Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Kathleen froze.
Every instinct she had screamed at her to tell the woman to run. To get as far away as possible. No one who wandered into the middle of this mess came out with good odds.
“I think you need to hand that over now,” the woman said.
Enzo remained silent.
Kathleen studied the woman more closely.
It was definitely the woman who’d knocked her bag at the airport.
She was, in a word, gorgeous. Kathleen had no idea how she’d gone unnoticed at the wedding; then again, she had noticed her, hadn’t she?
Maybe that was the trick. Beautiful enough to register, forgettable enough to fade.
She’d done a damn good job of fitting in.
The woman frowned. “Seriously. You need to give that to me if you know what’s good for you.”
Enzo smirked. “I rarely do what’s good for me, but I’m always open to suggestions.”
The woman’s mouth tightened.
Kathleen pegged her as early thirties. The ponytail was a wig, she was sure of it now that she was closer.
The blue eyes, though, were real. Sharp.
Intelligent. The woman was about Kathleen’s height, slimmer, all angles and restraint.
No soft curves yet. There was something familiar about her, too, not personal familiarity, just the unsettling sense that she belonged in a mental file Kathleen couldn’t quite access.
She was holding it together, but barely. Confidence wrapped tight around fraying edges. She was outnumbered, and she knew it.
“You were supposed to bring the map to Mr. Vitale,” the woman said. “He’s not pleased. Give me the treasure, and I’ll try to smooth things over.”
“I very much doubt that,” Enzo said mildly. “I’m quite sure you’d either take off with it yourself or hand it to Carlotta.”
The name landed.
The woman startled, just a fraction, but enough. She recovered quickly, but the damage was done. Enzo had hit something raw.
“Why don’t we go somewhere less public,” Kathleen said tightly, “and talk this through?”
“I think not,” the woman said and shifted her bag just enough for Enzo to see the gun. “Now give me the treasure.”
“No,” Enzo said simply.
“I will shoot you.”
“Maybe,” Enzo replied. “But then my friend here will shoot you back, and neither of us gets out of this alive.”
“Do as she says,” a voice behind them said.
Kathleen turned.
The man standing there was the spitting image of Gage.
“Jesus Christ,” Logan muttered. He’d turned too, staring openly now. The man had a gun raised and even sounded like Gage.
“She’s your sister,” Kathleen blurted.
The man’s gaze snapped to her, then to the woman. The truth flashed across his face before he could hide it.
“Just give her the package,” he demanded.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Enzo said.
“You have two guns pointed at you,” the man said. “You don’t have a choice.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Mitch said, stepping in behind him.
Kathleen was certain Mitch had a gun at the man’s back and equally certain he hadn’t seen the man’s face yet.
“Drop your gun,” Mitch growled.
“Mitch,” Logan said quietly, shaking his head.
Mitch frowned, then shifted to the side to get a better look at the man he was holding at gunpoint.
“Son of a bitch,” he breathed.
That was when the woman lunged.
She went for Enzo’s hand, fingers scraping for the treasure. Enzo reacted instantly, jerking his arm up and away. The woman’s footing slipped on the gravel, and she went down hard, cursing as she fell.
“Mackie!” the man barked.
“I’m fine, Griff,” she snapped, already pushing herself upright. “Worth a try.”
She gave a quick shrug and a half-smile.
Something in Kathleen cracked.
A sound escaped her before she could stop it, not a laugh exactly. More like air being forced out of lungs that had been holding it too long. Exhaustion. Adrenaline. The sheer absurdity of the situation pressing down all at once.
“Glad you’re enjoying this,” Enzo growled.
Kathleen dragged a hand over her face. “I’m not,” she shot back.
“I’m just… Look at us.” Her voice wobbled, then steadied.
“We’re standing in one of the most beautiful palace gardens on the planet, guns out, threatening each other, we’re both dripping wet, and then there’s you with your arm in the air like we’re seven-year-olds playing keep-away. It’s either laugh or fall apart.”
Enzo smirked in response.
She exhaled hard. “Who are you people, and where’s your other brother?”
“Other brother?” Logan echoed, eyebrows shooting up.
