Page 81 of Ti Amo

By the morning the Polizia di Stato and Carabinieri would be kicking in his door. Christmas Eve was guaranteed to be ruined. “Wake Silvio Negali and have him brought here immediately. Let me know when he’s arrived. I need to break the news to Mira.”

Mira sat in the rocking chair of her daughter’s room all cried out. She held her doll in her lap so tight her hands ached. The door to the other room opened. She bolted from the chair and raced in to see Giovanni entering. “Where’s Eve?” She charged him and he caught her in his arms. He kissed her face.

“She’s okay. Nico is with her. There’s something I need to show you.”

He took her hand and went to the wall panel. He opened it and turned on the television. The satellite feed brought up the news channel. Mira blinked to see her runway show in Milan then the image of her and Fabiana doing an interview. She frowned, looked over at Giovanni then back to the screen. Pictures, flashed of her shopping on the lot for trees and visiting a toy shop in Napoli.

“It’s over. They know.” Giovanni said.

“How?” Mira sighed. “Kei?”

“It doesn’t matter, Bella.”

Mira put a hand to her head. “It does matter. Look at this.” The parade of her life and supposed death was on every news channel. She turned away from the set. “And Eve?” she asked. “Do they know about Eve?”

“We haven’t spoken to the press. I want you to shower and get dressed. I know soon we will have visitors we can’t refuse. Even at this late hour they will want to see you.”

Mira wiped her hands down her face. She touched her racing heart. “You scared the hell out of me. Locking me inside here. I, I, need a moment.” She sat down. Her hands didn’t stop trembling. Giovanni turned up the volume on the television. Though the newscaster spoke in Italian Mira understood every word.

This was the last Mira Ellison was seen alive. It has come to our attention that she is here. Being held against her will. We’ve asked for a statement from the Battaglia family, and none has been released. One moment. This just in. We are being told that it is true, Mira Ellison, renown American fashion designer, thought to be dead in an explosion two years ago is indeed alive. She was seen in Sorrento visiting the Battaglia bottling factory, and… and with a child? A baby girl. We have not confirmed this but we are learning more details by the minute. Why did she fake her death? Who is the woman buried in America? What does Giovanni Battaglia have to do with this? These are the answers we are waiting for.

“Turn it off!”

Giovanni did as she asked. He tossed the remote. Mira couldn’t look up at him. He wasn’t surprised by Kei’s desperate act. To flush her out and force her into the public eye was the only card he had left to play. In fact, it was the card Giovanni had intended to play. Which is why this strike troubled him. Kei Hyogo had broken several laws in this cover-up. He was just as exposed as Mira.

“The only reason he did this was retaliation. What happened?”

“I’m handling it.” Giovanni answered.

Mira shook her head at him sadly. “No. This is why I didn’t want you going after him. Now we can’t control how any of this is done.”

Giovanni sat next to her on the bed. “We should have done this the day I found you. Kei manipulated all of this, and I need you to go on record saying so.”

“What? Are you saying I should tell them? The truth?”

“Yes. Every detail of his plan.” Giovanni nodded. He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Don’t you see? You’re the victim. Now you can be set free of all of this, and all I need you to do is tell the truth. No lies. Just the truth.”

She nodded. He rubbed her back. Mira leaned over and dropped her head on the inside of his arm. “I’ll shower and get dressed. It’s time this comes to an end.” She rose. He caught her hand, brought it to his lips. She managed a smile then walked away. Giovanni glanced to the television set. His jaw tensed and his chest tightened with anger. This couldn’t have been Kei. If not him, then who?

****

The driver delivered him through the private gates of the airport to the runway. His jet had already been cleared for takeoff. Kei would land in Hong Kong well after he was missed. Kei grimaced. The fucking bastard had set him up, first with Cheung and now Mira. The media swarm would be crazy. He needed to get the hell out of the country before he was detained. Rethink his plan.

The door was opened and his driver peered down at him from under his chauffeur’s cap. “Will you need anything else sir?”

“No.” Quickly he hurried toward the tiny ladder that was lowered for him to enter. But before he reached the plane the loud wails of sirens sounded off, and Kei turned in time to see twelve police cars and two unmarked vehicles headed his way at warp speed. Kei thought to run up into the plane and get the pilot to lift off. But they’d never make it.

“Fuck!”

The cars surrounded him. The fucking agent with the FBI that had stalked him for two years exited one of the unmarked vehicles with a smug smile on his face. “Kei Hyogo you have the right to remain silent…”

****

Silvio Negali was a short man with a loud voice. He commanded the room. Even Mira was convinced of her abilities to right this ship after spending an hour of coaching under his instruction. He and Giovanni were in agreement. Mira would need to address the situation personally and the sooner the better.

The winter night was colder than expected for the southern region of Italy. Giovanni eased her coat on her shoulders. She wore her coat with large buttons on the front keeping it closed. Holding Giovanni’s hand, they walked together down the long driveway with his men surrounding them. Catalina had come outside to offer her support. She smiled weakly at Mira. It felt good to see them all so protective of her now. The reporters were in a frenzy as soon as she approached the gates.

Flashbulb glares exploded everywhere. Mira squinted against the light temporarily blinded. So many questions were thrown at her, the reporters’ voices drowned into collective noise. Mira put up her hand and silenced the crowd. “I would like to say something please.”

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