Page 20 of Wretched Choices

His hacking talent is more than impressive. There is only one other person I know who can do what Marco can. He can enter through any door, no matter the security system.

I sit in the chair opposite him. “What have you got for me?”

He looks from his tablet and smirks. “What I’ve got is epic and a big problem.”

I narrow my eyes. “I’m listening.”

He turns his tablet toward me and shows me pictures of men I have never seen before. Until it comes to the pictures of three men sitting in the strip club. Two of those men are the same men who threatened me that night in my underground garage. I sit up, alarmed, and look over at Marco, who is still smirking.

“The men who cornered you work for a guy named Federico Sabatini, born in Chicago to Italian parents who came to the USA not long before he was born. They were foot soldiers for De Angelo. His parents were killed when he was twelve years old, and he was sent back to Italy to his grandparents. He has been part of ‘Ndrangheta since he was sixteen. He allegedly saved the life of ‘Ndrangheta’s boss,capocrimineDomenico Ruggeri, who took him under his protection to return his debt. There wasn’t proof, but there were some questions about his parents’ deaths. Some say they betrayed De Angelo, so they were killed. I’m still awaiting verification. However, Camorra in Italy don’t want anything to do with him. And therefore Federico used any information he had against Camorra so he could influence his way into joining ‘Ndrangheta.” I nod, not saying a word. “He came back to the USA after Camorra’s boss was arrested.”

“Did he have anything to do with his arrest?”

“Not sure, but I got something more interesting on that matter.” He grins like the Cheshire Cat.

“Spit it out.”

“The journalist, before she became Isabel Roberts, was Isabella Ruggeri.”

I sit upright. My muscles contract. “Come again?” I lean forward.

“The same year Isabel’s mother died, she disappeared. Ruggeri lost his mind. She became a ghost. If I didn’t do a background check on Sabatini, I would never have found out, and I only found her because of one picture taken at some party where she was in the background.”

My mind is blown with this information. How is this possible? Marco’s voice pulls my attention back to him.

“I wanted to check everyone in the picture so I could get a closer look at the people surrounding him. To learn if there was anyone he cared about. And when my face recognition program matched a woman in the back with Isabel Roberts, I knew what to look at next. I found her files sealed by the Italian government. That was the reason I couldn’t find anything before. I looked in the wrong place. There is some kind of organization that helps ‘Ndrangheta kids out of the Crime Organization. It seems they helped her.”

I nod, exhaling, and run a hand through my hair.

I’ve heard about the organization. I have been asked by my associates in Italy countless times to share information if I know something.

We are Italian American Mafia, and we sure don’t get involved in business across the ocean. Different organization, different rules. Business is just that, and if I knew something, I would save it for myself and use it when I saw fit.

“That’s not all.” Marco interrupts my thoughts again.

I raise my eyebrows, waiting for the bomb to drop because Marco always leaves the most shocking things for the end. “What?”

He types something on his tablet. “She was supposed to marry Sabatini.”

I still, my mind spiraling with thoughts.

What does that mean? Is she working with him? My blood boils as I think of her interfering with my business, snooping in my office at the event I held.

“I don’t think they work together.” Marco’s voice cuts through me. “I looked into her. I know her every move since she became Isabel Roberts, and that does not include organized crime. She left for a reason and didn’t want to go back.”

“Well, that is just too bad for her. She dug her own grave.” I stand. “I want to know everything about Sabbatini and Ruggeri.”

“Already done. However, there is one thing you need to know. I talked to Dante. He is still on the lookout. He didn’t find proof, but we need to take into consideration that your father’s consigliere, Ramellia, and his little group of ideologists could be the ones feeding him with internal information.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “He didn’t tell me what he found.”

“Because he wanted to be sure first. No one has seen Ramellia for some time now, and he didn’t leave the country. It could be that he was planning something, or he just left this life which I doubt. I’m looking into that. He smirks. “Now, to the fun stuff.”

He passes me the tablet and I sit back. I take my time reading the report. If they want to bring war to me, it's better to be prepared.

I take my sweet time getting to know Ruggeri. He is a ruthlesscapocrimine,and the Italian Carabinieri have their hands full with him. And from the pictures of him with Isabel, I can see he was a devoted father.

‘‘Ndrangheta’s power is given by birth, similar to us. Only, Ruggeri doesn’t have a son. So, he took Sabatini under his protection, taught him everything, sealed the deal, and gave his daughter to him.

---