The Grecos, excellent investigators and cousins of the Ferraros, were monitoring the cell phones as well in the hopes of pinpointing Benito Valdez’s exact location. So far, no one had called him to report in. The chapters had called one another but not their leader. Still, one could hope.
Emmanuelle sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. Immediately Elie reached up and began a slow massage without even looking at her.
“We’re in the best position possible. The Northwye is the halfway point almost exactly, and it’s the Y intersection in the road where the highway branches off north of town. We can follow them in any direction they take from here,” Elie pointed out.
“All we can do is wait,” Vittorio agreed. “Rigina indicated fifteen were sent out from the city. They have two Ram trucks and a 4Runner. She thinks the one running the operation is in the 4Runner.”
“How’s Grace’s shoulder doing?” Emmanuelle asked. “I couldn’t believe she got an infection after injuring it again.”
Vittorio flashed her a small smile. “She’s better. Doing therapy. She’s always trying to rush recovery and I have to slow her down. She gets herself into a lot of trouble that way.”
“You’re way too cautious.” Emmanuelle mock scowled at him. “You wouldn’t be with one of us.”
“I’d be with you,” Vittorio corrected. “And if she hadn’t rushed her recovery in the first place, she wouldn’t have needed a second operation.”
“I know, Vittorio, I’m sorry,” Emmanuelle said immediately. “I shouldn’t tease you. Although Grace said she stumbled and hit her shoulder into a rock wall when she was checking out a place to hold an event.” She turned to Elie, nudging him. “Grace took a bullet meant for Vittorio, and it shattered her shoulder, right about the time you came on board with us.”
“I remember,” Elie said. “I was training under Emilio. The call came in that someone tried to kill you, Vittorio. Emilio thought you were all tucked in for the night and he wasn’t the least bit happy that you’d gone out without his knowledge.”
Emmanuelle sent her brother a quick smile. “You got into trouble with Emilio, didn’t you? I despise his lectures. Elie has the best of both worlds. Not only does he get to bodyguard, but he’s a rider. So, you get to boss everyone around no matter what, just like Stefano.”
“No one really bosses Stefano,” Elie said. “Not even Emilio. Stefano is a law unto himself. Even my family walks carefully around him.”
“I think of you more as a Ferraro than an Archambault,” Emmanuelle confessed. “You’ve become such a part of our family.”
Vittorio nodded. “Stefano treats him that way, doesn’t he, Elie? He gives him the same hell he does the rest of us.”
“And the same amount of work,” Emmanuelle agreed. “Thanks for always being so good about it, Elie. There’s so much now. It just seems like no matter how much we take on, there’s always more.”
Elie slung his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. “Because you’re letting him send you all over the country, Emmanuelle. You’re going to burn out if you don’t slow down.”
Emmanuelle stiffened and pulled away, glaring at him. “I work the same as everyone else does.”
Elie glanced at Vittorio for confirmation.
Vittorio nodded. “You know it’s true, Emme. I’ve already had the discussion with Stefano.”
“Behind my back?” She looked outraged.
“Of course, behind your back,” Vittorio said, sounding amused. “If you’d been there, you would have kicked our asses. No one was going to risk that.”
Elie covered his mouth with one hand, but there was no hiding the sudden flare of laughter in his intense dark eyes.
A small smile flirted with the curve of Emmanuelle’s lower lip. “You’re not going to charm me, Vittorio. Or you, either, Elie. You’re both in the doghouse.” Suspicion crossed the perfection of her soft features. “Who else was there? Were all of my brothers there? Was Mariko?”
“Betrayal of the sisterhood? You know better. Even if Mariko thought it, she wouldn’t voice it, not without talking to you about it first,” Vittorio said. “While your brothers have always conspired to boss you around and protect you from your stubborn and willful behavior from the day you were born, your sisters-in-law wouldn’t think of joining the many conspiracies we have. Fortunately, you have all of us, and now Elie as well, to look out for you. I know you are especially grateful.” He sounded complacent.
“I love Grace,” Emmanuelle told Elie. “I love her so very much. She’s sweet and gentle and so deserving. Her one failing is that she’s madly in love with Vittorio. If she wasn’t, I’d be tempted to break something important on him and send him limping home. She’d be upset though, and I don’t ever want her upset.”
Vittorio smiled. “I don’t like Grace upset, either. Have you talked with her about planning Nicoletta and Taviano’s wedding? I thought maybe she could spend some time with Lucia and Amo. She might be able to keep them from worrying about Nicoletta until this is over.”