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“Uh-huh.” She nods.
“Good.”
Angelica is looking out the windows and checking the mirrors. I wait until we’re on the street before I instruct the car’s automation system to call Helena. She answers after five rings. I can hear the hustle of the café in the background. “Neo, unless you’re dying, can you call back? It’s crazy busy in here this morning.”
“Hel, did you get it done?” I ask.
“Yep, it’s all set up. Care to tell me why you’ve had a bedroom fitted out for a child in your house? For a little girl, to be precise?” she asks, like she doesn’t already know.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the questioning look Angelica is sending my way. “Nope. Did you tell anyone?” I address Helena.
“Who would I tell, Neo? The New York Times? I doubt they’d care.” She laughs.
“This is important, Helena. Did you tell anyone?” I say more urgently.
“No. Why? What’s going on?”
“Nothing. Thanks, sis. I gotta go. But do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone about what I had you do.” Hanging up, I dial the next person on my list. I know I shouldn’t. I know I should let him rest and recover. I also know it’ll be my ass if I don’t touch base.
Shit… Reaching over, I take hold of Angelica’s hand and squeeze. She’s not going to like hearing what I have to say. Before I can warn her, T’s voice rings out through the car. “Neo, it’s fucking early. What the fuck do you want?”
“You don’t think I can tell the time, boss? And watch your fucking mouth. I have a very sweet and innocent eight-year-old in my car. And I’d like her to stay that way, regardless of your bad influence.” Turning, I wink at Izzy and she giggles. Her laughter is the light shining through everything fucked up and dark in our world.
“Spiacente, Bella. How are you?” T says.
“I’m okay, Zio T,” Izzy responds.
“What do you need, Neo?”
“Remember when we were kids and had to sleep in Helena’s room with her for a month?” I ask him the one thing I know he’ll never forget. We were both holed up in my sister’s room when she insisted she kept seeing someone in the corner at night. We were kids ourselves, but we weren’t taking any chances. I wasn’t going to lose another sister. It turned out to be nothing. She’d wake us up screaming at all hours, plagued by nightmares.
“Yeah, I do,” T answers in a more serious tone. “Where you headed?”
“My house.”
“I thought you were going there last night,” he replies.
“Turns out your sister is as stubborn as you are.”
“She’s not stubborn, just smart.” The line cuts out.
Chapter Fourteen
What the hell is going on? Why is this idiot speaking to my brother in some kind of code? I really am about to shoot him, take Izzy, and start running. “Neo, you have five seconds to tell me what’s going on.”
Instead of answering, he looks into the rearview mirror. “You doing okay back there, Bel?” he asks Izzy.
I think I’m losing my mind. I should be extremely concerned by the way Neo is acting towards my daughter. Like he’s her father or something. I know I should put a stop to this. However, when I look back at Izzy, she seems… happy.
She nods her head, but for some reason, she won’t meet my eyes. “Izzy? Do you know what’s going on here?” I ask her.
After a moment, she looks up and nods her head. “I told Neo about the man. Do you think the man will find me again, Neo?” she asks.
My head is spinning. “Izzy, what man?”
“The one at the hotel. He was in my room.”
I freeze. My whole body shakes with rage. I look to Neo for answers. Someone needs to fill me in here before I lose my mind.
