Ciro was tying his tie with great effort, making mistakes over and over again until he lost his patience. He was not used to tying it himself, usually Bethany helped him, who did it in a flash. But this time he couldn't go to her or he would ruin what he had in mind. Surrendered to frustration, he left the knot badly tied and the tie crooked, thinking that it looked better than he thought, and even if it didn't, he wouldn't waste any more time on it. That ridiculous accessory had taken up a lot of his time, more than he spent on any other piece of his suit.
Suddenly, a ringing sounded that wasn't his cell phone. It took him a while to realize that it was the small android he had confiscated from the detective. He walked over to the nightstand next to his bed and pulled the noisy device out of the top drawer where he had kept it. "Unknown" was written on the identifier, it was a number that wasn't regi
Sand Wedge club hit the small white ball which rolled into the hole. The firstborn strutted about his achievement and shouted claims as he got ready for the next shot. Brahim was absorbed in his reality, not even realizing that Ciro was about to steal his turn. He watched intently towards the balcony of the main room. Bethany was standing there, returning his stalking gaze. With the cool breeze of the wind ethereally stirring her reddish hair. In the last few days, Ciro had become a kind of guardian angel who watched over Bethany day and night from the temptations of “Lucifer.” That distant glance was the first contact that reunited the well-matched lovers after several weeks of ignorance. Brahim had wished to have the opportunity to talk to her, although he didn’t know very well what he would say to her. That last conversation they had had left him with a lot to th
The relationship between Ciro and Brahim was clearly fractured. They rarely spoke to each other and the few moments they shared were filled with tension. There was a thin streak of hostility between them, just waiting to explode. Brahim tapped his golf club against his SDR sneakers , glancing at his brother, who until now had been acting rationally, if a little distant.-How are things going with Bethany? - She asked, throwing Ciro off balance. He preferred to concentrate on his shot so as to stop himself from giving her a murderous look."You mean how they walk after having rolled around with you?" he said hostilely, lamenting his bad shot that left the victory on a silver platter for Brahim.-No. I mean about the private detective. -Ciro ignored him. He didn't want to tell him anything about his wife. Brahim stood in front of his brother and continued: -I've looked at the inform
Later that day, Bethany would try for the umpteenth time to leave the house. Inside the Tonali mansion everything was rigorously guarded. Privacy was limited, almost non-existent, so she had to go to a place that was far from the control of her husband, who luckily was not at home at that moment. Her main problem was the guard who practically welcomed her to the mansion. The corpulent man did not leave the small room next to the huge iron gate for anything, not even to eat. He only left his post when he needed to use the bathroom, which was a small room inside his guardhouse.Bethany was playing with the dogs on the large green porch, pretending to be unaware of the security guard who didn't even suspect her intentions, which gave her peace of mind to look at her cell phone. The anxiety that dominated her at that moment manipulated her perception of time in a cruel way, making her believe that sixty minutes would pass as dozens of hours, and the security guard remained firm i
answering machine. He had listened to the message three times already, still unable to believe it. He walked over and played the audio for the fourth time:-I'm recording this message for anyone who might be interested: I'm Bethany Carter, or so I think. I'm stuck in Italy and I need help getting back to the United States.He slammed his fist against the small wooden table. He had no doubts, it was Anne's voice. It had been a long time since he last heard it, but he would never forget it. Even in his dreams he could make it out so clearly that it was as if she were right in front of him. That melodic tone that had been the ringing tone of his life for years.A sea of feelings came to him. Anger, emotion and nostalgia surged through his turbulent soul. In the end, he didn't know why he was crying. Maybe it was because of helplessness, since no one believed him even when he was right. His beloved Anne was still alive.She forced herself to compose
Ciro was in his office, sitting in front of his computer. He had considered deleting the files the detective had collected, but what was the point of doing it now, when Anne already knew the truth? He had been naive to reveal the contents of those files, and even more naive to think that Anne would not find them. He should have taken them to another computer or transferred everything to a USB drive that he would never let go of. Now, the consequences were catching up with him because of his carelessness.-I'm here. What's going on? - It was Brahim, who had entered without warning. Ciro still couldn't see him with a happy face, always with a frown and expressionless eyes. He saw him settle into the chair on the other side of the desk.-I plan to go to Russia. You will have to take charge of the companies. -he told her bluntly.-Is that why you asked me here? We've done this before: you go on vacation, I'll take care of it, and when you come back you can fix my mistakes.-No, brother, t
