Georjayna: What are you wearing? Send a pic of you and your mom.
A few minutes later an image came through of Targa and her gorgeous mother, Mira. Mira was barely smiling, but the two of them looked stunning. Mira wore a dark green column dress, not a stitch of makeup, and her hair swept up. Targa wore a simple black dress with a shawl. She looked even more like her mother than she had when she left. I zoomed in. Her skin seemed luminescent, and her eyes an even brighter blue than I was used to. Maybe she'd put a filter over the image.
Georjayna: Aaaaaaawwwwwww! You guys look amazing.
Me: Bella ragazza!
I'd have to see with my own eyes if Targa actually did look different when we all got back.
My phone went quiet for a while, but about ten minutes later it vibrated again.
Akiko: Hi guys. Nice pix, Targa.
I whooped and nearly dropped my cell. It felt so good to see her name on my phone again. I couldn't help but tease her: Who is this?!
Then the texts came fast and furious.
Georjayna: SHE LIVES
Akiko: Very funny.
Targa: Everything ok? We've been wondering when we'd hear from you.
Akiko: All ok. Gotta run. Sorry, I only have a few seconds.
"No! No! No!" I wailed. My fingers flew on the keyboard: Wait!
Targa: What are you doing, intelligence work for a secret agency in Japan or something?
I waited, holding my breath. But my phone had gone quiet. She was already gone. It chirped once and I inhaled sharply. But it was just Georjayna. Apparently she was feeling the same way I was: Bollocks.
I dropped my head back and groaned. A desire to go home and get back to my life, back to my friends swept over me. Targa had cryptically reported that her 'libido-lessness' was no longer a problem, but wouldn't disclose more information. Georjie had said, in her refined and understated way, that she and Jasher had become 'close.' I could have screamed in frustration with them both. I was dying to get the real stories, in the flesh. But no one had been more mysterious than Akiko. I wasn't sure whether I was going to strangle her or hug her when I saw her next.
But how could I go back to my regular life? And my relationships with my friends? I'd wager that none of them were going through anything so life-changing as me.
But you can't tell them. You can't tell anyone.
I have to tell someone or I'll explode!
I blew air out between pursed lips. These inner arguments were exhausting.
My phone chirped again.
Fed: Meet me at my place tonight at 15:30? I'll make pizza and we can catch up. She'd attached a GPS link with a little pin. I zoomed in on the address. She lived in a very ritzy borough. Curiosity to see her villa tugged at me.
Me: Absolutely. I really want to catch up with you.
Another text came in. From Dante.
I always get what I want, Saxony. Remember that.
I stared at the words on the screen and ground my teeth. I made a fist and then flexed my hand. A ball of white flame flared up in my palm and crackled and snapped as it died away.
Twenty-Nine
I followed my GPS to the address Fed had texted me. The villas in this borough seemed to grow larger and more beautiful the deeper I went. I crossed the final courtyard and approached a metal door labeled with her address. After pressing the buzzer, I waited.
"Hey, Saxony. Come on in," Fed's voice came.
Another buzzing noise unlocked the door. I pushed it open and stepped into a beautiful courtyard garden. A large in-ground swimming pool filled with sparkling teal water was surrounded by a white marble terrace and deck chairs. The marble patio led to the rear of the villa where a large table and chairs enough for eight people sat. Empty glasses still containing ice cubes peppered the table top as though a party had recently ended. Strange.
The weirdest feeling swept over me. Get out, Saxony. Now.
I blinked at the paranoid voice. Don't be ridiculous. Fed is my friend.
The other voice flew in like a vulture. He always gets what he wants. Remember?
The fire crackled low.
Dante's voice made me jump. "Well, look what the cat dragged in. I've always loved that saying. Come have a drink with us.”
He stepped out of the open patio door and onto the marble terrace. He was followed by all of the men from the boat except for Karim. They spread out on the patio and each took a seat. Jacopo carried a jug of spritz and began to fill the glasses. They all looked at me expectantly, even pleasantly. There was one empty chair. Jacopo turned it toward me and patted it, inviting me to sit.
Thirty
"Nice to see you again, Saxony," Jacopo said, smiling. "It's great you're thinking about joining the business, too. Dante says you have some special skills." His expression was friendly and open. I scanned the faces around the table. They all had the same open expression, all except Dante, who looked smug.
"Where's Fed?"
"She's inside. You can go on in and say hello if you want. We'll wait for you." Dante jerked his head toward the open door.
I approached the men slowly. They'd begun to look away from me now and speak with each other in Italian. A few of them laughed, their conversation appeared to be no different from any other chat happening between friends having a few drinks. Only Dante watched me as I stepped through the open patio door.
The villa was just as beautiful inside as it was out. A large clean kitchen was the first thing I saw. This place looked old on the outside but the interior had been recently updated.
"Fed?" I scanned the kitchen and living room area where a TV was tuned in to a regatta, a classically Venetian sport. There was no reply. I looked behind me, but no one had followed me in.
"Federica?" I called, louder this time.
"Up here!" I heard her voice from an upper level. She sounded...resigned.
Following her voice, I went through the kitchen and poked my head around a corner. I ascended a wide set of stairs. At the top of the stairs was a loft scattered with couches. Well-stocked library shelves lined the walls. Fed was seated on a sofa with her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped around her shins. Her eyes were puffy. As she looked at me, her face projected abject misery.
"I'm really sorry, Saxony," she said, her voice wavering.
"What's going on?" I sat beside her.
"He's locked the gate and the front doors. You won't be able to get out. Not without burning your way out and exposing yourself to everyone here, anyway. And I suggest you do not do that."
"He told you what I am?" The heat in my belly cranked up a notch.
She nodded and rubbed her eyes. "Only this morning. I had no idea until I casually mentioned I was hoping to see you later today. He forced me to lure you here so he could trap you. I should never have taken you on the boat the night of the festival. This is all my fault."
"You didn't know what was going to happen. Did he tell you that I only recently acquired this, um, condition?"
"Yes. That's what set him off. He was shocked about that. He showed me a video that Nic recorded before he died, talking about how the power can be transferred. I know Dante told you who that is. Well, apparently, Nic had a son he left video clips for.”
I took this in, putting the pieces together. "I'm guessing Dante or Enzo has an arm inside one of the big banks?"
She huffed a humourless laugh. "Try, all of them."
"How did Dante know where to look?"
"He saw Elda's name on your phone and did the math."
I swore, softly. I had been sloppy. The night that Dante and I had gone swimming, he'd gotten an eyeful of Elda's texts. "How did he know she had anything in a lockbox?"
Fed gave me a look of pity. "Dante knew that Nic had recorded messages to someone. He was there. It didn't take much to figure out."