“I recognized you. Sorry if I stared. Jessica Rollins, yes? I’m a fan of extreme sports, and I’ve seen your YouTube videos, your ascent and mid-climb BASE jump from El Capitan. It was the reason I joined the tour group, to say hello to you.”
Flustered, Jess didn’t know what to say. “Well, I—”
“It would be an honor if you’d allow me to show you and your mother around the castle myself. Please.”
Jess was about to say no again, but Celeste interjected. “We’d love to. That is very generous.” She glanced at Jess, frowned, then returned to smiling at the Baron.
Giovanni’s smile broadened. “Perfect, then it’s settled. I’ll go out and see when the doctor will arrive.” Nodding curtly, he excused himself and exited the room, trailing Hector, who kept staring and smiling at Jess.
Nico stepped forward from the back of the room, extending one hand to Celeste. She took his hand, and he bowed and kissed it. Her mother blushed. “A pleasure, Madame Tosetti, a real pleasure.” Straightening up, he took a step toward Jess, but she edged away. “And Jessica, I look forward to seeing more of you as well,” he said, leaving Jess her distance.
“You two, you could be brother and sister,” growled a voice from behind Nico. It was the old man, holding his pipe in one hand, glowering at Nico and Jess.
Celeste reached to hold Jess’s hand. She smiled at the old man Leone. “Our family was from the valley below here, many generations ago.” She glanced at Nico. “Are you from here?”
“No,” Nico replied. “I am from Napoli. I came here looking for work, years ago, and Giovanni’s father took me in.”
Leone grunted and narrowed his eyes. “I have work that needs attending.” He nodded. “Madame Tosetti, Jessica.”
“Thank you again, Leone,” Celeste said to the old man as he disappeared out the doorway, just as another man came in, suitcases under both arms.
“Old Leone is just a little grumpy,” explained Nico, turning to the doorway. “Ah, and this is Enzo,” he added, introducing the small man that deposited their luggage just inside the entrance.
“Buon Giorno,” Enzo said, his voice bright. “Anything you need, you come to me.”
Enzo had a thin, angular face with a goatee and a large mole on his left cheek. A brown pork-pie hat covered his head, which Jess imagined was balding. Sitting forward, she pulled her left foot under her right leg. She felt like an invalid. “Thank you very much, but I’m tired…”
“Of course.” Nico bowed. “How rude of us. Come, Enzo, let’s leave our guests.”
“Yes, yes, I just have a few more bags to bring in. Is that all right?”
“Of course,” Celeste replied.
Enzo and Nico both smiled at Celeste and Jess, and then left the room, leaving the door ajar.
“Are the police here?” Jess asked her mother in an urgent whisper.
“No, and in fact, the Baron refused to let them in the castle. He had a huge argument with them at the gate just before the excitement of saving you from almost killing yourself.”
“I wasn’t trying to kill myself—”
“It’s just a figure of speech.” Celeste turned to her daughter. “Giovanni is a very nice man. Why don’t we relax, take our time? We don’t need to be in Rome for a few days, do we? For this surprise of yours?”
Her father’s conference ended in three days. That was when Jess planned on trying to get them together. “No, we’re not in a hurry.”
“Good, then we can stay a few days,” Celeste said cheerfully. “I like it here, and I think you could use a day off your feet.” Her mother winced, looking at her left leg. “Sorry, you know what I mean.”
“A warning,” said a voice from the hallway. It was the Baron, his face hanging in the doorway.
Jess flinched. Were the police back? “Wh…what?” she stuttered.
“The doctor will be here in two minutes, just giving you a warning.”
Enzo watched Baron Ruspoli hanging in the doorway ahead of him, fawning over this new American girl and her mother. He could see the way the Baron looked at this young woman, Jessica. This little dove with her broken wing. “Here are the rest of the bags,” Enzo called out as he barged past the Baron, dropping what he carried onto the floor.
He smiled at the Baron, then at Jessica. He had to admit, she was beautiful—long blond hair, slender, but with fire in her eyes. There were so many things he’d like to do to her himself. Hold her, protect her, show her his love…
But he had to smile, to pretend.
He couldn’t let anyone know what he was thinking, who he was. And he couldn’t go back to jail, couldn’t go back to those men. Not after the last time. Never again.
“Is that all, Baron?” Enzo asked.
The Baron put a hand on Enzo’s shoulder. “Yes, thank you. And please, whatever Jessica and Celeste need, you make sure you give it to them.”
Enzo turned to smile at the women. “Yes, of course. Whatever they need.”
Looking at the Baron, Enzo smiled at him as well. Soon the Baron would be getting what he needed as well. Soon the pig would pay for his crimes.
NOMAD
Survivor testimony #JR6;
Event +55hrs;
Name: Sergio Solano;
Reported location: Salt Lake City, Utah;