Page 52 of Mafia Kings: Dario

“Yes. Is there someone I could ask for in the village, someone with a phone?”

“How did you escape?”

“There was a passageway out the back,” I said hurriedly. “I really need to contact my father – thank you, but I should go.”

I turned to leave –

“Wait,” he said. “I forgot – I have a cell phone. For emergencies.”

I frowned. “I thought you didn’t have a phone?”

“I use it so seldom,” he said with a smile as he peered up sightlessly into the sky. “It slipped my mind. Come – come, I can let you use it.”

He began totap tap taphis cane towards the back of the church.

“Come – come, my child. Come with me.”

I was afraid… but I followed him as he made his way into the shadows.

16

There was a room in the back of the church. Not exactly living quarters, but it contained a table and cabinets. The rest of the space was taken up with storage.

The priest closed the door to the church behind us. I noticed another smaller door, presumably an exit, off to my right.

“Sit, sit,” he said as he felt his way along the cabinets lining the walls. “I’m sure my phone is here somewhere – I just have to find it.”

I sat in one of the chairs and tried to suppress my rising panic.

I only had a limited amount of time before Dario and the others discovered I was gone. It might be hours… or it could be 30 minutes.

What would happen when they realized I was no longer on the grounds?

Would they figure out where I had gone?

“You said you escaped from the Rosolinis?” the old man asked as his hands rummaged through open drawers.

“Yes.”

“You said they were holding you prisoner?”

“Yes.”

“Why, exactly?”

“I… there was a murder in my father’s café. I saw who did it.”

The priest whirled around. “My child! Are you alright?”

“Yes, Father.”

“That’s so horrible… I am so sorry you had to witness that…”

“Thank you, Father.”

He walked over to the table, sat down, and reached out for my hands. “Give me your hand. Please.”

I reluctantly put my hand in his.

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