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“Who are you?” I said in my best authoritative voice. My Italian had been a bit rusty, but it was coming back with usage. Like muscle memory.
“We’re with you.”
“Why?”
The taller one looked familiar. But in a sea of black suits, it had been difficult to memorize all the faces.
“I’m Matteo, Cristo’s friend,” the tall one said.
That was all that was needed to jog my memory.
Matteo and Cristo had been inseparable as kids. Annoying as hell—like little brothers used to be—but they’d always been together.
“It took me a moment to recognize you, Matteo.” I hugged him and kissed both his cheeks.
I still couldn’t be one hundred percent sure. But I needed his help. “Can you give me the keys to the last vehicle, please? I need to make a private phone call.”
“Of course, Signore Falcone.”
I chuckled. “Gabe.”
Matteo shuffled through a bunch of key fobs.
I needed to get used to my new role. Signore Falcone. Soon they would call me Don—if I survived that long. Was Stellina telling the truth?
Had Fausto attempted to poison me?
There was only one way to find out, but first, I needed to hide her.
Matteo handed me a key fob.
“Grazie, mille.” I bowed, then made my way back.
I opened the trunk first, let them think I intended to sit there.
I waited, watched them, and pretended to talk to my mother on the phone—while recording my voice.
At first, they looked at me every now and then, but when they finally turned their backs on me, I sprang into action.
I left the phone in the trunk, replayed the recording, then bridged the distance to the garage, and hoisted her up against my body.
Luck was on my side because they still had their backs to me when I dumped her into the trunk.
I searched for some rope and found one.
Mafia 101: always have your trunk stacked with all the things you might need to hurt, kill, or threaten.
I looked at her in the dim light. I’d put her to sleep, but she wouldn’t stay that way for long, and once she was awake, she damn sure wouldn’t stay put—the exact opposite of what I needed her to do to remain undetected.
I tied her hands behind her back, slung the rope around her feet, and tied both together.
She wouldn’t be able to get up.
Then I wrapped her into a fleece blanket I found so she wouldn’t get cold staying immovable for so long.
I pulled my tie over my head and made a double knot.
I skimmed her milky white skin, then forced my finger inside her mouth, opened it, and placed the knot between her jaws, and fastened it behind her head in a makeshift gag.
