The walls surrounding the property are solid stone topped with security cameras mounted every few meters.
Guards stand on either side of the entrance wearing dark suits with guns holstered at their hips.
The driveway stretches ahead of us, lined with golden lights that reflect off the pale stucco exterior of the main house.
One of the guards speaks into a radio clipped to his collar.
His eyes sweep over me and Sofia without any trace of emotion or curiosity.
He nods at whatever response comes through his earpiece as his hand moves to rest on his weapon.
The gates begin to swing open and I pull Sofia closer to my side.
My heart slams against my ribs so hard, I think it might crack through bone.
I know with absolute certainty that I should've run farther.
I should've left Italy completely.
I should've disappeared so thoroughly that no one could ever find us.
Because I don’t like the feeling I'm getting in the pit of my stomach.
I didn't run far enough.
2
DANTE
The ledgers spread across my desk tell the same story they told an hour ago.
Twenty kilos of heroin left Istanbul on schedule and disappeared before reaching the port in Bari.
The numbers don’t lie, but someone along the chain is lying to me.
I’ve called every contact between Turkey and Italy.
Nobody saw anything.
Nobody knows anything.
Everyone is suddenly blind and stupid.
I lean back in my chair and press the phone tighter against my ear.
Kemal Durmaz speaks in rapid Turkish on the other end.
His interpreter translates the words into Italian, and though the tone is different, I can tell they're all threats.
"You understand my position, Dante. The product was your responsibility once it crossed into Italian waters. Now it's gone, and you expect me to believe you had nothing to do with it."
I keep my voice calm as I respond. "I'm telling you someone intercepted the shipment before my people could secure it. We're tracking down every point of contact along the route."
"Tracking." Kemal laughs. "You have until Christmas Eve to return my product or provide full compensation. If you fail, certain information will reach your allies in Sicily and Naples. And you know what I'm talking about."
I take a silent, deep breath.
So I've been skimming here and there, and that hit I took out on the Bianchi witness was good for everyone, not just me.
