Page 131 of Empire of Temptation

I didn’t fight, didn’t protest. They hauled me up and cuffed my wrists. Then they marched me through the metal detector. My belt set off the alarm, so that was quickly removed and I was sent through once again. When I cleared, they sneered at me, telling me of my stupidity, how I’d never see daylight ever again.

“I’m here to see Colonnello Palmieri,” I repeated loudly enough for the cameras to hear.

They dragged me to an elevator and shoved me inside. Instead of going up to the offices, we went down. I wasn’t surprised. They wouldn’t trust me around others.

It was cool below ground. Under the fluorescent lighting, rows of doors stretched along the corridor. They opened one and took me inside, where I was handcuffed to the chair, my arms stretched painfully behind me. It was pointless to complain, however.

How long would he make me wait? If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t rush. I would keep the criminal miserable for as long as possible. But I suspected that many of Rossi’s claims were false, including Palmieri’s case against me in retaliation for his wife. If this was the case, Palmieri would be shocked and curious over my appearance today.

I’d soon find out.

The minutes crawled by. I tried to adjust my position, but there was no relief. Finally, my arms went numb. I counted the dots on the ceiling, a mindless task that prevented me from second-guessing myself.

Before we touched down in Catanzaro, we spoke to Alessandro Ricci’s assistant, who said the hit hadn’t been put on the open market.This meant Rossi hadn’t hired an assassin. I had to assume he’d handled the job himself, which might explain why it had gone to shit.

Just when I wondered if they were planning on keeping me like this all night, the door opened. An older man entered, a thick file folder in his hands. He wasn’t very tall and a thin mustache graced his upper lip. The wrinkled suit he wore wasn’t flashy, but it was quality.

I said nothing as he slapped the file folder on the table and lowered himself into the seat opposite me. “God must be smiling upon me today.”

I smirked, hoping to annoy him. “Colonnello Palmieri. You are supposed to be intelligent. Haven’t you stopped to ask yourself why I walked in?”

“It hardly matters.” He gestured to the folder full of papers. “This ensures you won’t ever walk out. So the reason for your visit is immaterial.”

“Wrong. It is very material, Colonnello.”

He pounded his fist on the tabletop, causing the file folder to jump. “You slept with my wife!”

Ah. So he was aware. “She approached me in a bar and gave me a fake name. If I knew she was your wife, I would’ve turned her down.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Sighing, I rolled my lips together. “Don’t be stubborn. I’m not here because of your wife.”

“Illuminate me, then, Don Benetti. Tell me these reasons for why you have sought me out today.”

“Is that all for me?” I asked, tipping my head toward the folder on the table.

“These are only the recent things I have discovered about you and your ’ndrina. There are six more folders upstairs.”

“Six?” I whistled. “Impressive.”

“Is this wise? Sarcasm from a man facing prison for the rest of his life?”

“And what is the charge?”

Palmieri stared at me flatly, his fingers drumming on the tabletop. “Are you here to cut a deal? To turn on your family and the ’Ndrangheta?”

“I would shoot myself in the head before I ever betrayed my family. I’m here to ask questions.”

The way he stared at me would’ve shriveled the balls for a lesser man. “You are a criminal, a murderer. Why would I ever help you?”

“Because I have information on your daughter’s murderer.”

That got his attention. His back straightened and he leaned closer. “Did you find Flavio Segreto?”

I didn’t say anything. I wasn’t talking until I had my questions answered.

“Dimmi!” he snapped.

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