SHE (Book #1)

Chapter 28

****Tempest****

I stumble back into the house at about 4 in the morning. I am so tired that I collapse on the living room couch. It's not until I feel someone tapping my shoulders that I open my eyes and accept the fact that I have no chance of going back to sleep.

"Miss Moore, I am glad you came back early," Frank says, "We have much to discuss,"

"Frank, unless we are about to discuss how I am going to get caffeinated, hold off for a second," I slide off the leather couch and begin to make my way to the kitchen.

I start brewing some coffee and take a seat, and lean on the counter already falling asleep while standing. I couldn't sleep at all last night, while Malachi snoozed peacefully beside me. The jittery feeling wouldn't allow me to blink my eyes for more than thirty seconds at a time. The coffee finishes brewing and I pour some in my cup of ice.

"Now we can talk," I say, taking a sip.

"Well, we found out where the missing money has been getting transferred to. It's being put into a bank in Italy," Frank has a look on his face. I am sure that I am thinking of the same thing. Italy is known for mafia activities, especially Sicily. I wonder if Mr. Stone is getting himself involved in more than one organization. Greedy bastard.

"But why? What's his reason for putting that much money in the bank of almost ten years?" I ask.

"Well, Mr. Stone has a gambling record, a horrendous one in fact. Many losses and very little gain, which explains why you saw many patterns of money loss around the time of Malachi's birth and Emelia's sickness. However, after he joined the mafia and became the drug lord, it didn't make sense as to why he would be stealing money from the profit. He was getting his share, and then some," Frank explains, "When I got the Italian bank information back yesterday, I was surprised,"

He hands me a folder.
Transactions and copied checks.
A picture falls out.

A picture of a lady with bright blonde hair.

"Who is this?" I ask.

Frank hesitates.
He fixes his tie and says, "Marigold Hollands... his mistress,"

I spit my coffee to the side, almost choking in the process. A mistress. He has a sick wife and he dares have a mistress. He has a whole family and he DARES have a mistress.

"And she lives where? Italy?" I say.

"Correct. I assume he has seen her during his time there a couple of weeks ago. They seem to have been seeing each other for weeks, though we don't understand how they might have met considering the distance between them. What we do know is the money has been going to her, but we do not know what she has been doing with it all," he says, quite confused as I am.

I rack my brain. All the possibilities forming in my head, as I try to understand everything that I have just learned. Do men usually send their mistresses a ton of money?

No.
I don't believe that is how it works unless Mr. Stone is a sugar daddy. Marigold seems around his age, however.

I feel something shady going on.
But I have no evidence to back any of the claims being shouted in my head.

"That's interesting. very interesting. I understand it is hard to research Marigold Hollands while being in another country, sadly, so she will remain a mystery for now. But as for Mr. Stone... there must be something more to it all, right? One doesn't simple send thousands of dollars overseas..." something dawns to me, "Unless they are about to make a run for it..."

Frank and I exchange looks.
We stare at one another waiting for one of us to back this theory. What can Mr. Stone have to run from?

"The possibilities are endless, but we really should get going. I was told that some of your, drug dealing gang members whom you met discretely, want to speak to you," a dreaded feeling washes over me. I remember how enthusiastic they were when I told them about my plans to make a change for them. To lead them.