“You sure as hell have gotten yourself in the middle of a hornet’s nest, Grinder.”
I scrubbed my face with my hand. “That didn’t take long.”
“It doesn’t when there’s an on-going investigation being conducted by an international intelligence agency.”
“Which one?”
“The AISE, aka the Italian CIA.”
I was familiar with the acronym for the Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna. “What are they investigating?”
“If you aren’t sitting down, you better.”
“Go on.”
“Murder linked to Italian royalty. They take that shit pretty serious over there.”
“Who?”
“Giovanni Deltetto.”
“Not a heart attack?”
“No, it was, but brought on by poisoning.”
“Bloody hell.”
“That isn’t all. I haven’t found how this relates yet, but the Valentini name came up in an AISE investigation into ancient antiquities that have been turning up on the black market.”
Deck was right about me landing in the middle of a hornet’s nest. Worse was the idea that Pia was living in it.
“As far as your background information, I’ve only got the goods on two so far. Actually, only one you asked about. Matteo Casavetti is a mid-level AISE agent. The second is Lucia Cesare, she’s a rung below him and currently undercover at the Valentini estate. Since they both had ties to the family, there was no need for assumed identities.”
Lucia? I didn’t see that one coming. Although, the report on Pia’s cousin Matteo surprised me just as much.
“I’ll get back to you when I know something more. Also, you might want to think about putting a team together on this, Grind. Somethin’ tells me that the deeper I go, the worse what I have to tell you will be.”
“Thanks, mate. My next call was going to be to Rile anyway.”
“Let me know who’s on your wish list, and I’ll see if I can get their twenty.”
“Got it. And, Deck, I understand this better than you know, but you need to stay in Texas with Mila.”
“That was cryptic.”
I took a deep breath. This would be the first I revealed this news to anyone. “Pia is pregnant.”
“You okay about this?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, I’m somewhat over the moon.”
“I’m happy for you, Grinder. I mean that sincerely. It’s a hell of a thing to watch the woman you love, growing your baby inside of her.” He cleared his throat. “That’s if you love her, I guess.”
“I do, Decker, and you’re right. It is a hell of a thing.”
“By the way, Rile’s in Spain, and I can tell you, he isn’t happy about it.”
“So he’d welcome a mission, then?”