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Francone’s handsome face and twinkling eyes, relishing the circumstance and perhaps perceived good fortune, landed on Moira’s mother, who was clutching the arm of her husband.
Francone held his arms out to the sides, tilting his face to the left.
“Carabella.Mi amore, so nice to see you after so many years.”
Dimitri was puzzled by the warm expression.
Moira stood in front of her mother and spoke first in response. “We demand an answer to this, Commander Francone. This false sense of affection is distasteful to everyone standing here. And to those onlooking behind you. You cannot bar us from leaving your country.”
“Ah, the lovely Moira. I used to study you long distance. So sorry about your caretaker.”
“Our caretaker. What you did was damage our whole family. Haven’t you taken enough?”
He leaned to the side, peeking a look at her mother. “Carabella, you have something to say, perhaps?”
This is totally fucked up. More fucking secrets!
Moira’s family were impossible targets to protect. Just impossible. He never knew what was going to happen next, what side agreements were made, what obscure family history would come up to bite him and threatened to kill them all. It was the same thing he hated about the Teams, the lack of good, accurate intelligence. The intelligence briefing on this family would fill a book the size of a Webster’s.
And this man standing before him had been her father’s partner at one time. What part of this made sense? On what planet were these people from?
Byron and the other SEALs looked at him sideways, without being overt about it. He knew they didn’t have enough time to get their firearms out of their bags to defend anybody, and they certainly were not packing because they were stuck in a fuckin’ airport confronted by Special Force guys who were armed to the teeth.
Of all the fucked-up situations he could be in! His own damn fault. Taking on something that couldn’t happen in a million years. What was he thinking? He should have stayed behind his desk at State, going on missions to rescue people who really wanted to be rescued, who at least knew part of the drill.
Moira’s mother kissed her husband’s forehead and stepped forward, like a timid child called out for cheating. She was contrite, embarrassed, careful, but unwavering in what she said.
“Enrico,” and there was a hush amongst all the players in the hallway at the familiar tone she spoke to the Commander using. “You have tried my whole life to upend a decision that was made long ago. You knew my parents sent me to New York to be rid of you and your unwanted advances—”
So not a cousin, then? Or maybe yes. Maybe in this culture—
“But even that didn’t deter you. You knew I fell in love and married, had a family, and you knew I pined for the countryof my origin, so you pretended to be a friend and gave him opportunities, and then you took them all away.”
So there was the answer to Dimitri’s questions about why the capo didn’t just murder the lot of them. Was there a romance?Oh My God! Another fuckin’ secret!
Francone interrupted her but was a gentleman. He bowed to her, did not touch her, but showed deference. “But, Carabella, I hoped you would see the way our families could—”
“Never, Enrico. Never as long as I have any breath in my body. How dare you pretend to be a friend when you are a snake! Your false offer to protect us. You killed our caretaker, murdered them.”
“That was the SEALs, Carabella, you know this.”
She shook her head. “No. It was your henchmen.”
“An unintended consequence, I assure you.”
“So what’s this then? You are barring us from leaving.”
“I have questions. The interviews are not complete. After that, we will see. But this will not happen today. It was pure folly on your part to think that I would let all of you just walk out and catch a plane, even with your own security detail, the dishonorable SEAL who your daughter sleeps with. I have to say you showed much better taste than she does. Look at him.”
Why did they all have to turn and look?
“This is my fiancé,” Moira stuck up for him. “How dare you talk about choices. You are prohibiting our freedom. We are United States’ citizens, and we deserve to exercise our freedom. We have done nothing wrong. These men are for our protection.”
Francone was not impressed. He waved his hand through the air dismissively. Dimitri wanted to tear him apart. He checked his phone and still saw the whirly-gigs running like hamsters in a cage.
Next time, I’m getting a SAT phone. I don’t care what Davis says.
And then something miraculous happened. It rang, echoing throughout the hallway. The crowd had gotten larger and stirred with whispers. Uniformed agents checked the area and quickly left.
