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After some time, I take out my cell phone and I call Rafa. He answers on the first ring.
“Does your offer to help me still stand?” I ask.
“Anything you need.”
26
Stefan
I move the cage to my study. My men watch Gabriela down in the cove but give her space, privacy.
The birds died together. That’s not old age.
The goldsmith wasn’t quite forthcoming at the start of our meeting and I knew from his behavior that something was up. He was too skittish, too anxious. But it didn’t take much to buy his information. Then again, maybe he was paid to appear anxious.
I was right. Gabriel Marchese had commissioned the cage. Not my uncle. He’d told the smith what he’d wanted, given several photographs of my house. He’d even given him the piece of music for one compartment and had wanted a second, secret compartment.
He’d also had him destroy the plans once he’d paid for the cage.
My uncle wouldn’t have known about the second compartment. He wouldn’t have known that he’d be delivering his own confession in that gift.
He partnered with Marchese and Marchese fucked him.
Although I wonder how long they’ve been partners.
What I found in that second compartment was a thumb drive. I assumed the pellets inside it were just to keep it from rattling around in the little pocket. Without a thought, I’d left the food at the bottom of the cage when I’d retrieved the drive. My guess is the birds had eaten those pellets of food and died. To be sure, though, I’ve already sent a sample for testing.
I don’t like to see Gabriela upset, don’t like her to lose one more thing, even if they are just birds. But what’s more important is what I found.
On that drive were photographs and voice recordings.
I know now how that second boat arrived so quickly when Gabriela turned to her father for help after Alex’s murder. I wonder if that’s the reason Marchese is fucking with my uncle because my uncle fucked with him.
Although I can’t be sure on that. They could have been in on it together from the start. But would Marchese have given his permission for his own daughter to be left at the bottom of a well? He’s an evil prick, but isn’t that too far even for him?
It doesn’t matter. Either way, they both fucked me.
But Marchese wanted me to learn the truth. Or at least his manipulated version of it.
When I’d asked Rafa to get Gabriela’s phone set up, to add the phone numbers and make sure she had what she needed, he’d added something else. Something I wasn’t aware of. He’d added spyware that could track her calls, her keystrokes, location. All of it. I’m sure her new phone has the same.
One of the voice recordings on the drive is from Rafa to his father on the night Gabriela was kidnapped telling him she was on the move and that Marchese’s men were coming for her via the cove.
Now, did Rafa’s father and Marchese plan the second boat together? Or was that purely my uncle’s doing? Marchese wouldn’t know that his conversation with his daughter had been picked up. He wouldn’t know that another enemy would be out there too, once she was far enough away from land and too far for me to protect her.
In all the speculation, I am certain about three things:
Marchese is my enemy.
My uncle is my enemy.
Rafa is my enemy.
Rafa.
Christ.
The photos of him are the most damning. Overkill even. Did Marchese intend on hurting me personally somehow by showing me over and over and over again the many times Rafa betrayed me? Betrays me still.
But why?
Why would Rafa betray me? What does he have to gain by that? Is it as simple as seeking his father’s approval? Christ. How pathetic if that’s it.
I get up, brush my hand through my hair. I walk out of the study and to the man standing at the patio.
“Is she still down there?”
He nods. “She’s on the phone with her brother is what I’m told.”
My cell phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out, swipe the green bar when I see it’s Lucas, the man overseeing the surveillance of both Rafa’s house and my uncle’s.
“Yes?” I ask.
“Rafa’s got company,” Lucas says.
“Who?”
“Your cousin. Clara.”
“Clara? She’s in Syracuse.”
“Not anymore she’s not. Want us to go in?”
“No. Not yet. I’m on my way.”
“Stefan, is that a good idea?” Lucas asks. He’s been around a long time. Served my father before me. He knows our family. And he’s warned about the Catalano family since the day of my father’s death.
“It’s a fine idea.” My voice comes tight and short as I walk out of the house and tell one of my men to have the Bugatti brought around.
“I know that family, Stefan. I’ve known them longer than you. They’re no good. Your father knew it, too.”
