Page 58 of Enzo

I think about that for a moment. I’m not sure we’d be divided because of what happened. The division happened because Father wanted it to be that way.

“I'll fix it, Mama.”

“Be careful, tesoro. There are some crazy people out there, people who hide behind a name. I don't want anything to happen to you.”

“You don't have to worry about me, Mama. I’ll be fine. It’s you I worry about.”

“I’m fine, here, all the way in Soave. I’m fine.”

Except, she’s not. Some journalist managed to find her all the way in Soave. I toss the phone onto my bed and wonder what I can do to fix it.

Knowing that I can’t.

That footage is out there. I’ve played a waiting game, hoping everything will die down, but it’s taking longer than I hoped.

Twenty years ago I broke Mama’s heart by showing her something she might never have otherwise seen.

It disrupted her life and ours.

I did that.

And here I am doing it again.

Chapter 15

ENZO

I park my hire car on the street outside where I'm supposed to meet Ms. Grech.

It's not the plot of neglected land.

It's a school.

A school.

A school that's only a short distance from the plot of land I visited yesterday. I don't understand what this school has to do with what Luca and I discussed yesterday. Then again, I've learned enough about Luca Valizar to know that information comes on a need-to-know basis, and apparently I don't need to know.

I glance at the building again.

The last of the children disappear through the entrance, bright little backpacks bouncing behind them. Parents hurrying back to their cars.

A sharp tap on my window startles me. I turn to see a woman standing outside. She looks to be in her mid-forties, maybe. Her dark hair is pulled back from her face into a ponytail. She’s wearing wide black trousers, and a long camel coat.

I know exactly who she is. I lower the window.

“Mr. Knight?”

“Ms. Grech?”

I climb out of the car.

“Enzo,” I say, shaking her hand.

“Penelope.”

Her grip is as firm as I expected, and her expression leans more towards discussing business than pleasantries.

“I hope you didn't have trouble getting here. The traffic can be heavy at this time of the morning.”