A friend of mine in law enforcement sent me a text about an hour ago, but I’d already expected the Marchetti family to not let up.
Rita, Jasper, and Martin help me prepare for the visit I know is coming. We clean the house and show no signs of Giada’s presence. The gate buzzer rings. I hit the screen on the security system, opening it when I see it’s my lawyer.
When he comes in, we shake hands. “It’s good to see you. I’m assuming there’s a reason you summoned me so early.”
I pat his shoulder and lead him into the living room. “Come on, let’s have a seat. Do you need something to drink?”
“Yes, a cup of coffee would be great.” Rita goes to make us some coffee while we sit down. “So? What’s this about?”
“It seems I’m about to be visited by the sheriff’s office with a warrant any minute now.”
Tilting his head, he asks, “For what?”
“They’re under the impression that I kidnapped Giada Marchetti.”
He knits his brows and tilts his head. “Your brother’s wife?” I hold back the growl, swallowing back the bile that pools in my throat. The less people know the truth, the less people who have to lie for me. Although, he’s a lawyer so he’s probably a fucking expert at it.
“That’s what they believe.” My tone even strikes me as gruff, and he eyes me suspiciously. I can’t reveal my secret just yet. I trust Dimitri because he’s one of the people instrumental in securing my freedom, so I try to ignore the visible tension running through him.
“Why?” Dimitri stammers on the word, and I can’t let go that something’s bothering him.
Staring at my friend, I ask, “Are you okay?”
The sound of footsteps stops him from replying. He takes the coffee that Rita brings in, setting it on the table next to him. “Thank you, Rita.”
“You’re welcome.”
She hands me my cup and then excuses herself. “So you were about to say?”
“Yeah, nothing that should worry you. It’s just this Russian asshole called me this morning.”
“I’m sorry. Anything I can do?” Shit. That’s probably what’s got him shaking. He looks squirrelly today.
“No. It’s okay. So, the warrant?”
“Listen, I don’t know how they got it, but I’m guessing the judge they got to sign the warrant is in their pocket because they don’t have any evidence that I took her.”
“Really? I’ll do all the talking.” As my lawyer, he’s not going to let them get away with it.
“Good. I’m not in the mood for this.” I drink my coffee with a frown.
“How do you know they’re coming?”
“A little birdie told me.” Seconds later, the squad cars pull up to my house. “Let the show begin.”
I buzz them on through because I’m ready to have them in and out of my house as quickly as possible.
I wait just inside the door for them to come up the steps. A slender man in a cheap suit approaches with six other uniformed officers. “Mr. Santino Marchetti. I’m Detective Romo, and I have a warrant to search your premises for Ms. Giada Marchetti.”
“On what grounds?” my attorney asks, stepping in front of me. Ah, he’s back to normal.
“Who are you?” He narrows his eyes at Dimitri.
“I’m his lawyer, Dimitri Stanislav.”
The detective slaps the warrant in his hands. “Read it.”
Dimitri does just that before he passes it to me. I skim through it and nearly laugh out loud. “Last known person to see Mrs. Marchetti after making lewd advances to her in front of several witnesses.”
“Interesting. That’s not good enough. I wonder how much the judge is taking,” Dimitri adds.
Detective Romo throws his hands up and shrugs. “That’s none of my business. I’m just doing my job.”
I nod. “Okay. That’s fine. Then once this is over and you don’t locate her? Maybe you should ask them why they think she didn’t just run away?”
“What makes you think she did?”
“All I know is the woman I met looked malnourished, scared to meet my eyes, and my father spoke for her. If that doesn’t say captive, I don’t know what is. Maybe she ran away.”
“You think it’s a ruse?” he questions, trying to read me.
“I don’t know. All I know is that the second she was gone, they were calling me wondering where she was.”
“That’s good to know. I already read a complaint that one of your father’s men had been on your property yesterday.”
“Well, I told you they believe I took her just hours after I met her. It makes no sense, but I never pegged my brother to be smart.”
Less than five minutes pass when three officers come down the stairs and then two come from the other direction.
The only female in the bunch says, “Sir. We’ve searched this place from head to toe. There’s no sign of her and no female personal effects except for the chef’s belongings.”
Looking sheepish, the detective says, “Very well. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
“I hope to never see you again. I don’t trust any of you.”
“I’m not your enemy, Mr. Marchetti.” Yeah, at this point, anyone who isn’t a trusted friend is my enemy.
“Says the man that searched my house with a flimsy excuse for a warrant.”
“It’s my job.” He tilts his head slightly, bidding goodbye before he walks out the door.
Immediately my staff is gathered in front of me. I type on my phone and show my staff. Run the scanners now.
Once my office has been cleared of any listening or recording devices, my lawyer and I enter it. “I had to prepare for this moment. They wasted no time. I don’t know what they think would happen. Even if she had been here, for all they know she could have ran away from that house. It’s legal for her to pick up and leave.”
“But...”
“They had her trapped,” I say, pouring a glass of scotch and bringing it to my lips. As I do, I get a motherfucking whiff and set it down. A second later,
