All ten.
The digits looked like they’d been crushed before being severed. He stepped away then, struggling not to vomit. Breathing hard, he stared at the floor for a long time, trying to burn the carpet’s design onto his retinas.
When he trusted himself to look up, Ruggero and the box were gone.
Staring at the smear of blood left on his desk, his eyes flooded with tears anew. His father had endured so much heartache in the last three decades, only to meet a vicious, ugly end. Papà, I hope you’re with them again. He crossed himself and whispered aloud, “I will see you avenged.”
Enrico was in the middle of his fourth glass of sambuca when it hit him: How had Carlo found his father? Don Battista certainly hadn’t handed that information to him. So who had Don Battista told?
He’d reached a pleasantly blurry point when he picked up the phone; it was almost enough to allow him to forget what was in the box. Almost. He cleared his throat, willing himself to be steady while he waited for Don Battista to pick up. “Ciao, Rico. Why are you calling so late?”
“Carlo Andretti murdered my father. He sent me his head and his hands.”
Enrico heard a wheezy intake of breath from the old man. “I’m sorry, my son.” There was a pause. When Don Battista spoke again, his voice shook with anger. “It’s your cousin who acts against you.”
“How do you know?”
“Domenico called a few days ago and asked how he could reach Rinaldo. I knew he was angry with you, but I never dreamed he’d crawl in the gutter.”
“It could be a coincidence.”
“In my experience, there’s no such thing.”
Enrico took another sip of sambuca. “I know.” Damn him, he did know, but he had to be certain. Dom, how could you turn against your own blood?
He ended the call with Don Battista, then summoned Ruggero. It was time to see what use they could make of Trucco’s death. Time to prove there were no coincidences after all. Time for the traitor to suffer as his father had.
After all, as Dom had said about Trucco, now was not the time for mercy.
Domenico paced his study, Kate on his mind. How best to get her away from Antonio and the guards. How best to get her to Carlo without being followed. He looked out the front window of his home, sure Ruggero’s spy was still out there somewhere, and sighed in irritation. The men Ruggero had picked to watch him were very good. He hadn’t ever tried to shake them. Best to lull them into complacency.
His mouth pursed. He was going to have to kill the man watching him before he went after Kate. If he eluded him, it would tip off Ruggero and Enrico. But if the man went missing, that was a problem too.
He tapped his fingers against his lips. He was going to have to eliminate them all, if Carlo wasn’t able to. It was the only way. He couldn’t hope to avoid detection. Enrico and Ruggero already suspected him, and Antonio wasn’t dumb.
Dom was still looking out the window when he saw Ruggero’s spy drive off. He looked up and down the street for a replacement, but didn’t see anyone. Perhaps they’d decided to lull him into complacency. But he knew about the GPS tracker they’d placed on the car. It had been the first thing he’d searched for when he’d learned he was being watched.
He smiled. He’d use their own toy against them. Let the tracker lead them right into a trap. And double-cross Carlo in the process.
The phone rang. It was Enrico. “We got the traitor.”
A jolt of adrenaline ran through Dom. That’s why the spy had driven off. “Who was it?”
“Trucco. He gave the master codes for the house alarm to Andretti and he put a GPS tracker on the Maserati.”
Dom’s eyebrows shot up. “He confessed to all this?”
“More or less. He admitted he’d been helping Carlo, feeding him information. He wouldn’t get specific. But there was no reason to press the point.”
Was this a trap? There was something about Enrico’s voice. “Have you been drinking?”
Enrico coughed and cleared his throat. “A bit. It’s been hard.”
“I’m sorry. I know you were close to him.”
Dom heard only silence for a while, then Enrico’s voice again, a bit sharper. “You’d warned me to take care of him, and I didn’t listen.” Enrico paused and cleared his throat again. “I’m sorry, too. I’ve ignored too much of your counsel lately.”
Dom froze, a little hope seeping in. If he could avoid killing Enrico, he would. “You’ll give up the woman and make peace with Carlo then?”
Enrico sighed. “I know it’s the right thing to do. But I can’t.”
Dom exhaled slowly, unhappily. “Then it’s still war with Carlo.”
“Not necessarily. I plan to meet with him and Dario. Perhaps we can come to an agreement.”
“Have you spoken to him?”
“Not yet. I wanted you to make the arrangements.”
Dom’s stomach clenched. This was it. No way out. “I’ll see to it.”
After hanging up with Enrico, Dom placed the call to Carlo, both of them knowing the meeting with Enrico would never take place, but playing the game for anyone who might be listening. Then he picked up another phone, one he was sure was clean, and called Kate and told her his plan to get her away from Antonio that evening.
He was glad he wouldn’t have to kill the tail after all. He wasn’t like Carlo; he didn’t enjoy killing. And he wouldn’t enjoy most of what was to come. But it had to be done.
He planned out the rest of what he had to do, including when he’d render Enrico blind to his whereabouts. It would be a simple matter to discard the tracker once he’d delivered Kate to Carlo. The tracker would lead Enrico straight to the Andrettis. If all went well, Enrico and Carlo would kill each other, and Dom would be free.
