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As Mitch and I mingled with our dearest friends, Courtney, who had arrived home with Brad, was the first to catch a glint of my engagement ring. Her eyes let up with a mischievous gleam as she grabbed my hand. "Oh, Amy, it is so unique. Is this what you and Mitch picked out? It looks like an antique."
By now, all the gals were standing around, and as Mum pushed to the front of the crowd, I explained how I had happened upon Mitch in the basement and spoiled his surprise. "It was Mitch's great-grandmothers. And Mum, she was Sicilian."
Suddenly she yelled, "Giuseppe, come here! Mitch might be one of our distant relatives!" Mum grabbed my hand with her free one to inspect the ring while balancing Ava with the other. "What a way to find out!"
Martha, Ariel's mother who lived in Guy’s guest house, came out from a private room and congratulated me. She also offered to take Ava to join the other kids, being entertained with games, prizes, and a ventriloquist. I thanked Martha for her kindness and for looking after the kids so that we could celebrate. Martha collected Ava and her diaper bag and said, "I'm so happy for you, Amy!"
We all laughed, then clinked our glasses of Champagne in cheer. However, the evening was far from over, as the dining room soon filled with an array of steaming Italian delicacies. After we enjoyed our food, Papa stood up and made a toast to our future in grand form before Mitch, and I were the first to dance to the sound of “We Found Love.”
After a few hours of raucous celebration and several bottles of Champagne, as usual, the women ended up on one side of the room telling Mum about our safe house adventures. My mother was the best gasper I had ever encountered. She gasped and shivered time after time as each one of us told our story. Then we all gasped when Courtney told us about how she and Brad encountered a bear while hiking near their campground. “We dropped our backpacks and barely escaped with our lives while the bear feasted on the snacks inside!”
However, when we heard Agent Downing's name mentioned from the men’s side of the room, we joined them and listened for any snippets of information that Papa was revealing about the Rosedale saga. With cigar smoke swirling around his head Papa explained with expansive gestures how he and Mum were getting out of the lease on the apartment by purchasing the penthouse instead and that he was planning to sell the family business in Vail.
"Now that Amy and Mitch are settling down, Elana and I want to be a part of their lives and can’t wait to spoil our one and only grandchild, little Ava.”
"What about your brother, Antonio? Is he still around?" Chase asked as he pulled up a chair for Meagan to join in.
"No. Antonio flew back to Vegas the same day. But that doesn't mean he has abandoned us."
"How, so?" Guy asked, leaning closer and lighting a cigar of his own.
"Here's the update,” Papa said. “Agent Downing sent several videotapes from various places and a pile of photos of evidence. We don't have access to the real evidence.... yet!" He grinned mischievously. "I suspect there will be an extra, fee.... if we want any of that."
"Why would we want the original stuff, like the clothes Meagan was wearing when she was rescued after her kidnapping.... or the sign Amy held up during her ordeal?" Mitch asked.
"Oh, there are a hundred reasons! But, most importantly, to have a private lab do forensic testing. Or perhaps, we don't want that evidence around. Something that might implicate one of you!"
"What do you mean..." Daniel asked, alarmed. "You don't think any of us are behind this, do you Mr. Russo?"
Papa held up his hand in rebuttal. "No, I don’t, but you never know. Let’s say, for example, the perp is caught, and the case goes to trial. A good defense attorney can perform miracles. So, sometimes it's best if anything incriminating is lost. You know, disappeared, or too destroyed to be of any use to the defense. Of course, there will be an extra fee for those services, too! Antonio will have to send someone from Vegas to handle matters of that sort."
This issue made me nervous, and I could tell the other gals felt the same, so I asked a new question. "Papa, where is Mitch's attorney, Mr. Ferrara? Is he going to be involved in this? Mitch told me he had no idea he was a US Marshall."
Papa took a long draw from his cigar and blew a few smoke rings, thinking before he answered. "Ferrara and I go way back. Of course, that's the reason I trusted him with Mitch's custody case. He is a retired colonel. His expertise is in law enforcement, and he has a lot of experience in covert intelligence gathering. Ferrara has connections that Antonio doesn't have access to, which makes him a valuable asset... or, in layman's terms. He's a good friend to have on our side."
Daniel scooted back in his chair. "I just want you to know how much Rosedale appreciates your assistance in this case."
Papa chuckled. "All I've done so far is arrange a seasoned security team for you.”
"Hey, anything is an improvement, as far as I'm concerned," Ryder added.
"I'll have more for you in the next few days when Antonio's men have a chance to review what we've got. Figuring this out should be a piece of cake for them. They're used to dealing with all sorts of crime. My brother’s biggest liabilities are the staff members at the casinos. There's always a few that think they are wise guys."
Soon we were all saying our goodbyes and gathering our sleepy kids. When we stepped outside, a line of limos driven by our security guards were waiting to whisk us away to our homes. Mitch and I slid in the back with Ava's car carrier between us. I was admiring my ring as the light from the streetlamp set the diamonds ablaze when we stopped at a red light not far from the bungalow.
When I glanced up at our surroundings, I did a double take. "Mitch! See that yellow bike over there in the bike rack outside the Stop-and-Go?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I think that's the bike the guy was riding." As the light turned green and we moved on, I rolled down the tinted window to get a clearer look. “Now, I’m sure of it. That's the same yellow bike, alright. It has a dented back fender!"
"Bob! Did you hear that!" Mitch asked, tapping him on the shoulder.
"Yes, sir. You two stay in the car and let me handle this,” Bob told us as he pulled up and parked between the building and the bike rack to provide privacy. We both watched in awe as he opened the glove compartment and took something out, something small. In a few swift moves, he eased out of the driver's seat, took a few steps to the bike, and pressed what he was carrying under the bike's back fender. Then, chuckling, he got in and eased the vehicle out of the parking lot, grabbing his phone.
"Is that what I think it is?" Mitch asked.
"If you are thinking of an AirTag, you are correct," Bob said, pulling up an app on his phone. "But it's no ordinary AirTag. Antonio specially ordered these. They can be detected within a 5-mile radius. They don't work off Bluetooth like the regular ones. I'll get an alert when the bike moves."
