Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Moretti!” he greeted with feigned chirpiness. “Ready to turn yourself in?”
“Yes,” I replied. “You’re going to arrest me soon anyway if anything else should go wrong so let’s just get it over with now. I have a crisis to deal with in the company.”
“Let me guess, people are quitting.”
Of course, he already had that information and I was certain sooner or later it would get to the news as well after being sold to the highest bidder.
“You’re silent,” he said. “That can’t be good. For you at least.”
I ignored his immature taunts. “When do you want me there?”
“When do I want you here? Wow! You seem quite eager to get me off your back. How are you so sure I don’t have what I need to keep you here for as long as I want?”
“If you have a valid reason to keep me there then I'm even more eager to come to see what it's all about.”
“Well, does kidnapping a witness sound feasible to you?” he asked aggressively.
“Kidnapping? A witness? Does this mean that Miss Leone is still missing? There's no mention of this in the press.”
At my very blatant threat, it was his turn to go quiet. Then he chuckled. “You have a sharp tongue, Moretti.”
“How long do you think you can keep this away from the public?”
“Until I retrieve her. Here’s what I propose, no matter how bad things get for your camp you don't have to get arrested. All you have to do is offer me an invitation to your office and we can discuss how we can get Zola back into witness protection.”
My response was calm. “I don’t know where she is.”
“The guy your men left alive at the ambush scene. Remember him? Oh yes, he’s already sung like a canary. He has sworn that a black SUV took her. With all this stacked against you, do you still want to hold on to her? You already have enough charges against you, Moretti. Even if you get cleared of this, kidnapping carries at least twenty years. I swear, if you don’t help make my job easier, I will find a way to double that fucking sentence.”
Talking to him was exhausting. “Do whatever you want, Hudgens. I don’t know where she is.”
And with that, I ended the call.
“What’s the update?” Foster asked.
I smiled grimly. “Never let a good deed go unpunished. One of Ugo’s guys that we left alive at the ambush site seems to have switched sides, and is now collaborating with the cops.”
Foster scowled. “That’s not good, but then again, he is one of Ugo’s guys. His words aren’t worth shit.”
“Exactly,” I replied.
“The girl …” Larry started and I waited for this question. “You do have her, right?”
I nodded.
“That’s not good,” he said nervously.
“I’m not giving her back to them. That’ll be the same as serving her up to Ugo on a silver platter. Hudgens’s team is made up of incompetent fools.”
“It could severely affect your case.”
“I don’t care,” I said and I damn well didn’t. Playing by the books never works. Not when you’re dealing with monsters like Ugo.
Chapter 49
Zola
“Another employee died.”
“What?” I turned around at Marie’s voice, my heart in my throat. With a horrified look, she nudged her head toward the muted television set in the kitchen. I read the bold text scrolling across the bottom of the screen.
I caught the update that employees were quitting in the droves. I didn't know if this was an exaggeration or not, but it sounded troubling. Clearly, Dante must be well aware of this and occupied with finding a way to control it.
I forced myself to return to the peaches I was slicing up for jam.
I had seen Marie and another housekeeper carrying in a basket of fruits and couldn’t help but beg to participate in preparing them. Making pastries and sweet condiments was a long-lost hobby that I had pushed aside for my career. I thought it would be a comforting thing to return to.
But the fragrant smells of the fruit and sugar cooking couldn’t hold my attention. My mind was alive with worries. Uppermost was Dante’s safety. Without him, everything would be pointless.
I waited impatiently until Dante returned home. I tried my best to hide the strain in my neck but being ever vigilant he caught it.
“It still hurts?” he asked.
I shook my head. “It’s fine.” I was more concerned about him. He looked exhausted. I rushed to him and gave him a tight hug.
He embraced me just as hard and I could feel the exhaustion and the stiffness of his body.
“You’re back much earlier than I expected,” I said.
He pulled away and nodded. Looking down at me he tenderly brushed my hair out of my eyes.
“I need to speak to you,” he said and my nerves slightly tightened.
“Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good.”
He smiled. “I think I’m going to be arrested. At least, I expect to be in a few hours. They don’t know about this place so there’s no point giving them the opportunity to find it so I’ll be in my apartment in the city for a bit.”