Tangled in the Mafia’s Web

Episode Thirteen

Ginevra hurried through the busy streets, the sun beating down on her face. She wore a black blouse and trousers, her hair was tied back in a loose bun inside the face cap, and she wore a pair of sunglasses to shield her eyes from the glare as she scans the crowd for any signs of being followed. She was meeting with her FBI colleague, Dario, turns out the number she had received wasn't that of the captain but of a private line to Dario.

A smart move it was. Even she couldn't tell it might be his doing until she heard his voice on the phone.

It's been a few days, more like a week since the call and now he had requested they meet at a discreet cafe in the heart of the city.

If Ginevra was being tailed on, chances are they lost her ages ago since she had taken a different route after entering a continent store and reaching as if she needed to use the restroom.

Finally, she spotted Dario sitting at a table in the corner of the cafe she had walked into, dressed in casual clothing that made him blend in with the other patrons. He looked up as she approached, his eyes flickering with recognition.

"Hey, Ginevra," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Take a seat. I've already ordered you a coffee."

Ginevra sat down across from him, feeling a sense of unease as she took in his serious expression. Dario wasn't one to mince words, especially when it's connected to duty. But then, they were friends and no matter how the operation goes, the one person she believes in was him.

Possibly they were siblings in their past lives.

"Hey. What's going on?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dario took a sip of his own coffee before responding. "We did hit a catch. But our operation to track down a drug shipment suspected to belong to Vinci has been halted by unexpected interference. We suspect that someone has tipped off the mafia boss about our plan."

It was more like it happened during an operation. Never know who the enemy really is even when they look you in the eyes, until it's late.

Ginevra sighed but that was it.

"Any suspects?" she asked before a young blonde-haired waiter approached their table, carrying a steaming cup of coffee. She wore a black apron over a white blouse and black trousers, her hair pulled back into a neat bun.

Setting the cup down in front of Ginevra, the blond-haired mumbled a simple. "Your coffee, as ordered."

"Thank you," Ginevra said, giving her a polite smile and took a sip of the hot drink, just as the waiter left, relishing the bitter flavour while Dario's eyes just briefly darted at the entrance of the cafe– the soft chuckle of a child coming so delightedly.

"No idea," He said, returning his gaze to Ginevra "Who knows, the case was taken off of our hand and redirected to another crew and somehow along the line, it was gone like it was never there"

"That's f****d up. The captain, what did he say?" She said and clicked her tongue.

Dario shook his head, his expression grim. "The captain is just as confused as we are. He's ordered an internal investigation, but he's keeping things quiet for now. He doesn't want to tip off whoever's behind this."

Ginevra leaned back in her chair, "What's the plane?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.

Dario's expression was grave. "We're regrouping and coming up with a new plan. But we have to be more careful than ever. Leandro is not someone to be taken lightly."

Ginevra nodded in agreement.

Dario leaned forward, his voice lowered to a hushed tone. "What about your end? Any intel on this that you can share?"

"I'm still new," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "Leandro seems to have some doubt about me, so for now, I'm just laying low and gathering as much information as I can."

Dario nodded in understanding. "Alright, just be careful. We don't want you getting caught in the crossfire."

Ginevra gave him a small smile, grateful for his concern. "I know. I'm being cautious enough"

Dario gave her a nod of approval. "That's the spirit. Just keep me updated on anything you find out."

"Of course," Ginevra replied,

Dario's eyes darted at the entrance as an elderly woman shuffled in. But after a brief watch, he sipped from his coffee, seemingly lost in thought. Ginevra could sense his tension and waited patiently for him to speak.

"You should call Chiara," he finally said, his voice low and serious.

"Chiara?" Ginevra repeated, surprised by the sudden change in topic.

"Yeah," Dario nodded, "She's worried about you. She's been trying to get in touch with you but you've been off the grid. She came to the office in search of you. She said something about your line not connecting in the past few days and thought something had happened to you”

“s**t”

“Yeah, s**t” He repeated. “Don’t make her break the cover” he cautioned his eyes darting briefly at her.

“Get it done with” he looked at her intently “Just let her know you're safe. She’s worried sick and you know how crazy she can get," he said.

