Page 278
Story: Niccolo
The Widow was effusive in her gratitude for Massimo saving Lucia’s life. I had never heard her so emotional before.
Without my asking, she volunteered to send a private jet to our property to pick us up. She said she would meet us at herpalazzoin two hours and then accompany us back to the hospital.
I told everyone to get ready to travel, then remembered Roberto. I needed to tell him to meet us in Venice rather than come back home.
But when I checked my messages, he hadn’t responded to my text.
I tried calling.
It went directly to voicemail.
SHIT.
Fighting back panic, I texted him,Call me as soon as you get this.
By the time the private jet got to our property’s landing strip, I still hadn’t received a reply.
The flight was uneventful. Rachel made fast friends with Alessandra despite having tried to kill her husband the prior week. And Bianca was impressed that Rachel had been a secret agent.
They all bonded by makingmethe villain, albeit in a comical way.
I went along with it…
Although I was internally panicking about Roberto.
As soon as we landed, I checked my messages again.
No answer.
FUCK!
I refused to let my imagination get the best of me, but it was hard not to picture him being dumped into Hong Kong Harbor by a bunch of Asian gangsters.
When we got to Marco Polo Airport outside Venice, Rolls-Royces were waiting for us on the tarmac, accompanied by the Widow’s foot soldiers.
Rachel gave me a questioning look.
“Courtesy of the woman whose granddaughter Massimo saved,” I explained.
“Can we trust these people?” she whispered.
I thought that was rather funny, considering what she’d attempted to do last week.
“I certainly hope so, but if they try anything… kill them for me, will you?” I joked.
She looked out seriously at the foot soldiers as though taking stock of what she would need to do. “Okay.”
“Uh… I was joking.”
“Iwasn’t.”
I chuckled. “Suddenly, I’m glad we brought you along.”
Now, if I could only send you to Hong Kong…
The cars took us to a dock by the water, where we boarded two speedboats that ferried us across the bay. Then we entered a private canal that led directly to the guarded entrance of the Widow’s palace.
I had never met the Widow in person, only seen her at a meeting ofconsiglieresthat Fausto had brought me to when I was a teenager. She looked older and more frail than ten years ago, but she still had the same indomitable gravitas that matched any don in theCosa Nostra.
Without my asking, she volunteered to send a private jet to our property to pick us up. She said she would meet us at herpalazzoin two hours and then accompany us back to the hospital.
I told everyone to get ready to travel, then remembered Roberto. I needed to tell him to meet us in Venice rather than come back home.
But when I checked my messages, he hadn’t responded to my text.
I tried calling.
It went directly to voicemail.
SHIT.
Fighting back panic, I texted him,Call me as soon as you get this.
By the time the private jet got to our property’s landing strip, I still hadn’t received a reply.
The flight was uneventful. Rachel made fast friends with Alessandra despite having tried to kill her husband the prior week. And Bianca was impressed that Rachel had been a secret agent.
They all bonded by makingmethe villain, albeit in a comical way.
I went along with it…
Although I was internally panicking about Roberto.
As soon as we landed, I checked my messages again.
No answer.
FUCK!
I refused to let my imagination get the best of me, but it was hard not to picture him being dumped into Hong Kong Harbor by a bunch of Asian gangsters.
When we got to Marco Polo Airport outside Venice, Rolls-Royces were waiting for us on the tarmac, accompanied by the Widow’s foot soldiers.
Rachel gave me a questioning look.
“Courtesy of the woman whose granddaughter Massimo saved,” I explained.
“Can we trust these people?” she whispered.
I thought that was rather funny, considering what she’d attempted to do last week.
“I certainly hope so, but if they try anything… kill them for me, will you?” I joked.
She looked out seriously at the foot soldiers as though taking stock of what she would need to do. “Okay.”
“Uh… I was joking.”
“Iwasn’t.”
I chuckled. “Suddenly, I’m glad we brought you along.”
Now, if I could only send you to Hong Kong…
The cars took us to a dock by the water, where we boarded two speedboats that ferried us across the bay. Then we entered a private canal that led directly to the guarded entrance of the Widow’s palace.
I had never met the Widow in person, only seen her at a meeting ofconsiglieresthat Fausto had brought me to when I was a teenager. She looked older and more frail than ten years ago, but she still had the same indomitable gravitas that matched any don in theCosa Nostra.
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