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Damien goes and says something to the girl. She looks concerned, wide-eyed and anxious. She puts her drink tray down on the bar and starts to follow Damien back toward us, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Is that Gina?” Mateo asks in a low voice.
“No,” I reply. “But I think she might be the woman that was with us in in the alley when Gina was kidnapped.”
When she gets to our booth, I can see on her face that she recognizes me, too. Then she glances at Mateo. She looks nervous, but Damien gestures for her to sit with us.
“This is my brother, Mateo,” Damien tells the woman. “And his friend, Klein. They just want to talk to you.” Damien looks pointedly at Mateo and me. “This is Lexi. She’s new here.” Damien turns back to Lexi, “Let me know if they cause you any trouble.”
Mateo nods his head for Damien to leave us.
“You know Gina Nicoletti, right?” I ask. I skip over any small talk or pleasantries. I’d like to make this woman comfortable and less nervous, but I think the best way to do that right now is to be straightforward. And I want to get right to the answer if she has it.
The woman nods. “You were at the theater,” she says. “I remember you.”
“Do you also know Luca?” Mateo asks. I hear a slight eagerness in his voice that, for once, he isn’t able to hide.
“I do,” Lexi nods.
“Do you know where either of them are? Have you seen either of them?” I ask.
Lexi nods. She takes a deep breath and then lets it out. She leans forward from her seat.
“Luca told me that if anyone asks, I can tell the truth. Luca and Gina fell in love. They left the country together. The Russians were after Gina for some reason. I don’t know why. They actually broke into our apartment trying to get her.” Lexi looks at me. “They were the ones that grabbed her when we were outside the theater.”
I nod, taking in all the information she’s telling us.
“Luca managed to get her back,” she continues. “But after that they left the country. He said I could stay at his house.”
“Do you know where they went?” Mateo asks, managing to sound more stoic now.
“Have you heard from them?” I ask.
“I think they’re somewhere in Europe,” Lexi says. “But they’re obviously keeping that a secret. Gina sends me a message every so often, but she doesn’t say where they are. It sounds like they’re happy, though.”
I can tell from Lexi’s face that she misses Gina. Maybe Luca, too. I’m so relieved to find out that Gina’s okay. And that she’s happy.
Mateo’s expressions are cryptic again. I can’t tell if he’s relieved that Luca is alive, in love, and happy. Or if he’s angry that Luca has abandoned his life and family for Gina.
“I haven’t told Damien any of this,” Lexi says to Mateo. “I found a flyer for Saints at Luca’s. And it seemed… interesting. So, I applied for a job. I didn’t tell him I knew Luca.”
Mateo nods.
“And some guys came by the house,” Lexi continues. “They were asking about Luca. I got nervous and didn’t tell them much. I just said that he left and told me I could live there.”
Lexi looks at Mateo. She knows he’s in charge, and it’s most likely his say whether she did right or wrong.
Mateo nods again. “It’s fine. Thank you for telling us what you know. I’ll talk to Damien, but it won’t be an issue.”
Lexi looks relieved. I can tell it’s been weighing on her to be hold this information inside.
“You can keep staying at Luca’s,” Mateo adds. “If you want.”
Lexi smiles. “Thanks. Was there anything else you wanted to know?”
Mateo shakes his head and looks at me.
“No,” I say. I pull out my business card and a pen. I write down my personal phone number on the back and hand it to Lexi. “If you need anything, let me know. And tell Gina I’m glad she’s doing well.”
