by J. G. Sumner
He located the private car waiting for him. Inside, he came face to face with Agent Andreo Manchetti. They had been working together for several months via phone and online conferences. Thankfully, Manchetti spoke perfect English, making it easy for him to work with. Manchetti was the one who informed him about Katherine Anderson potentially being in harm’s way. He didn’t know anything about the relationship between her and Massimo Bertalucci, or how they even met. Their concern was that somehow Bertalucci might have gotten caught up with the cartel, thus explaining why his family was murdered, and perhaps, he was bringing Ms. Anderson to the cartel as payment.
“Glad to finally meet you in person. How was your flight?” Manchetti produced his hand and Thompson eagerly shook it.
“Surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. It will be difficult to get used to this time change though.”
“I trust you slept on your flight?”
“I was able to get a couple of hours in.”
“Good because it’s going to be a long day. Let me brief you on what’s happened since you left New York.”
“Excellent.” Thompson produced a pad of paper and pen from his bag in order to take notes.
“Ms. Anderson checked out of her hotel in Florence today, and we had an agent follow her to the station where she then took a train to Siena. At that point, Ms. Anderson rendezvoused with who we presume to be Bertalucci. After that, our agent lost them. We know they took off in a cab, but we were unable to follow. We did find a three-day reservation for Ms. Anderson at the Hotel Athena. That will give us time to keep surveillance on the hotel, and learn her connection to Bertalucci.”
“I appreciate your efforts on locating Ms. Anderson. Although I don’t like the idea of waiting to find out her relationship with Bertalucci. I think we should just bring her in and question her. I don’t want to take a chance by using her as bait. If something goes wrong and she’s placed in the hands of the cartel, there could be very serious consequences—none of which I’m prepared to deal with.”
“I understand your concern, and her safety is a priority for us as well. My men are staking out the hotel as we speak, where they’ll place a tracking device in her bag. That way, we can locate her at all times, even if she somehow gets in the wrong hands.”
“I don’t know. It sounds a bit risky. I think it would be wise to get her back to the States as soon as possible.”
“We don’t know what part she plays in this. We don’t know how or why she’s involved with Bertalucci. We need to at least be able to watch her for a couple of days to make sure she isn’t involved with the cartel.”
“I disagree. We have no evidence to suggest she’s had any interaction with the cartel or Bertalucci. She’s an innocent bystander in all this. From what we’ve learned, she’s had this trip planned for several months. In addition, according to the research I’ve done, she’s supposed to be here with her ex-fiancé. Ms. Anderson has airfare and train tickets purchased for him. However, he didn’t come with her. But even still, these aren’t the actions of someone who’s conspiring with the mafia.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right. Perhaps she doesn’t know what’s going on. Regardless, we need to let this unfold a little more before removing her from the situation.”
“Fine, I’ll go along with your plan, but only for two days. Then I’m taking her on the next plane back to America.”
“Agreed.”
Thompson rubbed his nose and eyes, trying to wipe away the fatigue. His body was stuck on east coast time where it was the middle of the night. His brain was moving at Mach speed processing all the information he’d learned so far. “I’m very interested to find out how she got mixed up with Bertalucci.”
“I am as well.”
He looked out the window as they drove through what was considered the suburbs of Rome. “How far to Siena?”
“The driver is taking us to the train station and the train trip is approximately three hours. In the meantime, I’ve prepared a folder for you to get caught up on the case.”
Thompson reviewed the contents of the folder. He studied the pictures of the Bertalucci family, including Massimo and his brother, Paolo, the agent who was working on the case. The clan stood arm in arm smiling for a family picture; they looked like the average close-knit Italian family. If he didn’t know better, he would think they were posing for a magazine cover. People didn’t look this happy in real life.
He couldn’t imagine Massimo allowing his family to be killed. Something else must be going on. If he was innocent, why didn’t he go to the police? Surely he knew who he could trust. His brother was an agent, so surely they had conversations. The fact that Bertalucci was on the lam, made him appear guilty. This man could be dangerous and Thompson needed to get Katherine away from him.
Chapter Eleven
While waiting for the sun to set so they could leave unnoticed, Tony and Kate sat on the large communal balcony in the hotel. Tony ordered dinner; he wanted to make sure Kate ate so she wasn’t starving later. He also encouraged her to have a couple glasses of wine to calm her nerves. Kate, on the other hand, had been on edge since he explained the plan for leaving the city. Or maybe it was because he got her all fired up and left her hanging. Whatever the case, she needed to relax. She’d almost made her lip bloody, chewing the hell out of it while trying to solve the world’s problems.
After they finished dinner, he took her back to the room so she could put her essentials into a backpack. They needed to move quickly and not draw attention as they left the hotel, so they couldn’t bring her suitcase. She wasn’t even going to check out of the room; she would just leave—for what appeared to be the evening.
“Kate, are you almost ready to go?”
“Yes, I’m just making sure I didn’t forget anything important.”
