Chapter Twelve
Rome, Italy
Bianchi Compound
Rudolph Bianchi half shuffled, half hobbled to the brown leather recliner, his favorite chair in his den. He eased into it, letting out a loud groan once he landed. He was alone, so there was no need to hide the pain his aching joints were causing him. If he had been in public, he would have put on a healthier façade. There was enough speculation that he was in poor health. There was no need to add fuel to the fire. Filthy buzzards would love to go ahead and bury him so they could take over his empire. As long as he had breath in his body, no one was touching what was his.
With shaking hands, he lifted the cellphone and pressed a speed-dial key to call his oldest enemy. He hated Luis Mendoza with an all-consuming passion. The man had stolen what was rightfully Rudolph’s. Forgiveness was a foreign concept to a Bianchi, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t barter, trade, or cheat to get what he wanted. He and Mendoza each had something the other one wanted. It had taken years, but they had finally been on the way to achieving their respective goals. And now, he didn’t know anything. Being in the dark did not sit well with him.
The instant the phone was answered, Rudolph demanded, “Well, what have you learned?”
“Hola, Rudolph. How are you?”
“Don’t play games with me, Luis. Where’s your granddaughter?”
“I don’t know.”
“And why not? I was under the assumption that she would be easy to find. It’s been two days since she was taken and you still know nothing? I’m sending men to help you look.”
“No!” Luis said sharply. “Too many men will attract unwanted attention. We’ve narrowed down the location. There are obstacles impeding our reaching her. It’s only a matter of time before we have her.”
“What kind of obstacles?”
“Nothing to be concerned with. It’s just a slight delay. My people have assured me we will have her soon.”
“Very well. But you will bring her here when you find her. She needs to be close-by anyway, in case complications arise. I will ensure this never happens again.”
“She’s my granddaughter, Rudolph. I say where she goes.”
“And I have a vested interest in her welfare.”
“I’ll keep you updated. The instant she’s been secured, I’ll notify you.”
“I’ll give you another week. If she’s not found, I’m taking over.”
The silence on the other end of the call was telling. Rudolph knew Luis was barely holding on to his infamous temper. All of this would have been amusing if it hadn’t been so infuriating. The girl had to be found!
“I’ll call you soon.”
Rudolph opened his mouth to offer more advice but snapped it shut when the line went dead. Insufferable bastard!
If the girl wasn’t found soon, he would take the matter into his own hands. Agreement be damned. He should have taken over long ago instead of allowing Luis to have a say in the matter. Gabriella might well be the man’s granddaughter, but she was much more to Rudolph. Once she paid her grandfather’s debt, Luis could do with her what he wanted. What happened to her afterward was of no interest to him. If anything, her death would make things easier all around.
But first... He nodded unconsciously. Yes, first she would make right what her grandfather had stolen from him decades ago.
***
Valencia, Venezuela
Mendoza Estate
Luis unlocked the door and entered his private sanctum. After speaking with that lout Bianchi, he needed the jagged edges of his temper soothed. Nothing could do that like a walk through his glorious treasures.
He used to allow others to come in and take in the beauty. Flora had often enjoyed their private time together here. On occasion, Stephan had dined with him here, too. He had once invited Carlos, but the young idiot hadn’t appreciated the beauty. He had wanted to know the value of each piece. Greedy, ungrateful young whelp! Luis had demanded he leave and had never invited him to return.
If there was a family member who might appreciate the beauty, it would be Gabriella. He had thought once to invite her inside, just so she would understand, perhaps be less resistant when the time came. He had changed his mind. Her understanding wasn’t a necessary thing. Besides, he would ensure her cooperation quite easily without making any kind of concession. The girl was like clay, malleable and easily manipulated.
Many people knew of his collection. His home was filled with fine art and priceless artifacts from all around the world. Often, when he held his famous parties, his guests were given a tour of his home. Showing off his riches was one of his few vanities.
Few, however, knew of his secret obsession. The ones who did—private collectors like him—understood his need to hide and protect what he valued most. Appreciating the incredible beauty of each piece, as well as the intense desire to own more.
The walk through the softly lighted hallway and into the main room took longer than it used to take. Luis couldn’t decide if that was because he was older or because he stopped more frequently to admire one piece or another. He did know that the older he became, the more he enjoyed being here among his treasures. The quiet solitude soothed him like nothing else could. There was history, romance, and wealth in each piece. He had carefully chosen each item for his private collection. He knew each one’s history, where it had come from, who it had once belonged to, and in some instances, who had touched it. Each item had been chosen for its beauty, simplicity, or elaborateness, as well as its significance in the world. Collectors all over the world would kill to have his treasures.
