Page 67 of Angelo

Valentina muttered coyly, "You are not going to find Father Boselli that easily, Dr. Romero."

"What do you mean?"

"I know Car—"

The moment the words left the blonde's mouth, regret flickered across her beautiful face, and she held them back.

Elyse watched her intently. "What do you know about Father Boselli?"

"Nothing," the blonde snapped as her lips clammed up.

Elyse furrowed her brow. What was Valentina about to say before she stopped?Car—

Cara Berlusconi? Maybe.

Carmen? Unlikely. Valentina never referred to her mother by her first name.

Someone else?

Or something else entirely?

It seemed Valentina might know a thing or two about the priest's whereabouts, after all, as well as something about the guilty parties involved. Elyse didn't press her for more information, though. Valentina seemed like the kind of person who would respond better to a lighter touch than a heavy hand. Elyse launched another attack from a different angle.

"If you can find Father Boselli," she urged quietly, "my husband might change his mind and let Carmen attend your wedding."

Valentina stared at Elyse with a sullen pout. Realization seemed to hit the blonde, at last. Elyse watched the emotions play across Valentina's face. The other woman clearly recognized that she’d slipped up, said too much about Father Boselli, and backed herself into a corner.

Valentina scowled deeply. "How foolish of me. I thought you invited me out to try on dresses. I did not realize I was actually here to negotiate my mother's freedom."

"You want your mother back. I want the priest. You know something about his whereabouts. Don't pretend otherwise. We could help each other."

Slurring only a little, Valentina whined, "The... champagne. You got me drunk on purpose."

Elyse feigned ignorance. "Did I?"

"Well played, Dr. Romero," Valentina grumbled. "Your tactics are underhanded but effective."

"I'll take that as a compliment, I guess."

"You and I are not so different, you know."

An uncomfortable feeling wrestled inside Elyse. Was she becoming as black-hearted as Valentina? Grudgingly, Elyse admitted, "We may be more similar than I thought."

Valentina huffed, "Instead of harassing me, though, you should go talk to your husband. Father Boselli is not important in light of what Sandro has planned."

Elyse tried to keep her surprise from showing as she demanded, "What'sAlessandro planning to do?"

And why didn't she know anything about it?

"I will bring you to your missing priest," Valentina drawled in a languid, inebriated manner, purposely dodging Elyse's question, "if Sandro allows my mother to return to Palermo, not just for the wedding, but... permanently... under the clan's protection."

Elyse felt somewhat frazzled. Her thoughts were still stuck on Alessandro as she tried to keep up with Valentina's demands. She muttered, "I don't know about apermanentreturn to Palermo, but—"

"Make it happen," Valentina barked, "or our deal is off."

Elyse glared at the blonde. "You're not in a position to negotiate the terms."

"Think again," Valentina taunted, "Sandro needs me more than he needs you right now."

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