Chapter 71 Nico #2
I nodded in acceptance and took the drink. I sipped at it and was surprised at how good it was. I raised my eyebrows in appreciation and lifted my glass in a toast. Donatello smiled and sat across from me in a matching chair.
We drank in silence for several minutes. I looked out the massive bay windows to the tree-lined street outside and saw the lengthening shadows on the sidewalk. The sun would be down in less than an hour—one more night closer to the full moon.
Seeing the dark look that must have been on my face, Donatello said, “Luis told me a bit about this issue you have. Something about a kidnapping?” He smiled conspiratorially. “Very intriguing. Care to talk about it?”
Ignoring him, I changed the subject. “So, I don’t see many personal items around here. Do you live in this massive place by yourself?”
He didn’t look put off by my swerve to another topic. He took a drink and glanced around the room. “I enjoy my privacy. Let’s say that, and leave it there.”
“Fair enough,” I said, taking another drink. “I do have to ask, how the heck did you make all your money? This place had to have cost an arm and a leg. Plus a private jet? Do you own a business or something?”
Donatello drained his glass and bobbed his free hand back and forth. “A little of this, a little of that. I try to keep my toes in multiple pools. Never get bored that way. Am I right?”
I chuckled. “I suppose. It makes sense.”
This man was not someone I would typically deal with.
He was a different breed than I was used to, mysterious to a fault, and seemed to enjoy keeping people in the dark.
On the other hand, he appeared to be good-natured, didn’t take things too seriously, and was willing to help a friend in need.
He had the financial means to help us and acted like it was a pleasure to do so.
I could like this guy. We might never be friends, but if all this worked out, I’d owe him more than whatever he owed Luis.
Their score may be settled, but ours had only just begun to be tallied.
I finished my drink and held the empty glass up. “Can I call you Don?” He tilted his head in what I took to mean acceptance. “This was delicious. Maybe one more?”
A happy glimmer sparkled in his eye, and his grin spread. “I told you I’d change your life.”
The rest of the evening was spent making simple small talk.
The guys returned from upstairs an hour or so later, and given the desperate urgency of our mission, it was a strangely relaxing night.
I’m sure it had something to do with the luxurious surroundings, but by eight o’clock, the guys and I were exhausted.
Donatello, seeing our fatigue, gestured up the stairs. “I’ve got five bedrooms other than mine. All made up. Go on up and take your pick. I’ll stay up. I should have a call from my friend in the next hour or two about the IDs.”
We thanked him again for his hospitality and made our way up to the guest rooms. I took the first door I found, a bedroom that was easily twice the size of mine at home.
The four-poster bed looked like the most comfortable thing I’d ever seen.
I collapsed onto it and fell into a deep sleep without even taking my clothes off.
Donatello woke us the next morning with a stack of passports, driver’s licenses, and he’d even forged US visas for some reason.
After a quick breakfast of pastries and espresso, he took us to a private airfield in Westchester County.
The drive was forty minutes, and again, I felt as though we were walking through mud to get there. I was desperate to get in the air.
At the airport, Donatello wished us well, shaking each of our hands as we boarded the plane. I was the last one to say my goodbyes. He held my hand a moment longer than necessary and made sure I made eye contact with him.
I glanced at him curiously. “Yeah?”
He grinned at me. “Go, get your lady, my friend. Go get her and give those bastards hell.”
I smiled back despite myself. “That is the plan.”
“Goodbye, Nicolas Lorenzo. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”
I nodded and started up the steps, looking back over my shoulder once more before stepping inside. “Yeah. Maybe.”
Within minutes, the plane was in the air, and we were making plans about what to do when we got to Germany.
The entire day before had the distinct feel of a dream—surreal in some way.
At one point, I chuckled to myself and nudged Luis.
“So… I’m not crazy, right? All that happened yesterday, didn’t it? ”
He frowned at me. “What do you mean? With Don?”
“Yeah. It felt weird.”
Luis grinned. “He has that effect on people.”
It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one who’d felt the bizarre nature of the experience.
Maybe Don and I would meet again. It would be nice to have someone like that in my corner in the future.
I owed him one hell of a debt, and I hoped to God I’d be able to pay it off.
As we soared over the ocean, I kept glancing out the window, hoping to see land but knowing that was still hours away. I’m coming, Maddy. I’ll be there soon.