DorkFish 4: The Ruthless Scheme

He Comes First From Now On

At Jensen's words, Jared turned away from him to look out the Maserati's window for the first time in minutes, even in his state of distress he could appreciate the beauty of the rustic stone mansion rising tall and square before him. Crafted in traditional Tuscan style, it was stately yet welcoming, with Jubilant greenery creeping up the ancient cobbled rocks and wise hemlocks standing up the standing sentinel beside the modest shuttered windows. The property sat atop a lofty windswept ridge, and from his seat in the car he could see vast landscapes of sprawling vineyards, shimmering olive groves, and a wide lazy river flowing at the foot of dark, dusky mountains in the distance.

"Where are we?" he asked Jensen in a whisper.

"The closet town is Civitella San Paolo," he said, his quiet tone matching Jared's. "That's the Tiber you're seeing to the east and the Sabina Mountains beyond that."

"It's breathtaking."

"The best views are from inside, especially the portico. If you're ready, I'd be happy to show you."

Jared nodded, whereupon Jensen pulled the keys from the ignition and - just like he'd done on St. John and Sherwood Forrest - handed them to Jared with reverence.

"You know what to do," he said. "I'll get Justice. Don't worry about anything else. Just take what you need for now and I'll bring in the rest of our things later."

"I can handle my own stuff," he told him. "Everything I have is mostly Justice's anyway."

He regraded him skeptically. "That huge suitcase of yours is brimming."

"I know," he replied. "It's full of baby things. All I brought for myself is my hospital bag which has bare necessities and a couple changes of clothes in it."

Jensen stared at him. "That duffel is all you took time to grab? Why didn't you tell me? We could have stopped to procure some things for you,too."

Jared pulled on the door handle. "Thank you, but I've got the basics covered. Toiletries, two tops, pants, and a few underwear. It's all I need right now."

Jared got out of the car to meet the wind blowing across the ridge, and his first lungful of lusty, fresh country air brought immediate comfort and solace.

'Home,' he breathed. 'I may not remember much of my childhood here in Italy, but I know this smell.'

Snagging the diaper bag, his duffel, and his computer bag he crunched up the gravel path toward the front entrance of the ancient farmhouse where two large arched doors seem to anticipate his arrival. With every step forward, he felt as if he were going further back in history, and by the time he approached the tall doors and the towering trees that flank them, he'd become a small serf boy knocking on huge castle gates.

'You know what to do, he'd said.'

Jared took a last look at the imposing doors and confidently turned the key in the lock.

Once inside, Jared wasted no time. He shut the door and located the full-length mirror that he already knew was there on the wall, moving swiftly to flip it open on its concealed hinges and reveal the touchscreen alarm panel beneath it.

"Two seven, zero seven," he murmured, and after a series of quick taps, the livid scarlet screen cooled to a placid green.

He blew a breath through pursed lips as he replaced the mirror. "Done," he said as he turned around to scope the house's interior, which couldn't be any more different from the old-world exterior. It glowed bright and modern with clean white walls as well as exposed stone ones, wooden ceilings with crossbeams of roughhewn chestnut, and wide-plank floors of warm white oak. The furnishings and fixtures were contemporary but inviting, all done in a calming color scheme of strong browns, cool sages, and warm ivories fashioned with lustrous hardwoods, plush cottons, and smooth linens. Nature on the inside complemented nature on the outside as the windows showcased the spectacular panoramas surrounding the high, windy ridge.