“Why the hell would he do that?” Gui says.
“No fucking idea, but Gio handled it, so we’re not needed,” Massi says.
“Handled it?”
“Yes…handledit.” Massi raises his brows at Gui.
I have to admit, it’s kind of adorably hilarious how Massi is trying to speak in code to keep me from hearing the darker sides of his work.
Massi sits with his hand under his chin, looking like he’s deep in thought.
“What’re you thinking?” Gui says.
“I’m unsure. It’s just very interesting timing, is all,” Massi says, then his phone goes off again.
“What a coincidence,” he says, looking at his phone, then answering it. “Hey, Dad.”
Gui and I are quiet while Massi listens to the call.
“Yeah, everything is good, but I did just get a call from Gio. Said there was an issue with one of our men trying to steal a crate from our latest shipment. He handled it though.”
It’s silent for a few more moments.
“I spoke to him, and he doesn’t need me,” Massi says.
I exchange a glance with Gui.
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. I’ll consider it… Yeah… Okay… Thanks, Dad.”
He hangs up the phone, stuffing it back into his pocket. “That was strange,” he says.
“What’d he say?” Gui asks.
“He was just checking in on the shipment. Wanted to make sure everything was set with the buyers.”
“And that was strange because…?” Gui says.
“I told him Gio handled the situation with the crate, but he told me I should still head home and make sure everything’s okay since I’m in charge.”
“I mean, that kind of makes sense,” Gui says.
Massi sits there deep in thought, clenching his jaw. “There was something about the way he said it. Like he was trying to get me to leave, and with what we know about him keepingsomething from me that’s here, I think that’s exactly what he was trying to do.”
“You think Dad had something to do with the dude trying to steal the crate?” Gui asks.
He shakes his head. “I know it’s a fucking outlandish idea, but there’s something off here, and if you guys had heard how my dad was speaking, you would understand. I don’t think he wants me in Sicily any longer so he can make sure I don’t find out about whatever bullshit secret this is.”
“This is fucking crazy, bro,” Gui says, but I can see the concern etched into the skin between his brows. He might be saying it sounds crazy, but there’s a part of him that believes him.
“I know,” Massi says. “I know…”
“Let’s play this out, then,” I say. “Let’s say your dad was successful in getting you to go home. That would mean you’d be missing the masquerade ball. Does that mean this masquerade ball is hiding whatever it is your parents are hiding?”
Gui looks back and forth between the two of us. “This is getting very confusing.”
“It doesn’t make any fucking sense, but at this point, I’m just throwing out any ideas that I can think of,” Massi says. “I just need to confront them tonight at the ball. Figure out what the hell is going on.”
“I have a feeling tonight is going to be a lot more eye opening than any of us thought it’d be,” Gui says, taking another panelle off my plate.