He loved each item as if the seed from his loins had created each of them. They were his one and only love, his one true passion.
At last, he reached the center of the room. The soft glow of the spotlight shone down on the silken pillow. The emptiness mocked him, called him a failure. He refused to rise to the bait. The self-censure would do no good. Yes, he had made mistakes, but he had done everything he could to rectify them. The emptiness was a reflection of other’s failures, not his own. Had his son lived up to his promise and obeyed his father, this pillow would possess what it had been meant for. Instead, selfishness had cost Javier his life, and Luis had lost what he wanted above all things.
Gabriella was the key to his goal. She alone could achieve his dream. Her disappearance put a hitch in his plans, but he had overcome many obstacles already. This was just one more that he would triumph over. Great achievements were never reached without suffering and trials. He wouldn’t fail this time. He had waited too long, endured too much.
The most maddening part about not having this particular treasure wasn’t that it was taking so long to acquire. It was that the piece really belonged to him, not Bianchi. Luis had earned it. The lack made him feel common. Like any other collector who sought to obtain an item and lost out to another bidder. He wasn’t like any other collector. What was contained within these walls was his, only and always his. That was why this elusive item was so infuriating. He coveted what already belonged to him, yet was possessed by someone else. Rudolph Bianchi, with his wrinkled ugly hands, got to touch what should have been his. That wasn’t right.
Sighing with longing, he reached out and touched the empty space. Coldness penetrated his fingers, and rage exploded within him. It wasn’t right or fair. The indignity was unbearable. He had to have what belonged to him!
The fury fueling him, he marched back through the room with the energy of a much younger man. He would find Gabriella, and she would fulfill her destiny. Whoever got in his way would die.
***
Colorado Mountains
Chewing her lip in concentration, Gabby scribbled in her notebook. For the past few hours, she had been immersed in the delightful pastime of not only dreaming of the future but also being able to write it down. There was something so satisfying about putting her thoughts and desires into words.
For so long, she had carefully guarded all her thoughts, hopes, and dreams, knowing if they were discovered, she would be guarded even more carefully. Even Raiza hadn’t known about all of them, though that was more for her protection than Gabby’s lack of trust. If it was discovered that Raiza had not only encouraged Gabby to dream about her future, but had worked hard to prepare her for that eventuality, she would have been dismissed, or worse.
She missed her friend more than she could say. For almost twelve years, Raiza had been her mentor, teacher, and only confidant. With her unique blend of compassion and no-nonsense realism, she had prepared Gabby in the only way she knew how. With a military and secret-police background, Raiza had trained her protégé to be ready for any eventuality. Unbeknownst to her grandfather, Gabby had learned what she needed to know to survive. Thankfully, her friend had also taught her patience, claiming that waiting for the right time to strike was just as important as knowing what to do when that moment came.
But last year, not long after Gabby had returned from her trip to the United States, where she’d met Kathleen, her dear friend had suffered a fatal heart attack. The shock and grief had been overwhelming, but the event also had given her the impetus to finally make her escape. She’d had no one left.
“Feel like talking?”
Jonah stood in the doorway. He had been surprisingly sensitive, seeming to understand her need to be alone with her thoughts.
She tried to see the young boy in him—the one she had met years ago. Other than his eyes, an unusual shade of deep green, she saw no similarities. A decade and a half had passed, so maybe that was the reason. She got the feeling it was more to do with Jonah’s life experiences than anything else. He looked tough and uncompromising without a hint of innocence or softness.
“How long were you in prison?”
If the question surprised him, he didn’t let on. “Almost three years.”
“Was it difficult?”
“Some days more than others.”
“I don’t remember the details about what happened. I just remember seeing the news that you’d been convicted. Can you tell me about it?”
For several long seconds he didn’t answer. She figured when he did speak, he would tell her to mind her own business. Instead, he said, “If I tell you, will you answer some questions, too?”
That seemed only fair. “Yes.”
As he eased into a chair across from her, his gaze shifted and became unfocused, as if he was watching the past unfold. “My brother’s executive assistant, Teri Burke, contacted me. We had met a couple of times, but had done nothing more than flirt a little. One day, she called and asked me out. I met her at a restaurant a few miles outside Dallas.”
A small, wistful smile played around his mouth. “I had my mind on romance, but that wasn’t the real reason she’d contacted me. She had worked for my brother for a little over a year and had discovered some disturbing things. She thought I should know.”
