“That’s never stopped a butterfly from flying anywhere before.” Dominic takes down another box. “Christmas decorations.” Then he puts it on a nearby table.
“Why are you not taking this seriously?” Frustration lingers in my tone.
“Because comments made by a man high on meds aren’t credible and it’s not helping us figure out who is behind this.”
I whirl around to face him. “Don’t you understand the dead butterfly is a reference to me. My dad, Bruno, and Salvatore always called me Farfalla, butterfly, he’s saying I’m going to die.”
“I’m well aware of your nickname, Cipi.” Dominic retorts. He takes out his phone. “If it makes you feel better I’m going to make a note to check on that. It sounds like he pulled these comments from a book or something.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“So Bruno is a poet now?”
“Just shut up.” I groan. “You’re not being helpful at all. I know there is a connection with the chess pieces and the attempted assassinations. I just don’t know how.”
Turning back to the task at hand, I read the faded handwriting scrawled across the lids.
Christmas decorations.
Halloween decorations.
Easter decorations.
Who knew I had this many decorations.
Then I see notes about old ledgers and surveillance backup tapes.
“I’m kind of hoping the chess set isn’t in here,” Dominic muses. “That would mean someone had to break into your house and come down here to get it.” He pulls down a few boxes from the top shelf.
“If it’s not then that means it’s still at my mother’s house and we’ll have to go over there to get it.” I open up another box but it’s a disappointment.
“It will be nice to see your mother after all these years.” Dominic opens a box. “Should I bring her flowers?”
“Absolutely not. If we do have to go over there to find the chess set, we’ll be sneaking inside.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he retorts.
I freeze at his comment. My cheeks grow red.
“You know I vaguely remember a long time ago climbing through the window to get into your bedroom.”
His back is to me as he works, but I hear a hint of smugness in his voice.
My heart starts beating faster. Exhaling sharply, I trace my fingers across the metal shelf. “Yeah. I remember how much you liked sleeping in my bed,” I shoot back. “Until you didn’t…”
He stiffens at my remark. I don’t think he was expecting a comeback. “I liked a lot more than just your bed,” he mutters. “But any bed was better with you in it.”
Whoa!
This conversation just took a huge detour down a road filled with neon signs saying turn back now. I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants. The air feels heavy with everything we aren’t saying.
I set the box down harder than I mean to. Dust clouds the air and I cough. “Let’s just find the damn chess set,” I mutter. Even though I know in my gut it’s not here.
Dominic chuckles. “Always using sass to cover what you bury deep inside.”
I turn around and look at him. “You do the same.”
“I’m not sassy.” Dominic faces me.
