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“Somebody find a place to stick this asshole,” Aurelio said as he looked down at the dead priest. Then he smiled darkly. “Shouldn’t be too hard. I mean, it is a fuckin’ cemetery.”
The goons laughed. Two dragged the priest away by his feet, leaving a bloody trail across the tiled floor.
“Herr Rosolini,” Zollner said cheerfully.
Aurelio turned around. “Oh, you’re here. Finally.” Then he turned to me, and his nose wrinkled in distaste. “What the fuck did you do, throw her in a pig sty?”
“You paid me to retrieve her – not have her perfectly groomed.”
“Maybe I should’ve kicked in a little extra, then, so she didn’t show up looking like a sewer rat.”
Aurelio walked over and put one finger under my chin.
I immediately jerked away from him.
“Easy, princess. Just checking to make sure the merchandise is in order so your grandma doesn’t throw a fit.”
“Fuck you,” I snarled.
“Careful, or I’ll take you up on that. Jesus, Zollner – did you have to fuckin’ hit her in the face?”
“She was being difficult,” the Swiss hunter explained without a hint of remorse.
“Next time, hit her somewhere the bruises won’t show.” Aurelio snapped his fingers and pointed at two of his men. “Take her to the nun’s quarters – or the priest’s, or wherever – and have her shower up. I don’t want her looking like shit when the Widow gets here.”
I felt the blood drain out of my face. “My grandmother’s coming here?”
Aurelio smiled coldly. “If she wants to keep you alive.”
My skin crawled as he said it.
“By the way,” Zollner piped up, “Massimo is still alive… and what’s more, he and the Fräulein are engaged!”
Aurelio stared at Zollner –
Then looked at me and burst out laughing. “Oh my god – this is too good to be true.”
Zollner smiled. “I thought you might be pleased.”
I glared at Aurelio. “Massimo’s coming for me.”
“Oh, I’m counting on it.”
“And when he does, you’re fucked.”
Aurelio gave me a vicious smile. “You know, the two of you getting hitched would make you my cousin by marriage. That is… IF it actually happened. Too bad your fiancé’s not going to make it to the wedding.”
Then his smile disappeared and he motioned with his hand. “Take her away.”
87
Massimo
I pulled off the road an hour after I left Padola and called from a gas station.
Lars had gotten home by then. Niccolo had apparently briefed him because he had a warning for me.
“I looked at a map of the island on the internet, and it’s not good. They’re going to be in the church – which means not only do we have to invade a fortress, but they’re going to have the high ground with the bell tower. If they have a good sniper, they can pick us off as we approach.”
