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“Who is it?” Cain asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know.”
“Just answer it,” he says.
I do just that and put the call on speaker before talking. “Who is this?”
“Buona serata,” the voice greets. “My name is Sergio Bianchi.”
I tense. What the fuck?
“Is this Signore Leonardo Ursini?” he asks.
I don’t answer. “What do you want, Bianchi?”
“Oh, nothing much. Only to return something of yours.”
What?
“Leo!” I hear Jodie’s voice over the phone.
My heart stops. No!
“Jodie!” I pick up the phone and press it against my ear. “Jodie, where are you? Are you safe? Did – ?”
“Sorry,” Sergio cuts me off. “But you’ll have to ask her the questions in person. You’ll have to pick her up, of course. I’m afraid she doesn’t know how to get out of here.”
“You son of a bitch!” I hiss at the phone as my temper spikes. “What have you done to Jodie? Where is she?”
“I’ll send you the address. Do come alone. Oh, and this is between you and me. No telling Papa.”
He hangs up. I throw the phone on the bed.
“Fuck!”
“Calm down, Leo,” Cain tells me.
“Like hell I can calm down!” I grip my hair as I sit on the edge of the bed. “You just told me that bastard probably killed Mom. Now, he’s got Jodie.”
And God knows what he’s already done to her.
I bury my face in my hands. No, I can’t think of that. I can’t. If I do, I’ll lose my mind, and I can’t afford that right now. Jodie’s waiting for me.
“Do you want me to rescue her?” Cain asks.
“No.” I draw a deep breath and stand up.
Jodie got me out of jail. She saved me. Now, it’s my turn to save her.
“I’ll get her back myself,” I promise Cain.
And I’m going to make that Sergio Bianchi regret laying a finger on the women I love.
I’m coming for you, Bianchi.
~
I arrive at the address Bianchi gave me two hours later. Just one look around and I realize it’s an abandoned amusement park. Creepy.
What next? Are the lights are going to come on? Is music going to start playing? Are the rides going to start moving? I doubt they still can. Everything my flashlight shines on looks rusty and dusty.
I walk slowly, keeping my eyes open and my ears sharp. At the same time, I think.
Where would Bianchi keep Jodie in a place like this? Inside the funhouse? In a bumper car? In one of those spinning teacups? Surely not in one of the cars of the Ferris wheel.
Where is that bastard, anyway? He should have shown up by now. Unless he isn’t here and Jodie isn’t here. Unless he tricked me. Unless all this is just a trap like Cain warned me, about to spring at any moment.
Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching me from behind. I draw my gun and turn around quickly, ready to shoot. I don’t pull the trigger, not as I see the person standing in front of me.
Jodie. With a gun of her own. Pointed right at me.
What the hell?
Chapter Twenty-One
Jodie
“Drop the gun, Leo,” I order him as I grip mine.
I may not carry a gun around but I do know how to use one, and right now, I happen to have an urge to do just that.
“Now!” I demand when Leo doesn’t move.
For another moment, he remains standing there, frozen in place with his eyes and mouth gaping like an idiot. Then he finally lowers his gun.
“I said drop it!”
It clatters to the ground and Leo puts his hands up. He still looks completely in shock.
“Jodie, I don’t know what’s going on, but whatever it is, I’ll help you, okay?”
Help me? I snort.
“We’ll work it out. Just put the gun away.”
We? There’s no we.
“No,” I tell him as I keep my weapon pointed at his head. “I’m not listening to you anymore. I’m done playing the fool.”
He gives me a puzzled look. “What?”
First he tries to pretend he’s my friend. Now he’s playing innocent? Tricks. All tricks. I’m not falling for any of them anymore.
“You’ve been lying to me all this time and you know it. I trusted you and you still kept secrets from me. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?”
“Jodie…”
“I trusted you.” I try to keep my voice and my hands steady as I fight back tears. “I relied on you. I helped you. I had sex with you. I got you out of jail. I…”
I draw a deep breath as my chest aches.
No, I can’t say it. I can’t. It hurts too much.
“I trusted you, Leo,” I repeat instead. “And you toyed around with me like you always do.”
“Is that what Sergio Bianchi told you?” Leo asks me. “Was he the one who gave you that gun?”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m asking the questions.”
And this time, I’m getting all the answers. No more secrets.
