Even with his promise, Rafa didn’t expect any progress on Zani’s case soon, but he was surprised when the FBI turned up the next morning. Agent Dean shook his hand. “We have news.”
Agent Dean and his partner asked Rafa and Noemi to join them at the hospital. Zani was waiting for them. “You know what this is about?” He asked Rafa in a low voice. His brother shook his head.
“Nope, they just asked us to come here.”
“Mr. Genova, both of you, sirs, and Ms.… sorry, Dr. Castor, I think we have good news for you. Mr. Genova… Zani, the syndicate you were involved with—”
“—nice way to put it. Mob would be more suitable,” Zani said with a wry smile.
“Fair enough,” Agent Dean said. “Interpol has had them under surveillance for a long time. They were running an undercover operation long before you got involved with the Syn—mob. An informant, someone close to the head of the family, had been working with them to bring the family down. That informant was tasked by the top to find you and intimidate you. He admitted planting the bomb in your office, sir,” he looked at Rafa, “but also admitted to not using as much explosive as he was told too. He says he did the bare minimum, so it would please his bosses without committing murder. He denies anything to do with the attack on Dr. Castor, although he admits leaving a photograph on your car to intimidate you and sending a text message.”
Rafa and Noemi looked at each other. Oh God damn it, Noemi thought. We were right. It’s someone else.
Agent Dean didn’t see their reaction and continued. “Long story short… unless he wants his cover blown, he’s going to have to bring a result for the head of the family. Which means money or blood.”
Zani stared at him. “So… we can pay off the debt, and that would be that?”
“Yes, and it’s what Interpol wants. They don’t want their entire operation blown by drug money.”
Zani looked at Rafa. Rafa nodded. “Then it’s a no brainer. I’ll arrange for the money to be wired to whatever account they want. I just want my family safe.”
“We’ll get it done. We’ll be in touch.”
When the Genovas and Noemi were alone, Rafa looked at his brother. “It’s over.”
Zani shook his head. “I don’t believe it. I don’t.”
“Did you think it would end in gun fights? Not the way the world works. Everybody has their price.”
Zani rubbed his face. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“Yes, you can. You’re getting clean. Stay that way forever. One slip and I’m out, Zani. You put my family, my son, and Noemi in danger. Let this be an end to it.”
“I swear on my life, brother.”
Rafa nodded stiffly. “I’ll look forward to seeing it.”
Zani looked at Noemi. “I promise you, too, Noe. Did you tell Rafa?”
She nodded. “We’re trying to figure out who would have a grudge.”
“Have you called Drew?”
Noemi looked at Rafa. “Not yet but I will.” She looked at Zani. “Rafa thinks maybe Drew Ballentine.”
“That would make sense.”
“Have you met him?”
Zani shook his head. “No, actually. But he’s the most likely suspect.”
“He’s a minister.”
Zani gave a crooked grin. “Well, we’ve all heard stories about them.”
As they left the hospital, Noemi turned to Rafa. “Listen, I’m going to go over to Leo’s house to bang on her door until she lets me in. If today has shown me anything, it’s that her love is worth fighting for.”
Rafa kissed her. “Want me to come with?”
She shook her head. “We need sister time.”
Noemi took a cab to Leo’s house. She knocked on the door and tried to open it, but there was no answer. Leo’s car was in the driveway. Noemi sighed heavily. Leo was in and ignoring her. Well, tough, lady. I’m coming in whether you want me to or not.
Noemi walked around to the garden gate and let herself in. As she walked around the side of the house, she noticed the small sapling that had been donated in Jack’s name was gone, ripped out of the ground and thrown aside. Her heart sunk. Maybe Leo had lost it completely in her grief.
Suddenly the need to get into the house was imperative. Noemi banged on the back door. “Leo! It’s me. I’m coming in.”
The door was locked, but she found a brick and smashed the window, reaching in gingerly to unlock the door. “Leo, sorry about the glass but if you won’t answer the door…”
She walked in. The air in the house was musty and stale, and Noemi’s heart began to beat a little faster. “Leo?”
She moved through the utility room into the kitchen and stopped. The counter tops were full of bowls of cereal, uneaten. God. Noemi didn’t need to count them to know there was one for every breakfast time since Jack died. Oh Jesus… Noemi’s heart ached for her sister.
“Leo…”
She walked into the living room which was in disarray but couldn’t find her sister. She went up to the second floor, checking the bedrooms. In Jack’s room, she gave a cry of distress as she saw her sister lying face down on the bed. “Leo!”
She darted to her sister and turned her over. To her relief Leonora was breathing, but to her horror, her face was a bloody mess of cuts and welts.
“Leo, my God, what happened?”
Leonora opened her eyes and terror crept into them. “No, no, Noemi, please, run... he’s crazy, he’s crazy…”
Noemi’s adrenaline spiked. “Who? Who’s crazy? Who did this to you?”
Leo’s eyes were whirling in her head, such was her distress. “Paul… Paul’s crazy… Noemi, please... he’s in the house. He’s in the house.”
Noemi’s adrenaline was pumping hard. “Then we have to get you out of here.”
She slid her arm under Leo and managed to get her to sit up. As she moved to pick her up, Leo’s eyes widened, and she whimpered in fear, staring over Noemi’s shoulder.
Before she could turn around, she felt the muzzle of a gun being pressed into the small of her back.
“Don’t move, Noemi,” Paul said in a soft voice, “or I’ll blow those kids right out of your belly.”
Noemi went ice cold as she heard the safety being flicked off and realized, finally, who had tried to kill her.