Page 30 of Powerful Deception

The man shrugs. “That depends. Why are you in my laundromat spewing Dante Rosetti’s name?”

Straight to business. “Because I need help bringing him down and I hear you're the man that can possibly get the job down.”

He looks at me as I say the words. He looks at me as if he is trying to figure out if I’m being truthful as to why I’m here.

Maybe he’s trying to figure out if Rosetti himself sent me and this is just all a game.

Finally, after what seems like the longest minute in the world, he gives me a curt nod.

“I’m Roberto, now take a seat and tell me why you want Mr. Rosetti dead.”

I take a seat in the chair in front of his desk, and I tell him. I tell Gallo about my father and how he was murdered, and I tell him how I know in my gut that Rosetti was the one that called the hit. Gallo agrees.

“It sounds like the fucker. I bet he got off on it too, the sick bastard.”

After that, Gallo tells me that he would gladly work with me in figuring out a way to get me inside. He even agreed to get me identifications with the name Arianna Amato on them to make it more believable.

The only thing that was left up in the air was the how and the when. Once we had those things somewhat figured out, we would be set, and we would be able to bring Rosetti down.

The one thing that we did figure out was how I was going to pay him for his time. Of course, this wasn’t going to be free, and I expected that but that didn’t mean that I didn’t balk at his need for five thousand dollars. It hurt, but I agreed to the amount. If I didn’t have the money that was donated by the Lane Foundation, I would have walked out.

Not even twenty minutes into me walking in and meeting with Gallo, I’m excused. All with a promise to deposit the money into an account he gave me, and a burner phone that came with the orders of only using it when I’ve learned something pressing.

Like if I find a way to infiltrate Rosetti’s world, if I find any information about my dad’s hit. I’m supposed to go to Gallo first and he will know what to do.

Does that part freak me out even more? Yes, yes it does, but if it what needs to be done then I will do it.

I finish my laundry and put everything back into the duffel back and start heading back to my place.

It’s when I’m sitting on the train that my phone starts ringing with a call from an unknown number.

Given the meeting I was just in, I answer.

“Hello?” There is a slight shake in my voice as I address the person on the other line.

“Is this Arianna Amato?” A woman’s voice says from the other end.

A woman and she used the name Amato. This couldn’t be Evelyn, could it?

“This is her.”

“Oh, hi Arianna, this is Evelyn, Mr. Rosetti’s assistant. I’m calling you because I wanted to see if you could start the position tomorrow?”

Start the position tomorrow?

“I’m sorry, I’m a bit confused. Position?”

“The nanny position. Mr. Rosetti would like you to start tomorrow.”

Is he that desperate for help that he is going to hire me?

“I thought that after…” the interview where I flashed the man my chest, I want to say. “After the disastrous interview, my chances were gone.”

“Mr. Rosetti is a hard man to please but nonetheless he thinks you are right for the job. Are you still interested?” Evelyn asks.

Hard to please feels like an understatement.

This is it. This is the opening I’ve been waiting for, and it’s being handed to me like a piece of cake.

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