Shadow Warrior

by Feehan, Christine

  He preferred being with her himself but had three of the best and most experienced bodyguards the family had to watch over her while he was in his meeting. He strode down the hall and entered the designated conference room. His family was already seated around the table.

  “I take it something’s happened,” he greeted.

  Stefano indicated the remaining chair. “The Grecos think they’ve found the house where Haydon Phillips is staying,” he announced without preamble. “In the last eight hours, we’ve had several breaks. We’re finding out the whereabouts of the family, so we can go after Phillips safely. He will be less suspecting in broad daylight.”

  Vittorio’s pulse jumped. The thought of freeing Grace after all the years of terror was a heady one.

  “Before we focus on Phillips, the two missing girls, Eva and Marta Giboli, are in fact with their father. He met them at the airport when they called him, and he flew with them back to Tuscany. They intend to live with him. Eloisa, I would prefer that you deliver the news to their mother and make her understand that it would be best to leave the girls there. They’re old enough to choose and if she insists on getting the State Department involved in getting them back, tell her our family will testify that she didn’t bother to come for help for over two weeks.”

  “I will be more than happy to deliver the message,” Eloisa agreed.

  Vittorio flicked a glance to his mother. She looked more rested than she had in weeks. She always looked young, too young to have as many children as she’d given birth to. Stefano had tried to talk her into retiring full time from shadow riding. She still took the occasional job, especially since Giovanni’s injury had left them one rider down.

  Stefano inclined his head and continued. “John Balboni, as you know, owns the local hardware store. He and Suzette have been struggling a little to keep the business afloat and it didn’t help that he was shot during the attack on our family, although we paid all the bills. The exact nature of just how bad they were struggling wasn’t brought to my attention until recently. We considered options for them, but in the end, hadn’t found the right answer to the problem short of loaning them more money. They’re already into the family for three hundred thousand.”

  “John and Suzette’s store has been in the community for over thirty years,” Ricco said. “As long as I’ve been alive.”

  “Which is why we tried to keep them going,” Stefano said. “John’s body was found in the dumpster behind Fior A Bizzeffe this morning.”

  “No,” Eloisa whispered. “Not John. Poor Suzette.” She half stood as if she might go to the woman immediately.

  “Sasha is with her. She’s certainly getting a baptism of fire,” Giovanni said, shaking his head. “I left two bodyguards with her, but all this makes me very uncomfortable. Something bad is coming our way.”

  “This is insane,” Ricco said. “John? Why John?”

  “The Balbonis have very poor business practices,” Taviano said. “I went over the books twice with John and he just kept ordering double the amount of merchandise needed. His reasoning was he didn’t want to run out of anything, but in the end, he literally rents another storage facility in order to put everything into it and then he forgets he has it. In my opinion, he has a problem. He can’t stop ordering items he doesn’t need. It’s almost a hoarding situation. Nothing I said deterred him. Suzette got it, but John seemed oblivious to the fact that he was the one bringing the store down.”

  “That is exactly what made John the perfect target for the Saldis,” Stefano said. “Clearly they’re studying our people for weaknesses.”

  “Unless someone’s telling them,” Eloisa said. “Giving them details in casual conversation.” Her gaze flicked to her daughter’s set face.

  “If that’s happening,” Vittorio said smoothly, as if he didn’t see the look his mother shot Emmanuelle, “more than likely, the information would be given at the butcher shop when Val Saldi or his men are delivering to Giordano’s. Berardo loves to gossip. He would definitely talk to the deliverymen, but it would be an innocent conversation. He would never give information away deliberately, especially if it was something that might get a friend killed, and he was very good friends with John.”

  “I agree. The information was most likely gotten at the butcher shop,” Stefano said. “The point is, John was found wrapped in a carpet, his body tortured in the same way the others’ were. Sending a message to anyone working for the Saldis to keep their mouths shut. He wasn’t taken until after the others were. They took the carpet, but he wasn’t missing. He and Suzette were there on the street when the dumpsters were being searched.”