“How did she know she could trust you?”
“Adam and I had no use for each other. We rarely saw each other, but when we did, neither of us hid our disgust. The only time we tried to get along was when our mother was present. Teri was around the family enough to know who she could trust.”
“What did you do then?”
“I was already doing my own investigating. I had been working for my father and had seen some things that didn’t seem right. Her suspicions ramped up my own. I went to a man I knew I could trust. Turns out, he’d been working his own angle against my father. Then I brought my brother Eli on board.
“We thought we had been so discreet…that we would never get caught.”
“But you did?” Gabby said.
“I was overseeing a shipment of goods for my father. It was completely legal, but the feds showed up and uncovered a boatload of heroin and cocaine. I got busted. Didn’t matter how innocent I was. My father was determined to teach me a lesson. My trial barely lasted a week. After my conviction, Teri disappeared. Almost two years passed before her body was discovered.”
“You loved her.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. Do you know what happened?”
“Only that my father ordered the hit. I’m still looking for the man who killed her.”
“What will happen when you find him?”
“I’ll kill him.”
He made the statement without a hint of hesitation, not bothering to hide his intentions. The idea of taking another person’s life was disturbing to her, but she appreciated Jonah’s honesty. He could have lied and told her he’d make sure the killer was arrested and convicted. He chose to tell her the truth. Oddly enough, that made her feel better about him. If he could tell her this…trust her with this, could she trust him, too?
“I guess all families have a few bad apples, don’t they?”
“Yeah, but I doubt there are too many families who make it a point of killing the people they don’t like, including their own relatives.”
“Your family had some of their relatives killed?”
“Teri was my fiancée. Also, my father had arranged for me to be killed in prison. Fortunately, the plan went awry.”
“I’m sorry about your fiancée. I hope you find the man responsible.”
“The man responsible is burning in hell. The man who carried it out will join him soon.”
He said it with such surety and clarity, she believed him.
Apparently deciding he had shared enough and it was now her turn, he gave a little go-ahead nod. “Now you.”
In between writing down her goals for the future, Gabby had given this a lot of thought. She had decided that she would either trust that the information she gave Jonah would be used to destroy her grandfather or it wouldn’t. They could take her back or kill her whether she gave them information or not. At least this way, there was the chance that one day Luis Mendoza would pay for all that he had done.
And telling him the truth seemed only fair. He had given her ample time to settle in and feel more comfortable with him and the situation. He had truthfully answered what she had asked of him. It was now her turn.
She took a breath and a leap of faith. “My grandfather has quarterly dinners with many of his associates. I arrange those events and act as hostess.”
“So you know who he does business with?”
“Yes. But I know more. Remember I told you that I do a lot of Internet surfing?” She waited for his nod before continuing. “I learned how to hack into not only his accounts but the accounts of his associates. I can give you names. Events. Shell corporations. Dates. Partnerships.”
To say her revelation surprised him would be an understatement. Jonah didn’t know if he should hug her for her ingenuity or shout at her for putting herself at risk.
“Why would you do this? What if you’d gotten caught?”
“The risk was worth it. Besides, what would my grandfather have done if he’d caught me? Nothing more than take away my computer.”
He wasn’t so sure about that, but there was no point in chastising her for something she’d managed to get away with.
“How can you remember so much?”
“I have a good memory. And for the last year, since I knew I would finally be able to escape, I’ve concentrated on memorizing as much as I could.”
The treasure trove of information inside her head could be of infinite value, but it could also put her in much more danger than any of them had ever imagined. Not even Justice could have anticipated what Gabby might know.
“Did you plan on getting even with your grandfather someday?”
“Perhaps. The first time I snooped, it was more of a game. Just to see if I could actually get away with it. When I realized I could…that no one would ever suspect that meek, malleable Gabriella was intelligent or gutsy enough to do such a thing, I decided to learn everything I could. Knowledge is power.”
For someone who had felt the powerlessness of having no control over his life, Jonah could certainly identify with her need for knowledge.
He stood and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
He glanced over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. “To get you another notebook.”
Her brilliant smile slammed into him with the force of a speeding train. Jonah felt the effects all the way to his feet. His heart pounded, and an uncomfortable and unfamiliar emotion swept through him. Oh hell no.
If a mere smile could do this to him, then he was getting in too deep with her. Other than a few members of his family, he hadn’t cared about anyone in years. His only focus was to find Teri’s killer. Damned if that was going to change.
He didn’t care how beautiful, intelligent, or sweet she was. Gabriella Mendoza was a job to him and not one damn thing more.