The Mafia's Grave Mistake

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Sapphire,

"I muttered under my breath, "Carolina has always been the stubborn type and hardly listens to me." My phone rang for the umpteenth time, and I knew it was Carolina's mother, worried sick about her daughter. I rolled my eyes, thinking of which excuse to give her this time. I'd run out of excuses in the last twenty-four hours.

How could I tell her that her daughter, who had just arrived in Italy, had been shot trying to save a ruthless mafia don? That he was manhandling her, claiming to take her to an undisclosed hospital for treatment, and no one dared question him?

The phone continued to ring, and I had no choice but to answer. I cleared my throat, trying to sound better. "Buongiorno, signora," I greeted, attempting to sound neutral.

Aunt Betty's voice rang out from the other end of the phone, warm and concerned. "Buongiorno, cara. Come stai?" (Good morning, dear. How are you?) I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Should I lie and tell her everything was fine, or try to sugarcoat the truth?

I forced a smile into my voice. "I'm fine, Aunt B," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"Has she called you yet?" I asked, hoping for a yes. I'd lied the previous day, telling her Carolina had gone in search of materials for her job as a journalist in Italy.

Aunt Betty's tone was laced with worry. "No, not yet. It's unlike her to stay a whole day and not reach out to me. The last time we spoke, she said she was going to the club with you."

I took a deep breath and continued the lie. "Yes, we did go to the club, but she left after a while for her job." A pang of guilt hit me, but I pushed it aside. She was sick; she didn't need more worries.

Aunt Betty's voice rang out with a disappointed tone. "Let's just assume she had a flat battery on her location." I seized the opportunity, grateful for the escape. "Yes, that might be the case."

We exchanged goodbyes, and the line went dead. I tried reaching Carolina's phone number again, but it wasn't connecting. Frustration and concern swirled in my chest. Where was Carolina, and what was happening to her?

The silence was oppressive, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was trapped in a web of lies. I had to find a way to get Carolina out of this situation before it was too late.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes tightly. "Now, I have to summon the courage and go with plan B, even though it looks stupid and dangerous," I muttered to myself.

"Carolina, all of this would have been averted if you'd sat down close to me without trying to be a savior," I thought, frustration and worry swirling in my chest. "Now, I need God to save both of us after I take this step."

I picked up my car keys and drove off to put plan B into action. As I arrived at the club with the police, they questioned me. "Is this the premises of the culprit who kidn*pped your friend?"

I hesitated, remembering my working experience with Enzo. Those three months had been a nightmare, and now I was risking everything to confront him. "Yes, this is the place," I said, trying to sound confident.

The police officer looked at me skeptically, but I stood my ground. If I'd told them it was Enzo, would they have even bothered coming? I doubted it. Enzo's reputation was notorious, and people knew better than to cross him.

I wasn't sure if this would yield a positive response, but I couldn't just sit down and do nothing about Carolina's disappearance for twenty-four hours. Going to confront Enzo alone would be walking into a death trap. He wouldn't dare harm a uniformed man, and me in the presence of uniformed men, I told myself, trying to sound optimistic.

As we approached the club entrance, each step felt heavier than the last. The police officer's voice cut through my thoughts. "When we get inside, just point out who the culprit is, and we'll apprehend him."

I swallowed hard, my mind racing. "This is Enzo's property, and he hates trespassers, so we have to be certain about the culprit and not cause a scene," the officer added.

Should I just tell him the culprit was Enzo, the ruthless mafia don? No, it was already too late. I'd end up being punished by the police. Although my punishment was enviable at this point, Enzo would at least know I'd told the authorities about my missing friend.

Maybe that would soften his already dead heart to let me know her whereabouts, since he claimed he was taking her to the hospital. I took a deep breath and pushed open the door, my heart pounding in my chest. What would happen next? Only time would tell.

The moment the club door flung open, Enzo sat in his usual chair, surrounded by his men, who puffed cigarette smoke into the air. "That's him, officer! That's the man who kidn*pped my friend after she took a bullet for him!" I yelled, pointing at Enzo.

I couldn't tell where my sudden boldness had come from. "Sapphire, this might be the last thing you do alive," I muttered to myself as I met Enzo's dead-shot gaze, even with his mask on. I could see the anger brewing beneath.

The inspector's voice rang out with fear and anger as he faced me. "Wait! You brought us to arrest Enzo Alessio?" His tone was incredulous, and I knew I'd made a grave mistake.

Enzo's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew I'd just signed my own death warrant. The inspector's words hung in the air, and I realized I'd underestimated Enzo's power and influence.

"He..he..he is the culprit that kidnaped my friend..." I stuttered in fear.