Kathleen shrugged. “He looks like Mitch, so I’m guessing he’s theirs. He’s the one who mugged me.” She looked back at the man. “Griff, right? Is that short for something?”
Silence.
“Where’s your other brother?” she demanded.
More silence.
The last thread of humor drained out of her, leaving only bone-deep fatigue.
“Okay,” she said flatly. “Just so you know, we’ve got more people nearby, and one more gun isn’t tipping the scales.
We’re drawing a lot of attention, and any second now, a guard is going to wander over.
So how about we stop posturing and lay our cards on the table? ”
“The lady has a point,” Enzo said.
The woman glanced at her brother, then shrugged again. “Fine.”
“Do you work for Vitale or Carlotta?” Enzo asked.
Griff hesitated. “Both.”
Enzo arched a brow. “And how does that work?”
Kathleen cut in, patience gone. “You know what? We can play twenty questions later. Here’s the deal.
” She pointed at Enzo. “We’re leaving here with the treasure and going to meet Vitale.
That’s clearly your endgame too. You’re not here to kill anyone, or we’d already be bleeding. So back off and let us go.”
She turned to Logan. “Get their names and numbers. And maybe talk to your dad, because this?” She gestured between the siblings. “This is no accident.”
Then, tired down to her bones, she said, “Let’s get out of here before trouble finds us.”
“Too late,” a voice said.
Kathleen grimaced, slamming her eyes closed for a moment. When she opened them again, she blurted, “For fuck’s sake.”
A small woman stood in front of them, dressed in dark pants and a pale blouse, her arm extended, another gun trained on Enzo. Large sunglasses hid her eyes, but Kathleen didn’t need to see them to know exactly who this was.
“Carlotta,” Kathleen said, not a question but a fact.
The woman startled, just slightly, then inclined her head once. “Yes.” Her voice was tight, brittle. “I believe what you found belongs to me.”
Kathleen’s heart slammed against her ribs.
She wasn’t sure why this was different, why fear clawed up her spine now when it hadn’t with the others. Guns had already been pointed at Enzo. Threats had already been made. But Carlotta felt different.
Desperate.
The kind of desperation that burned everything around it.
Enzo inclined his head. “I suppose it does. Theoretically. You and your brothers.”
“There is nothing theoretical about it,” Carlotta snapped. Her grip tightened on the gun. “It belongs to me. Where is it? The diamond. Give it to me. Now.”
Kathleen frowned. Where is it? What did she mean, where? Diamond?
“What makes you think it’s a diamond?” Enzo asked.
“I don’t have time for this,” she hissed and then rolled her eyes.
“My father loved gemstones. And he left a hint. “I have chased gold across continents, but my greatest find came from mining something far less obvious—and far harder to steal.” He’s been trying to find a specific diamond, the Valmont Star for years.
I think he found it and had to buy it!” she said triumphantly.
Kathleen shivered despite the hot sun overhead. The gleam in Carlotta’s eye when she spoke of the diamond was…scary. Like she was a woman possessed. Or deranged.
Enzo lowered his hand and let the clear sleeve drop into view, the slim metallic object catching the light as it swung. He said calmly. “This is what your father hid in the fountain.”
Carlotta went white.
“That’s it?” Carlotta’s voice cracked. “There’s nothing else? No diamond?” Her composure shattered. “Treasure,” Carlotta snarled. “Real treasure. My father was famous for it. What the hell is this?”
“It’s a wallet,” Enzo said evenly. “For cryptocurrency.”
If there had been any color left in Carlotta’s face, those words erased it. She swayed, her shoulders beginning to shake.
For a heartbeat, Kathleen thought she was crying.
Then the sound came.
High-pitched. Uncontrolled. Wrong.
Laughter burst out of Carlotta, sharp enough to raise the hair on Kathleen’s arms. It echoed strangely against the hedges, brittle and wild.
“Carlotta?” Kathleen said cautiously. “Are you…okay?”
The gun dipped.
Mitch moved in the blink of an eye.
Carlotta snapped out of it instantly, swinging the gun toward him. “Don’t,” she hissed. “Fucking asshole.”
Kathleen couldn’t tell if she meant Mitch or her father.
