Page 102 of Morally Corrupt

"Enzo expects Jimenez to show up at the party," Marcel interjects, and Vlad shifts his focus towards him. Is it just me, or is there something going on between the two of them?

"He won't. But that doesn't mean all is lost. I'm sure he'll send someone close to him."

"How do you know?" I ask.

"I have eyes on Jimenez. He hasn't left his location, and no arrangements have been made for him to leave anytime soon."

"Damn," I mutter. Not that I trust Vlad, but all will be confirmed tomorrow.

"Now that we've decided to work together, we can start planning." Vlad goes around his desk and shuffles some files, withdrawing a big sheet of paper.

"Is that…?" I ask, squinting to get a better view.

"Yes. The plans for Enzo's house. You need to be in and out of the office without raising an eyebrow. Best to be prepared." Okay, wow. Vlad certainly takes himself seriously.

As he spreads it onto the table, we all get closer.

"It's quite similar to Martin's house," Bianca notes, and I have to agree. They're both two-story mansions, but Enzo's seems to have a more traditional design.

"Where does his father live?" I ask.

"With his mistress in the city. This used to be the family home for the Agostis, but now it's only Enzo, his wife, and son who live there."

"What about the other sister?" Bianca suddenly chimes in, and all eyes are on her.

"Which one?" Vlad carefully asks.

"The unmarried one. When I looked into their family, there were three sisters, and two were married. What happened to the third? Catalina was her name, I think."

There's an immediate silence, and Marcel's shoulders stiffen for a second. Vlad seems to take note of this when he answers.

"She disappeared. Years ago. Probably dead if you ask me."

Odd.

As Vlad says this, Marcel immediately averts his face but not before I catch a glimpse of pain on his features.

"Back to the blueprint. This is the ballroom where the party will most definitely take place." He points to the east wing of the house.

"Now here," his finger moves to the west wing, "is the study. It's on the same floor, but it's separated by the kitchen and the drawing room. You'll need to pass those without seeming suspicious."

"How many people invited?" Bianca asks.

"From what I heard, at least a hundred."

"Good, they're our best cover. Worst-case scenario, I'll distract Enzo."

"You're not distracting him. We'll do it together." Just the image of Bianca and Enzo together in an intimate setting is enough to make my temples throb.

No, that's not an option, especially with how Enzo was eyeing my wife at lunch.

"I thought you said you didn't wanna do it."

"I changed my mind," I retort. I realize I'm probably sounding infantile right now, but I don't want her near Enzo.

"So, it's settled. In case of an emergency, there are options." Vlad walks us through all the nooks and crannies of the house and shows us how to use them to our advantage. He insists that the bugs must be placed in Enzo's study, in the drawing room and in the kitchen.

"The kitchen?" I ask, curious.