Chapter 90: Mafia Kings: Massimo: Chapter 91

After the briefing, Lars ordered the men into the boats.

Before we left, there was one last thing for me to do, no matter how much I was dreading it:

I borrowed Adriano’s phone and called the Widow’s palazzo.

When a man answered, I said, “I need to speak to Signora Fioretti. Tell her it’s Massimo Rosolini.”

Five seconds later, the old lady answered.

“Your cousin has my granddaughter,” she said, her voice furious.

“Aurelio called you, didn’t he,” I said, my stomach twisting nervously.

“Not only that, he SHOWED her to me.”

I frowned. “What?! Where?”

“They’re in the bell tower on the island of San Michele. I can see her from my bedroom window with a pair of binoculars, along with your cousin and some man in a ridiculous hat.”

Zollner.

I gestured to Lars, who came jogging over. “Is she alright?” I asked the Widow.

“She’s ALIVE, no thanks to YOU. What the hell happened?”

“Aurelio hired a professional hunter who found us and kidnapped her early this morning.”

While I spoke, Lars produced the map of the island. I tapped the bell tower.

Lucia? he mouthed silently.

I nodded and mouthed Aurelio and Zollner as I continued to tap the map.

Lars had suspected that was where Zollner would set up shop. Now we had confirmation that Lucia and Aurelio were there, too.

While we were doing all that, the Widow snarled, “And this hunter – he oh-so-conveniently didn’t kill YOU?”

“It’s a trap. Aurelio wants me to storm the island with my brothers so he can kill us all at once.”

“I see. So you safely sit on the sidelines while my granddaughter – ”

“We’re in Treporti,” I interrupted. “We leave for San Michele as soon as I hang up the phone.”

There was a long pause.

When she finally spoke, the Widow sounded almost apologetic.

“…I see I have underestimated you once again.”

“I called to let you know I’m going to get Lucia.”

“And if you don’t succeed?”

“Then they can bury me right there on the island.”

She chuckled darkly. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Pray.”

“Considering how I’ve lived the last 40 years, I’m not sure those prayers will be answered,” she said wrily.

“Doesn’t hurt to try.” I thought back to Florence, when Bianca flipped the car to save me and Adriano. “Actually – can you get a helicopter to airlift anyone off of San Michele?”

“Yes, I can.”

“Might be a good idea to have two of them, just in case.”

“I should warn you, I will order them NOT to help your cousin, even if he would otherwise live.”

“Fine by me.”

“Alright, they’ll be on standby.” There was another pause, and the Widow asked, “Why are you doing this? It’s not just to gain an ally against your uncle, is it.”

I pondered whether I should tell her…

Then decided I might as well.

“Over the last three weeks, I fell in love with Lucia.”

“…I see. And does she feel the same way about you?”

“She does.”

“Then I should warn you, I lost my son and daughter-in-law when Lucia was very young – ”

“She told me.”

“…she did?” the Widow asked, astounded.

“She told me about the car crash your enemies planned, and the assassin on the motorcycle, and how you came to get her after it was all over.”

Then came the longest pause of all.

“My granddaughter must care about you immensely, Massimo… because she has not spoken to me about it once in the 15 years since it happened.”

My heart both expanded with joy and ached with grief. I realized how much Lucia trusted me… and how much I had failed her by not protecting her.

“I… I didn’t know that.”

The Widow’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Please… bring her back to me.”

“I will,” I promised. “Or I’ll die trying.”