“It’s seven-thirty and if we don’t leave in the next few minutes, we won’t make it.”
“Okay, okay. Let’s go.” She appeared from the bathroom wearing a long black skirt and matching long-sleeved shirt. She had a gray scarf wrapped around her head, covering her long blonde locks.
The sight of her made his dick wake up and take notice. “Even covered from head to toe, you’re a beautiful woman.”
She blushed and shrugged. What had happened to her that she couldn’t take a compliment? Why did she have such a low self-esteem? What did that dick-head she was supposed to marry do to her? He suddenly felt the need to kick someone’s ass.
“Tony, are you sure there isn’t another way? I’d really like to be able to finish my trip. I didn’t have anything to do with your family. Perhaps if I just go to the embassy, everything can be fixed. You won’t need to run anymore.”
“It’s safer for you this way. We don’t know who is following either of us, and I need to find what my dad left for me.”
“What if you’re killed?”
He shrugged. “It’s a chance I have to take. My family is my blood, and they were killed unnecessarily. I need to make sure that I at least follow through to retrieve whatever items were left for me. My father wouldn’t want it any other way. Now, if you’re ready, we should go.”
She grabbed her backpack and took another look around the room. She was a nervous wreck. Tony wasn’t sure how many times she checked to make sure she had everything. And goddamn if she didn’t fit almost all her belongings in that small backpack.
He slowly opened the door and looked both ways down the hallway. When he was convinced there was no one watching, he motioned for her to follow. It wasn’t until they were in the elevator before he said another word. “I want you to follow my lead. Just let me do all the talking. I’ll head out first to make sure it’s okay to leave the hotel. You hang out in the lobby. It’s important to make it look like we are just going to have dinner or walk around the city.”
“Okay. I can do that.” She gave a halfhearted smile before folding her arms across her chest.
“Good. Here we go.”
The elevator doors
opened.
“Give me your hand.”
She laced her fingers in his as they stepped out and walked through the lobby. When they reached the brochures along the wall, she did as instructed. Tony walked outside to make sure the coast was clear before coming back in to retrieve her.
“Come on, love. We’re going to be late for our dinner reservation.”
She put one of the brochures into her pocket as she made her way toward him. Before too long, they were halfway to the train station.
“That was a nice touch back there, placing the brochure in your pocket.”
“Thank you, but I didn’t mean for it to be.” She pulled the trifold paper from her jacket. “There are these fountains in Rome. I’d like to see them before you take me to the embassy.”
“That’s the Trevi Fountain.”
“The brochure says to throw in a Euro and make a wish. It says if I do this, I’ll be provided safe passage back to Rome.”
“Only if you throw it with your right hand over your left shoulder.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m not sure. That’s just what I’ve always been told.”
“So, would it be okay if we did it?”
“I suppose, but it’s going to be very late by the time we get there. They won’t have the lights on.”
“Can’t we wait until the morning to see it then? I’d really like to get a good look at it. The architecture seems amazing, and I’d like to see the story they created.”
“You can get all that from the pictures.”
“Come on, Tony. You and I both know the pictures don’t capture the feeling of being there in person.”
Tony understood what she was saying, but he also recognized that by the time they got to Rome, the jewelry store would be closed. If they waited until morning, he would have a better shot of obtaining what he needed with her there.
“Fine, I’ll reserve us a hotel once we get to Rome.”
“Are you sure you think it will be okay?”
“Yes, I’ll get us a hotel pretty close to Barberini Square. The fountain is only a few blocks from there. If we stay alert, we can probably get it done before someone recognizes us or realizes you aren’t in Siena anymore.”
“Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
He wanted more than a soft kiss on the cheek; he wanted the whole frickin’ pie! “It’s the least I can do. I’m the one who put you in this predicament. I told you I’d fix it, and get you home safe. I’m a man of my word.” He squeezed her hand. “The train station is just up ahead. Make sure you cover your face with your scarf.” He quickly wrapped his scarf so it covered part of his chin.
“I’ve noticed a lot of men in Italy wear scarves. Men don’t wear them so often in the United States.”
“They sell scarves on practically every corner here. Sometimes, it gets chilly rather suddenly so it’s good to have one handy. Besides, they’ve become a huge fashion statement.”
As they approached the station, Tony thought about how close he’d come to claiming Kate as his. It took every ounce of strength he had to stop from making love to her. The curves and the firmness of her ass made him want nothing more than to spank it as he took her from behind. That ass was a piece of art—God’s gift to men. He wasn’t lying; he wanted to make love to her, to take the time to undress and worship every inch of her body, to penetrate her deeply and feel her body become one with his, and most of all, to spend hours with her entangled in his arms. Thinking about it made his cock come alive. Oh, all the things he could do with her.
What happened? When did he start caring for some chick? He’d always been a playboy of sorts—the ladies’ man. His brothers would high five him every time he conquered a new woman. His dad tried to tell him about the importance of starting a family and carry on traditions and his mother just shook her head and pointed at him.
