Chapter Sixteen

It was not difficult for Santini to do the maths, and word quickly reached him of the stunningly beautiful girl residing at his enemy's villa. He had allowed Anna to stay there and ignored her for sixteen years, he sent his men to find out what was happening. They reported back that the rumours were correct, Anna’s daughter was even more beautiful than her Mother had been and she was feisty with a mind of her own,

‘È cresciuta in Inghilterra e non capisce il modo mafioso’ [She was brought up in England and does not understand the Mafia way]

The Guard reported he had seen her jogging on the beach flirting openly with the local boys,

‘Forse ha bisogno della mano ferma di suo Padre?’ [Perhaps she needs the firm hand of her Father]

The Guard suggested and saw the gleam in Santini’s eyes,

‘Sua madre?' [Her Mother?]

The Guard hid a smile as he replied,

‘Sta morendo, cancro allo stadio terminale. Mi è stato detto che è questione di giorni, forse settimane, non di più.’ [She is dying, end stage cancer. I am told it is a matter of days, maybe weeks, no more than that]

Santini smiled again,

Eccellente. Quando la donna muore portami la ragazza‘ [Excellent. When the woman dies bring the girl to me]

Juliette sat out on the patio as the sun went down over the ocean, it was warm and there was a cool breeze out there. She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair she had been here ten months but it seemed so much longer. She spoke fluent Sicilian, languages had always been easy for her and she had picked it up quickly, she was also in regular contact with her English ‘Mother’. Once she had settled and accepted Anna, there was no barrier to keeping in touch and they chatted at least once a week,

Anna knew her time was near, everything was an effort, she had stopped eating and slept most of the time there was no pain just acceptance. She stirred and opened her eyes smiling at the sight of her daughter sitting beside working on her laptop,

‘Ehi bambina’ [Hey baby girl]

Juliette lifted her beautiful eyes and they shone with love,

‘ Posso procurarti qualcosa Mama?’ [Can I get you anything, Mama?]

‘No, child I am fine, I love to watch you working. What are you studying?’

She asked softly her breathing was light,

‘I’m doing some research on him, we both know what he intends to do and I want to be sure I have all the information I need when I take him down’

She answered her Mother truthfully and Anna laughed,

‘I have complete faith in you child, he will seriously underestimate you he’s such a sexist pig, thinks women are ornaments without brains’

She clutched her hand,

‘I wish I was going to be here to see you do this. I am so sorry I have to leave you’

‘I am happy we had this time Mama, I am proud to be your daughter and I will honour your memory, I will not fail you’

Juliette promised faithfully bending her head to kiss her Mother's paper-thin cheek and two days later she passed away peacefully in her sleep. The funeral had all been arranged and her Mother's ‘people’ began to arrive in the early morning, Juliette had been expecting them and the meeting was held at ten, the Mafia Dons sat around the table assessing the beautiful young woman. One by one they dismissed her because of her looks, there was no way she could be of any use to them as a leader they thought as she stood up. She was wearing a short black Dior dress that fitted her slender figure perfectly, matched by impossibly high patent black Dior heels and a pretty pillbox hat with a veil. Her glorious hair was French plaited with jet beads woven into it and her make-up was subtle but stunning. Lifting her head she began to speak and destroyed all their prejudices, her intelligence and the plan her Mother had were clever and well thought out. She answered their questions easily and by eleven she brought the meeting to an end,

‘Siamo tutti d'accordo signori?’ [Are we all agreed gentleman?]

 She looked at each of them and they nodded standing up she stood by the door and each of them shook her hand as they left the room, the deal was done.

Everything happened just as they had surmised as soon as her Mother was interred she walked back towards the car and two men appeared to bar her way,

‘Vieni con noi’ [Come with us]

Their Leader caught her elbow but she pulled herself free,

‘Non hai rispetto? Ho appena seppellito mia Madre.’ [Have you no respect? I have just buried my Mother.]

She snapped angrily and tried to walk past him,

‘Noi lo sappiamo e questo significa che ora siete sotto la protezione dei vostri Padri. Verrai con noi adesso' [We know and that means you are now under your Fathers protection because you are still underage. You will come with us right now]

This time he grabbed her elbow and dragged her into their waiting limousine getting in beside her and knocking on the glass to tell the driver to take them back to the villa.

Juliette said nothing she sat in the corner of the car staring straight ahead and when it pulled up outside the huge luxury villa she refused to be intimidated. The Guard grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the limousine but she stood her ground freeing herself,

‘Toglimi le tue fottute mani di dosso.’ [Take your fucking hands off me]

She snarled at him challenging him with her eyes he walked over to her,

‘Possiamo farlo nel modo più difficile o nel modo più semplice. A voi la scelta.’ [We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Your choice]

He did not expect her reaction when he moved forward to grab her again she stepped back grabbed his arm and pulled him using his momentum. She spun around twisting it up his back and pushing him onto the floor,

‘Muoviti e ti spezzerò il braccio’ [Move and I will break your arm]