  “Did you speak to anyone who might have seen them?” Vittorio asked.

  Stefano shook his head. “I turned the investigation over to Renato and Romano.”

  Vittorio was well aware his two cousins had voices considered the most powerful in the family when it came to persuading others to remember details, tell the truth and want to give any information to the brothers.

  “What about the cameras?” Giovanni asked.

  “Rigina is looking at all of them now,” Taviano said. “We make certain all cameras on the streets are working at all times. We might get lucky. There didn’t appear to be any tampering done to the ones under the eaves of the businesses.”

  The placement of more cameras under the eaves of businesses along the street had been Taviano’s idea. He was very good with electronics.

  “Which implies . . .” Vittorio urged a response.

  “The cameras each store owner was required to put in and maintain outside their buildings’ fronts and backs were tampered with on the buildings up and down the alley. Someone knew those cameras were there, but didn’t know about ours,” Taviano explained.

  “I can’t believe Suzette wouldn’t know what John was up to,” Eloisa said. “She and John have always told each other everything. I can talk to her. We’ve been friends for many years.”

  Vittorio couldn’t imagine his mother being friends with anyone, let alone for years. He didn’t look at his sister, who had remained silent the entire time. John had been the one to help Emmanuelle learn to use a hammer and nails when she wanted to put up shelves in her bedroom herself. Of course, she’d gotten in trouble. Her parents hadn’t praised her for the good job she’d done, that had been Stefano and the rest of her brothers.

  Vittorio wished he was sitting closer to Emmanuelle, but he’d entered the room late and the only chair open was across from Stefano. That left Emmanuelle sitting between Taviano and Giovanni but across from Eloisa. Eloisa always targeted her daughter when she was upset.

  “I had Emme talk to her,” Stefano said. “She was able to get some information, but Suzette never saw the men who talked to John. She knew they had and she admitted to making the decision with him to deliver packages.”

  Eloisa scowled at Stefano. “You sent Emmanuelle to talk to Suzette instead of coming to me first? John and Suzette have been my friends for years. It was my place.”

  “No, it wasn’t. You’re not thinking clearly, which is exactly why I didn’t send you, Eloisa,” Stefano said. “Emmanuelle handled it with sensitivity, although personally, I wanted to shake Suzette. She didn’t think it was a betrayal to work for the Saldis because they didn’t ask for information about us.”

  “Where were the packages delivered?” Vittorio asked before Eloisa could attack Emmanuelle, which she clearly was about to do.

  “Suzette swore she didn’t know. They were given to John after hours and he took them. She said we could follow the car’s GPS. It was always on. John liked gadgets. The contents were downloaded by Rosina before the car was turned over to the police,” Stefano said.

  “She had no idea what was in the packages?” Ricco asked.

  “No, John handled everything,” Emmanuelle spoke for the first time. Her voice was tight, and she didn’t look at any of them. “Suzette didn’t want to know. She wanted the money, so she pretended what they were doing w
as all right. She claimed she didn’t believe it was illegal or that it was a betrayal. She couldn’t even say for certain someone in the Saldi organization had approached John. She didn’t actually see or hear anything, because she wasn’t there. John shared the information, so it’s hearsay.”

  Eloisa made a sound in the back of her throat. Her eyes narrowed on her daughter. “You interrogated Suzette and that’s what you got out of her?”

  “Yes, Eloisa, that’s what I got and those were my conclusions. Suzette admitted she wanted the money and she encouraged John to do whatever was asked of him. She didn’t want to know what it was, but she wanted him to do it.”

  “That’s ludicrous. What woman wouldn’t want to know what her man was up to? Oh, wait, that would be you, my own daughter, having an affair with the enemy. What did you think Valentino Saldi was up to, Emmanuelle? Did you really think he loved you?” Eloisa’s voice was a sneer. “Because you didn’t notice all the other women in and out of his life? Because I noticed, and I believe I pointed them out to you.”

