I was nervous all of a sudden, not sure what her reaction would be. She opened the box with trembling hands, and when she saw the other box inside, the sound she made I have no name for. When she looked up at me, all I saw were tears clouding those beautiful eyes. I became choked up myself by the emotion I saw in her.
“Why don’t you spray a little.” She did, on her wrist, and the result was instantaneous.
“Mom!” The word was a soft plea followed by the most heart-wrenching sobs I’ve ever seen or heard. I couldn’t take it, not the tears, not her sorrow. I don’t know-how can’t remember doing it. But somehow, she ended up in my lap with my arms wrapped protectively around her.
“Don’t, don’t!” I became tongue-tied for the first time in my life, and when pleading with her didn’t work, I did the one thing I’d promised myself not to. “Gianna, don’t do this.” I cupped her cheek in my palm, and she looked at me then, so forlorn, so broken, so hurt. I lowered my head and kissed her.
The world didn’t stop. Nothing so dramatic. But when she innocently opened her lips beneath mine, something in me, something that should’ve been left alone, opened its wings and took flight, and for a brief moment, there was nothing else in this world but us two.
I imprinted it all to memory. The way her soft lips felt under mine, the slenderness of her shoulders as I embraced her, and the way she clung. I’ll never forget any of it, not for as long as I’m alive.
GIANNA
It’s a dream; it has to be. All this goodness, this joy in one day cannot be real. My heart is full to bursting, and best of all, Gabriel Russo just kissed me is still kissing me, well now he’s gently nibbling my lips, and I don’t know which is better, the deep passionate kiss we shared or the way he’s holding me now as if hating to let go. I feel like I will burst from all the excitement.
The kiss didn’t come to an abrupt end, not the way the hug did earlier. Instead, once he was through tasting my lips, he held me close for a little while longer. I didn’t want to break the spell, but there was so much I wanted to say, so many questions needing answers. “How did you know?”
“I saw the drawing and did some research. I figured because of everything else in the book that it had something to do with your mother. I guess I was right.”
“How can I ever repay you for this? And today? I know you won’t say, but I’m sure whatever happened with Victoria was for my benefit. Thank you.” He blushed at my words and hurried to change the subject.
“What did your grandmother say?”
“Oh, she wants to come see me. She said she spoke to your mom already about the party.” Something of which I’m still confused, but it seems to be the Russo family way to just bulldoze their way through life’s little hiccups.
“You can see her before then if you’d like.”
“Really?” He ran his fingertip down my nose.
“Yes, really. Now let’s take the mutt out for a walk before I have him stuffed and mounted for being a nuisance.”
“Gabriel, that’s not nice.” I grinned up at him knowing he was just a big old softie. His bark is way worse than his bite.
BECKY
I can’t tell them the truth, so why do they keep asking? I paced the cell back and forth as my mind kept drawing a blank. It wasn’t long before one of them, the man I’d first thought was a plainclothes cop but turned out to be a Fed, came to stand outside the bars of the cage they’d put me in.
“We’ve checked with the bank, and you haven’t made that kind of withdrawal. You should know, the secret service is on their way to your home as we speak.”
“The, the, why are they involved?”
“Didn’t you know? It’s why they were formed in the first place back during the time of the civil war.”
I dropped down on the hard cot when my legs gave out.
How did I get into such a fix?
“So if you’re hiding anything, now’s the time to tell.”
“Is my husband going to find out?”
“Most likely. But I’d think that that’s the least of your worries right now.”
“My daughter, what’s going to happen to her?”
“Well, since we can’t prove that she had anything to do with it, and she’d adamant she knows nothing, she should be leaving soon. According to the people at the store, she never touched the money, only you did.”
He looked almost hopeful as if he expected me to give up my daughter. “She has nothing to do with it; please just let her go. She’s old enough; she can drive herself home; just give her the keys from my purse.”
“I’m afraid we can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“She might be of age in New Hampshire, but she’s still a minor in this jurisdiction; she can only be released into the care of an adult.” An adult, does he mean Felix? No-no-no. Who can I call? There must be someone.
GABRIEL
After taking care of Gianna, I had one more call to make before I could settle down to do my homework. One of Victoria’s friends that had been missing this morning, Lisa, hadn’t just been lucky. I’d made a call to her mom the night before with just the hint of a warning. I don’t know why she’d reacted so strongly; it was just a warning after all, not a threat. But she’d obviously read between the lines and had most likely called the mother of the other missing girl to give her a heads up as well.
I’d chosen that particular mom because I’d learned that she’d been the only one willing to give Becky Fontane a chance back in the day. A softhearted woman who, although she has come to see the other woman for what she truly is, might still be swayed. I just had to let her know that if she helped Becky in any way, she’d be going against the Russos.
Now I just need to call with a reminder. There will be no way for Becky to keep her husband from knowing what’s going on. I have no fear that she’d tell him about the car, not yet at least; that’s my job.
GABRIEL
“What’re you doing here?”
“What? I can’t just drop by anymore now that you’ve got a new friend?” The jackass grinned.
“Funny! What’s up?” I got up and pulled on the lightweight down vest that I’d thrown over the back of my chair as he stood there smirking at me.
“Nothing’s up. I got bored. Where are you going?”
“Come.”
Not like I was going to shake him anyway. I wasn’t doing much, just making a quick stop since the Alden woman wasn’t answering her phone. I’m not afraid of her going around me, the woman had taken her kid out of school after all, but I needed to make sure all the same. “Wait here.” Of course, he didn’t, not once he realized I was going to the twins’ room and not Gianna’s.
We could hear the three of them from outside the door, laughing. She was laughing. The sound rushed through me like sleigh bells at holiday time. Yes, I admit I have a weakness for that season, just like everyone else who indulges. Something about the warmth of a fireplace, the excitement in the air from everyone wondering about their gifts, even the smell of cakes and cookies baking at the time seems different. Why the hell am I thinking about this shit?