Page 63 of Niccolo

“So – you want to use the girl as a pawn?” I asked, glancing at the chessboard with the pictures of the brothers and Lars.

“Unfortunately, that’s all shot to hell, too,” Fausto griped. “The Turk told me Darioshowed up half an hour ago and took her with him.”

“Does Dario know who she is?”

“No.”

“You’re sure?”

“Ididn’t even know who she was until 15 minutes ago.”

“Then why did Dario take her?”

“Probably as leverage. My guess is the father’s terrified of the Oldanis and wouldn’t talk, so Dario took the girl instead of torturing the information out of the father.”

“Soft,” Aurelio sneered.

“Indeed,” Fausto agreed.

I forced myself to ignore their repugnant comments. Instead, I focused on the opportunity in front of us. “So the Turk is fully on our side now? I mean, he spilled his guts toyou,right?”

Fausto chuckled and picked up a black rook from the chessboard. “It would seem we’ve secured an ally.”

“We should use the tunnel,” Aurelio said to his father. “Send in a team and wipe them all out!”

Fausto shook his head. “Our foot soldiers will never attack Dario and the others. You know that.”

“Then get the Turk to supply the men!”

“He’ll never find the entrance just from a description,” Fausto replied. “EvenIcouldn’t tell you exactly where the tunnel lets out.”

I frowned. “Wait –whattunnel?”

“There’s a secret tunnel that leads from the house to the grounds outside,” Fausto said off-handedly. “An escape hatch in case anyone attacks the mansion.”

“What thefuck?!”I snarled. “You didn’t think to mention that to meearlier?!”

“Watch your tone,consigliere,”Fausto said coldly.

Aurelio grinned with undisguised glee at the rebuke. I hated him a little bit more but forced myself to calm down. “That would have been good information to have, is all I’m saying.”

“We can’t use it because if the scheme fails, my nephews will trace it back to us,” Fausto said dismissively.

“Then we make sure they can’ttraceit back to us.”

“And how do we do that?” Fausto asked contemptuously.

“The girl from the café – did she go willingly?”

Fausto scoffed. “Wouldyougo willingly if threemafiososshowed up in the middle of the night, right after you witnessed a stranger get gunned down in cold blood?”

“So she’s a hostage – which means she’ll want to escape. Have the old Sicilian woman show the girl the tunnel, then have the Turk pick her up and retrace her steps. Even if the Turk fails, there’s no way they can trace it back toyou.”

Fausto stared at me for a second –

Then broke out in a broad smile and pointed his finger at me. “Genius.”

Aurelio didn’t like hearing me praised. “It wasmyidea.”

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