  “Eloisa.” Stefano’s voice was pure warning.

  “No, let her,” Emmanuelle said. “She may as well spew all her hatred and venom at me instead of anyone else. Maybe if she does it enough she’ll find a way to be a decent human being.” Her chin went up when she faced her mother. “You did point out all the women, thank you, Eloisa, and yes, I did think Val loved me. That was my mistake. But at no time did I betray our family. I’m not worried whether or not you believe me, I only answer to Stefano.”

  Eloisa opened her mouth to retaliate, her scowl of disapproval along with her flush at her daughter’s sudden defiance darkening her skin.

  Vittorio intervened. “That’s enough, Eloisa. Emmanuelle has done nothing wrong. You’ve always disapproved of her . . .”

  “Because you all baby her,” Eloisa nearly screamed. Her hands were two tight fists on the table. “How is she going to be strong enough to have the tools to survive if you don’t let her fall now?”

  “Don’t worry, Eloisa,” Emmanuelle said in a very low tone. “I’ve fallen over and over. I got back up and I will every time. I’m a Ferraro first. I always will be. I don’t regret loving Val. I don’t believe loving anyone is wrong. He made the mistake, not me. It’s his loss. I’ll cope. But I didn’t do anything or say anything that would have led to John’s death.” She made it an absolute statement.

  Vittorio turned everyone’s attention elsewhere before Eloisa could respond. “Until that investigation into the GPS on John’s vehicle is complete, we’re just spinning our wheels. What are we doing about Haydon Phillips?”

  “The Grecos used the photographs to pinpoint Phillips’s location when he took them. There is always latitude and longitude embedded in the metadata,” Stefano said immediately. “Apparently, he turned the location finder off, but didn’t go into the file’s properties to disable the GPS.”

  Vittorio frowned. “That doesn’t make sense. He turned off the location finder so no one could see where the photograph was taken, but didn’t go into properties to make certain the GPS feature was disabled? Phillips is thorough. I can’t imagine him missing that.”

  “Not everyone knows everything about digital cameras,” Taviano pointed out. “We have to keep up with the latest technology and we’re always required to learn as it comes out.”

  That was true. It just seemed to be such a lucky break. On the other hand, Vittorio knew most of the serial killers apprehended were caught on a lucky break. Detectives could pore over evidence, but it was that one thing the killer didn’t count on that tripped them up.

  “The house is owned by a man by the name of Byron Fields. He’s a lawyer for Beta Corporation, a business we do some work with. It’s small, but they’re very good. They gather data on other companies and sell it to anyone interested after their initial client has had their report for ninety days.”

  “Double-dipping,” Eloisa said with a sniff of disdain.

  “Or smart business practices. Sometimes a company, when they see the information up on an auction block, buys it back themselves,” Giovanni said. “Beta Corporation has made some good money in the last few years. They’ve done well in the stock market. Their investigators are very good at finding out secrets.”

  “What’s the plan?” Vittorio asked. He wanted to rush out that instant and make certain he could put an end to Haydon Phillips before the night was over.

  “Byron’s wife is a schoolteacher and she’s at work. So is he. They have three children. One is in middle school and she’s in her classroom. The boy is in elementary and he’s in his classroom. The youngest is three and in preschool. She’s being babysat at the house until noon and then she’ll be taken to her school. The sitter won’t pick any of the kids up until three and then she takes them to various after-school programs.”

  “It doesn’t matter if the family is in the house or not,” Vittorio pointed out. “We enter houses all the time with others in them. I can go now and get this over with.”

  “That’s true,” Stefano said, “but we need to know he’s in there. We’ve got Raimondo with a broken-down car a block from the Fieldses’ house. Hood’s up and he’s working on it himself.”

  “Raimondo?” Eloisa inquired.

