It could be fucking anywhere.
A twenty-million-dollar superyacht doesn’t go missing by itself and it could mean only one of two things.
The crew are dead and someone else has our eighty million worth of blow…and our yacht. Or the crew are the ones who stole it and are prepared to live with a death wish.
Either way it’s a fucking nightmare and something we’ve never encountered before.
Val is staring at the satellite-tracking map to see where and when this could have happened.
Lorenzo is sending men to all of the crew’s homes and family to put them under surveillance, check for any inconsistencies. If the crew have revolted and do have it, someone will return home for their girl, they always do.
My phone rings.
Nicolai
“Here we go.” I click my fingers to get Val’s attention and he jumps up and closes the office door. I put the phone on speaker and answer, “Nicolai.”
“Giuliano. How are you my friend?”
I lean back and swing on my chair, speaking with the chief of police is always a pleasure. “Good, good. What have you got for me?”
“The word is that one of your men is on Lombardi’s payroll.”
My eyes meet Carlo’s and he narrows his eyes in contempt.
“Who?” I ask.
“I don’t know, there’s talk they’re about to come into some serious blow. Big time from what I hear.”
“Interesting,” I reply.
Carlo and I glare at each other.
My phone lights up as another call comes in and I immediately hit decline.
“Where are they getting this…blow?” I ask.
“I believe a yacht was hijacked two days ago as it left Columbia. The tracking device was put into a dummy ship which stayed on course to throw them off the scent.”
“I see.”
He has information, he’s fishing for funds.
Val scribbles a note on the paper to tell me what to offer.
Ten million for whereabouts of yacht: Ten million for traitor’s name.
I screw up my face and shake my head, “Too much,” I mouth.
He scribbles on the paper again.
If we don’t get a name,
We’re fucked!!
I swing on my chair as I contemplate my offer, fuck.
Val is right, we need answers.
This is a problem that won’t go away until it’s taken care of. If we have a traitor, we need to take care of it now.
“Find my yacht and we’ll deliver ten million,” I say.
“Nice,” Nicolai replies.
“Give me a name and you’ll receive another ten.”
“Done,” Nicolai replies. “I’ll need some time.”
“Make it quick.” I hang up.
Val screws up the paper in his hands and throws it at the wall with force. “I’m going to fucking kill someone.”
Carlo walks in. “We’ve got surveillance on everyone involved, I have the chopper going up and down the coast. We’ll find it, don’t worry. And when we do, they will fucking pay.”
He and Alex start to discuss their conspiracy theories and I click through my phone to the missed call, I don’t know that number.
I dial the number and wait as it rings. “Dr. Miracash,” the voice answers.
Shit.
My eyes flick to the boys and I stand and walk out of the office as my heart hammers in my chest. “Hello, this is Giuliano Ferrara, returning your call.”
“Yes, Giuliano. The results are back.”
“And?”
“Negative.”
My face falls in disappointment.
“There is no way the two of you are genetically related.”
“What?” I stop still in the corridor as the earth moves beneath me. “Are you sure?”
“We ran the tests three times at both pathologies. One hundred percent that there’s no match.”
I smile, euphoria runs through me. “Thank you.”
“Do you want us to deliver the results to Francesca?”
“No…I’ll do it.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks again.” I hang up and put my head into my hands.
Thank God.
“Everything alright?” Alex asks as he walks down the hall.
“Yep.” I grab him and kiss his forehead, unable to hide my delight.
He frowns. “Haven’t you got a yacht missing or something.”
“Yep.” I smile, like I could care about missing cocaine.
No DNA matches.
I catch sight of Lorenzo in the foyer and I step toward him, my first instinct to knock him out.
No.
Francesca needs to be the first to know.
She needs to be the one to tell them that she knows. It’s not my place.
I march back into my office. “I’m going to France,” I announce to Val and Carlo.
“What?” They look up. “When?”
“I’ll be back tomorrow.”
“What? Today? No. You’re needed here.” Val snaps.
They watch me in horror as I gather my things.
“How the fuck can you even think about her when this shit is going on?” Val snaps.
I smile broadly and want to jump and punch the air.
How can I not?
They frown at me as if I’m going crazy…. And maybe I am.
“My dear Valentino.” I laugh and kiss his forehead. “See you tomorrow, my friend.” I grab my keys and briefcase.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I hear Val call from my office as I march toward reception. “Giuliano,” he cries. “You’re fucked,” I hear him cry.
I laugh and get into the elevator.
No DNA match.
The car travels through the peak hour traffic in Paris and I stare out the window smiling like a Cheshire cat.
I can hardly contain my excitement.
I imagine Francesca’s door opening and then telling her, she jumps into my arms and we live happily ever after, but I know it won’t go like that.
How could it possibly?
While this is the best news I’ve ever received, Francesca is about to lose the only identity she’s ever known. It’s going to be messy and complicated and will take time to work through the legalities of the situation. She’s going to be devastated.
The car pulls to a stop out the front of her apartment and I take a moment to steel myself.
Please let this go well.
Five minutes later, I stand at her door. Knock, knock.
I turn and look back up the corridor, this place is so different to anywhere else she stays. Modest, dated. If I didn’t know better, I could never have imagined her living somewhere like this.
The door opens in a rush and she lets out an audible gasp as she sees me.
Her eyes search mine, the air swirling between us. “Tell me something good,” she whispers.
I try to hold my smile and fail miserably. “There’s no DNA match.”
Her eyes well with tears. “You mean….”
I nod as I get a lump in my throat.
“We’re not….”
“No.”
She throws herself into my arms and we hold each other tight. For a long time, we hug. Standing in the hallway.