“God killed their baby because of their adultery – and because King David killed Bathsheba’s husband!”
The story sounded vaguely familiar. But the fact that she was bringing it up at all disturbed me in a way not even Cesare Caproni could.
“Alessandra,” I said in a quiet but firm voice, “you have to calm down – ”
“What if God punishes us?”
“He’s NOT going to punish an innocent child.”
“But Bathsheba – ”
“Stop it,Alessandra. This isn’t good for the baby, and it’s not good foryou.”
Suddenly she cried out – not a whisper, but a shriek – and her eyes widened in shock.
“What is it?” I asked, uncertain what had just happened.
“Dario!” she screamed as she collapsed to her knees, even as she hung onto my arm.
“Alessandra!” I cried out in panic. “Alessandra, what is it?!”
“The baby,” she wailed, her eyes full of terror as she stared up at me. “Something’s wrong – I can feel it!”
An icy fear clutched at my heart, worse than any I had ever felt in my life –
Except for when the Turk had held a gun to her head.
That was the only time I had ever felt as frightened as I did now.
Alessandra screamed again and went down on all fours like a wounded animal.
The rosary she clutched in her hand hung like a pendulum from her belly.
“NICCOLO!” I roared as I sank to the floor and held my wife. “LARS! SOMEONE, GET IN HERE, NOW!”
95
Niccolo
We heard Dario’s panicked shouts all the way down on the first floor.
Lars, Rachel, Massimo, Valentino, Roberto, and I raced up the stairs as fast as we could, with a swarm of foot soldiers behind us. Adriano had already left for Florence – otherwisehewould been with us, too.
For me, Dario’s shouting brought up the terrifying memory of the night Papa died –
When Adriano had screamed for help.
My mind immediately flew to Cesare Caproni.
Is he here in the HOUSE?!
I’d tripled security around the mansion, and foot soldiers were watching every security camera we had, so I knew it was impossible –
And it turned out not to be true.
But the reality was almost as bad.
When we burst into the master bedroom, Alessandra was on all fours and whimpering in pain. Dario knelt beside her, clutching her hand.