CHAPTER 31
Kate focused on her breathing, trying to settle her fluttering stomach as she got ready for dinner. She’d asked Antonio if they could dine at the hotel’s restaurant instead of going out. She and Dom were counting on Antonio and the guards to be lax, since they were staying in the hotel. They had no reason to suspect Kate was going to run off, and she didn’t want to give them one by acting at all out of the ordinary.
She made sure all her cash and her passport were tucked in the money belt she wore under her slacks. She wouldn’t be using that passport for a while, but she’d need it someday, when she could go back to her normal life. Though she had no idea when that might be. Surely Carlo would give up eventually? If she hid for a year or two, that might be enough. Dom had promised her a loan, but money would eventually be a problem. Hopefully he’d be able to get her good enough documents that she could work.
Her parents would help. But if she could avoid involving them, she would. Her throat tightened; she couldn’t see them, she couldn’t even see her cousin Terri. She had to hold onto the thought that someday she would see them all again. And she’d figure out how to stay safely in touch from a distance.
She heard a tap on her door. “Come in.” She’d chosen a loose, gauzy top in black with matching black pants and low-heeled shoes in case she needed to run.
Antonio was in a suit as usual. The dark blue of the fine cloth brought out his eyes. When he came into the room, he looked her up and down, a slight smile on his lips. “Ready, signora?”
She picked up her purse and crossed the room, leaning into the mirror to check her makeup. Perfect. She smiled at him. “That color suits you.”
A flush poured into his cheeks. “Grazie, signora.”
She took his arm as he escorted her out of the room. The guards fell into step behind them. “You know,” she said to him for probably the hundredth time, “you can call me Kate.”
He shook his head. “No, I cannot.”
“Why not?”
He glanced at her, his expression stern. “Do not tease me.”
Kate bit her lip and looked away. Then she squeezed his arm. “I wasn’t.”
“Perhaps not. But you forget, and you should not.”
She looked at the richly patterned carpet beneath their feet. “I apologize.”
He made a little sound of amusement, and she looked up to see him holding back a smile. Realizing she’d been had, she nudged him with her shoulder and shook her head. “You’re incorrigible, Antonio.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I do not know this word.”
“It means you’re bad beyond reform.”
He grinned. “That sounds like me.”
She returned the grin, then looked away when she felt her smile start to falter. She was going to miss Antonio, and she hated deceiving him. But it was the only way. She tried to focus on her surroundings as they crossed through the lobby and down the hall past the drawing rooms that served as the central gathering places in the hotel.
The Villa d’Este was a former palace, and that lent it a different air than most hotels. Its design wasn’t the result of some shiny corporate vision; rather it had been built to reflect the grandeur of the person who’d commissioned it. This particular history meant that some things had been retrofitted in later to make the hotel usable for guests. And one of those things, the thing she and Dom were counting on, was that the restrooms for restaurant guests were located below the ground floor, in a basement area that had been used by servants in the days when the hotel was a working palace. It was the perfect place for him to meet her, since there was a service exit just down the hall from the restrooms.
Kate and Antonio were seated at a table in the beautiful dining room, one whole wall nothing but windows so they could look out at the moonlit lake. Kate glanced at her watch. Still plenty of time to eat at least part of her meal, then meet Dom at eight thirty. She glanced around them, her foot tapping under the table.
Antonio touched her hand. “Signora, you seem… not easy.”
Uh-oh. “I’m a little restless. We’ve been here over a week now.”
“Perhaps a walk after dinner?”
She smiled. “I’d like that.” Then she looked down at the menu. She wasn’t going to take that walk. She wasn’t going to see him ever again after this.
They ordered and ate leisurely, Kate struggling to keep up the usual small talk. Then Antonio introduced something of interest. “Ruggero discovered our problem.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Problem?”
“The source of the break-in. And the trouble returning from Capri.”
“Ah.” The traitor. “Who was it?”
“Fiammetta’s father.”
Kate pressed her lips together. She could understand his reasons. Still, the man didn’t care if anyone else got hurt while he got his revenge. “I’m sure Enrico is relieved.”
“I think that is not all of it. None of us are convinced.”
“Who else do you suspect?”
Antonio glanced at the guards, then looked at her. “I think you know.”
She looked him full in the eye. “Yes, I think I do.”
Antonio broke their gaze and looked down at his plate, using his fork to push around a few mouthfuls of risotto. “He is not to be trusted.”
Kate’s stomach dropped. That’s just what I’m doing. But helping me leave gives Dom what he wants. And he doesn’t want anyone to know about the baby.
“Signora, are you all right?” Antonio placed a hand on her wrist and leaned toward her.
“I’m just thinking.”
He studied her. “You seem pale.”
“Don’t worry. My stomach is just fine.” Then why does it feel like I’ve swallowed a school of live anchovies?
“Should I ask for the check?”
Kate shook her head and glanced at her watch. Eight twenty-five. “I’m going to the restroom. Please order me the panna cotta for dessert.”
He rose and pulled out her seat. She walked away from him, Paolo following her. Kate glanced back at Antonio. He’d been so kind to her, so understanding. She had to blink furiously to hold back her tears.
