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The same cabinet where Arianna’s medication kit was stored.
I walked closer to the screen to see better as the woman stood behind the cabinet door, obscuring what she was doing. “Switch cameras.”
Matteo flipped to the other camera from inside the pantry, catching the same scene on the screen. This time, when she hid her actions from everyone else in the kitchen behind the door, we had a clear view.
She opened the lid to Arianna’s med kit, careful not to dislodge it from the brace it was attached to that triggered the alarm. Then, after a quick peek over her shoulder, she removed the two pens from the case and replaced them with exact replicas.
“She replaced them with duds,” Matteo answered the unasked question. Then, two other clips popped up next to each other on the screen, showing her doing the same thing with other kits around the house on the day we returned to the estate. “She ensured that Arianna wouldn’t get the care she needed after she poisoned her.”
“Jesus fuck,” Cristian cursed, “Do you have any idea how lucky she is to be alive, having not only been exposed to her allergen but to have lived twenty minutes without medication to reverse it?” He paced the room. “She had an anaphylactic episode once when we were kids, and it was the scariest thing I’ve ever lived through.” He shook his head horrified.
“Where is the girl now?” Carmine asked.
“Detained,” Matteo answered, shocking us all. “She was trying to flee the village when Davide Bussa came upon her.”
“Molly’s father caught the woman?” I asked for clarification.
“A mass alert went out to all of the staff after identifying her, disclosing the assassination attempt on Arianna. Moments later he saw her running between buildings, still in her uniform. He tackled her and alerted security to her whereabouts.”
“See that he’s compensated,” I responded firmly, “Largely.”
“Yes, Capa.” Matteo nodded. “The woman, Valentina, is secured back at Armarow. How do you want it handled?”
“I’ll do it. Personally.” I sighed, rubbing my hand down my face, trying to figure out how to be with my wife and avenge this vicious attack on her life at the same time.
“I’ll stay,” Carmine said, noting my troubled mind. “Take Cristian with you to handle the maid, And I’ll update you immediately if something changes.”
I mulled that over in my head, torn between not trusting anyone near her anymore, and the burn inside of me calling for bloodshed and answers. While we assumed it was Emilio Rosetti, we needed to know for sure before I wrote off the possibility that it was someone else.
“Dio and Saul will stay with you,” I finally conceded, trusting in Arianna’s favor of her brothers. “Matteo and Molly too.”
“Fine,” Carmine nodded, “I’m quite fond of Molly’s charm.” He winked, missing the glare that Matteo sent at the back of his head before walking back across the hallway to his sister’s side.
“Don’t kill him for flirting with the poor girl,” I ordered Matteo, drawing a curious look from Cristian. “Let him flirt and distract Molly from the peril she’s feeling inside right now if he wants to. It won’t hurt anything, and it might even help the poor girl.”
“Whatever,” Matteo snapped, following after the man like he was afraid to leave him unattended in Molly’s presence. I slapped Cristian on the back and walked out, pausing briefly to look at my still-slumbering wife before heading toward the car.
“Let’s go before I change my mind.”
“I think I’m going to quite enjoy being on this side of the Don’s anger,” He smirked, falling into step next to me.
Chapter 22 – Arianna
TwelveYearsOld
The bright-colored leaves crunched under my boots as I walked through the elaborate grounds. I was told to stay close, not to wander off and be bothersome to anyone, but I never knew what those boundaries of space and behavior were until I already crossed them.
It was like a game my father liked to play to keep me on my toes.
Don’t do anything wrong.
But I’m not going to tell you what’s right or wrong until the game is over.
Nor will I tell you the punishment until I give it.
It was the worst kind of torture sometimes, out of all his sick games. That was saying something because torture was kind of his favorite thing.
At least where I was concerned anyway.
