Page 55 of Condemned to You

“That day you found me and Bethany. What made you both come to the house?”

Alfie shifted on his feet, “I knew about you and Bethany.” He seemed ashamed of his confession. “I knew Luca was on his way to the house and I texted you to see where you were in case I needed to stall. Bethany said she made whatever cookies Aria was craving during her pregnancy.”

Both Luca and I stared at Alfie with an impressive shock. While I was impressed that he caught onto me, Luca admired that Alfie didn’t rat me out but rather protected the family – something Marco would have also done.

“How’d you figure it out?” I had to ask.

“The morning of her wedding to Pio, I went to check up on her and the room had sand on the floor leading from the terrace right outside the room. She was in the shower but I saw her nightgown was wet. I went to check out the terrace and saw Emilio walking up from the beach.”

Now it was my turn to confess something I never thought I would but this was the time to. “I’m the one who texted your mother and sisters to come to the house.” The dumbfounded look on their faces was almost priceless. “I figured if the women knew first then they would be able to make everything less … intense.”

Luca took a deep breath and exhaled. “Is that all? We got a maniac in our city that needs to learn no one runs out the DeCarlos.”

“I’m clear,” I replied.

Alfie nodded his head, “Unless you want to hear about the nasty thing Grace has me do to her, then I’m cleared.”

Both Luca and I give him a push as we simultaneously bark out, “Never mix business with pleasure.”

Clearing my throat, I think out loud. “We know that when there are too many people involved in a plan – someone is sure to spill. This ghost knows too much for someone who is easily under the radar in this city.”

“There’s another rat,” Alfie replied, “Who could it be?”

“They don’t know they are,” Luca concluded.

He shot me a look and shook his head when he knew the person I was thinking of.

“It has to be,” I replied.

Being Consigliere was hard, not because you were expected to carry out each order seamlessly, it was moments like this when the hardcore truth needed to be addressed. Feelings couldn’t matter and I had to make sure the same applied for Luca.

“I’m missin’ somethin’,” Alfie commented waiting for the answer.

Luca let out a breath of frustration. “It’s Aria.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Shaking his head in disbelief, Alfie refused to believe that. “How? I’ve kept an eye on her. She always has someone with her.” He gave Luca a look of guilt, “I’ve even taped her phone line.”

“She could have a burner phone,” I replied, “Isn’t that how you kept in touch?”

“No,” Alfie replied, “Not really. It was a meeting point. Nothing was ever addressed in any other form. That’s why I can’t believe it would be her.”

“Who does she communicate with most often?” Luca asked.

“It’s the same people,” Alfie shrugged. “Close friends, family, her assistant.”

“It’s someone she confides in,” I hit back. “Aria is the only person with direct access to Luca, Lorenzo and Domenico.” The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning. “Shit,” I spat out. “Grace. She’s the rat.”

Luca let out a brief sigh of relief. “How much could Grace possibly know?”

“Anytime time Aria needs to vent or needs advice – Grace is her go to. I should have known” I let out a huff, “She gives me intel on the Cassariano family. Someone good enough to be so close to a powerful family and not get caught giving information out is someone to keep an eye on.”

“What happened to her owing you her life?” Luca questioned.

My debt is paid. Grace’s last words to me rang in my ears.

“She saved my life that night when I came back for Bethany.”