She hurried past the lobby bar and the great rooms, then slowed when she started down the marble staircase that led to the restrooms. Her heels clicked on the marble, echoing in the space. Near the bottom, she stopped and turned back to the guard. “Paolo, I left my purse at the table. Could you get it for me?”
He hesitated. “Signora, I shouldn’t leave you alone.”
“What’s going to happen?”
Paolo hesitated again, then nodded. “Do not move. I will return soon.”
Kate waited until he reached the top of the staircase, then she rushed down the remaining stairs and rounded the corner to the left. The service exit was at the end of the hall. She didn’t pause until she reached for the handle. Was she making a mistake? A sharp rap on the door made her jump and her heart gallop. She took a deep breath. She had to do this. When she opened the door, her hand slipped on the handle, her palm slick with sweat. Dom stood to the right of the door. “We must hurry.” He motioned for her to precede him.
Her hesitation must have showed; he smiled, visibly relaxing. He looked so much like Enrico then that it was comforting. “Come, signora. The guards will soon miss you.”
She glanced back over her shoulder, but the corridor was empty. There was nothing more for her here. She had to go, she had to be free of Enrico. And she had to save her baby. She touched her stomach, then stepped out the door.
Dom guided her to an unattended side lot, his car nearly hidden by a large spreading maple.
They got in and he started the Lamborghini, his movements quick and decisive. Kate looked behind them and saw Paolo burst through the service exit. Could he see her through the tinted windows? She ducked down as Dom pulled out.
Paolo rushed toward them, and she shouted “Go!” at Dom. He pressed down on the gas and the car leapt forward, its tires spewing gravel as they barreled through the open front gate.
They’d driven for some time, Kate checking the side mirror, looking for cars in pursuit. But no one was racing after them. “I’m surprised they aren’t following.”
Dom glanced up at the rear view mirror. “That is because they already know where we are.”
“How?”
“Ruggero planted a GPS tracker on the car.”
“Why?” Though she knew.
“He thinks I am the traitor.”
“Are you?”
He laughed. “Who else would want both of you gone?”
“Why would you want me gone?”
His eyes flicked to her belly. “I will not lose the cosca to your child.”
Kate’s heart seized, and fear ripped through her, her stomach rolling in a way that made her nauseous. “You don’t have to worry about that. Just help me disappear. Enrico will never see his child.”
Dom shook his head. “He will never stop looking for you.”
“I told you. I’ll tell him I lost the baby. He’ll give up on me then.”
“What a fool you are. He has risked everything for you. He started a war over you.” He shook his head. “He will never give you up, regardless of the child.” When Dom spoke again, his voice was thick. “You do not deserve him.”
Kate felt the truth of that with a bitter pang. “Neither do you.”
“True. But I have to save my family’s future. Rico is throwing it all away, over you. I have no choice.”
“Yes, you do.”
Dom let out a huff. “You do not understand. Rico has put the life of every man who works for him at risk. Carlo has already attacked us, and he will certainly do so again. Rico’s refusal to deal in drugs has put us at a disadvantage against Andretti’s deep pockets. The only way for us to survive is to make an alliance with Carlo. But Rico will not marry Delfina, even if you leave; he will not give you up. And so I have to make things right. I have to give Carlo what he wants.”
“Which is?”
“You. And Rico. And a discount on certain services he receives from the family.”
Kate shuddered and hugged herself. She couldn’t let Carlo near her. She should open the car door and j
ump out. But Dom was driving so fast. What if she hurt the baby? What if she broke a leg? There had to be another way. She needed to remind him about the letters. “I thought you didn’t want anyone to know about the adoption.”
He laughed. “I don’t. But it wasn’t hard to figure out what you’d done. I did a favor once for the concierge at the hotel. It wasn’t hard to intercept that package you were sending to your parents. The letters are ashes now.”
Kate’s stomach went hollow. She and her baby were going to die.
They drove higher into the mountains surrounding the lake. There were few homes, and the road was unlit. As they ascended, the road switched back and forth, making Kate queasy, the forest to their left an unbroken mass of darkness, the drop-off to their right an unending chasm. Finally Dom turned onto a gravel road that disappeared into a thick grove of trees. In the bouncing light from the car’s headlamps, ghostly branches jutted into their path.
A little ways down, he stopped and pulled a gun. He held it on her while he opened his window. “Why are we stopping?” she asked, tensing herself to run.
“I need to get rid of this.” He showed her the tracking device in his hand. “Ruggero is a fool to think I’d fall for my own idea.”
Kate watched the tracker sail out the window and into the night. She grabbed the door handle and Dom shook his head. “Take your hand off that if you want to keep it. Carlo did not say I had to deliver you in one piece.”
She looked into his eyes. He meant what he said. She’d have to hope for another opportunity. A better one.
The gravel road wound through a dense tunnel of trees. When branches scraped the doors on both sides, Dom muttered about Carlo being too cheap to keep the brush cut back.
Rage burned a hole in Kate’s chest. “You’re about to deliver me and my baby up to that horrible man, you’re about to destroy your cousin’s life, and you’re worried about scratches on your car?” Her voice had become shrill. “What kind of monster are you?”
Killer Romances Page 33