Chapter 23 Luca
The jet is cruising at thirty-five thousand feet, and I'm watching my wife stare out the window with an expression I can't read.
She's been quiet since we left Rome, answering my questions with polite responses that reveal nothing. The excitement she showed when I suggested this trip is now gone.
"Beautiful view," I say, settling into the seat across from her.
"It is."
I’m beginning to wonder if she’s hiding an illness from me. Or if the depression from her earlier years has returned.
"Excited about landing in Prague?"
"Of course." She finally turns to look at me. "What's our plan when we get there?"
"Hotel first, then whatever you'd like to see. I thought we could take it easy the first day, let you adjust to the trip."
"Sounds perfect."
Paolo appears from the cockpit area. "Boss, we'll be landing in forty minutes. Ground transportation is arranged, and the hotel is expecting us."
"Any problems with the advance security?"
"None. Clean background checks on all staff, no red flags at any of the locations Mrs. Romano wanted to visit." He glances at Sofia. "Everything looks straightforward."
"Good. Thank you."
After Paolo returns to his seat, Sofia goes back to staring out the window. But there’s tension in her shoulders, and in the way she's gripping her hands together. She looks like someone preparing for battle, not a newlywed excited about her honeymoon.
Whatever secrets she's carrying, whatever she's really looking for in Prague, I'm going to find out during this trip. But I also need to be very careful about how I handle whatever I discover.
"Almost there," I tell her as the plane begins its final descent.
"Yes," she says, and there's something in her voice that sounds like a prayer. "We’re almost there."