Chapter 40
Chapter forty
Alot of people’s lives are being entrusted into my care, and I only hope I can keep them all safe.
Dawn brings with it stripes of light across the hardwood floor of the bedroom. I leave Dominic sleeping in my bed and head downstairs to brew myself a cup of coffee.
As I sit at the table in the breakfast nook, I look down at my bandaged fingers. A symbol of my failure to identify the killer. Taking a deep breath, I rip off the gauze and bandages.
I have no desire to publicly show the world I’ve been injured.
I still need to show the other families I’m still powerful and not capable of being taken over.
Flexing my fingers, I walk into the living room and turn on the TV. Heaviness fills my body as I sink into the couch. Dad’s murder replays over and over in my head. Someone had to slip Dad a dose of cyanide for him to ingest unknowingly, but how.
The doorbell rings, followed by a pounding of someone’s fist.
“Cipi!” Gigi’s voice floats through the walls.
Flexing my fingers, I get up and open the door.
What is she doing here this early? It’s five in the morning.
She throws her arms around me. “I heard what happened. I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.” Pulling back, she draws her fur coat closer around her. The click of her five inch heels echoes in the foyer. “My God, you look like hell.”
“I’m alive. That’s what’s important.” I walk back into the kitchen and she follows me.
Gigi leans on the counter. “Nonna said Bruno and Dominic had a fight.”
“Yes. Bruno hasn’t been the same since he got shot. But Dominic saved my life. I trust him.”
“I’m glad you trust your man.” Gigi mutters.
“So why can’t you trust mine? My date yesterday got interrupted by your goons.
They forced me to leave the restaurant, then brought me to the office where Lucia asked me all these questions about Elio.
That’s why it took me so long to come and check up on you because I was being interrogated like a criminal.
” She crosses her arms. “And explain to me why I was given strict orders to never see Elio again.
“Gigi, please don’t do this today.” I place my hand on my forehead.
“Shut up with that Gigi please bullshit. I finally found someone who I really like and you take him away from me.”
“Gigi, it’s not like that. I don’t want to do this, but we have evidence that Elio isn’t trustworthy. He’s working for Valerio.”
“So what? I work for you. Work is work. What we do outside business hours is our personal life,” she huffs.
“Gigi. I wish it was that simple but Elio could be feeding Valerio information about our family. He could be using you for personal information.” I pour another cup of coffee.
“He’s never asked me personal questions about our family. Every time we go out we don’t even talk about the family or work. All he said was that he does odd jobs for Valerio.”
I raise my eyebrows. “And you didn’t think to tell me this.”
“Because it wasn’t important.” Gigi throws up her arms. “You always think I’m an idiot and I don’t have good judgment.”
“That’s not true Gigi, and you know it. Please try to understand. I love you but I’m not going to watch you get used by someone who wouldn’t hesitate to sell your soul for profit.”
Her jaw clenches. “Elio would never. You can’t stop me from seeing him.”
“Yes, I can.”
“I’m not a helpless little girl, Cipi.”
“I know that but you can’t date Elio. You’re young. There are plenty of guys you can date that have no mafia affiliations.”
Gigi stamps her foot. “You can’t stop me from seeing him. You’re not my mother.”
“I’m not your mother, but you’re not going to see Elio.
And Mama isn’t going to let you date him when she finds out that he’s working for the Neri Family.
” I sigh. “Look, just give me a chance to talk to him one on one. If I get the vibes that he’s clean you can see him again. ” I take a spoon and stir my coffee.
“You think you’re Dad, don’t you. You think you can boss everyone around and tell them how to live their lives. Well, you can’t do that with me.” Gigi’s eyes glisten.
“Gigi, please,” I beg. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
Her heels click angrily on the wood floor as she storms to the door. She pulls it open then turns back to look at me. “I will see Elio again and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” She slams the door.
I reach for my phone and send Enzo a text telling him to make sure Gigi is tailed until further notice.
Dominic enters the kitchen, shirtless with his sweats hung low. His dark hair is tousled from sleep. “That was Gigi.”
My pulse spikes as I stare at the V-line that dips below his waistline. All I can do is nod.
“It sounded like you two were having a good time.” He gives me a kiss.
“Gigi didn’t take it too well that I told her to stop seeing Elio.” I stare at the cup of coffee. “I told my men to keep an eye on him, but he’s very elusive.”
“She’s young, Cipi. She’s in love. Elio must have told her some story and she believed it. When people are in love, they can be hard to dissuade.” He pauses at the cabinets. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m sore, but I’ll survive. I’ve been through worse.”
“You always say that and it never makes it easier to hear.” He takes out the frying pan. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll make us some eggs.” He turns on the gas.
“I’m going to head into the office today.
I want to look at the reports forensics took of the study on the day your father died.
Maybe we missed something. Then I’ll swing by Elio’s and have a chat with him.
I’ll see what his exact dealings with Valerio are. ”
I snap to attention. “I was planning on having a chat with Elio. I have to vet him and make sure his feelings for Gigi are valid. She’s already pissed at me.”
Dominic takes the eggs out of the fridge. “You’re still injured. Let me have some fun for a change.” He grins.
My stomach flips. This is a new side of Dominic and I kind of like it.
I sip my coffee. “Fine. Then I’ll go talk to Nonna. I want to see if she can remember anything else about that night.”
“It sounds like we have our schedules planned,” Dominic chuckles, cracking the eggs into the pan. “After we’re done, I’d like to take you on a date.”
“Sounds good to me. Hopefully we’re both still alive by that time.”
Dominic chuckles. “Always so romantic.”
“You knew what you were getting into.”
