Whispers in the Wind

Exactly forty-five minutes after I stepped out of the airport, the glittering skyline of Manhattan finally came into view. John had practically forced me to come back here with an offer I couldn’t refuse. I glanced at my phone for the sixteenth time in thirty minutes, each second dragging painfully. Tapping my finger rapidly on the grey vinyl seat, I closed my eyes, trying to imagine life if John was actually being honest this time. Finding Mum and Vittoria... We’d lost hope a decade ago. Every lead was a dead end, only causing more frustration. Why was John so intent on digging up an old grave? “This is ridiculous,” I sighed and dialed his number. "Hi," I managed to say as John picked up. "Zina, are you here yet?" he asked immediately. “Just got in. Heading to the hotel first. Need to brace myself for whatever crazy idea you have this time.” He scoffed. "Join us for dinner. I’ll explain then," he said, hanging up before I could protest. “Where to, miss?” the driver asked. “Blue Springs Hotel.” ************************************************* Later that evening... Walking down the hallway, I felt like a little girl venturing into the unknown again. The house still had that eerie effect on me. As a child, I rarely visited, and as a teenager, I had no reason to. Mum never felt like part of the family. An elderly lady led me to the dining room. The grand oak table I remembered had been replaced by a smaller one with just four chairs. “Zina?” Pristine spotted me first. “Oh my God! Zina!” She stood and hugged me warmly. “Hi, Pristine.” Pristine Aurelius, my stepmother and Dad’s first wife. Unlike the evil stepmothers in stories, she was kind and caring, always doing what she could for Zara and me. “You’ve grown so much it’s hard to believe how much you’ve matured” she said, cupping my cheek. John sneered. “How could we? She moved to LA and blocked everyone out for years. No way she’d be recognizable now.” I rolled my eyes and sat beside Pristine. She smiled, recounting events while I was away. Eventually, she excused herself to take her medication and rest. “So,” John began with a smug smile, “your curiosity overpowered your annoyance and pride. That’s a first.” I rolled my eyes again. “Just talk. What ridiculous theory do you have this time?” His smirk turned into a frown. “This isn’t ridiculous, Zina. And it’s not a joke.” “Sure. Finding Mum and Vittoria after one, two… fourteen years. How do you keep coming up with things like this? The police found nothing. They vanished into thin air.” “They’re human beings. They can’t vanish. They’re either dead or alive, and we need to find them.” I sighed. “So what lead do you have? Where do we start?” I began eating, my stomach protesting after holding out for so long. John leaned in, lowering his voice. “There’s been... a development. Something Dad and the police missed before. But it’s dangerous, Zina. We have to tread carefully.” I froze mid-bite. “A development? What kind of development?” “The Russos.” I nearly choked on my food. “What?!” “We’re going to start with the Rus…” “I heard you. Now I’m convinced you’re batshit crazy. The Russos? Really?” “Zina…” I dropped my voice to a near whisper. “You and I were raised here. We both know anything involving the Russos is far from good and safe” “Now when have we ever taken the good and safe route?” “Well that’s the route we’ll have to take this time because I’m not going to go through what I went through the last time” “You’re being selfish. The same selfishness that made you move to LA and cut everyone off.” “You have no right to judge my choices. I left because of your dumb theories, baseless conclusions, and life-threatening risks. If I get caught this time, the people you want to involve us with won’t wait for me to be in prison before finishing me off. That’s not a risk I’m taking.” Silence fell. We both stayed that way as I finished my meal. “Zina, this is our chance to find them or at least learn what happened. Aren’t you curious? Where is she? Is she alright? Does she miss you? Is she dead or alive?” “Of course, I’m curious. Curiosity has eaten at me for as long as I can remember, but I like living just as much. How doesn’t this bother you?” I was yelling now. His face remained blank, fueling my anger. He always managed to stay unscathed while I took all the damage, that’s why he was being so unrealistic now. “I know I haven’t been the best partner, but this is bigger than anything we’ve faced. This is about our family. We can’t just throw this chance away.” “I’m not going on this goose chase with you, John. They’ve been gone for more than a decade. Forget it.” I stood to leave. “If you’re so determined, do it yourself.” “What if I give Zara all her inheritance back?” I paused, studying him. He seemed sincere. “Work with me to find Vittoria and Mum, and I’ll return Zara’s inheritance. All of it.”