Shadow Warrior (Shadow Riders 4)

Stefano scowled darkly. “That’s insane. She waits almost two weeks before she contacts anyone and won’t ask her ex-husband if the girls are with him? What the hell is wrong with her?”

“I have no idea,” Emmanuelle said.

“Put the Grecos on it immediately. I want an answer in the next hour. If they aren’t with their father, and they’ve been taken, the odds of getting them back are slim to none after two weeks.”

Ricco swore under his breath. “Maybe she needs parenting classes, or better yet, if the girls are safe with their father, just leave them there.”

“I think we’re all in agreement there,” Eloisa said.

Vittorio didn’t point out how ironic it was that Eloisa was furious with Rita, although he had to admit, his mother might not have been nurturing, but she saw to their training and would have gone looking in a heartbeat had they disappeared.

“I’ve texted the Grecos with all the information,” Giovanni said. “They’re on it.”

Vittorio settled back in his own chair, ignoring the way Eloisa rolled her eyes. His mother thought they all spoiled Emmanuelle. He didn’t think Emmanuelle had ever been spoiled in her life, although the brothers loved her and tried to protect her when they could. Certainly, she would need help avoiding Val Saldi. He hadn’t given the impression he was going to give up.

“We need to either find another body wrapped up in the missing carpet or figure out who they plan to hit next.”

“They could just be fucking with us, stealing another carpet,” Taviano pointed out.

“Or they were going to use it for Bruno’s body, but it was more convenient to take the carpet out of his apartment,” Emmanuelle said.

Stefano looked around the room. “Did Merry set up the coffeepot?”

“Behind you,” Vittorio said, indicating the coffee station.

“I’ll get it,” Emmanuelle offered and jumped up.

“Thanks, honey,” Stefano said. “I’ve got every dumpster in our territory being searched. Any suspects for another Saldi contact in our territory?” He swiveled around to regard his sister. “You have the most contact with everyone, Emmanuelle.”

“Francesca had taken over the visiting as well as sitting on all the committees to represent our families. Have you asked her?” Emmanuelle placed a cup of coffee in front of Stefano and then her mother before going back to the station for more.

“Not yet. She’s been down the last few weeks, and I know you and Sasha have been visiting so Sasha could take over those duties for Francesca.”

“Honestly”—Emmanuelle put the mugs in front of Ricco and Giovanni—“I was so busy trying to remember every detail of every family for Sasha that I wasn’t paying as close attention as I should have been.”

Eloisa heaved an over-exaggerated and very loud sigh.

Emmanuelle clenched her teeth as she handed Vittorio his coffee and set another cup in front of Taviano. Vittorio winked at her. She managed a faint grin as she turned away to get her own coffee.

“I’ll ask Francesca,” Stefano said. “But you take some time to think back to each visit. More than likely, because you know them so well, you’ll notice a detail that will nag at you about someone. I don’t care how ridiculous it sounds, you tell me.”

“I will,” she said immediately.

“We’re going to have to consider that Miceli Saldi is staging a takeover from his brother. Giuseppi has been very wrapped up with his wife’s illness these last few months and has left himself open for a takeover.”

“Or it’s possible it’s his own son and he’s throwing the blame on Miceli,” Eloisa pointed out with a glare at Emmanuelle. “That’s the problem with having power and responsibility and falling in love. It’s selfish.”

“There is always that possibility as well,” Vittorio said before Stefano could reprimand Eloisa. “We have to consider any possibility, no matter how remote.”

“I agree,” Stefano said. “Or a third party may be setting up both brothers.” Stefano turned his attention to Vittorio. “Where are you in your relationship with Grace? Where is she on her recovery?”

“She’s doing physical therapy on her shoulder and arm. The doc says she’s coming along faster than he’d hoped, so physically, she’s much better.”

“And your relationship?”

Vittorio knew Stefano wanted to know if there was a danger of Grace rejecting him. “The reference Eloisa inadvertently made in front of her to all of us needing women meeting a certain criterion set me back a bit. She asked questions I couldn’t answer immediately.” He made certain to keep his features expressionless when he wanted to smirk. Eloisa made mistakes and she would detest that, in her need to slam Grace, she’d been careless with her choice of barbs.

Stefano turned cool eyes on his mother. “You actually made a reference to someone outside our family that could endanger us?”

Eloisa nodded. “Yes. I apologize to all of you for such a slip.”

Stefano drummed his fingers on the table. “Have you been to the doctor since Phillip died?”