He looks up and locks eyes with me. “I did.” He cracks another eggs and I hear the sizzle of the yolk hitting the hot pan. “And I’d get into it again and again if it means I get to be with you.”
“Cipi, I’m appalled at your accusation.” Nonna turns on the hose.
It’s later in the morning. I’m over at Nonna’s house. She’s tending to her garden but now she’s angry with me over the question I’ve just asked her.
Today I seem to have a habit of making everyone upset with me.
First Gigi.
Now Nonna.
“Nonna I’m not saying you poisoned Dad. I’m asking you if you left the soup unattended at any point that night. Maybe someone slipped the cyanide into the soup when you weren’t around”
“I would never let my son get poisoned.” Nonna sprays her rose bushes with water.
“I was in the kitchen the whole time the men were there. When they left I brought your father the soup and then I cleaned up. I didn’t leave the kitchen.
And I ate the soup. If it was poisoned, I would be dead too,” Nonna mutters.
“Where’s Bruno,” I look around the garden.
“He’s in the guest room sleeping. I slipped medication into his coffee so he can calm down.
After his reaction yesterday, he needs a lot of sleep for his brain to heal.
Right now it’s scrambled.” She moves to the next bush.
“I can’t wait for Maria to get back from vacation. I don’t know how she deals with him.”
“Nonna,” I move closer and take the hose. “I need you to take this seriously. Please. Was there any other food in the study that night?”
She places a finger against her cheek. “There was the soup I made him, the wine, and the muffins.”
“What kind of muffins?”
“Blueberry muffins, another favorite of your father’s. Yes. I remember they were a little mushad on the top. I tried one. Nobody can make muffins as good as me, not even your mother.” She pauses. “They were a gift from Madeline.”
My eyes widen. “Madeline Toma?”
“Yes, she stopped by earlier in the day and dropped them off to him. She never went into the house. They were a thank you gift for loaning her money.”
“Money? But Madeline is rich,” I scratch my head.
“Tesoro, that was thirty years ago. I don’t know why people do what they do.
But the muffins weren’t poisonous. I had one, so did Salvatore, Bruno, and your father.
It could have been the wine, but it was our wine.
I don’t know Cipi. Maybe it was something he had before he came home.
He did go out for two hours after Madeline saw him.
” She touches her temple. “All of this is giving me a headache. Stop bringing up the past dear. Let your father rest in peace.”
“I will when I find out who killed him,” I fold my arms. “Remember Nonna, whoever killed him is now trying to kill all of us. We have to be careful.”
“But why after all this time?” Nonna groans. “I’m too old for this shit. If they really wanted to make us pay for the Marconi Massacre they should have done it after it happened, not wait thirty years.”
“Mom, are you okay?” Mama walks out onto the back porch. She leans on the railing and stares at us. Concern is etched across her face. “Cipi, don’t go getting your Nonna’s blood pressure up. She needs to stay calm.”
I throw my hands in the air. “I’m just trying to keep all of us alive. Not like anyone cares.” I walk up the steps and stand in front of my mom. “Where were you the day Dad died?”
“I went out for dinner with my sister. I came home around eleven. I called for your father but he didn’t answer. When I went to check on him in the study he was dead. I screamed. Nonna heard me and came running. She almost had a heart attack seeing her son laying dead in the chair.”
“Were you here when Madeline dropped off muffins that day?” I ask.
Mom smiles. “Are you trying to play detective, Cipi? Yeah, I was here. I was in the kitchen. Madeline talked to your father at the front door and she gave him the muffins. They were terrible. I tried one. The top was all mushy. I threw it out. I told your father to throw them out but he said to leave them in his office for the guys later that night. So I did. I make better ones of course, but you know that.”
“Do you think the muffins were poisoned?”
Mom gives me a strange look, “If they were then your Nonna, Bruno, Salvatore, myself and anyone else who ate those nasty shits would be dead. Why only your father? He wasn’t allergic to blueberries or muffins. You’re barking up the wrong tree, Cipi.”
My shoulders slump, “Maybe I am. I’m going back home.”
“Well make sure you’re here tonight for dinner five o’ clock sharp. You need to keep up your strength if you’re going to keep having these bouts with death. I’m making lasagna.”
“Okay, Mom.” I give her a kiss on the cheek and walk around the side of the house. As I reach the front yard I notice something on top of the stone wall that runs across the front yard.
My stomach plummets as I get closer.
No. No. No.
It’s another one of Dad’s chess pieces.
Another rook.
Identical to the one found in Bruno’s hand.
These goldenwood objects have become a dark omen to me instead of a happy memory.
Bruno was one rook.
Who is the other?
As if by magic my phone rings.
I freeze.
My heart hammers as I see Enzo’s name appear on the screen.
“Hello?” Fear lingers in my chest.
“Cipi! It’s Gigi. She’s gone.”
“What do you mean gone?”
“She went out with Elio this morning. We followed them and tried to intercept, but they gave us the slip. Our men located Elio a while later, but Gigi wasn’t with him. We checked her house and the places she normally goes to, but she’s not there. Also her location on her phone stopped working.”
I zone out as he continues to stammer.
The rook is clenched tightly in my hand and I wish I could kill it.
“Keep looking for her. Find Elio and bring him to me right fucking now!”
“Yes, boss, we’re on it.”
I hang up the phone. Tears prick the corners of my eyes.
No.
No! No! No!
My mind wanders back to the fight from earlier.
That was so stupid.
I should have handled it better.
I should have known Gigi would be defiant.
If she’s dead, I’ll never forgive myself.
And I’ll tear Elio limb by limb until he tells me where the fuck she is.