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“Where the fuck are they?” Fabi voiced the question that we were both thinking as I frantically rang my security at the estate. When they told me Stefano and Elle had left minutes after us, my heart dropped and I felt sick to my stomach.
Fabi and I climbed into my car, while I checked the tracker on Stefano's phone. It showed he was still in Catania. For the long drive, I continued to try calling him, but every time it rang out and his voicemail kicked in, my breathing became more erratic and the panic intensified.
“Do you think he got to her? Giovanni? Instead of meeting with you, he knew where she was?” Fabi asked as I stared out the window at the scenery of my home country while we sped back towards Catania. I couldn’t speak. I was trying to hold onto my sanity with every angry inhale and exhale of breath. I couldn’t even think of anything over the thundering concern for Elle’s safety. I needed to know where she was. If she was okay. It was all I cared about.
Just as we passed into the border of Catania, my phone started ringing. I stared at the caller ID with wide eyes. It was Giorgio. One of the high-ranking police officers who worked for me, keeping my shit under wraps and the spotlight off me when things got intense.
“Giorgio?”
“We have a problem.”
My chest tightened and I held my breath. At that moment, I knew. I knew it involved Elle. And I knew it would tear me apart.
“One of your men was found by a civilian in the middle of a road, two miles from your home. He was shot multiple times before a hit and run. No witnesses. His car was parked at the side of the road and I knew from the licence plate that he was one of yours.”
“ID?” was all I managed to say through the pounding of blood in my ears.
“Stefano Pelosi.”
I closed my eyes as my worst fear came true. Uncontrolled rage and pain were all I could feel. For my friend. My protector. The man who had been by my side since I was a boy. Murdered in broad daylight.
“A girl. He was with a girl.”
“No sign of anyone else at the scene. There are tyre marks on the road, but apart from that we have nothing. Don’t worry, we have this under wraps. The media won’t get their hands on this. But you should also know a fire was reported. Only a mile away. An old storage building. The fire is out, but bodies have been found inside, though we are unable to identify them at this time. It could be connected.”
Fabi’s eyes bulged as I stared at him. “I need that location right now.”
“I think it is best you stay away, Barbieri. Keep your hands clean of this-”
“Location!” I roared, unable to keep calm any longer. Giorgio sighed and reluctantly agreed to text me the address. I hung up and pounded my fists into the headrest in front, swearing and slamming my body back into the leather seat as Fabi rubbed his hands down his face.
“It might not even be connected!” He tried to calm me with his words but we both knew it was futile. My whole body was trembling. I couldn’t think straight. All I could think about was Elle. About the bodies in this fire. I couldn’t bear to even allow the horrific thoughts to come to the forefront of my mind.
We parked further down the road, away from the swarms of fire engines and police cars to stop us from being seen. I climbed out the car and looked over at the abandoned building, smoke still rising from the debris and leaned my hands on the bonnet of the car. Dropping my head to my chest, I squeezed my eyes closed and silently prayed. I wasn’t a religious man by any means. But for the first time in my life, I was willing to beg. Beg to the universe that Elle was not one of those bodies. That my whole life, as I had known it, had not just crumbled to the ground around me. Because I wouldn’t survive it. The man I am right now would no longer exist. The man I would become was too terrifying to acknowledge.
I had no idea how long I stood like that, but when I felt Fabi’s hand on my shoulder, I glanced up to see Giorgio walking towards me in his uniform. He looked extremely solemn and worried. I started shaking my head and stepped back. No. I didn’t want to hear this. Whatever he was about to say, I couldn’t listen to it. But I had to. I had to know.
He nodded to Fabi first before his sorrowful eyes rested on me. “There were four bodies. We can’t identify them until the coroner does a full inspection, but we know they were three males and…”
He paused as my jaw clenched so tightly; I thought it might break.
“And one female. I’m sorry.”
“Fuck,” Fabi’s hand slammed over his mouth as I continued to stare at Giorgio, refusing to listen as he continued to talk. I saw his lips moving, but I couldn’t hear a sound. Just deafening white noise. It was only when he suddenly held up an evidence bag with a necklace inside that caused me to blink rapidly and my hearing returned.
“This was recovered from the female body.”
I reached out for the clear bag with a shaky hand, studying the gold, heart-shaped locket. I sank to my knees on the hard tarmac road as an overwhelming mix of emotions took over when I realised who this belonged to.
“Fuck, man. Alessio, I’m so fucking sorry. We will find whoever did this-” Fabi started speaking angrily beside me as I continued to stare at the necklace.
“It’s not Elle,” my voice was so quiet that I doubted he even heard me properly.
“What?”
“It’s not Elenora. It’s… Isabelle. This was her mamma’s necklace. She never took it off.”
I craned my head to look up at Fabi as his large brown eyes stared at me in disbelief.
