Page 114 of Enduring Caine
“Vincenzo’s puppet master.”
Fiori? Elliot had told Samantha they wanted someone higher in the smuggling ring than Giovanni. The photo she sent them ofThe Magdalenwas all Elliot had asked for. This must have been his play. They likely had the warrant written before the photo arrived.
“You know…” Samantha eased her hands into her pockets, taking a posture of easy confidence. “I don’t think us being here was a bad thing, Giovanni. I think Vincenzo saw it as an opportunity to reveal himself and what Fiori was doing. That’s a blessing.”
Gio rounded on her. “A blessing?”
“Yes.” She walked toward him. “You got the fresco back from him and we spoiled his plans to steal the yellow flower painting.”
“Blessings?” Cristian stood slowly, his lip curling. “Vincenzo killed Johann, or are you forgetting that?”
“No.” She shook her head, taking Gio’s place in front of Cesca’s painting. “Did you know he was attempting to use your daughter to gain entrance to the gallery?”
“And you were as well,” spat Gio. “You brought that camera in here, Samantha.”
“I knew it.” Cristian grabbed her arm.
Her hands were out of her pockets in a flash, her arm twisting abruptly to escape his grasp. She stepped away from him as he tried again.
“Hands off her, Cristian.” I hurried to insert myself between the two of them. Was she capable of playing any game other than a dangerous one? “Zio, you claim you’ve changed. You want to make up for over fifteen years of silence between you and your brothers? Samantha’s right. Hand over whatever evidence you have on Fiori.”
“If I do that…” Giovanni pressed a fist against his chest and flagged into a chair.
Cristian was at his side immediately. “Papa?”
Giovanni waved it away but resumed rubbing over his heart. “I told you already. Getting out of my line of work puts a target on my back. And if I help them go after any of my former associates, the target would only grow.”
I knelt in front of him, next to Cristian. “Have any of them gone after your family?”
He shook his head.
“Then this is your warning to anyone who finds out.” I put a hand on his knee. “You’ll keep all your secrets unless they come for you.”
Samantha stood behind me, her light touch on my shoulder. “And Antonio tells your brothers about the good work you’re doing. That’s probably the best step you can take to reconcile with them.”
Gio leaned back in his chair, no longer massaging his chest. “It’s time for you two to leave.”
I looked to Cristian, the worry over his father’s health clear. “You said you needed to be sure Fiori was not targeting Samantha.”
“What?” she said from behind me, so I put my hand on hers.
“Are we safe?” I asked.
“From what I hear, yes.” Cristian’s head rolled forward. “But my source didn’t know this was going on, so he’s digging for more details.”
He had a man undercover on Fiori’s yacht. If the bodyguard came for Vincenzo by water last night, Fiori might be nearby. Waiting.
Vincenzo certainly would be. Unless he got a better view of what Samantha did, he likely thought she’d been shot and fallen off the boat as well. We’d have to keep an eye out for them until someone put Pasquale Fiori behind bars.
Chapter 50
Antonio
“Bella,”Iwhispered,rubbingSamantha’s hand which had been in mine the entire drive from Giovanni’s. Two and a half hours later, the car stopped in front of Mario’s. Finally.
She sat up, stretching her arms and neck, yawning while she gazed up at the green gate and the villa beyond. “I missed this place.”
None of the flowers were in bloom, but the evergreen olive grove across the road held onto its leaves, almost making me forget how cold it was outside. The gate to the courtyard opened and my favorite cousin appeared.