Chapter 15
Sophia
When I arrive in Harlem, the sun’s already high in the sky. It’s probably not even noon yet, but I can smell the bread they’re baking at the Gallo Baked Goods Bakery from across the street. I decide to grab a little something to eat as I sniff around to see if Eddie is at the property.
A man like Eddie doesn’t appear like the kind of guy who sits at his bakery all day, but who knows.
When I walk inside, I’m accosted by the smell of sugary treats and dense bread. It all smells so good, and I can feel my stomach come alive. I don’t see Eddie anywhere, but when I step up to the counter to order, he comes out from the back.
He notices me right away. He points, his eyebrows raising and a smile on his face. “Hey, you’re that…” He can’t place me.
“Hi, Sophia,” I tell him.
“Sophia, yes. You were at the gala last weekend.”
I nod. “Yes, with my husband, Dean Maddox.” He’s putting it all together quickly, so I don’t mind helping him along. And who knows, maybe dropping Dean’s name will get me closer to my goal.
“I heard you have some amazing pastries.”
He points at me. “You need to try our Sfogliatella. It’s to die for.” He smiles and I can see why some women might find him handsome.
“I can’t wait,” I tell him, not having had a Sfogliatella in a long time.
“Here you go.”
“This looks amazing.” I take the thin-layered pastry he hands me and take a bite, enjoying the orange-flavored ricotta filling. “It tastes even better.”
He leans on the counter. “The secret is in the dough. We use the best.”
“My grandmother used to make this back home. She’d put creamy custard and whip cream inside.”
“Ah, we have another one in the springtime with candied peels.”
“I’ll have to come back this spring.”
He smiles. “I’d like that.” He says nothing else, and the moment has totally gotten weird.
I blush, pretending to be flattered. I take another bite of the pastry to fill the silence and then I say, “Do you spend a lot of time uptown?”
He nods. “I heard you and your husband have been going to Humphrey’s parties.”
I can see where this conversation is going, but I don’t want to stop just yet. I want to push him a little bit, let him think he can have his chance with me to see if he’s ever seen Bishop at these parties. “Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”
“Go out to the street, take a left, and I’ll meet you in the alley.”
I nod with a smile.
When I meet up with Eddie in the back alley of his bakery, I remember the knife on my thigh. Sure, I’m not expecting any trouble, but you never know. It’s not the best of neighborhoods, and this guy is supposedly a friend of Bishop’s.
“So, can I expect to see you at his party this weekend?”
I lean against the building. “I should be there.”
Eddie licks his lips and I nearly convulse. This conversation is already giving me the heebie-jeebies. “I’m already getting excited.”
I smile. “How long have you been going to these things?”
He shrugs, his brown eyes closing as he does. “I don’t know. Years. Many years.”
“I bet you’ve met a ton of people through that many years.”
He shrugs again, this time not as exaggerated. “Yes, I s’pose so.”
“Ever hear of someone named Blackstone?”
He stiffens, his eyes narrowing a bit. Then he resumes his laid-back posture. “Nah, I don’t think so.”
Liar.
“Oh, ok. Just wondering.” Now I need a reason why I’d mention him. “Heard some of the other women talking once.”
This answer appeases him and he laughs. “Yeah, I’m sure they all were.” He laughs harder.
I laugh along with him. “So, you know Mr. Blackstone?”
He realizes he’s given himself away by his comment, and he stops laughing. “Yeah,” he scratches along his eyebrow, “now that you mention it, he is familiar.”
“What do you know about him? Does he hang out at the club often? Will he be there this weekend?”
Eddie’s eyes widen, and I realize I shouldn’t have just rapid-fired questions at him. “I don’t know anything. Just met him a few times.”
I back off the questions, trying to get Eddie back on my side. “I’ve never been to an actual party at Mr. Hollingsworth’s house.” I give him my best innocent eyes, batting my eyelashes at him.
He smiles. He’s so easy. “I will be there to show you around.”
I run my fingers over the buttons of his white dress shirt. “I can’t wait.” I glance at my phone, acting like I’m late for something. “I better get going, but I’ll see you soon.”
“Goodbye, Sophia.” He grabs my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing my skin.
“Goodbye, Eddie,” I drawl out his name.
As I walk away, waiting to make it a block or two away from his bakery before I hail a cab, I think about how there’s no way I’ll be seeing that man soon. I have to just believe the eighteen-year-old blonde from Brooklyn Heights will have her mother call me. And that when she does, there will be a big lead for me to find Bishop.
I need to speak to Rosa. Did she give me bad info?
Maybe I’m not qualified to find him.
Maybe I’m just paranoid.
I should probably focus on what I want out of life and put this vendetta to rest. But then I think about my family in Naples. My younger brothers and how they’re most likely men by now. I’d love to know what became of my sister. Did she ever marry?
I tried to find them for a while once I escaped and got on my feet. However, I couldn’t. They moved. Changed their names, so as not to be targeted by Marco Caputo again. No one knew anything.
I’d been trying for so long, but it costs money to look, and that’s something I’ve never been privy to in my life.
I was working, but was able to swing some time off when the tip of what Bishop was up to came to me, and I had to take the opportunity to kill him.
Did Rosa give me bad info because she knew Dean Maddox was going to kidnap Mia? If that’s true, does Bishop know all of Dean’s plans?
I need to find Dean and warn him.