Page 4 of Mafia Kings: Dario

I promised him.

It was probably the one thing that saved both our lives.

3

The local police arrived almost immediately – but as soon as they heard what had happened, they called Florence. No one else was qualified to investigate such a brazen assassination.

The detective who showed up two hours later, though, seemed bored. Perhaps he felt that a killing in the middle of nowhere was beneath him.

He asked me what had happened. I told him everything, but said that I had only seen a man in a black trench coat and hat – that I hadn’t seen his face.

After I finished speaking, Papa gave me an encouraging smile.

I felt guilty for lying, but I persuaded myself that it was more important to obey my father.

The detective searched the ugly man’s clothes and found a pistol in his jacket pocket.

So hehadbeen scrambling for a gun when the blond stranger had shot him…

The detective ordered the local ambulance to take the body away. Then he had the man’s car towed back to Florence.

It was nearly 11 o’clock at night when they all departed… and I was left with the horrible task of cleaning up the blood on the stone floor.

“I’ll help you,” my father said quietly, and went to the kitchen to get buckets and brushes.

While he was gone, I heard the door open behind me.

I thought it was one of the police returning, so I wasn’t afraid.

But Ibecameafraid as soon I turned around.

Three men stood by the doorway.

All three were relatively young – in their mid- to late 20s.

All three wore expensive dress suits, and all three were incredibly handsome in their own way.

Their features were close enough that they seemed to be related –

That was where the similarities ended.

To the left was a mountain of a man – at least 200 centimeters, or 6’6” for you Americans. He had massively broad shoulders and enormous muscles beneath his dark suit. He reminded me of a circus strongman from old black-and-white movies. He had a full head of brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. I thought of him as anorso –a bear. Despite his imposing size, his warm brown eyes were kind.

To the right was a shorter man, though he still stood at least 6’2”. His hair was dark brown and slightly curled, his face had just a bit of scruff, and he wore a flashy blue suit with a silk shirt. He was trim and muscular.

Though not nearly as big as the Bear, he was more threatening. His handsome face was furious, as though someone had insulted him, and he scowled like he wanted to kill me.

I immediately thought of him as the Hothead.

But he was not the most frightening…orthe most handsome.

That was the man in the center.

He was in the middle as far as height – about 6’4” – but his shoulders were almost as broad as the Bear’s.

His jet-black hair was swept back from his face, and he wore a short black beard trimmed to perfection.

His cheekbones were like a fashion model’s. Piercing black eyes stared out from under his furrowed brow.

---