Dinner on Friday

26. Carla

ESCAPE PLAN

The door next to us opened and Dante immediately got into a defensive stance. He grabbed my arm and firmly positioned me behind his back.

Vlad stepped onto the balcony, his gaze alert. He scanned us from head to toe, his eyes unreadable.

"I didn't mean to intrude," he said, "but Bruce is here."

"We'll be right there," Dante replied, his voice steady. I knew he was trying to protect me, but it was hard not to feel the unspoken threat of danger that lingered in the air.

Vlad nodded and left the way he came. Dante turned to face me, his eyes roaming over my features as if he were trying to memorize every pore. "The days ahead are going to be dark, cariño. I don't know what's going to happen, but I know that I would give my life for you."

I frowned at his words. "Don't speak like that."

"Bruce is here to set up a security plan. He's going to tell you what you need to do in every possible situation where someone might try to hurt you."

My heart ached with the weight of our predicament. "Dante..."

Avoiding my gaze, he kept on talking. "I need something from you."

"What is it?"

"I need material with your friends' handwriting on it. School notes, Christmas cards, birthday cards, whatever. Give me everything you have. The more we have, the easier it will be for the handwriting analyst to decipher whose handwriting is on the notes."

I swallowed, not liking that he was putting my friends in the guilty seat once again. The thought of Eva, Madeleine, or even Jenna betraying me was still something I couldn't grasp.

I trusted my husband, so against every fiber of my being, I nodded, wanting to help in any way I could. "I'll hand them over tonight."

"Thank you."

Back in the fluorescent-lit hospital waiting room, we huddled around a small table to discuss the security plan. We were a diverse group of people, but we had one goal. Keeping me safe.

I didn't hug Bruce like I wanted to, but instead shook his hand. He smiled brightly and sent Dante a knowing wink.

"Look at that," he said. "Dante done turned you into a proper wife. It's good to see you, Carla."

Vlad and Schipper were also invited to the meeting. Vlad sat next to Dante. Ever alert, he brought a stoic atmosphere to the table. Schipper, sharp and calculating, sat down next to Bruce. Dante may have had the leanest build among the men, but his eyes and posture were the deadliest.

Bruce began to outline the plan. He'd brought along a meticulously detailed document with multiple sections and contingencies. The restaurant's layout, entrances, and exits were mapped out. My office was marked as a secure zone, and Bruce had already assessed potential vulnerabilities.

"First and foremost," Bruce emphasized, "we need to control access to Carla's office at the restaurant. That means a team stationed outside, checking credentials, and cameras monitoring the entrances. Vlad and I will take shifts, so there's always one of us on guard."

I nodded, relinquishing control as the gravity of the situation sank in.

"Second," Bruce continued, "we need to coordinate with the staff. They're our allies here. We'll share a coded signal to alert them to any suspicious activity or potential threats."

Dante, who had dealt with security on numerous occasions due to his family's background, chimed in. "We also need to look into a security plan for the house, you know, in case we get attacked there. I'll come up with a security plan to keep Carla's mom safe while she's here. They might come back to finish what they started."