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“Not on my team. I lost count of the number of shooters, but at least seven, maybe eight. Did we kill them all? I certainly hope so.”
Nicholas heard a quiet voice in his ear. “It’s Louisa, Adam is fine. Is Lia okay?”
Nicholas said, “She’s being attended to.” And to the lieutenant, “Where will she be taken?”
“Ospedale San Giovanni e Paolo. It is five minutes away.”
Nicholas repeated the info to Louisa. “Mike and I will meet you there. Louisa, tell Adam to stay put and keep pulling information. You’ll need to come back and assist the Carabinieri to figure out what just happened.”
Caldoni said, “Who are you talking to?”
“A brilliant forensics specialist, FBI. Her name is Special Agent Louisa Berry. She will help you. Take me to the hospital, right now.”
Caldoni drew himself up, all stiff and commanding. “I regret to tell you, signore, that we will need statements from everyone on your team who was involved, and we will have to re-create the scene—”
“Let me rephrase, Caldoni. I am going to the hospital with my colleagues. Your boss can speak to me there.” Then he turned and walked toward the palace, leaving Caldoni cursing behind him.
He said into his comms, “Mike, is she all right?”
“It looks bad, Nicholas. As she said, the bullet hit her high on her chest, just missed the body armor. They are taking her away now. She’s unconscious.”
“Come down. We’re going to the hospital.”
The lieutenant appeared at his elbow. “And I will take you there. You are not going to just walk away from this mess, Agent Drummond. My superiors want answers.”
“Fine. You mean Major Russo?”
Caldoni nodded.
“He can give me answers as well. Let’s go, you can get us there even faster.”
Mike jogged up to him, rubbing her bloody hands together, like Lady Macbeth.
“Lieutenant Caldoni, Special Agent Michaela Caine.”
Mike got in his face. “This shouldn’t have happened. Where were you, Lieutenant?”
Caldoni said in credible English, “Signorina, we came when we were supposed to come.”
“That’s Special Agent Signorina.” She waved her hand around. “This should not have happened.”
“No,” Caldoni said, “it shouldn’t have happened. It will harm tourism.”
It was close, but Mike didn’t punch him.
“Let’s go,” Nicholas said. Caldoni led them around the corner, across a bridge, and into a speedboat. “It is faster than walking,” he said, and they roared off.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Ospedale San Giovanni e Paolo
Venice, Italy
When they raced into the emergency center, Lia was already being taken to surgery.
Lieutenant Caldoni guided them to a small waiting room and asked them to stay there while he called Major Russo. There was a small Nespresso machine on a side table. While Mike watched numbly, Nicholas made shots of espresso for both of them. Usually Mike drank her coffee black, but after one look at her, Nicholas poured three sugar packets in hers.
They drank silently. Nicholas set down his paper cup and put his head in his hands.