Ginevra twitched her lips slightly, “More like her”

She said grimly and then checked the time. “I will do so”

Taking another sip of her coffee before setting it down on the table. "I'll let you know if I hear anything." She said, referring to their initial talk.

Dario finished his own coffee and stood up, signalling the end of their meeting. "Stay safe, Gine." A mild look on his face.

"You too, Dario," she replied, watching him leave and after a while, she too got up after placing cash on the table and gave the waiter at the counter a brief smile before she left.

Ginevra stepped into the cramped phone booth and took a deep breath before dialling Chiara's number. She nervously waited and after several rings, Chiara finally picked up.

“Hello?" Chiara's voice sounded. If Ginevra listened well, she would hear the faint sound of beeps indicating Chiara was still at work.

A 112 operator she was and was probably sitting behind a screen.

Ginevra cleared her throat before responding. “Hey, Chiara. It's me” She said her tone measured.

“Where the hell have you been?” Chiara exclaimed just as she recognized her voice.

Ginevra hesitated for a moment before answering. "I can't say exactly where I am, but don't worry, I'm safe. I promise to come see you soon and explain everything. I just needed to let you know I'm okay."

“What is going on? What do you mean you can't say? Are you in trouble?”

Ginevra almost rolled her eyes at her words. Trouble is not far from her but at the moment she still got her head intact so all was fine, probably.

She sighs “Work it is. So no, I'm not in trouble. I just can't tell you much on the phone so I will come see you. Just wanted to let you know I'm fine” Ginevra said, her eyes filtering to the street.

Chiara let out a deep sigh. "Okay, fine. Just promise me you'll come soon”

Ginevra let out a soft breath. Her quick understanding was probably because she was still at work– it would have been a different breed if she had been out of work.

“I will, I promise," Ginevra replied “Bye for now” she muttered and then hung up the phone.

Knowing Chiara, telling her the situation was probably better physically, and fast. If not, the next call would certainly be monitored and before she would know it, the devil would be in front of her apartment, and who knows? Perhaps that may decide to happen when Leandro is around.

With Chiaro luck wasn't on her side that often.

Although a designated area in Ginevra’s apartment was equipped with a treadmill and other exercise equipment– unlike the main part of the house that Leandro didn't bother to equip... she still chose to do the running outside.

The street was always calm at night and to avoid the prying eyes of Leandro, she uses the time before her dinner to run some miles.

And just like every night before, Ginevra jogged down the street with her hair tightly tied in a bun and a sports headband keeping any loose strands from falling onto her face. Her breathing was steady just like the familiar rhythm of her feet hitting the pavement. The cool evening breeze felt refreshing against her skin as she ran, the stress of the day melting away with each stride.

It was always a way to calm her inner self. To forget about work, about Leandro, and focus on herself. She was in control of her body, her thoughts, and her actions.

Some people may find it odd but jogging at night was the best. When the only thing she could feel was the dance of the night breeze.

Ginevra's heart skipped a beat as she stumbled into a solid figure that had appeared out of nowhere. She barely had time to react before the stranger's strong arms caught her, preventing her from falling.

She looked up, startled, and found herself staring into the piercing blue eyes of a charming man. He was dressed in a sharp black suit that hugged his muscular frame, and he exuded an air of authority that made her heart race.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice deep and smooth.

Ginevra nodded, unable to find her voice. She was completely mesmerized by the stranger's intense gaze and the way his suit accentuated his broad shoulders and chiselled features. Gerardo Di Maggio, he was.

But then she noticed the two escorts that had approached them, and her senses kicked in. She tried to pull away, but the man's grip was firm.

“Let me go” She urged him, his voice harsh as she tried to withdraw from his hold. But as she felt his grip tighten around her.

Gerardo raised a single brow, his expression calm but his piercing blue eyes never leaving her face. For a moment, Ginevra thought he would refuse, but then he slowly released his hold on her.

“As you wish," he said in a smooth, charming tone that made her heart skip a beat. "But perhaps we could continue this conversation over dinner? I would love to get to know you better."

“What?” Ginevra blurts and blinked.