What was it about Kate that made her special? What made it so she was all he thought about? When did he start caring about what could happen to her? This was just supposed to be a simple fucking task—become friends with the American woman so you can get your ass out of the country. Now look at you; can’t even get a simple job done because you are so worried about this woman. What the hell is wrong with you?
“Tony…are you okay?”
“Hmmm. Ah. Yeah, I’m just thinking.” He secured Kate by his side as they walked down the steps to the ticket kiosk. He meant what he said about getting her to Rome so she could get back to America. What he didn’t tell her was he would need her services just a bit longer.
His father’s message in Sorrento was cryptic. Tony was instructed to go to a jewelry shop owner in the city. And he was adamant that Tony must be accompanied by a woman. He must ask for the owner, to help him pick out the perfect engagement ring for his fiancée, whom he would marry on his parents’ anniversary. That was all the letter said, and Tony wondered what might’ve happened if his mother were the only survivor. There was no way she would’ve been able to jump through all of these hoops; there must have been another plan for her. Regardless, Tony had no choice but to bring Kate to the jewelry store.
You’re a jerk. Are you really going to jeopardize her safety to get your dad’s package? The embassy is only a few blocks from the jewelry store. Just get her where she needs to be. He struggled with what decision he would make once they got to Rome. Surely he could come up with an excuse not to have his fiancée with him and still get the package. She would then be safe and he could go on his merry way. He could find plenty of women to fulfill his needs without having to worry about her.
The ticket kiosk was the best thing ever invented. It was like an ATM, but spit out train tickets instead of money and eliminated the need to stand in long lines. He purchased two tickets to Rome and within minutes the stubs were printed and they were preparing to board.
As they waited for passengers to exit the train, a man in a black suit bumped into him. The man and his friend kept walking, not even acknowledging Tony was there. Jackass. They boarded the train and took their seats in first class.
Chapter Twelve
Agents Thompson and Manchetti exited the train in Siena. The terminal was fairly empty and they were able to get out of the station in record time. Once on the sidewalk, they searched for the black, unmarked car waiting for them. Although it was just a few feet away, the night sky made the car difficult to see. Thompson thought it was somewhat comical the car was not a sedan, but instead a four-door Mini Cooper. Cars were smaller here, but he figured at least the agents might have something a little bit bigger.
“Is this what you normally drive around in?” he asked as he motioned to the car.
“What do you mean?”
Thompson chuckled. “Well, it’s kind of small.”
“It’s true what they say about Americans, isn’t it?”
“What’s that?”
“You Americans like everything big.” Manchetti plastered a smile on his face.
“Ha! I guess you’re right. It just seems like a bigger car can provide better protection in our line of work.”
“We are more concerned about blending into the rest of the population—going unnoticed.”
“I suppose you have a valid point there.”
“Don’t be fooled. This car is loaded with safety features; it’s completely bulletproof and souped-up to go in excess of three hundred kilometers per hour. Not to mention the airbags placed in the ceiling. I’m sure this car can rival any you have in the States.”
“Damn! That’s impressive.”
They traveled through the city taking some sharp turns and narrowly missing pedestrians. When they arrived in front of the Hotel Athena, the two agents got out. Thompson checked the area out and noted the wall surrounding the city next to the hotel.
“What’s the purpose of the wall?”
Manchetti cleared his throat. “Every city has a wall. It was the people’s way of keeping out the citizens from neighboring cities.
There wasn’t really a united government, so at one point every town ran individually.”
“Have any of the cities taken them down?”
“I’m not sure. Many have started falling down over the years. Most of the major cities still have them. Venice, however, doesn’t; my guess is because the city is surrounded by water it never needed one.”
Thompson looked around once more before entering the hotel. The building was located at the end of the road and was several stories tall with balconies on the higher level overlooking the street and the countryside beyond the walls. Up the road was a hill with several other small buildings. Compared to Rome, it seemed quaint and serene. Birds chirping and bells were ringing from a nearby church. The area was peaceful.
The agents entered through the large wood and glass doors. The reception desk was only twenty feet from the entrance. Thompson listened to the employees at the desk speak to other customers. It was clear they were fluent in multiple languages; one person spoke Spanish, and another spoke Chinese.
“Buongiorno.”
Thompson directed his gaze at a woman with long brown hair. She had a petite build and a very big smile.
“Buongiorno,” he replied.
Manchetti proceeded to run the conversation in Italian. Thompson could speak quite a bit of Italian, but Manchetti was obviously fluent.
Manchetti identified himself as an agent and they both produced their badges. The employee shifted her stance and was visibly nervous as she studied the badges and their faces to ensure they were legitimate.
When Manchetti finished talking with the woman, he handed Thompson a key. “We’re in the room next to Anderson’s. She does have someone staying with her fitting the description of Bertalucci, but it appears they stepped out for the evening. So that will give us a chance to wire her room, and get everything set up in ours before they return.”
