Chapter 30

Salvatore

I sit in an interrogation room. It is not the first one I have been in and probably won’t be the last. It does not intimidate me. I drum my fingers on the desktop and stare at the mirror. The door to the room opens and a Deputy rolls in a TV and VCR, plugs them in and leaves.

Sheriff Morales enters the room. He places a tape in the VCR, turns the TV on, hits play and then sits opposite me. I stare at the TV, boredom plastered across my features. Then I see Emily on the screen—I know it’s her from the dress—a man approaches her and I see her move towards him. She seems to fall into him, but I can’t be sure. Then they move out of the shot. I glare at the Sheriff, stand up and rewind the tape then watch it again, this time paying more attention to the man.

“It looks like Johnnie Vanetti. He’s one of Guido’s men. I can’t be sure but it looks like him,” I say.

“Can you tell me how you got blood in your car?” asks the Sheriff.

I sigh and give the Sheriff my full attention. “When I met Emily, she’d had a car accident. She managed to hit her head on the steering wheel and she had a cut above her eye. Your local doctor even attended to her, you could ask him. She got blood on my seats from her head wound; she offered to have my seats cleaned. I can assure you I had nothing to do with her disappearance. But you know this already, don’t you, Sheriff?”

“Why is Guido Lamberti here?”

“This I do not know. I was on my way to see him when you picked me up. The Savage Angels should have him by now, perhaps when they bring him to Tourmaline you can ask him.” I understand how hard it is on this man. From the little I knew of him he pursued Guido vigorously but we had the money and the resources that he did not and it didn’t help that his partner was on the take. He was never going to win.

He looks at me, stands and leaves the room. I rub my hands over my face and stand. I begin to pace, trying to understand what the fuck is going on.

I knock on the glass. “I need my phone or I need to use a phone.” I stare at my own reflection and say, “Now.” I continue to stare at myself then I go and sit back down. Moments later a Deputy comes into the room with my phone. “Thank you.” He gives me a smile and then leaves.

I dial Don Abruzzi at home. It is answered on the fifth ring by a female. “Hello!” She sounds overly bright and bubbly.

“Hello, this is Salvatore Agostino, is Don Abruzzi available?”

“Sal! It’s Lexi! How the hell are you?” Lexi Mancini, one of the Don’s granddaughters.

“I am well, Lexi, and you?”

“Oh, you know, same old, same old. How long’s it been, one...no...two years?” she asks.

“I believe it’s been two years. Lexi, I need to speak to your grandfather, is he there?” I ask, trying to sound casual.

“No, Sal, he’s gone out to buy cannoli as no one would make it for him. Do you want me to get him to call you when he comes back?”

“Yes, please. Now, I hate to rush off but I must get back to business, take care, yes?”

“Yes, Sal, take care!” she says as she hangs up. Lexi Mancini is a party girl. I am sure she will one day put her grandfather into an early grave. I just hope she remembers I have called.

The door to the interrogation room opens and a Deputy stands in the doorway. “You can go now Mr.

Agostino, but please don’t leave town.”

I smile at him and say, “Of course, Deputy. I’ll be at The Country Inn if you are looking for me.” I walk out of the room and out of the station. I don’t stop to see if anyone is following me. I walk quickly towards the motel.

“Sal!” I stop and turn to face Reynolds as he jogs to catch up with me. When he comes close enough, I raise my eyebrows at him. “I know it couldn’t have been pleasant to have been in that fucking room but come on, man, you know he had to fucking question you.”

“Really? He could have showed me the fucking footage of Emily being taken by Johnnie Vanetti and we could all be out looking for her. Tell me, Dane, did he tell you Johnnie did a stretch for rape? Did he tell you about the countless other charges that have been brought against him but the witnesses disappear?” I can tell by the look on his face that the Sheriff has not, so I continue, “No? Yes, that is the type of man who has your sister and if she is still alive, she will wish she wasn’t.” I turn my back on him and head towards the motel again. Rage clouds my thoughts. It makes no sense for them to have taken her and not to have phoned. Too much risk if they just wanted a fuck. I arrive at my car and climb in; the passenger door opens and Reynolds climbs in too.

“The Sheriff didn’t tell me fucking jack about Vanetti. Guido is on his way to the Compound. We will only have a brief window before the Sheriff arrives. What’s your plan?” he says.

“My plan is to meet Guido before he gets to your Compound and confront him before the Sheriff arrives.” I grind out.

“That’s what I thought, so, I’m coming with you.”

I look at him and nod. I start the car and reverse it, then I put it in gear and we are on the road heading towards Guido.

“Let me do the talking. Guido is someone that I have had dealings with in the past. He is not to be fucked with and you do not want to put all your cards out on the table. Understand?” I glance at him and he nods. “Good.”