terrified of those he works for, and for good reason. You represent a
slow and painful death. He will do his best to silence you.”
Indignation
and anger slowly drained from Luisa, replaced by despair. She had saved up for
this trip for two years but now it looked as if her dream holiday had just
turned into a nightmare.
Seeing
her change in expression, Valerio Catanese sat down opposite Luisa at the
table.
“I
was late coming to see you because more information has surfaced about Michele
Esposito, the man who was shot,” Catanese explained, “it appears he is the
nephew of one of the clan bosses, Sergio Esposito. Have you heard of him?”
Luisa
nodded. She watched the news with her relatives every evening before dinner.
Sergio Esposito was in hiding. He was implicated in the torture and killing of
two journalists who had foolishly investigated him too enthusiastically.
Esposito had spent the last couple of years fighting with other clans in an
attempt for supremacy, winning himself no friends within his own organization,
as the police tightened the net. He was a dangerous man – and no doubt an angry
one after the death of his nephew.
Reading
her expression, Valerio Catanese's anger appeared to dissolve. He leaned back
in his chair and glanced out the window. Luisa watched his profile and was
struck, not for the first time, what a handsome man he was.
“It
never ends,” he said quietly, “the cycle repeats itself as it has for
centuries. Every time we jail one, another appears to take his place. Then
there is the vendetta between them. You'd hope all that in-fighting
would weaken their hold but it just feeds them.”
“I
can't begin to understand it,” Luisa admitted, “and I'm sorry I left without
saying anything. I didn't realise I would be in any danger. Believe me, if I
had known what was waiting outside I would have stayed here.”
Silence
stretched between them for a couple of seconds before Luisa looked at her
watch. It was nearing 8pm and outside the light was fading.
“I
don't suppose you could arrange for me to be taken home?” Luisa asked, “my aunt
and uncle will wonder where I am.”
Inspector
Catanese shook his head. “I will need to get an identikit from you and it isn't
safe for you to go home. It would put not only yourself but your relatives at
risk.”
Luisa's
spirits sank. For the first time all day, she felt like crying. She was tired,
hungry and scared. She wanted to see Zia Giuseppina and Zio Roberto and forget
today ever happened.
Commissario
Catanese pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to Luisa.
“Give
them a call,” he urged with a nod, “tell them what's happened and that tonight
you will have to stay in police custody for your own safety.”
“Police
custody?”
“That's
right,” he sighed, “you're sleeping here tonight.”
***
The
room looked little more than a glorified cell. A narrow bed with a thin, lumpy
mattress sat in one corner and a small table with two chairs in the other.
There was one small barred window and a picture of the Virgin Mary on the
white-washed wall. Luisa turned to Catanese with a frown.
“I'm
sleeping here ?”
The
inspector gave a pained expression before nodding.
“This
isn't a hotel signorina ; we don't usually host non-criminals
over-night.”
“Are
you locking me in?”
“Of
course not!” Valerio Catanese gave an impatient shake of his head, “this
building is secure. There's a bathroom at the end of the corridor. I am staying
in the room next door if you need anything.”
“You're
staying here?”
The
police inspector's gaze met hers. “Yes,” he replied simply, “somebody has to
make sure you don't get into any more trouble.”
The
mischievous tone in his voice was not lost on Luisa – so the man did have a
sense of humour after all. She had begun to wonder.
“I
don't know about you but I'm starving,” Catanese continued, “I'm ordering some
pizza, would you like
slow and painful death. He will do his best to silence you.”
Indignation
and anger slowly drained from Luisa, replaced by despair. She had saved up for
this trip for two years but now it looked as if her dream holiday had just
turned into a nightmare.
Seeing
her change in expression, Valerio Catanese sat down opposite Luisa at the
table.
“I
was late coming to see you because more information has surfaced about Michele
Esposito, the man who was shot,” Catanese explained, “it appears he is the
nephew of one of the clan bosses, Sergio Esposito. Have you heard of him?”
Luisa
nodded. She watched the news with her relatives every evening before dinner.
Sergio Esposito was in hiding. He was implicated in the torture and killing of
two journalists who had foolishly investigated him too enthusiastically.
Esposito had spent the last couple of years fighting with other clans in an
attempt for supremacy, winning himself no friends within his own organization,
as the police tightened the net. He was a dangerous man – and no doubt an angry
one after the death of his nephew.
Reading
her expression, Valerio Catanese's anger appeared to dissolve. He leaned back
in his chair and glanced out the window. Luisa watched his profile and was
struck, not for the first time, what a handsome man he was.
“It
never ends,” he said quietly, “the cycle repeats itself as it has for
centuries. Every time we jail one, another appears to take his place. Then
there is the vendetta between them. You'd hope all that in-fighting
would weaken their hold but it just feeds them.”
“I
can't begin to understand it,” Luisa admitted, “and I'm sorry I left without
saying anything. I didn't realise I would be in any danger. Believe me, if I
had known what was waiting outside I would have stayed here.”
Silence
stretched between them for a couple of seconds before Luisa looked at her
watch. It was nearing 8pm and outside the light was fading.
“I
don't suppose you could arrange for me to be taken home?” Luisa asked, “my aunt
and uncle will wonder where I am.”
Inspector
Catanese shook his head. “I will need to get an identikit from you and it isn't
safe for you to go home. It would put not only yourself but your relatives at
risk.”
Luisa's
spirits sank. For the first time all day, she felt like crying. She was tired,
hungry and scared. She wanted to see Zia Giuseppina and Zio Roberto and forget
today ever happened.
Commissario
Catanese pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and handed it to Luisa.
“Give
them a call,” he urged with a nod, “tell them what's happened and that tonight
you will have to stay in police custody for your own safety.”
“Police
custody?”
“That's
right,” he sighed, “you're sleeping here tonight.”
***
The
room looked little more than a glorified cell. A narrow bed with a thin, lumpy
mattress sat in one corner and a small table with two chairs in the other.
There was one small barred window and a picture of the Virgin Mary on the
white-washed wall. Luisa turned to Catanese with a frown.
“I'm
sleeping here ?”
The
inspector gave a pained expression before nodding.
“This
isn't a hotel signorina ; we don't usually host non-criminals
over-night.”
“Are
you locking me in?”
“Of
course not!” Valerio Catanese gave an impatient shake of his head, “this
building is secure. There's a bathroom at the end of the corridor. I am staying
in the room next door if you need anything.”
“You're
staying here?”
The
police inspector's gaze met hers. “Yes,” he replied simply, “somebody has to
make sure you don't get into any more trouble.”
The
mischievous tone in his voice was not lost on Luisa – so the man did have a
sense of humour after all. She had begun to wonder.
“I
don't know about you but I'm starving,” Catanese continued, “I'm ordering some
pizza, would you like
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