LUCIANO
My car screeched to a stop where the tire track vanished. I looked ahead, frustration clogging my reasoning. I couldn’t find Jade like this, I had to think of a plan, come up with something..
I let out a shaky breath as my anger rose. When I catch the person who took my Jade, I’ll make them regret being born. The shrill of my ringing phone permeated my thoughts, I looked over at my phone, a scowl forming on my face.
It was Petro calling. “Hello?”
“Hello, Luciano, the cops are at the house and they want to speak with you since you’re her husband.”
“I’ll be there in a minute,” I replied. I jammed the gear shift into reverse left this trail, the road went on and on for hours, there’s no way I’d find jade like this.
My automatic gates slid open as I drove in. A cop car was parked in front of my mansion, sticking out like a sore thumb. This was an anomaly for a mafia gang, but a necessary one.
I got down from my car and made my way inside. “Good morning officers,” I greeted, plopping down on my sofa.
“Good day to you too Mr. Luciano, we’ve been waiting,” one of the men, presumably the inspector, said as he stepped forward.
“I know, I was informed, do you have any news about my wife? Has she been found? Any clues?”
The man shook his head, “Investigations are still on going, my team and I are doing everything in our power-”
“Well it’s not enough,” I deadpanned.
His shoulders visibly slumped. “We just need to ask a few questions to help with our investigations,” he presses on.
“Where were you the night of her kidnapping?”
“Work.”
“Did she have any enemies, anyone with a strong motive? And one you suspect?”
I got on my feet, my temper running thin. “I believe it’s your job to find that out officer, do you think if she had any known enemies I wouldn’t be at their doorstep demanding to see my wife?”
“We’re only trying to solve this case, your cooperation would ease things up, sir. We’ll take our leave now, please if anything comes up, any calls, and messages… don’t hesitate to call the police.”
I offered him no response as I watched the uniformed men leave my house. When I was sure that they were gone, I turned to face Petro.
“Meeting, inside, now.”
He nodded and followed behind me, shutting the glass door to my home office behind me. “Any updates? Have they found anything?”
He shook his head. “We have eyes everywhere, we’ve even infiltrated some gangs, none of them have seen a trace of your wife.”
“Keep searching, and if there’s any updates let me know immediately.”
With that he leaves my office. I slouched against the backrest of the chair, with only one thought racing in my mind, whenever she is, I hope she’s safe.
I grab my phone and peer at the lock screen. It’s such a beautiful picture of her.
The next morning I have all my men lined up, there’s no time to waste, the police can’t find her so I’ll have to do it myself. “All we have is her car, and there’s no call from any kidnappers yet. I don’t think it’s a ransom they’re looking for.”
Jose heaved a deep breath, “I think it’s someone trying to get to you, maybe someone with a vendetta against you.”
I froze, trying to think about his proposition. It would make so much sense, since someone had already tried to assassinate me in the past. I raised my head up, only to be met with the view of Arturo sprawled on a chair, nonchalance etched into his demeanor.
I gritted my teeth, my skin prickling with irritation. “Are you just gonna sit there and do nothing!?” I barked.
He raised his head and peered at me, then shrugged dismissively. “We don’t have any leads now, there’s nothing we can do to find her until we get leads, so relax.”
I formed a fist with my hand. “Get out!” I ordered, my blood boiling. He darted his eyes around the room, defiance flickering in his gaze. I took two steps forward, until I was merely inches away from him. “Are you deaf? I said get out. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret, brother.”
He swallowed, then got on his feet, shoving the chair aside as he strolled out. I let out a sigh, planting my hands on my hips.
“Just calm down, you know how Arturo can be sometimes,” Jose said.
“He just knows the perfect way to get on my nerves,” I muttered as I ran my fingers through my tousled hair. “If it’s the person that wants me dead that has Jade, they might have-” my throat constricted as the words that were to flow got stuck.
I didn’t want to entertain negative thoughts, but from the looks of things, it seemed finding Jade was proving to be an almost impossible task, we had no clues, no leads, no evidence of any form.
Suddenly, my phone began to buzz in my pocket. I raised my head up sharply, my eyes meeting with Petro and Jose. I dug my hand in and retrieved my phone. Petro stepped closer to peek over at my screen.
It was an unknown number calling. I could feel my heart beating faster as I swiped up to accept the call. “Hello?” I started.
Jade’s voice tinged with desperation , spilled through the line. “Luciano please save me!” She cried, her voice shaky as the sound of ringing bells sounded in the background.
I grabbed the phone tighter, as if my life depended on it. “Where are you?” I asked. There was a short lived silence between us and a mix of desperation and apprehensiveness ate into the fabric of my being.
“I don’t know, it’s just windy and I-” there was a screech, followed by some noise in the background before line cut.
“Well, what did she say?” Jose questioned.
“She didn’t have the time to talk, I think someone tried to take the phone from her.” I spun around on my heels, tears stinging the corner of my eyes.
“I swear to God if anything happens to Jade or my child-”
“Nothing is gonna happen,” Petro assured. I grabbed the neck of the liquor bottle on my table, downing the drink as I squinted my eyes. The liquid traveled down my guts, leaving a hot trail in its wake.
“Now is not the time to drown in alcohol,” Luca’s voice boomed from behind as he stepped forward. I met with his gaze.
“Even if she couldn’t tell you where she was, and calling back might just put her in more danger, wasn’t there anything from the call you could depict? Any sounds that can remotely giveaway the location?”
I swallowed, realization washing over me as I jumped to my feet. “I heard bells, and… a swoosh, like a train was passing, at the end.”
“That’s probably the outskirts, there’s an old catholic church and it’s near a railway,” Jose said.
A wave of energy pulsed through me, if there was a chance, even the smallest chance that I could save Jade, I’d take it.
My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic counterpoint to the screeching of tires on gravel as my men got into the cars. Adrenaline painted the world crimson, edges blurring as we ripped through the road, the mansion receding in my side mirror.. Outskirts loomed, humble houses huddled close like shivering chicks against the encroaching dark. Jose’s voice, strained and raspy, cut through the wind whipping past my window.
“There! The Catholic church!”
Church bells clanged, urgent and ominous, each gong a hammer blow on my already battered hope. My gaze flicked left, searching, finding only the tail lights of Luca’s car disappearing into the labyrinthine streets.
“Railway bridge, Luciano! We gotta split up, cover more ground!” Jose’s knuckles were white on the dashboard.
My gut clenched. Splitting up meant leaving blind spots, inviting disaster. But hesitation was poison, each precious second another tick on the death clock ticking over Jade’s life.
“You and Petro take some men and go this way,” I barked, the words grating in my throat. “Luca and I, the other way. Everyone meet back at the church in fifteen minutes. No exceptions.”
Petro’s eyes glinted with grim understanding. “Got it capo. We won’t let you down.”
“Find her. Please,” I said, my voice carrying an unusual vulnerability.