Page 14 of Sworn to My Heart
“My daughter has suffered all of her life. I don’t understand why all of New York is on her back. The French, the Russians, and now you?” He responds with a question, as if we’re in a negotiation.
The Russians?
How are the Russians involved in all this?
Before I could ask, he sighs than coughs, this time spraying blood a bit farther, so I quickly take a step to the side.
“Either way, the Russians are already tracking and controlling her every move. You’ll start a war with them if you intervene. At first, when the French took her, I did what I had to do to free her from them. But it seems she was using drugs from the Russians behind my back and got into heavy debt with them. They took her from the French in some deal, and now she works for them.When you caught me, I was so close to finding the last location she was seen,” he explains, as if he’d been waiting for me to come and listen.
The puzzle pieces start falling into place, and now I know what I need to do.
“Does she know about us?” I ask, my face blank, showing no emotion at his story.
He shakes his head weakly, “If she knew, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to make deals with those Russian bastards.” I believe him.
“I give you my word that I will get your daughter out of there and ensure she is safely secured in Vegas, well taken care of. But in return, you will need to update us with all the information you’ve gathered from the French. Every shipment, every transfer, everything. After that, I promise you a quick death,” I make my final offer before handing the reins back to Mariano, confident he’ll agree.
“Any information you provide here that turns out to be false would come at your daughter’s expense. Consider that,” I add with a cold threat.
He nods in agreement. Bingo. Success.
I turn to Mariano and signal him to extract everything Angelo knows with a slight nod. Finally, I can deal with what’s been on my mind since I saw her mesmerizing turquoise eyes. Alin.
I quickly call Pedro, updating him on the information Angelo gave me about Mariana and the Russians, asking him to verify the information with his informants among the French. I want to understand how they handed her over so easily to the Russians. He confirms and ends the call. He’s handled everything himself in New York, and I finally feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing he’s starting to take things seriously and stop with his childish games.
Before calling Flavio to update him on the developments, I quickly send Graham a message to monitor Alin’s phone regularly. Call, messages, anything that comes in or out of her phone, I want an update. I’m going to solve this mystery whether you want me to or not, Alin.
A call comes in just as I send the message to Graham. It’s Flavio.
“Angelo’s daughter is working with the Russians,” he announces as soon as I press the green button to answer.
At least that’s news I already know.
“Have you located her?” I ask, not surprised.
“You knew? Why aren’t you as surprised as I am right now?” he asks suspiciously.
“We just got it out of Angelo. The Russians made some deal with the French, took her to work for them. Looks like she has some unfinished business with them, and they wanted to settle it. Did you find her?” I update him, respecting his position as the capo of Vegas, and ask again.
He confirms.
“Looks like she’s dealing with some of their street rats here. I hate them. They always bring cheap goods here, tarnishing the neighborhood’s image with their mixed garbage and running off before we can catch them. I’d be more than happy to deal with them once and for all now that my people have all of them in sight.”
Great. He saved me the headache of locating her and checking everything myself. And now he could get her out too? He practically handed me my promise to Angelo on a silver platter.
“Need help from me and Mariano? Once she’s out, I trust you’ll take her under your protection. Take good care of her,” I ask, knowing he’ll keep his word.
“On it,” he promises. “No need, there are only five of them here; my people have all of them in sight. Seems it’s my lucky day; they were just dividing up their trashy goods. They’ll take care of them, and I’ll keep Mariana close and ensure she’s well taken care of.”
Just as I thought, everything’s playing into my hands, all the puzzle pieces falling into place.
“When you’re done with them, do me a favor. Make sure their bosses know this is a gift from me,” I say, and he laughs.
“Luca, you love to provoke everyone. It’s going to come back to you eventually,” he chuckles.
“I’m not provoking; I’m just giving reminders that seem to have been forgotten over time,” I reply and end the call.
We’ll stay here under the radar for a few days and then head back to New York.