Early in the morning, Jonas arrived at the police headquarters after a hard night dealing with vagrants and teenage gang members. In the last few hours, he had not given any other matters to think about, other than the rescue operation to bring Anne back, so he went straight to the second floor, eager to know the details. However, before going up the stairs he found James lying on an uncomfortable wooden chair, he was asleep.-James. -She began to wake him up by giving him gentle pushes. It didn't take long for him to react.-What's wrong? - He woke up startled, the policeman had to restrain him from getting up."How long have you been here?" Jonas asked. The answer was delayed by a yawn and a stretch of arms.-I arrived at four in the morning. Maddox had told me to stay close in case they needed me.-I know, but don't take it literally, it's just an expression. What will happen to your job? And Lauren?-Lauren is fine, she knows how to take care of herself, and she has you. And I don
Brahim's Rolls Royce stopped on the sand that rose, leaving a thick mist of dust in the air. He got out of the vehicle and put on his sunglasses. Then, he entered the factory that was constantly active; that day there seemed to be more work than on average. Brahim continued to the small room that served as a storage room, at the end of a large room that seemed smaller than it really was because it was occupied by the machines and other devices used to manufacture the substances. Once inside, he sat down on the only chair there and was attended to by a woman with oriental features who served him a cognac on the rocks.-Tell Marcela that I need to speak to her as soon as possible. - Brahim ordered with a disturbing calm, it was the calm before the storm. The maid nodded and left immediately. It was not long after her departure that Marcela arrived; a woman with a disheveled appearance, although with attractive features, she was the oldest worker in the factories, therefore the
The drops of water fell, warmer and warmer until they had cooled completely. Anne did not want to feel that icy sensation that was trying to erase from her skin the soft caresses of the hot water that had filled the bathroom with steam until it seemed like a sauna. She opened the sliding door and covered herself with a towel. She went from the bathroom to the bedroom, without noticing anything out of place, she couldn't do that, Brahim had left everything as it was. She passed the towel along her silhouette, drying every last trace of moisture. She approached the closet and took out a velvet tracksuit, comfortable and warm, and a black sweatshirt. As for footwear, she opted for some sneakers for sports. She would go for a run, although she would not go too far and for that she had two bodyguards designated by Ciro, who followed her all the time keeping a comfortable distance. She needed to clear her mind and calm her anxiety. She hadn't yet managed to get back in touch with the feds
Once again, Bethany woke up in a bland, cold hospital bed, but this time it wasn't in Florence, and her name wasn't Bethany either, but Anne. As soon as she arrived on American soil, she felt immense relief; she would finally stop fighting for her life. She was taken to a hospital that offered exclusive services to law enforcement officers, veterans, and their families. They subjected her to different tests, from blood tests to a psychological study. Finally, she was alone, lying on her back looking out the window at a moon that was a couple of nights away from being full; it was just as beautiful as in Italy. She thought about Brahim, if she had gotten to a hospital in time or if he would have died in the helicopter. And she also thought about Ciro, about that last promise he had made her. She didn't want to obsess, but it was almost impossible. If she had learned anything from Ciro Tonali, it was that he was stubborn; he would do everything possible to keep his word. "Bethany"
The vastness of the forest was reduced to Ciro's feet, he knew it like the back of his hand, and that was no exaggeration. He had grown up there, he had played hide and seek with Brahim many times, he had also walked there with his father looking for wildlife to hunt. He would never have imagined that in the future he would hunt his wife. It was when he understood that he was not the master of his destiny, which was what scared him the most.- Where are you taking me? - Anne asked, finally calming her tears. She walked ahead of Ciro, one of his hands holding her thin neck, while in her free hand she held the gun in the area of her lower back.-Brahim is waiting for us. – was all he said. He felt his heart squeezing, resisting this act of cruelty towards his wife, the woman of his life. He had found her hiding behind the rock long before the agent did and he stood frozen, watching her in ter
Anne found herself facing a wooded area of more than fourteen thousand two hundred hectares, she had already crossed them on her own foot, although this time it was different, because she had a pair of criminal brothers following her. She couldn't go down the main road, the only path free of weeds and leaves, where the vehicles moved, it would be too obvious. She advanced along the right furrow, clearing her path of branches and leaves, watching the ground carefully to jump over puddles or stones that she could trip over. She wasn't sure if there were snakes or spiders hiding in the undergrowth, she had no room to think about it, the real danger was the Tonali brothers. Her heart leapt into her chest when she became aware of the echoing footsteps following hers. She quickly hid behind the thick trunk of a tree, hoping not to be seen. She heard the static typical of radio communicators, followed by the booming
