Page 346 of Valentino

A car bomb has just now taken the lives of three key leaders of

Lombardi.

Police fear that further retaliation is inevitable.

“Fuck.”

Zzzzz sounds the doorbell. Zzzzz.

I hold the remote up and turn the television off and Valentino comes striding out of his office to push the intercom. “Yes.”

“Mr. Leone, it’s Sebastian from concierge.”

“Yes, Sebastian.”

“The police are here in the foyer to see you, sir.”

Valentino’s eyes flick to me.

“Oh my God,” I mouth.

“That’s fine,” he replies, ever so calm. “Send them up.”

I jump up and down on the spot, flapping my arms around. “Arghhh.”

“Nothing to worry about, just procedure,” he tells me. “You know nothing. You saw nothing. You didn’t leave this apartment yesterday.”

“I didn’t.”

“Not at all, we were both home all day. We have witnesses to prove it.”

“We do?”

“Yes.” He runs his hands down my arms and kisses my forehead. “Just breathe…remain calm. Cool. And collected.”

“Uh-huh.”

He smiles down at me. “Alright?”

I nod at double time. “Uh-huh.”

“Do not offer any extra information, only answer what question is asked.”

“Okay.”

“One-word answers.”

I nod.

Fuck.

He walks to the front door and opens it.

“Hello, Mr. Leone.”

“Hello, please come in,” I hear him tell them, he appears with two police officers.

A man and a woman, I’ve seen the woman before…but I have no idea where.