Since Fredrick had died after he’d left Elie and Brielle’s home, they had been prepared for the police to ask them questions. Fortunately, as they were relatively newly married, it wasn’t inconceivable that they were traveling around, Elie showing his bride the sights. They finally met with the police, Vinci, Stefano’s lawyer, with them, in the Ferraro Hotel, where they were having a romantic getaway as they hadn’t had a proper honeymoon yet.
“It wasn’t like I planned it, Elie,” she reiterated.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have opened the door. I was supposed to be there with you. Isn’t that the entire premise of shadow riders? I have to have an alibi when I’m out of town doing my job. You provide that alibi. I’m in this house with you. You never should have allowed the agent into our home in the first place. That was your first mistake and a direct violation of our rules.” He swung around to face her again.
Brielle ducked her head, her wild mass of curls falling around her face. “I know. I’m used to being the rider, not that I’m making an excuse, Elie. I take responsibility for my actions and I know I have to face Stefano at some point for a disciplinary action.”
Like hell she would. Being shot six times was enough discipline as far as Elie was concerned. Stefano wasn’t going to take her to task. Elie could do it and no one else. She owed him an explanation. They would work out their problems between them.
“I’ve never been on the other side, the one providing the alibi. I just didn’t consider until he actually was in the house what I was going to say if he asked about you.”
“How was it possible you weren’t alerted prior to him walking out the door?” That was something that really nagged at him. Her family had certainly made her question her belief in her ability to hear lies, but she had gained so much confidence in herself, he found it difficult to believe someone could sit with her and lie for an extended period of time and she wouldn’t realize.
“I’ve gone over the conversation with him in my head numerous times. He never once said anything that could have been a lie. Not until he mentioned his wife and gardening. He didn’t do that until he had the door open.”
“He didn’t raise any alarms prior to that?” He found that a little shocking.
“I was uneasy during the interview, but I put it down to you being away. There was a big storm and you were in an airplane, flying. I had all kinds of reasons for being uneasy. Even when he seemingly made the job offer, he only said that Interpol needed people like me, not that he did. He was already standing and walking to the door when he actually said something about helping me with the process and I just knew then. He kept up the commentary, bending down toward the bushes. He’d hidden his gun there. I tried to warn Leone, but he was throwing his body in front of mine. I remember pushing him, trying to get him inside the house.”
Elie didn’t want to hear any more. He knew Leone had gone down, taking the bullet meant for Brielle. The Tosellis were going to pay for that. They were going to pay dearly. The Archambault investigators, as well as the Ignazio family investigators in Spain, were also working to uncover information on the Toselli crime family and the ties to the Santoro family in New York and the Colombo family in Los Angeles.
At first, Elie and Stefano had planned to take care of the problem on their own, but the attack on Brielle had been too blatant and it was the third attempt on her life. She was a female shadow rider, married to another shadow rider. All shadow riders would rise up to find a way to track down those plotting to kill her and dispense justice. The Archambault family, in particular, was incensed. They had wanted the union, and in spite of Elie’s reluctance to come back to France, he was a rider and carried the genetics they needed to continue the line.
Stefano’s investigators were on it. Dario and Valentino’s man, Bernado, was on it. The three crime families had no idea a storm of pure fire was coming after them and all because they thought themselves invincible—and invisible. They had no idea what true invisibility really was.
Stefano’s cousins in New York and Los Angeles had their people working as well, while the riders watched the family members, getting a feel for their daily movements. It was important to know the routine of everyone living in the main houses. They had the Ignazio riders watching the main members of the Toselli family for the same reason. It was never a good idea to rile up the riders and even the largest crime family in Spain was going to find that out.
Elie studied his wife’s face. She really was getting to the point where she was going to rebel if he tried to keep her down much longer. The doctor hadn’t decreed that she remain in bed. He was afraid for her. Terrified by the idea of losing her. Each morning he helped her shower, washing her hair for her, drying her off, helping her to dress and then putting her back in bed.