Page 96 of A Madness of Crows

Her tone sounds suspiciously like I’m being told off.

Myheart. Just like that, it splits in two.

One half for Caterina.

And one half for the little girl who keeps up a steady flow of one-sided, incomprehensible conversation behind me as I drive, my cheeks wet as I listen.

I’m bringing you home, cuoricino.

Day 100 – Dante

Our phones flash at the same time.

Everybody sits up as Gio and I grab for them, staring down at the message he sent to us.

Go.

The word swims in front of my eyes, blurring.

“What?” Rocco demands. “What did he say? Did he get her?”

Nothing comes out when I open my mouth, as I look up at the hellhole in front of us.

“Go.” Gio’s voice, steel and fury. “It’s a go.”

He got her out.

“Dante.” Gio grips my shoulder, searching my face. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” I say hoarsely.

We crawl down the road leading to the estate, lights completely off. A few hundred meters away, I turn off the engine. “Ready?”

“Rocco’s been excited for this bit all week,” Johnno mutters.

Around us, others are exiting their own vehicles, as silent as more than two hundred soldiers can be. Guns slide into holsters, men checking their weapon stocks as Gio and I help Rocco and Johnno lift out the kit and they grab what they need.

Rocco purses his lips. “Kiss for luck, Fusco? Since we’re bosom buddies now and all.”

“Fuck off.” The edge of amusement in Gio’s voice dies off as I nod.

They take off, moving across the dark, open ground in front of the tall wall separating us from the main house.

I glance at Gio. Stoic and calm, he stares at the house as if mapping an exact route to Caterina in his head. He meets my look with one of his own. “Whatever happens – she comes out of there tonight.”

Even if the cost is one of us, or both.

“Agreed.” My hand wraps around the photo in my pocket.

We say no farewells, waiting in silence. No point in tempting fate. She’s fucked around with us enough as it is.

Vito, Marco and Vincent move up to stand beside us, surveying the estate for themselves.

“Been a while since the Cosa Nostra came together like this,” Marco murmurs. Vito nods silently in agreement.

“Any sign of the Morelli men?”

Marco shakes his head at my question. “You sure they’re coming?”