Page 66 of Married to the Mafia

“Deal.”

“Get a photo of the entrance if you can. It’s hidden from here, and I can’t get any closer without giving myself away. I need to know if there’re cameras or guards. Keep an eye out. Be careful.”

“I’ll do my best.”

He kisses me. “Stay alive.”

“I will.” I walk away and he heads back up the steps, binoculars in hand.

My heart is slow and steady. I don’t anticipate any major danger. I’m just a lost tourist, that’s all. Hopefully, I can help. That’s all I want to do.

I head out of the site and walk around toward the street where Ricardo is hiding. I wonder what he’s doing in there. Who’s in there with him? Some unfortunate Italian woman taking my place?

There are police on the corner smoking and talking. I go straight past them. Are they here for Ricardo? I doubt it. They look like they’re taking a break, that’s all.

I’m walking past them when they grab me. It happens so fast, I’m not even sure what’s going on until I’m in the back of the police car racing away down the quiet streets.There are three of them. I’m in handcuffs and they won’t answer my questions.

They just talk at me in Italian, yelling stuff I don’t understand. One in the front and two on either side of me, spit hitting me as they keep shouting. “I’ve no idea what you’re saying,” I yell back. “Why are you arresting me?”

“You’ll see,” the driver says in a thick accent.

Did Dino see them take me? I hope he did. But if Ricardo’s back at the house, what’s he going to do? Go after him or me?

We don’t go to a police station. We go to a quiet back street in the middle of Rome. I didn’t know places like that existed.

The buildings loom high on either side of me, close enough to reach out of one window and touch the house opposite. The car barely fits down the alley.

“Out,” the police officer to my left says, pulling open his door and then dragging my arm.

I go to yell for help, but he punches me in the gut. “Silenzio,” he snaps, as a door in the building behind him is opened.

A waft of stale air billows out and hits me as I’m still trying to catch my breath. The three men drag me inside and I’m taken straight down a flight of stairs into the darkness waiting below.

26

Dino

Dino

It’s my own fault. I’m spending so long watching the house, I don’t even see the police until it’s too late. Three of them, positioned out of sight of me and the binoculars.

I curse myself as I take the steps three at a time, sprinting for the wall that separates the site from the surrounding streets. I leap up and get hold of the brickwork, clambering over it as fast as I can manage.

I’m still too late. I get a glimpse of the car vanishing into the distance. I spin around and another car’s coming this way. I jump in front of it and it halts just in time.

I run around to the driver’s door and before the guy inside can start to hurl insults; I yank him by the collar and pull him out. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, which makes the maneuver all the simpler.

I get in and gun the engine, tearing after the police car. It’s got a head start, but I manage to close the gap as we approach the city center.

I make calls as I drive, but I know it’s useless. Mysoldiers will be too far behind to be of any help. I give them my location anyway and the plate of the car I’m following. They’ll be able to track it and maybe I’ll get lucky. Maybe the odds will tip in my favor.

The police car pulls away, but then the roads snarl up.

The traffic slows us both down and I think I’ve lost sight of them by the Basilica, but then they reappear and I put my foot down, edging closer. They turn down an alley and I stop at the end, getting out in time to see her vanishing through a doorway.

No time to wait for help. I have to move fast, and that’s where I really fuck up.

I’m moving so fast I don’t stop to think. I run over to the door and turn the handle. Locked. I step back and give it a kick. It splinters and gives at once.

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