Page 43 of Abducted By the Mafia Don
I’ve got your precious Granny.
Tell Richmond he has one hour to bring you to me to swap, or she dies.
Taggie begins to weep, and I gather her into my arms.
“We have to save her,” she sobs. Or I think that’s what she says.
“We will, don’t worry.” I’m thinking, ideas spidering out in my mind. This isn’t exactly the scenario for Thaxted I had planned, but I can make it work.
I have to.
That makes her cry all the harder. “I don’t want…”
“Shh, shh.”
Taggie:
I’ll be there. Richmond.
Immediately there’s a message in return with a location and protocol for unarming. Standard sort of stuff.
“I can’t go to him.” Taggie’s face crumples. “But I can’t leave Granny with him either.”
“You won’t have to, and she’ll be safe with us, back in Richmond, this afternoon. Together. A family.” I’m already figuring out the scenario and details as I pull her into my arms, comforting her.
“But how are you so certain?” she whispers against my chest.
“Because I’ve been planning revenge against Thaxted for a long time, bambola.”
“He’ll know you’re coming, and he’ll know you’re angry.” She swallows and looks away, her pretty face full of pain.
I take her chin between my finger and thumb and force her to tilt her head until she’s looking me in the eyes.
They’re Thaxted’s eyes. I hope we ensure she neverfeels bad about that, because while I’d happily cut those same eyes out of her father’s head, on Taggie, they’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Even when they’re surrounded by pink and full of tears.
“You won’t have the revenge you wanted, and I’ll…” she trails off sadly.
“Thaxted won’t be as tortured as I was losing all my family. But perhaps he never would, however long I tried. A man like that won’t ever love anyone the way I love my family. The way I love you. We’ll get your grandmother back, and you’ll stay with me.”
“Maybe.” She still looks worried. “It seems awfully risky.”
“It’s not.” I would never put Taggie in any danger. “I have something he doesn’t expect.”
She blinks. “What’s that?”
“A cuckoo.”
19
TAGGIE
Dom told me not to be alarmed when I saw my grandmother tied up—or worse—but it’s still a shock that she’s on the dirty warehouse floor on her knees. She’s wearing the neat, tailored trousers that are her trademark, with a turtleneck and pearls. And she has a black eye. Her reading glasses that hang around her neck are cracked.
But she’s bright eyed. Defiant.
I’m shaking as we approach the middle of the cavernous space.