It was 2:13 in Italy. Ciro's sleepless nights had already become a habit, as had his taste for liquor. He was in the cellar of his house drinking Sicilian anise, the bitter taste of which was accompanied by equally bitter memories that revived the moment when his own brother, blood of his blood, told him that he had impregnated his wife, the woman of his life. If he got drunk it was not to forget, he never understood people who drank to forget their sorrows, he kept them fresh in his mind, he did it to be able to fall asleep. He used liquor as a soporific substance. The silence of his solitude was broken by the ringing of his cell phone. He took the device with his free hand, without letting go of the glass of anise, and glanced at the caller ID, noticing a call from one of his lackeys. He pressed the green button and brought the cell phone to his ear, while bringing the glass to his mouth.-Sir, I have
Around nine o'clock at night, Michael, handcuffed and guarded as if he were a high-ranking leader of some South American Carter gang, returned to his native country, the United States. The autumn breeze that blew, carrying with it the smell of hot dogs, hamburgers and tacos, the English accent resonating on every corner and the delirious people walking the streets talking to nothing, welcomed him to a land to which he never thought he would return. SWAT convoy he was transported from the helipad to the operations headquarters. Once there, lower-ranking officers processed him, offered him a more comfortable coat, and fed him. Michael was not averse to any deal, and when he had to be cooperative, he was. However, he did not ignore the failure to read his rights. He was not wrong in assuming that this was no small oversight. The feds were running roughshod over legislation. They called law only
With two hundred thousand euros in his pocket, Michael had lived the last few months like a celebrity: traveling, going to and from parties, drinking alcohol in abundance and consuming other substances, and in addition to all this he had the pleasant female company of some women who would do anything in exchange for money. But he was not stupid, he knew that in the shadow of his gloating there were consequences. He had sold valuable information to the Italian mafia with an FBI agent in danger. That is why he was not surprised when he saw a BND patrol. (Federal Intelligence Service in German) parking outside the five-star hotel where he was staying for more than seven days. He swore and quickly packed a couple of wads of cash and some gold and silver items, anything of considerable value, into a small gym bag. His days of jubilation were over, and he now had to answer to higher-ups. Although i
They left the mansion aboard the already familiar Mustang bound for Florence. The city was invaded by the artificial lights of billboards, street lamps and shops stealing the spotlight from the moon that shone in its maximum splendor. Anne watched her through the window, following her as if she were trying to protect her from the man who was driving beside her. Ciro had not said a single word since they left the mansion. Not even when he saw her back wearing the dress he himself had chosen for her. He had only made sure that she was wearing the wedding ring on the right finger.“Where are we going?” Anne asked, choking on the silence. She was ignored. Ciro ignored her question as if she hadn’t said anything. The journey had seemed long for Anne, perhaps it was the distance from one point to the other or the silence. But they finally arrived. The restaurant was familiar to Anne, she had
A second ultrasound revealed healthy fetal development, in harmony with the mother who had followed Dr. Lamberti's instructions to the letter. The pregnancy was already beginning to be an external reflection, her flat abdomen was growing, forming a small, though noticeable, belly. They left the consulting room (or rather, Lamberti's house). Anne had an inconceivable feeling. A second look at her son left her strangely moved. She couldn't say if it was like this the first time, with her firstborn, or if it was a new sensation, either way it wasn't right, the situation she was in didn't allow her to think of sleeping teddy bears or color palettes. As much as it hurt her, the fate of that child was still in doubt.-Hey Anne… - Brahim suddenly said, staying a couple of steps behind, she had already opened the door of the Roll Royce - I feel like I owe you an apology for everything I've said
Although he would have liked to say nothing to James about the letter, Jonas saw no other alternative, so he traveled to the journalist's house and explained the situation SWAT was in, that blind spot from which it was not moving forward, and the solution he had approved as effective.-The private detective you hired would probably have found the house of these two criminals. - Jonas said. - If you give me the information he collected, maybe we can find an address.-That damn detective turned out to be a con man.-That!-As you hear. He was asking for more, much more than what was agreed in exchange for what he had discovered. I lost track of him weeks ago, I haven't heard from him again. - Jonas listened attentively, thoughtfully. It was not an option that was ruled out.-Give me his details and everything you know, or think you know about him, we will find it somehow. -And so James did. Michael was not a hidden or mysterious character, on the con