Page 118 of Empire of Temptation

I shook my head and thrust my hands into pockets, trying to appear unthreatening. “I’m not that stupid. I am offering a favor, however. Any time you need it in the future. As I said, I’m resourceful in ways that are maybe considered old school in this country. But I know how to get things done. Capisce?”

“Ah.” He sized me up. “You’re the one I keep hearing about. The Italian businessman who rented the Portofino place. You’re dating Val Montella.”

I dipped my chin in confirmation. “You have an advantage, Detective Antonelli, as I’ve not heard of you before.”

“I can’t talk about an active investigation, Mr. DiMarco.”

“Detective, Valentina was in this car when it crashed. Her father is responsible. And he drove away with her on an ATV. I need your help in finding her.”

“That’s the same story the other man in the car, the one who was shot, told us. It sounded pretty far-fetched, though, and there isn’t any evidence of an ATV.”

“His name is Flavio Segreto and he is a danger to her. The ATV was hidden in the woods. I believe he took her somewhere near the river or an inlet of some kind.”

Staring at the ground, he toed a rock with his shoe. “A favor, you said?”

“Yes.”

Antonelli pulled out his mobile and unlocked it. “I know of a few inlets that are fairly remote. We used to fish out here a lot as kids.” He loaded a map and zoomed in with his fingers. “This is where we are,” he said, showing me his screen. “Out here—” he slid over to the west and south “—there are three or four inlets.”

“Houses?”

“Yes, on a few of them.”

He gave me the coordinates and I entered them into my phone. “Grazie, detective.” I put a hand on my heart. “I owe you a favor.Sul mio onore.”

“I’m coming with you.” Antonelli closed his notebook and unclipped his sunglasses from his shirtfront. “We can look together.”

“No offense, detective, but this is best handled by me and my brothers.”

His lips thinned unhappily. “No offense, Mr. DiMarco, but I insist. We don’t allow vigilante justice here. You aren’t in Italy any longer.”

I took offense to that.

“With all due respect, detective, no one will prevent me from doing what needs to be done when I find Segreto.”

He let out a big sigh and stared off into the woods. “Shit. I really don’t need this hassle today.”

I lifted my palms out and put a few steps between us. “Let’s pretend we never spoke.”

“How about I give you a thirty-minute head start?”

I could live with that. I held out my hand again and we shook. When I turned to go, he said, “I’m holding you to that favor, Mr. DiMarco.”

I nodded once then strode back to where my brothers were huddled together, far away from the police officers. Distrust of government authority ran deep in the Benettis, regardless of the country we found ourselves in.

“What did you learn?” Dante asked.

“He told me of a few remote inlets. I have the coordinates. Let’s go.”

“How are we getting there? By car?”

“On foot. It’s not far and he won’t hear us coming.”

Valentina

I dropped into a chair at the kitchen table, my head reeling. The fire, the car accident, Flavio shooting Roberto . . . and now myformer dishwasher conspiring with my father? My god. I wasn’t sure if I could handle anything else.

Flavio set a glass of water on the table for me, then lowered himself into the chair opposite and drummed his fingers on the wood. I ignored the water. I didn’t want one thing from this man other than an explanation. “Let’s hear it. Then I need to get back and make sure Roberto and Luca are okay.”

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