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"Does she need a doctor?" That was a perfectly valid question for Carlotta to ask.
I shook my head. "No. She's recovering."
"Psychologist?"
What was she trying to imply? "I think that's obsolete."
"Yes, maybe for you. But maybe she would like to talk about what happened. She wasn't just kidnapped once, someone kidnapped her twice. Both times she almost died. There would be nothing wrong with her wanting to talk to a psychologist. Not everyone grows up like we did and learns at the tender age of five how to gut their own kills."
It had been a rather clever move on our father's part. Teaching us to hunt and to develop a certain security in dealing with weapons and death, already at such a young age, had led to the fact that we had not reacted to the later events as sensitive as a normal child would have done.
"She'll be fine, Carlotta," I repeated.
Something convinced me of that. Gia was a fighter, through and through. I didn't know many details about her past, but what she had told me so far suggested that she was good at pushing through. No matter how difficult it got.
She just had to find her way back to a normal state from which she could process what she had experienced. I offered her the framework for this, a comprehensive security, and the rest was in her own hands.
"If you preach that to her as unemotionally as you just said it, she won't stay with you long."
Once again I rolled my eyes. Carlotta had no idea. The relationship between Gia and me differed from the one I had with her or my brothers.
I wouldn't tell Carlotta, but at that moment I would much rather have been home near Gia, giving her the support she needed. Whatever it was.
"Just because you were involved in the rescue operation, you can't make wild claims about our relationship with each other now," I replied with a sharp warning in my voice.
Appeasing, she raised her hands. "I'm just trying to understand how you, of all people, came to see this woman more than once. That's not your usual modus operandi."
Which, of course, she was right about
However, I did not miss my usual approach. Since Gia had faced me in that warehouse and placed her life in my hands with so much faith, everything else had become secondary. Moved into the background, so to speak.
"People change. Situations change. You didn't make such a fuss with Emilio " I looked at Carlotta. Her dark hair, her aristocratic face. She was beautiful. And intelligent. A de Archard.
Still, she possessed an annoying penchant for gossip of any kind and liked to meddle in her siblings' affairs– whether as an amateur psychologist or a relationship coach; it didn't matter. It gave her entertainment and satisfaction, so she wouldn't stop doing it, no matter how many times she was told to.
"With Emilio, it didn't look so hopeless."
"Thanks," I grumbled and was glad when Vincenzo strolled into the room the next moment, distracting us from the conversation.
"Emilio suspects that there is still a small group of French people here in Naples. When he followed up on it a few days ago, there was talk of at least ten people. Today we met only six of them," he summarized the result of his conversation with Emilio.
"And there's no way we can let the rest of them get away with it," I interjected, straightening up a bit.
If it were up to me, we'd be in the car by now, sorting out the rest on the way.
"There's no question about that. We're just not sure yet how we're going to proceed."
"We seek them out, kill all but one, and then we question that one to get all the important information. Simple as that." I clapped my hands and jumped up. "As far as I'm concerned, we can go then."
"Sit down," Vince growled, pointing at me.
I pulled my upper lip up, but followed his command with a grumble and dropped back into my chair.
"Emilio and I have discussed that he should stay out of it. He's already made too many wrong decisions, and I think that influences his opinion. Likewise, it would have a less than favorable impact on anything else that needs to be decided. So the French fall under my command."
I would have protested against it, but I should already be happy if I was allowed to be a part of it at all. So I kept my mouth shut and concentrated on Vince and what he instructed us.
"Natale and I will take care of the remaining men together," he continued, already raising his hand to prevent me from interrupting him. "You will take care of the survivors afterwards. I don't care what you do with them, as long as I get an answer to every question I have."
