continues as he leads me towards an area of the basement I haven't been to until now.
"Not that they don't want to, but that they don't dare." He smirks, pride reflected in his gaze.
He opens the door, and inside I see a man strapped to a chair.
The room is much smaller than any of the others, but I've never seen so many instruments of torture in one place before.
"There's a tradition in our family. The younger sons are trained to serve their capo, which is what I've been doing with you until now. Every test I've given you has been for this." He motions me towards the center of the room.
Morally Blasphemous: A Dark Mafia Romance (Morally Questionable Book 2) Page 22