Page 6 of Hush 3: Hidden Family

“If she is in the States, why not have one of the families with roots there handle the favor?” Uri asks.

“This is a delicate matter. I can only ask someone I trust to handle this situation. I trust you more than you know.”

“Tell me who she is, who has taken her, and why,” Uri says.

“It is my granddaughter,” Don Trovati says.

I watch Uri as his face remains expressionless. This is a friend of his, so I wasn’t expecting him to remain so cold. I wonder if Uri has ever met this granddaughter.

“How could they have taken your granddaughter? You’ve told me that your daughter died when she was ten and you never had another child,” Uri says.

“My Emma did drown when she was ten. However, Consuela, my housekeeper who drowned trying to save her, had a daughter as well.

“Carmelita and my Emma had been best friends. Carmelita was left without a mother, as I was left without my child. My wife and I took her in as if she were ours. Carmelita was my daughter in every sense of the word.

“I was heartbroken when she decided she wanted to go live in the States. However, she was an adult, and I couldn’t keep her here. Two years after she settled there, she met up with some guy.

“I didn’t like him. He wouldn’t have been my first choice for her. However, she fell in love and became pregnant. The bastard left her and the child. Carmelita returned to me broken and in tears with a swollen belly.

“Of course, I took care of everything like a papa would. My granddaughter was born, and I couldn’t remember seeing a more beautiful sight. I was the one to name her.

“She became my pride and joy. I watched her grow and enjoyed her laughter until her mother decided to return to America and take her away with her. To this day, I think my wife died of a broken heart.

“It was like she lost three daughters. Carmelita once again got mixed up with the wrong crowd. I was informed she was involved with some lowlife who was into trafficking young girls.

“I was livid. Why take my littlenipotinaand involve her in that? Three months ago, I got a call in the middle of the night …” He takes a pause as his eyes begin to mist. He swallows hard and clears his throat before he continues.

“Carmelita was killed. They say she overdosed, but she never touched that stuff. For all her bad decisions, she was still a good girl. Besides, she loved her daughter and wouldn’t neglect her for the chase of a high.

“That asshole shot her up with that shit and killed her,” he chokes out with rage lacing his words.

“This is who has your granddaughter?”

“Yes, he has my bella. Name your price. I will give you whatever you want. Please, Uri. I need you to go to the States and bring her back to me.

“If you find her with that bastard, I want you to kill him. Make him one of your examples. I want him to suffer.”

“Done,” Uri says and stands, nodding for me to follow.

CHAPTER 4

Finding Symphony

Symphony

I sit in the back of this car wishing my mommy ornonnowere here. I haven’t seenNonnoin so long. I miss him.

I want to go to Italy to see him. I want to hear him speak the funny words. Not like the words Mommy sometimes speaks. Nonno’s words are a little different, but I can understand him.

He is kind. Not like this man sitting with me—Mommy’s friend. I don’t like this man. I don’t know where he’s taking me.

He promised me if I went with him, my mommy would return for me. It’s been ninety-six days since I last saw her. Two thousand three hundred and three hours and counting. She has never left me for this long.

“I want my mommy. When will I see her?” I ask while tapping my fingertips together.

The music is playing in my head. Tapping my fingers together helps me to capture the notes and colors that play in mymind. The music has been loud and off-key since Mommy has been gone.

“You’re such a pretty girl. Too bad you’re a fucking retard,” the man says as he places his hand on my thigh.

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