Page 135 of Vita Mia

“Yes.”

“Am I allowed to ask about the relationship you have with your sister?”

“I prefer you don’t.”

“Isn’t Lola, the singer, isn’t she her daughter?”

“She is.”

“So, you two aren’t on good terms?”

“We have an arrangement. For the kids. My son Gino put it in place. He’s a good peacekeeper. But my sister and myself have had a very complicated relationship for a long time. I won’t tell that story. Not much of it.”

“Okay,” Ryder checked his notes again. Without MiaBella at his side flinching and making her mother sensitive to how much she shared, he found Mirabella to be quite open and honest. “I have some rumors and myths that I want to answer for my, ah for the public.”

“Myths? Okay, go on.”

“Is it true that your husband killed both of your ex-lovers, a man named Kei Hyogo and a man named Cutter—”

“No. It’s absolutely not true. Kei Hyogo moved to China and got into criminal activities there. For all I know he’s alive. Cutter died in a car accident.”

“Will you be willing to say this on camera?”

“I will.”

“Is it true that your best friend Fabiana was murdered by your husband in front of you.”

“She died an accidental death that had nothing to do with my husband. I gave a statement that you could probably find on the internet to reporters when I returned to Italy. Ryder?”

“Yes?”

“These questions came up in court and when I testified I answered them. It’s public record,” she said.

“Yes, umm, but I was only wondering about—“

“You were wondering that if now that my husband is dead I would tell a different story? I told the truth then and I will tell you the truth now. But if you’re going to give the best interview you don’t want to talk about myths and rumors. You want to know how it ends. Where it all went wrong and right for my family. Who I am. Really. Right?”

Ryder nodded.

“Then ask the right questions.”

“There is only one question I have. One that I’ve been wondering since I started researching your family after, umm, my accident.”

Mirabella frowned.

“Actually, two questions,” he flushed. “I don’t want to offend you but I’m hoping you can tell me off the record, for my understanding only.”

“Ask me.”

“First question, are you, your sons, still inla Camorra?”

Mirabella blinked. She stared directly at him. He waited. She didn’t answer. He waited longer and she didn’t answer. Slowly it dawned on him that her silence was the answer.

“What’s the second question?” Mirabella finally asked.

Ryder wasn’t sure if he should ask, but he’d gone this far, and he’d finally had her alone, so he went for it. “Is Giovanni Battaglia dead?Reallydead.”

“And why do you ask that?” Mirabella asked.

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