Angelo shrugged. “I suppose it is only a dream, one that will never come true.”
“And a mil’ for the right girl?”
Angelo sighed. “Such a small price for a dream.”
“Could you up the hundred if I came through?”
“I’d double it.”
The man stayed quiet as his little pee-brain worked. “I’ll be right back.” He left the booth, pulling a cellphone from his cringy jean pocket, and walked out the back door.
Just then, two baskets overflowing with French fries and the greasiest burgers ever known to man were placed in front of us.
“Thank you,” Angelo said, handing the woman a twenty.
I said nothing. I was in utter shock Angelo offered cash for the horror-in-a-basket dinner.
“Don’t be such a snob.” He took a bite.
“Snob? How about simply having a desire to live past forty? I can literally hear your arteries clog as you chew that mutilated cow clothed in stale bread and fake American cheese.”
Angelo shoved in a fry.
I shivered in disgust.
The back door reopened, and the man came back in, heading straight for us. His smile told us we were one step closer.
Sliding into the booth as if it were a treasured skill, he slid to a proud stop. “I may be your best friend after you hear this.”
Highly questionable.
“I know some bikers out in Idaho.” He licked his teeth—or what was left of them. “Those mountain boys really know how to have a good time. Know what I mean?”
Not in the slightest.
“Really?” Angelo acted intrigued.
“Oh yeah.” The man nodded as if the keeper of the best secret ever to exist. “I was out there some years back and, uh, they shared a special treat with us.” He looked around as if many new patrons had entered since he had stepped outside. “She was a beaut. A real wild one. Untamed as they come.”
I could no longer joke. This foul male was making me more ill than Angelo’s burger.
“Now, if you don’t mind her havin’ been fucked already, this bitch might be the one for you.”
I had to hide my internal shudder as Angelo groaned, “I already have a hard-on that says I don’t give a fuck.”
The man started laughing like Angelo’s sick and twisted side was just what he liked to hear. “Man, you should’ve seen it. They strung her up outside and let us all have a turn. Thank God she was tied. She was a fighter. She bit and kicked. It was a blast!”
Angelo asked, “Long black hair?”
The man replied, “Down to her perfect ass.”
“Blue eyes?”
“Big enough to fill with a hundred tears.”
“Pale skin?”
“Oh, hell yeah. She’s kept in a basement or some shit like that.”
“Full lips?”
The man’s eyes practically rolled in delirium. “A mouth that would be a man’s dream come true, if you dared to stick your dick near it.”
Angelo handed back the thick envelope. “When can I see her?”
Over the cellphone, my papa’s voice sounded on guard. And he was speaking English. Both aspects of this conversation were very unusual. “I have a delivery to make.”
Sitting on the side edge of one of our hotel room’s king-sized beds, Angelo’s spine straightened. There was a message to decode.
I asked my father, “Is this delivery for us?”
“No. Is your friend truly trustworthy? And her husband?”
I mouthed to Angelo, Friend?
His dark brows were pinched. Husband?
With no response, Papa offered, “We sure do miss our ‘men’ talks in the vines.”
After a couple of seconds, Angelo sat forward and scribbled on a hotel notepad.
Noemi and Mateo
As the Americans say, a light bulb went off in my head. Papa was speaking of the vines because only Pietro and Cristian knew of Noemi, our only true friend.
I looked to Angelo, silently asking, “Can we trust Mateo?”
He grabbed his stomach, talking to that trustworthy gut of his, then hit the mute button on my phone. “You know as well as I do, no one falls out of love with Noemi. Mateo can be trusted, but what does your father need to hide in the care of a brother?” He stopped and stared at me, fear building in his eyes.
I nodded. “Isabella.”
“What better place to hide her than right underneath the other brother’s noses?”
Tapping on my phone, I quickly responded, “Yes, Papa. Very trustworthy.”
Angelo was pacing now, wanting to know about the ‘package’.
Trying to be discrete, I casually asked, “Angelo would like to know how Isabella is fairing?”
“Oh,” Papa also attempted casual, “she says there are ghosts from her past, and her younger self wishes for time alone in the mountains. No visitors.”
Angelo rushed to the phone and hit the mute button. “Younger self. Scarlett.”
“Meaning?”
“She hated visits from her brothers. Isabella also wants Scarlett to be hidden from them. Mountains. Scarlett is already in mountains. Don’t you see?”
“No. What?”
“Like hiding Isabella close to the brothers.” When I didn’t catch on, Angelo quickly said, “Where is the last place you would suspect Scarlett to be hidden?”
Near where she had been all along.
For the last decade, Mr. Giordano had introduced Isabella to more and more aspects of the family business. Since he had named her his successor, he kept his word. It was becoming clear Isabella had seen or found something that had her scared for herself and her daughter.
Angelo unmuted the phone again. “Mr. Rossi, does Isabella feel she should stay local due to family business?”
“Hello, Angelo! Uh, yes. Not a good time for travel.”
My jaw fell open. How did Angelo figure that all out?
My best friend said, “I agree. She is wise. Stay close to family.”
Papa asked, “How are things there?”
Angelo thought, then replied, “Very slow. A new lead ended up being another dead-end.”
My father was well aware of every bit of our progress. He had been a leader and mentor from across the world. Had he not helped and taught us so much, Angelo and I could have possibly still been researching, ‘How to find a sex slave,’ on the internet. Yet Papa replied, “A shame. Maybe better luck with a new lead.”
“Yes, we are tired and frustrated.” He stared at our packed suitcases as if having no intention of unpacking them. “Maybe we should stay put and rest for a bit.”
“I completely agree. Angelo, you must take care of yourself and those in your care. I am hereby requesting you and Sal take a leave of absence for however long it takes to feel rejuvenated. Mr. Giordano will be sure to add funds to your accounts so you will have cash and can rest with no worries. I will notify your pilot that his plane is not needed. That way you can disappear for a while. Untraceable. Leave all work behind. No contact. Don’t worry. I am resourceful and will find you if I need to.”
My father was telling us to vanish. That meant from him and Mamma, too.
I wanted to reach through the phone and embrace that man. I wanted to tell him to hold my mother and tell her how much I loved her. I wanted… It dawned on me that my wants no longer counted. Something was wrong, and I had to follow secret messages.