Mitch moved in the blink of an eye.
Carlotta snapped out of it instantly, swinging the gun toward him. “Don’t,” she hissed. “Fucking asshole.”
Kathleen couldn’t tell if she meant Mitch or her father.
“Cryptocurrency,” Carlotta went on, her voice rising. “That means it’s worthless. Worthless!” She laughed again, harsh and broken. “The money is gone.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” Kathleen said, forcing the words past her dry throat.
“Yes, she can,” Enzo cut in. “You know how much your father was worth?”
Carlotta nodded sharply. “Despite what I told you on that call, I knew down to the penny. I also know when he would’ve bought it and what it’s worth now. There will be a fraction of his fortune left on that wallet.”
“Then she’s right,” Enzo said. “Crypto is way down.”
“Down doesn’t cover it,” Carlotta snapped. She gestured at the sleeve in Enzo’s hand. “There might be ten million on that thing.”
Kathleen swallowed. “Ten million is still a lot?—”
Carlotta laughed again, loud and cracked. “I owe more than that to Bianca. This, this is nothing. A drop in the bucket.”
“Not to ask a stupid question,” Kathleen said carefully, “but it goes back up again eventually, right?”
Carlotta turned the gun on her.
“Yes,” she said flatly. “But I don’t have time. Bianca is demanding payment now. And it’s her brother I really owe.” Her mouth twisted. “He’ll kill me if I don’t pay. Make an example out of me.”
Enzo said suddenly. “You hired the guys in the SUV that tried to push us off the road. You also hired both these guys,” he said, pointing to Griff and Mackie. “And Alex to get the statue back.”
Carlotta nodded. “I was desperate. I needed to get the treasure before Vitale or Rocco, but now…”
Kathleen’s palms were slick with sweat. The gun was shaking now. Carlotta was unraveling right in front of them.
“Um…Enzo?” Kathleen asked, tearing her gaze away from the gun for half a second.
Enzo shifted instinctively, placing himself between Kathleen and Carlotta.
Carlotta noticed immediately.
“Stop!” she screamed.
Sirens wailed in the distance, cutting through the roar of the fountain. Close. Too close.
Time was gone.
“She’s right,” Enzo said quietly. “Carlotta, your only move is to run.”
Carlotta stared at him. “Run? Run where? Alessandro and Rocco will find me anywhere.”
“Vitale won’t care,” Enzo said. “Leave this with me,” he said, shaking the crypto wallet slightly. “I’ll see that he gets it. That removes you from his board entirely.” He edged a fraction closer, shielding Kathleen without being obvious. “Rocco has no reach in the U.S. Go there. Disappear.”
She hesitated.
“Do you have money?” Enzo asked.
She let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “What do you think? Of course I do. Not enough, but some.”
“Then run,” Enzo said. “Now. You get picked up by the police, and it’s over. Rocco has people everywhere in Europe.”