  Vittorio sighed. The bodyguards were all related. Close relations. It was so like Eloisa not to know them. “Raimondo Abatangelo. He’s Tomas and Cosimo’s younger brother. Good kid. Looks the part. Right age.”

  She sent him an exasperated look and put her hands in the air as if that wasn’t enough information to clue her in. He knew better, but he rarely rose to Eloisa’s bait.

  “Raimondo sent word that a man appearing to be homeless entered the house after waiting until the sitter drove away. Raimondo is still there, watching to make certain he doesn’t come back out, but here’s the thing. The ‘homeless’ man had a key. He entered from a fenced-in side yard where the neighbors would be less likely to spot him. The dog barked but appeared to be tied up.”

  “Is that normal? The dog kept in the yard tied when it’s fenced?” Ricco asked.

  “Dogs can be escape artists,” Giovanni said. “They dig.”

  Eloisa gave a little shudder. She’d never allowed her children to have pets of any kind. “How do you want this done?”

  “Vittorio will take Phillips down,” Stefano said. “We’ll make certain the family stays away. If for any reason they look as if they are going home while Vittorio’s there, we’ll arrange a delay quickly. Taviano will back Vittorio up just for safety reasons.”

  “We can’t have a dead man stinking up someone’s home,” Eloisa said.

  “We’ll leave him there and send an anonymous tip to the police in a day or two. All of us will need to be seen everywhere. We’ll get looked at because we’re tied to Phillips through Grace,” Stefano said.

  Eloisa rolled her eyes, but she didn’t deliver one of her many barbs as they all stood up to go. She traveled by shadow back to her home and then Henry, her chauffeur, along with two bodyguards, took her downtown to shop.

  Giovanni was the only one with a vehicle and he sauntered out to his car as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Sasha was with Suzette and he drove straight over to the Balbonis’ home and, in plain sight of every policeman watching, got out and went up the three brick steps to enter the house.

  Stefano made his way home first and then got into a car with his bodyguards to be driven downtown. He made certain the window was down and his face could clearly be seen at every traffic stop. He entered the building across from Beta Corporations.

  The others one by one did the same, each getting into a vehicle and going to a place of business near one of the schools where the children or their mother were. The Ferraro family members just had to be seen.

  Vittorio went to Grace. “I’m going to be gone for a short time, mi amore. I’ll be back as soon as possible. I would prefer that anyone making an inquiry be told that I’m not available as I’m on a conference ca
ll, but I’ll be happy to speak to them as soon as I’m off.”

  She looked up at him with her clear, far too intelligent green eyes. “Do you expect company?”

  “Not that I know of, but it is possible.” He waited. She would be part of their world and that meant secrecy at all times. She couldn’t tell a soul anything he told her. Trust worked both ways and he was trusting her with his life and the lives of his family members.

  Grace was used to keeping secrets and she nodded slowly. “Just be safe, Vittorio.”

  “Always.” He bent down and kissed her gently.

  Grace kissed him back, surrendering immediately, giving him everything he could ask for. He tasted passion, but more importantly, he tasted love.

  He turned away from her and went back to his room and changed his clothes from the casual ones he wore in the house, although those clothes were made of the same materials as his suits. No Ferraro would be caught out in public in casual clothes. He caught the nearest shadow that would take him, like a thoroughfare, into the city. The tube was fast, and he barely could make out the various branches he had to dive into in order to reach his destination.

  He had to use smaller shadows for a short while, moving from one to the other until there was a large one he could take that led to the suburbs. The address was in a nicer part of the city. It was a gated community, which Vittorio found rather ironic since the family had a serial killer living in their attic. From what Rigina and Rosina had written in the report Stefano had sent to each of their burner phones, some of the pictures had been taken in other residences within that same small community. The residents thought themselves safer behind that gate, but they weren’t.

  He spotted Raimondo just down the street. How he had gotten through those gates was anyone’s guess, but he was trained by the best and it would have been easy enough for any one of their bodyguards to find a way in that appeared legitimate should the cops ask any questions.