Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
“Attack!” I hear Lorenzo’s voice cry out. “Downstairs. Go!”
I run out to see our men running toward the stairwell on high alert.
I grab my gun and follow them. I take the steps two at a time.
Hurry, hurry.
The door opens in the foyer, and my heart drops at the sheer horror before me.
I see Sergio lying in a crumpled heap—a bullet hole in his head. His brains are scattered across the marble floor.
Next to him lies Sophia, her lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. She’s still clutching her designer bag.
I drop to the floor beside her. “Sophia,” I whisper as I pick up her hand. “Sophia, Sophia!” I cry.
A puddle of dark blood pools around her, and I see that she’s been shot through the chest.
I shake her. “Wake up, wake up.” I look up at the surrounding buildings around us.
My blood runs cold. Dear God.
I look back down as I watch the life slip away from her.
She’s dead.
31
Enrico
“This way, Mr. Ferrara.”
I’m led into the police station by an officer for routine questioning over Sophia and Sergio’s deaths.
I’m shaken to my very core.
Devastated.
They died because of me.
Once in the interview room, I take a seat. “The chief will be here in a moment, sir.”
I force a smile. “Thank you.”
I sit for five minutes in the silence, my mind going over and over the last hour.
I keep hearing the gunshots—seeing their crumpled bodies. I hear the ambulance sirens in the distance as they arrived.
I watch them being put onto stretchers as paparazzi cameras click and click and click without remorse.
This is a dark day.
I think back to how hard and cold I was to Sophia only moments before she died. Because of me.
My chest constricts, and I inhale through a shaky breath.
The door opens and Renaldo, my old friend, comes into view. He’s the Chief of Police here in Milan now. He walks in and immediately turns the tape recording off.
“Enrico, my friend.” He smiles.
I stand, relieved to see his face. We hug.
“Are you okay?” He frowns as he holds me at arm’s length.
“I can’t believe this,” I whisper.
“My God, we need to talk. I have so much to tell you.” I fall into the seat opposite him at the interview desk.
“We’ve just had a call from the Carabinieri with strict instructions on what I am to say to you.” “What?”
“Apparently they are working undercover to try and bring you down. They sent in a young Australian woman as a mole to befriend your fiancée.”
I frown and drop my head. Jennifer.
I knew it.
“There’s nothing to get me on. I’m completely clean now. You know that.”
“Why the hell would you have cocaine delivered to your yacht in Monte Carlo?” He shakes his head in disgust. “You’re getting sloppy, Enrico.”
“What?” I snap in confusion. “I haven’t had cocaine delivered to my yacht.”
“They watched Sergio meet with the dealer last week, and then they saw it arrive by ship at your yacht. They know.”
I sit back, shocked. Fucking Sergio.
“Sergio must have gone rogue.” I drag my head down my face. “What are they going to do?”
“They are sitting and waiting for you to move it.” I close my eyes as horror dawns on me. “It’s not mine.”
“Sergio’s dead, Enrico. Who do you think they are going to blame?”
“Fuck.” I put my head into my hands. “How long until they move in?”
“I don’t know, but I can’t contact you. I think your phones are bugged. Has this woman had access to your fiancée’s phone?”
I stare at him as I think. “Maybe.”
Fuck… I warned Olivia. Time and time again, I warned her.
“I have to do the formal interview now.” He gestures to the tape recorder. “You good?”
“Thank you for the warning.” I shake his hand.
He turns the tape recorder on. “Mr. Ferrara, I’m Chief Inspector Paella. I’ll be interviewing you today.”
“Hello,” I reply flatly, my mind anywhere but on this interview.
“What happened today, sir?”
“I’m not sure.” I get a vision of Sophia on the hard, cold concrete.
Sophia.
I walk through the front door of our Milan apartment just after 8:00 p.m.
It’s been a long, horrendous day—one that I never want to repeat.
“Hi.” Olivia smiles as she rushes to greet me. “Are you okay?”
I wrap her in my arms and hold her tight. “I am now.”
I get a vision of Sophia and Sergio on the concrete, and I bury my head into her neck.
We stand in each other’s arms for an extended time. Olivia doesn’t move and she doesn’t speak. She just lets me hold her, which is what I need right now.
I know that Lorenzo had called her to tell her what happened and where I was.
“What did the police say?” she asks as she takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen.
“They just wanted to know what happened.” I take my tie off and throw it to the side. “I made a witness statement.”