Page 87 of Monster in Disguise

I turn my attention to the soup. I take a spoonful, and I almost choke on a foreign object. Marcello rushes to my side, worried, and I immediately spit it out.

"Ugh," I heave, feeling a scratch down my throat.

"What..." Marcello looks at my hand where the object is, and I curse.

It's a ring. Claudia's ring.

"No..." I frown, shocked at what I'm seeing. How could it be here?

I turn my attention back to the soup and move my spoon around. Marcello grabs my hand, pulling it back.

"Lina..." He shakes his head, his attention on the bowl of soup. That's when I notice it. The tip is just above the liquid, but there's no mistaking it. It's a finger... a human finger.

With a cry, I jump back, falling down. No... this can't be...

"Claudia..." I whisper, a hysterical cry escaping my lips. "That's Claudia's ring... no..."

People are already gathering around us, whispering. Tears running down my cheeks, I grab onto Marcello.

"Call home. I need to speak with Claudia..." I'm yelling, all my common sense out the window. I need to make sure Claudia's fine.

It can't be...

The more I think about it, the more hysterical I get, despair taking over.

"Yes, your mother wants to talk to you," I vaguely hear Marcello say into his phone before passing it to me.

"Claudia?" I rasp out.

"Mamma? What's wrong?" she asks.

"Are you hurt anywhere? Are you okay?" My words are hurried, but I just need to know she's fine.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I release a breath.

"Good... good. Where is your ring?"

"Ring? I don't know... I must have forgotten it somewhere. But how did you know?" Her answer helps me calm down a little, so I just assure her that everything is fine and that I will see her at home.

I hang up and look to see Marcello's grim expression.

He gathers me into his arms, and I let myself go.

"I've got you," he whispers in my hair, his arms tightening around me. He swoops me up and carries me out of the restaurant, leaving everyone behind staring at us.

After I convincedmyself that Claudia was fine, Marcello took me to his room and left me here.

He's been interviewing the staff for a couple of hours now, because someone must have been in the house to take the ring. But more than that... they must have known where we weregoing. That someone knows our movements and has personal access to us makes me sick to my stomach.

"Lina." Marcello opens the door and comes towards me. "I have people looking into the restaurant right now. We'll get whoever did this, I promise you."

"It's all my fault..." I shake my head. "If I hadn't killed Father Guerra... They are probably trying to get even, and now they are threatening my daughter." A sob catches in my throat at the thought. "It's all my fault."

"Don't say that, sweetheart." He kisses my forehead. "You did the right thing. You were so brave, Lina."

I succumb to the comfort of his embrace.

"When will this end?" I whisper.

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