Chapter 24
SOFIA
Everything happened so fast. I need to take a moment to allow the reality of my situation to sink in. Frankie’s words come back to me as if from a dream. He said he loved me. And I can’t return the sentiment.
I feel almost nauseous that I slept with him, although not because I didn’t enjoy it.
I allowed myself to get carried away, to focus on the moment and forget all my plans.
I’ve done a disservice to Danny, making love to the son of the man who killed him.
I’ve also put my career in jeopardy. If anyone finds out that I slept with my key informant, I’ll be laughed out of the newsroom altogether.
I’m going to have to keep this night a secret from Mr. Harlan. I don’t even have a small article to put on his desk, and I’m no closer to finding proof of Francisco Corello’s culpability. I inhale deeply, willing my mind to calm down.
What’s done is done. I had sex, and I enjoyed it. Honestly, I might even do it again if the situation calls for it. But of course, that would all be pointless if Frankie finds out what I’m up to.
I wonder how hurt he’ll be, on a scale of one to ten. Most guys wouldn’t care. He got to home base, so there’s really no need to pretend anymore. But I know Frankie’s not like that. Not only does he care, but he loves me. Both his words and his actions made that clear.
I wish there were some alternate reality where Danny didn’t die, and I could fall in love with Frankie.
He’s so sweet and attentive. There’s really nothing about him that I don’t like.
If only he wasn’t the son of a mafia don.
If only we were two journalism colleagues who were free to explore our feelings for each other. Then my heart might not feel so heavy.
After twenty minutes, I hear Frankie’s breathing level off.
I realize that I’m in a perfect position to do some reconnaissance.
The seduction was real. I didn’t plan to make love to Frankie or to spend the night.
But since I’ve crossed that threshold, an amazing opportunity has presented itself.
If I can manage to get up and get my clothes without waking Frankie, I can take advantage of my current position to learn more about the Corello family.
I’m here in the lion’s den, with one of the sleeping cubs.
It’s late at night and the matriarch of the pack is already asleep.
Frankie’s asleep, and I suspect Corello might have turned in as well.
There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to go out and look for myself.
Who knows what kind of information I could uncover with the whole house to myself.
I wait another ten minutes until I’m sure that Frankie is passed out.
His arm rests above my chest in a tender embrace.
I ease my way out slowly, lowering his elbow to the pillow beside me.
Another moment and I’m free, standing naked beside the bed.
I hunt for my dress and find it balled up on the floor.
It takes me no time at all to tug the clothing down over my head and arrange it comfortably.
I locate my underwear but decide to ignore my shoes.
Walking barefoot will be quieter, and I’m not planning on leaving the house.
If something goes wrong and I have to abandon the footwear, that won’t be the biggest of my problems.
I escape into the hall where the lights are dim. There’s a little bit of moonlight coming in through a window at the very end. It paints nine white squares across the carpet. I hurry to the top of the stairs, straining my ears to pick up any sounds of life.
There is a humming coming from somewhere close by.
I assume it’s part of the heating or cooling system within the house.
I pause at the top of the stairs, waiting to discover anything else.
I think I can hear voices, but they sound far away and very soft.
Maybe it’s someone outside, maybe a guard or something patrolling the grounds.
That idea is a bit alarming. I’m sure there are guards because there were a number of cars outside.
There’s also the gate we passed on the way through that proves this is some kind of fortress.
I’ll be lucky if I can make it out to the street on foot, though hopefully it won’t come to that.
I promise myself that if I don’t find anything actionable within a half hour, I’ll sneak back into Frankie’s room and go to sleep.
In the meantime, I have work to do.
I hug the wall as I descend the staircase, aware that there might be creaking sounds in the middle of the treads.
I hit one particular board and wince as the sound ricochets throughout the staircase.
At this rate, I’m not going to get very far before I’m found out.
If those voices are coming from anywhere inside the building, that means someone else is awake.
I hold my breath, continuing my descent until I’m standing on the first floor.
