Chapter 4 - The Secret Behind Her Mother
Nari disappeared for three days.
Alessio hated every minute of it.
He sent men to watch her apartment.
She wasn't there.
He called her diner.
She hadn't shown up.
He checked the cleaning company.
She had resigned.
He finally found her in a cheap motel in Brooklyn.
She opened the door halfway.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I disagree."
She looked exhausted.
"You need to leave."
"No."
Her face hardened.
"You don't get to control me."
"I know."
"Then go."
"I can't."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because someone tried to kill you."
"They've tried before."
His face changed.
"What?"
She sighed.
"Come in."
The motel room smelled like old coffee and bleach.
There were papers everywhere.
Maps.
Newspaper clippings.
Names.
Nari shut the curtains.
"My mother kept records."
"What kind?"
"Everything."
She showed him a notebook.
Dates.
Cities.
Languages.
Names of people.
Some crossed out.
Some circled.
"She taught me eight languages because she knew we'd have to move."
"From whom?"
"The Bellori Syndicate."
Alessio stared.
That name hadn't been spoken openly in years.
His father had once been connected to them.
"They controlled ports in France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and parts of North Africa."
Nari nodded.
"My mother worked inside the organization."
"As what?"
"Translator."
"That's why?"
"She didn't just translate."
Nari turned a page.
"She memorized things."
Alessio understood.
Accounts.
Names.
Deals.
Routes.
Passwords.
Secrets.
"She stole information."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because she discovered they were trafficking more than weapons."
Nari's voice dropped.
"They were buying people."
Alessio's jaw tightened.
"My mother tried to expose them."
"Did she succeed?"
"Partially."
"Then they hunted her."
"Yes."
"What happened?"
Nari looked down.
"She disappeared when I was sixteen."
Alessio's voice softened.
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"You haven't seen her since?"
"No."
He stared at her.
"Then why keep searching?"
"Because she left me a message."
"What message?"
Nari handed him a cassette.
He looked confused.
"I don't have a player."
"I do."
She pressed a button.
Static filled the room.
Then a woman's voice.
Nari's mother.
"Nari, if you're hearing this, you are old enough to know the truth."
Nari closed her eyes.
"I didn't abandon you."
Her mother's voice cracked.
"I hid you."
She continued.
"The people who are looking for me will eventually find you."
Alessio glanced at Nari.
"They will tell you they want my records."
Static.
"That's a lie."
"They want what you know."
The recording ended.
Nari sat motionless.
Alessio asked:
"What do you know?"
"Nothing."
"That's not true."
She looked at him.
"Some things are buried because digging them up gets people killed."
"You're already being hunted."
"I know."
"Then we dig."
She smiled sadly.
"You're a mafia boss."
"Formerly."
She raised an eyebrow.
"That's optimistic."
He smiled.
"I've been trying."
Then the motel door shook.
Alessio immediately drew his weapon.
"Stay behind me."
Three men forced the door.
Gunfire.
Alessio fired back.
Nari dropped to the floor.
One attacker ran.
Alessio followed.
He caught him outside.
Pinned him against the wall.
"Who sent you?"
The man spit blood.
"You're too late."
"For what?"
"The girl is already marked."
Alessio's face hardened.
"What girl?"
The man smiled.
"Your translator."
Then he bit down.
Poison.
Dead.
Alessio returned.
Nari was standing beside the broken door.
Her expression was pale.
He walked toward her.
"You're coming home with me."
"No."
"Yes."
"Absolutely not."
"Someone just tried to kill you."
"And they'll try again."
"Exactly."
"Then hiding behind you won't solve anything."
He stared.
She stepped closer.
"I don't want to hide."
Something in her voice changed.
Alessio understood.
She wasn't asking for protection.
She was asking to fight.
"Fine."
He nodded.
"But you stay where I can find you."
She frowned.
"That sounds controlling."
"It is."
She almost smiled.
"At least you're honest."
That night, Nari moved into the secure residence.
Not because she trusted him.
Not completely.
Because she trusted the fact that he never lied when the truth was dangerous.
At 3:00 a.m., she woke from a nightmare.
She heard footsteps.
Opened the bedroom door.
Alessio was sitting in the hall.
"Why are you awake?"
"Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither."
She sat beside him.
"I remembered something."
"What?"
"The night my mother disappeared."
He turned.
"What?"
"I remember a man."
"Who?"
She closed her eyes.
"He spoke Italian."
"What did he say?"
She whispered:
"Tell Franks the child remembers."
Alessio went completely still.
"Nari."
She opened her eyes.
"What?"
"My father had another child."
She stared.
"Who?"
Alessio's voice became cold.
"My brother."
"Where is he?"
"Dead."
"No."
"What?"
May you like
Nari swallowed.
"I don't think he is."
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