She’s Faking
Moreno (a.k.a. Reno)
A week after the incident
Since I let Felicia loose, safely returned to her husband, Nero, I can see he did his best to hide his feelings for his wife. In our situation, being the men and leaders of our families, there are more responsibilities thrust upon us so there is little room for emotion. Nero was cool for the most part. If not for the white knuckling of his fists when I spoke of the plan to eliminate her, I would have thought that their marriage was one of convenience as many are in our world.
I’d once married for love. That is a mistake I will not repeat.
I study the pictures Marco sent me. Anna is her name. Plain, they called her. At first glance, that is exactly what she appears. Pretty, but definitely not an attention-grabber. Yet, her eyes hold a secret. I notice that her eyes are downcast for most of the photos and she is peering through her lashes as if she is always on alert.
Her eyes are a brilliant blue, like the color of the sky on a clear day. Her hair is a deep rich chestnut and there is loads of hair. She always wears it down, like a shield. In a picture beside her brother, she reaches his shoulder. Plain, yes, but is that all there is to her? Oh, I do not think so.
I have been waiting for my man to make an appearance to inform me of any new information on Anna. Nero had arranged for my man to come into his territory as promised and had made his job seamless in gathering my own data on Anna Fieri and the Fieri family.
I hear that Giorgio is a devoted Famiglia member like his father. He is set to take on his father’s underboss role when he retires. He married recently and has a new baby, as well. He is, apparently, very close to his sister, and she seems to be very comfortable around him and his wife, at least, by the look of these photos.
I was naïve once before; I will not be fooled again. Alberto walks toward me and hands me a file. Notes and photos of his finding.
“Don Viale,” he says.
“Alberto, I see you have been busy.” I flip through the documentation. It seems Anna tends to have a pattern, repeating her daily activities. “This is fairly repetitious.”
“Sir, I have never seen anyone so regimented. She leaves the house, goes to the school, works, goes to the gym, then returns home,” Alberto says, shaking his head.
There’s a picture of her in her car. She has a broad smile as she waves, looking completely caught up in the moment. It is the only picture I have seen of her being unguarded. There is a ray of sunshine emerging from her eyes, a lightness. I think this woman is hiding herself. My little fake.
“Tell me about this photo,” I inquire.
“Nothing much to tell. She was leaving the parking lot and waving to a student with his mother. This child was waving frantically to catch her attention and she reciprocated,” Alberto shrugs.
I make the call to Marco. “I would like to move forward to meet her father.”