To my left, the living room is open. There’s only a small section of a wall separating me from the couches and the television.
By now, I can see the blue light from the TV splashing across the room.
I lower myself to my knees to avoid being spotted.
I can’t tell how many people are up, but there are no other lights, so I’m guessing it’s a small party.
“So, what did you think of Frankie’s girlfriend?
” a voice says. I search my memory banks for a match and finally realize that it belongs to Frankie’s uncle Gio.
The man looks exactly like all the hitmen from the movies.
I don’t trust him any further than I could throw him, and that’s saying a lot.
I would break my back just trying to pick him up, much less launch him across the room.
“I like her,” another voice declares. That one is easy to identify—it’s Frankie’s father, Francisco Corello, the head of the family.
I’m glad to hear that he likes me, because that will make my job easier. I’m also glad to hear them talking as if there are no eavesdroppers. That means I didn’t give myself away even with the creaky step.
I’m not sure how to get past the living room without announcing my presence, so I stay where I am for another long moment. The two men continue talking, completely unaware of my presence.
“I hope it works out,” Gio says. “That kid deserves some happiness.”
“I noticed you made up an excuse to join us,” Francisco jokes.
“I had to,” Gio replies. “Did you think I was going to miss the opportunity to meet her?”
“Of course not,” Francisco agrees. “But let’s not overwhelm her right at the beginning.”
“She’s upstairs with our boy,” Gio observes.
“I know,” Francisco responds. “Don’t give him a hard time in the morning.”
“Why not?” Gio wonders.
“He’ll never bring another woman home again if we make a big deal out of it,” Francisco explains.
I can’t believe I’m witnessing such a normal conversation. They sound like two older men discussing a younger relative, which is exactly what they are. The problem is that I know there’s so much more to their family than love and respect. They are killers, and I’m determined to unmask them.
I move stealthily toward the kitchen, holding my breath until I’ve put another wall between me and my enemies. I’m crawling on all-fours, convinced that if I stand up, I’ll be discovered. Luckily, there’s no one in the kitchen, giving me a straight shot toward the back hallway.
I’m in uncharted territory, going off the theory, that Frankie wouldn't have shown whatever is important in this house. That means there’s nothing in the living room, the library or the billiard room.
But I saw this hallway when I was in the kitchen last time.
I’m assuming it’s meaningful since Frankie didn’t mention it on his tour.
There are three doors in this hallway, and I’m not sure which one to try first. To start, I twist one knob and find it locked.
I try the one on the opposite side and that’s locked as well.
The third door is farthest from the kitchen.
I place my hand over the knob and twist, delighted when the latch disengages and the door swings inward.
The fact that it’s not locked may or may not be relevant.
I might have stumbled across the least important of the three rooms. Or, I might have found the one most frequently in use.
It is possible that Corello didn’t lock this room because no one in their right mind would enter.
Maybe there’s a protective culture of silence that keeps people out, making the head of the family confident that he doesn’t have to protect his secrets.
I’m hoping that’s the case. What I want is a smoking gun, or at the very least a paper trail that could lead me to Danny’s killer. Anything else I find here will be icing on the cake.
I leave the lights off. We’re far enough away from the living room that I don’t think Corello and his brother will notice if I switch them on. But better safe than sorry. There is a certain amount of light coming in through the window, so I can make do.
I see a desk, a lamp, several chairs, and a couch.
There’s nothing in the room that’s immediately suspicious.
It’s clearly an office, and a well-funded one at that.
The couch is real leather; even in the darkness, I can smell its authenticity.
The desk is massive and made of wood, obviously handcrafted.
Just like everything else in this house, the office screams money.
I hurry across the rug, knowing that my time is short.
I need to discover whatever has been left unguarded and make my way back upstairs before Frankie realizes that I’m gone.
I have no idea what I’m looking for, but I’m confident that I’ll know it when I see it.
I’ve done tons of research on this family, and anything that strikes me as significant will be simple enough to find.