Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 142640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 475(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 475(@300wpm)
“They have a leader, Giuliano. Let him do his job.” She begins to pace, her hand on her forehead as she processes what I’m about to do.
“He is too close to her to be of any use.”
Her eyes nearly bulge from their sockets. “And you’re not?” she screams.
“I’m just going to Milan to help strategize.” I throw in a pile of pants, I go to my drawer and grab a stack of boxers and socks, I throw them in too. “I’m not going to do anything stupid.”
“Going home is stupid!” she cries. “I don’t want you to go. You’re not going!”
I zip up my suitcase. “You have no choice.”
Her eyes well with tears as she stares at me. “Please,” she whispers. “Don’t do this.”
I pull my suitcase off the bed and stand it up. “I have to.”
Her face screws up in tears and she turns her back to me, she crosses her arms, she walks over to the window and looks out and watches the children as they play downstairs in the yard.
I walk up behind her and put my hand on her shoulder and she flicks it off.
“I love you…” I whisper as I stand behind her.
Silence.
“Olivia….”
Silence.
I get a lump in my throat, what if this is our last goodbye?
“Are you going to say anything at all?” I ask.
“If you die, I will never forgive you,” she whispers as she stares straight ahead.
Her words cut like a knife and I close my eyes.
I wheel my suitcase to the door and turn back to look at her. “I love you,” I tell her again.
Silence.
Tell me you love me, God damn it.
I wait, but she doesn’t turn.
With a heavy heart I walk down the stairs and out onto the deck, my car is waiting out the front.
“Come give Papa a hug,” I call to the children. “I have to go away for a few days.” They come bouncing up and I take them into my arms and hug them one by one. “I love you,” I tell each of them. “Look after Mama.”
I glance up to see Oliva watching us through the bedroom window.
I smile softly and wave up at her and she turns her back and walks away.
Ouch.
I get into the car and wave to my beloved family, the thing is, deep down I know that Olivia is right…but I can’t not go.
It’s Francesca.
I’ll never forgive myself if she is killed and I didn’t at least try to save her.
With the children laughing and squealing as they and the dog chase the car up the driveway, my heart is in my throat.
What if…don’t.
It will be okay…it has to be.
Twenty minutes later we arrive at the airport, my private plane is waiting, along with my three guards. I retrieve my luggage from the trunk and walk up the stairs.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Ferrara.” The captain nods.
“Hello.”
“Departing for Milan in ten minutes, sir.” He smiles.
I sit down in my chair. “Change of plans,” I reply flatly as I stare out the window. “Take us directly to Switzerland.”
Giuliano
The red lights from the police cars flash their reflection onto the snow, the ski slopes are empty.
The snow is coming down and after hours of questioning by the police, they are finally bringing the bodies down the mountain.
The ambulances are lined up waiting and every fucking moment I stand wasting time here, Francesca is in their hands.
We watch on as the Snowmobiles come slowly down the mountain, pulling a trailer behind them, on each a body bag.
An eerie silence has fallen over us.
An incomprehensible dread.
My girl missing, Valentino’s girl dead.
Bruno, their guard…my heart sinks. How did this happen on my watch?
He was there all the time, she worked for him. She trusted him.
I didn’t protect her.
The Snowmobiles pull up and the paramedics lift the first of the body bags into the back of the ambulance.
Valentino watches on with a calm detachment, I’ve never seen him like this.
Broken.
He loved her.
He walks over and talks to the paramedic and then runs his hand over where the head would be in the body bag.
My eyes well with tears.
The paramedics count to three and then lift her into the back of the ambulance and close the doors; Val watches on in silence as it drives away.
He takes out his phone. “I have to call her parents.”
I close my eyes in regret, it doesn’t get any worse than this.
Alex and I wait beside him in silence as he holds the phone to his ear. “Hello, Mrs. Morelli?”
He listens for a moment.
“This is Valentino.”
He drops his head.
How do you tell someone that their daughter has just been murdered?
“There’s been an accident….”
1 a.m., Valbella Forest, Switzerland.
Enrico
We drive in darkness, creeping along at a snail’s pace.
The snow is coming down hard and the conditions are treacherous. Fog appears from our mouths as we breathe.
It’s fucking freezing.