Page 75 of La Dolce Vita

Rosetta walked over. "I don't know."

The girls peeked out of the store window. TheCarabinierihad their guns drawn and were shouting at the men hired to protect Catalina.

"Are they crazy?" Catalina went to the door, but Rosetta stopped her. They watched as the two men who were supposed to guard her and the driver of her car were forced into the back of police cars. Shopkeepers came out of their stores to gawk.

"They're arresting them," Rosetta said. "Stay out of sight. Remember this is Mancini territory."

"Bullshit!" Catalina shrugged off Rosetta's touch. "They wouldn't dare arrest Giovanni's men. They know better!"

"You saw it. Didn't you? Stay here. Let me go across the street and call Tito and Angelo to come get us," Rosetta said. "Until we know what's going on, I don't think they should know you are in here."

"Why across the street? Call from here." Catalina glanced back at Francesca’s office.

"Because that over there is Cornesi's store. He works for Armando Mancini. If he saw you arrive, then he could tell theCarabinieriand send them in here for you. It's best to know what is going on. Right? Let me speak with him. Just stay here. Trust me. I'll only be a minute. Lock the door behind me."

Catalina shook her head, confused and insulted. Rosetta didn't give her a chance to think through the scenario; she dashed out of the store and across the street. She looked back once. Catalina watched her from the door. If this plan failed, Rosetta knew Giovanni would be ruthless in his punishment of her.Armando told her to look for his signal and to act.She prayed this was it.

***

Catalina turned from the door and headed to the back of the boutique where Francesca’s office was. She picked up the phone and paged Dominic. She knew they were in Chianti. A page from her always had him scrambling to call her back immediately. She hung up and called the vineyard.

"Ciao?Is Domi, there? It’s Catalina?" she asked.

"Cia,o Catalina. I think they are all here, let me see," One of the men who worked for Rocco said. She didn't remember his name but had met him once or twice. Catalina sighed. Giovanni was going to blow his cool when he found out about the disrespect to his men.

Catalina heard the door open and close to the front of the store. She frowned, having remembered to lock it.Rosetta must have her own key.

"I'm back here, Rosetta!" she said with her hand over the phone.

"Catalina?" the man asked on the phone.

"Yes? Is he there?" she asked.

"No, but Giovanni is. I can get him for you. He's outside with Rocco."

"Ah...uh, no. I don't want to upset my brother. I'll page Domi again." Catalina hung up the call immediately. Giovanni would raise the devil if he knew she was in Sicily. Especially since she forgot to tell Dominic about the change in her travel plans.

"Rosetta? Are they on their way?" Catalina asked and put her hand to her brow. No one answered. "Rosetta?"

Armando stepped inside the office. He closed the door behind him. Her heart sank. Her throat went dry. Never, not ever, had she been with Armando Mancini alone without her guards or others close by. He stared at her with that sly smile to his lips, and she couldn't find her voice. Not many men could hang a suit the way her father and brother did. They'd enter a room, and immediately everyone knew they were someone of importance. Armando was one of those men. He looked strong and powerful in his gray suit. Shoulders were thickly muscled like a descendant from Goliath in a suit and tie. His hair was dark and silky. Tucked behind his ears, it reached his collar. The only thing different about him now was the goatee mustache. She couldn't see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses, but she knew they were focused on her. The phone rang in the office. He glanced at it and so did she.

"Let me guess. That's Dominic?" Armando asked.

"If I answer it and tell him you are here, you're a dead man," Catalina said.

"You want to spare my life?" he asked.

She didn't find the humor in the visit. And then it struck her hard. There was nothing Dominic could do at the moment to protect her. She was in Armando's territory. Locked behind a door with him. She reached for the phone, but it stopped ringing. She then thought of the gun she kept strapped to her thigh.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I should be asking you that question. After all, this is my land, my city, my street, my building," he said. He removed his sunglasses and tucked them into the front pocket of his suit jacket.

"This place belongs to Francesca. My brother."

Armando arched a single slender brow. "You of all people know better."

"Did you have Paolo and Raffaele arrested?" she asked.

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