Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126682 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“Saverio,” she says when I turn for the door.
This time, I don’t look at her. If I do, I may not be able to leave.
“Stop, please,” she says, her voice breaking.
I don’t. I close the door, and I don’t stop until I’m in my study where I lock myself in.
Chapter
Twenty
Anya
* * *
“Does Sav know you’re here?” Rachele asks, scanning the street through the window of the upmarket boutique in Manhattan.
“If he did, I wouldn’t be here,” I say in a dry tone.
She nods, acknowledging the fact. My husband would never allow me to deliver a fake passport to Raphael Morelli’s wife. Not even Dante knows where I am or what my plan is. He’s at After Dark, watching Claire. I told him that Livy and I were going dress shopping. Only Livy, who’s decked out in a pin-striped suit with a silver tie and a Fedora hat, is in on the deal. She’s my backup in case things go south. The handgun I bought for her is strapped to her ankle under the wide legs of her pants. She’s loving every minute of playing the mobster—to my detriment. I never realized she’d enjoy the danger so much, and it’s scary. I recall our conversation in the car on our way here when I told her I didn’t want to put her life at risk.
“I’m a sweet, old lady,” she said. “Who’s going to suspect me of anything? The way I look at it, the element of surprise is a major advantage, and that advantage is on my side.”
I nod at Livy, wordlessly asking if she’s ready. She reciprocates with a salute.
“Come,” Rachele says, tilting her head toward the change area.
“No.” I look around the empty store. “Wait here.”
Rachele follows me with her gaze as I walk around the counter where a sales lady stands. Her name tag reads Debra. I go around to the back, keeping my hand on the gun in my bag as I check behind the rails of dresses. At the far end, I sweep the curtain aside. Elena sits on a cream-colored sofa in the private lounge. She lifts her eyes to meet my gaze, not saying a word as I walk down the short aisle and open the curtain of every cubicle.
They’re all empty.
A sign on the door at the end says storeroom. I test the handle. Locked.
“Debra,” I call to the front.
The lady appears a moment later.
I motion at the door. “Open it.”
She takes a key from her pocket and unlocks the door before opening it wide. I stick my head around the jamb. Shoe boxes and clothes wrapped in plastic bags are stacked on metal shelves. A vacuum cleaner and mop take up one corner. A bucket filled with cleaning products stands next to a door with a WC sign.
My order is clipped. “Ladies’ room.”
Debra walks inside and opens the door, revealing a small bathroom with a toilet and a basin.
“Thanks,” I say. “You can go back to the front.”
When she leaves, I go over to Elena and hold out my hand. “Bag.”
Elena hands over her handbag with pursed lips.
I unzip it and go through the contents, feeling for microphones under the lining. Satisfied that there are no weapons or hidden cameras, I put the bag next to her on the sofa.
She gives me a cutting look.
I peer around the curtain, addressing Rachele. “We’re good.”
Debra turns the open sign to closed and locks the door.
Livy tips her hat, letting me know she’ll watch the front.
Rachele steps into the private area. “You okay, Lena?”
Elena nods, swallowing audibly. “Let’s do this.”
I sit down opposite her and take out my phone. We agreed I’d film her message. She faces the camera squarely, delivering a short speech in a strong, confident voice. The message is to anyone willing to listen, telling them she came to Saverio for refuge to escape an abusive husband. And then she shocks me by going one step further and confessing that Raphael is behind the attack that killed so many men on my wedding day.
When she’s done, I save the recording and encrypt it like Dante taught me to do when I’m dealing with incriminating financial data before uploading it to an account in the Cloud that Livy has access to—in case something happens to me.
The exchange is done quickly and unremarkably. Elena hands me the inventory, and I give her the passport.
“When are you leaving?” I ask.
Her reply is snide. “What’s it to you?”
“I want to make sure you’re safely gone before Saverio targets Raphael.”
“As soon as I can.” She stands, glancing at Rachele over my shoulder. “My cousin can get me onto a flight as early as next week.”
I follow suit, getting to my feet. “I’ll wait until then.”
Pulling herself to her full height, Rachele says, “Make sure Raphael gets what he deserves. I want him to pay for what he did to Papa and Giorgio.”