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“Done.”
“I just received a call from Dimitri Fedorov.”
“What did he want?” Lucas asks, with all the suspicion I would expect under the circumstances.
“A favor for a favor. He wants me to meet him at the Majestic tonight after closing. Alone.”
“Alone? Fuck that,” Lucas mutters.
“He picked the Majestic because he knows you’d never do anything to destroy it,” Cristiano says carefully.
The Majestic Café, with its baroque architecture, is frequented by tourists as well as locals. But when it first opened, it was a meeting place for the city’s elite—writers, politicians, artists, and others gathered to cement Porto’s future.It’s an irreplaceable landmark, much like Santa Ana’s church.
“But he wouldn’t hesitate,” Cristiano adds. “That gives him a huge advantage.”
“I agree.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I’m going. I don’t hide.”
“Alone?” Lucas asks, like I’m insane.
“Not a chance.”
55
ANTONIO
Istare out the tinted SUV window, wondering what Fedorov has in store for me. But even my mortality isn’t enough to keep my mind off Daniela. She was going to talk to Valentina about camp this morning and then call me. I haven’t heard a peep from her. Not sure what it means.Only one way to find out.
“Bom dia,” I say when she answers. “What’s all that racket?”
“I’m in the kitchen.” She sounds frazzled.
“Slaughtering chickens?”
“Very funny. Makingarroz doce. But Victor’s going to be back soon, and I need to be out so he can prepare a midday meal for the workers.”
“You’re makingarroz doce?”
“Yes. It was Isabel’s favorite dessert and it’s her birthday tomorrow. I thought we would have it for heralma.”
Unlike me, Isabel doesn’t need offerings for her soul. But this sort of thing, steeped in tradition, is something Daniela would never ignore. “Have you talked to Valentina about camp?”
“Yes. She’s excited. Maybe a little nervous too, but mostly excited. Everyone’s doing their best to keep her busy, but I think it’s been hard for her without friends. I’m going to miss her.”
“Don’t sound so wistful. It’s two weeks.” Although it could be more, but there’s no reason to share this yet.
“It’s not just about that. When I asked her to help me make thearroz doce, she balked. And then she said she’s behind in her reading, and she’s not sure she’ll be able to make tomorrow night’s dinner.”
I can feel Daniela’s anxiety from here.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing,” she admits, with some sadness. “Dr. Lima told me I have to give Valentina opportunities to remember Isabel, and that I should talk about her often, but she cautioned me to let her deal with Isabel’s death on her own terms.”
I don’t like the unhappiness in her voice, or the worry.Not one bit.“You’re the adult. You’re permitted to set rules, even for a child in mourning. Coming down for dinner isn’t an unreasonable expectation, especially when it’s an occasion. The more you let her get away with, the less safe she’s going to feel.”
