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I peer a little closer but can make nothing out and Pasquale shakes his head. “The car is nothing special, with no license plates. The figures could be anyone, and the motive is undetermined.”
“I don’t like it.”
I’m uneasy as I sense something is coming to bite me hard and Pasquale nods grimly. “I feel the same.”
“Any more camera shots?”
He shakes his head. “Just a few, but they only show the retreating vehicle before it hits the highway. I had word from my man in the police control room and he told me the car was abandoned just outside Boulder and torched. There was nothing left of it when the fire crews got there.”
“What about any cameras?”
“There aren’t any.” Pasquale sighs. “I’m guessing they knew that already, and our only chance is to wait for someone to spill the info we need as the soldiers sweep the city.”
“Which they are doing now.” I fix him with a hard look, and he nods. “Of course. By morning, we should have something at least.”
I stretch out and take another long drag of the cigarette, loving how it calms my rough edges, and I say bitterly.
“I’m guessing this is only the beginning. Hit the streets hard. I don’t like this at all and until we know who was responsible, none of us are safe.”
Pasquale nods. “Consider it done.”
I chuck back the contents of the glass and relish the burn before standing and heading for the door.
“Inform me the moment you have news. I’m heading to the shower and then to crash for a couple of hours.”
Pasquale nods and turns back to his computer screen as I leave his den, confident he will do a good job of finding the information I need.
As I head to my room, I’m weary and not just from the late hour. I’m weary of this fucked up life that seems out to bite me whenever it can. Something deep inside is telling me who is responsible because even without proof, I know this has Mario and Diana written all over it. It is drenched in their evil and I know the stakes are high.
They want my father’s business, which means they must take out his three sons first. I’m guessing I’m not the only one who will be targeted and so before I shower, I do something that sets my teeth on edge.
I call the only family I have left.
They both answer the group call immediately and for some reason my heart beats fast as I prepare to speak to my two brothers for the first time since I left that night.
Matteo speaks first.
“Domenico. It’s been a long time.”
Leonardo adds,“You must want something.”
I grind my teeth and growl, “I have Diana’s sister.”
There’s silence as I guessed there would be because if I’m certain of one thing, it’s that my brothers hate Diana and Mario almost as much as I do.
Leonardo says grimly,“What’s your plan?”
“To use her to bring down her sister.”
“How exactly?”Matteo sounds interested, which doesn’t surprise me because he’s always been the master manipulator and I growl, “I’m using her to claim her inheritance.”
There’s a short silence as my words register because our father’s last will and testament is due to be read next week, and I have been dreading every minute of it. I’m guessing he left everything to his merry widow, but the business is unknown. As his sons, we are the most likely successors and will be required to step up and take the business back from the current caretakers.
“How?”Matteo will be thinking through all the possibilities already and I snarl, “A visit to the bank should be a start. It needs to be soon because I’m certain Diana and Mario are trying to make certain we are in no position to claim our inheritance.”
“What happened?”
Leonardo speaks up harshly and, as our older brother, he is the one who is set to inherit the title of Don Ortega and is therefore the biggest target.