“Cryptocurrency,” Carlotta went on, her voice rising. “That means it’s worthless. Worthless!” She laughed again, harsh and broken. “The money is gone.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” Kathleen said, forcing the words past her dry throat.
“Yes, she can,” Enzo cut in. “You know how much your father was worth?”
Carlotta nodded sharply. “Despite what I told you on that call, I knew down to the penny. I also know when he would’ve bought it and what it’s worth now. There will be a fraction of his fortune left on that wallet.”
“Then she’s right,” Enzo said. “Crypto is way down.”
“Down doesn’t cover it,” Carlotta snapped. She gestured at the sleeve in Enzo’s hand. “There might be ten million on that thing.”
Kathleen swallowed. “Ten million is still a lot—”
Carlotta laughed again, loud and cracked. “I owe more than that to Bianca. This, this is nothing. A drop in the bucket.”
“Not to ask a stupid question,” Kathleen said carefully, “but it goes back up again eventually, right?”
Carlotta turned the gun on her.
“Yes,” she said flatly. “But I don’t have time. Bianca is demanding payment now. And it’s her brother I really owe.” Her mouth twisted. “He’ll kill me if I don’t pay. Make an example out of me.”
Enzo said suddenly. “You hired the guys in the SUV that tried to push us off the road. You also hired both these guys,” he said, pointing to Griff and Mackie. “And Alex to get the statue back.”
Carlotta nodded. “I was desperate. I needed to get the treasure before Vitale or Rocco, but now…”
Kathleen’s palms were slick with sweat. The gun was shaking now. Carlotta was unraveling right in front of them.
“Um…Enzo?” Kathleen asked, tearing her gaze away from the gun for half a second.
Enzo shifted instinctively, placing himself between Kathleen and Carlotta.
Carlotta noticed immediately.
“Stop!” she screamed.
Sirens wailed in the distance, cutting through the roar of the fountain. Close. Too close.
Time was gone.
“She’s right,” Enzo said quietly. “Carlotta, your only move is to run.”
Carlotta stared at him. “Run? Run where? Alessandro and Rocco will find me anywhere.”
“Vitale won’t care,” Enzo said. “Leave this with me,” he said, shaking the crypto wallet slightly. “I’ll see that he gets it. That removes you from his board entirely.” He edged a fraction closer, shielding Kathleen without being obvious. “Rocco has no reach in the U.S. Go there. Disappear.”
She hesitated.
“Do you have money?” Enzo asked.
She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “What do you think? Of course I do. Not enough, but some.”
“Then run,” Enzo said. “Now. You get picked up by the police, and it’s over. Rocco has people everywhere in Europe.”
Carlotta’s jaw worked. The gun wavered.
Then, abruptly, she lowered it.
Without another word, she turned and ran, vanishing into the hedges just as the sirens grew louder.
Kathleen let out a pent-up breath in a rush.
“She’s right, we all need to split.” Enzo turned to Kathleen. “Let’s—"
“There’s still the matter of the treasure,” Griff commented, waving his gun slightly.
The sound of the sirens was much louder now, and they had stopped moving. The cops had to be stopped on a nearby street.
“We don’t have time for this bullshit,” Enzo growled.
“Let’s go. You,” he pointed at Griff, “come with us. She,” he said, pointing at Mackie, “can go with them,” he directed as he indicated Logan and Alex, who’d finally come out of hiding.
“I’ll text where to meet, and we can sort shit out there.
You can tell your brother,” he commented as he stared at Griff.
“Take it or leave it because I’m sure as shit not getting arrested. ”
Griff grimaced. He looked at Mackie, who gave him a curt nod. “Fine, then,” Griff said, “But if you—”
“Fuck off. We don’t have time for bullshit.”
Kathleen’s heart slammed against her ribcage as the shouts in French reached them. “We have to go,” she blurted.
Enzo grabbed her hand and turned toward the hedges. “Move!” he yelled as he pulled her along with him.
Kathleen ran to keep up. This had all turned to shit so fast. They needed to get out of there. Away from all of this. Even then, it wasn’t over. And Kathleen knew deep in her bones that the worst part of all this was still to come.