“Niccola is always on the move, and he’s the only one who has spent more time out of country than in. Since he’s been back and has grown out his hair, he’s barely recognizable.”
“True.” He scribbled in his notebook. “So, if Stefano is sniffing around our men to do his grunt work, then why the hell is he hanging around the dock? Your men are everywhere, and normally that place is under intense surveillance.”
“I have no clue, but I don’t like that he has eyes on Sienna.”
“Let them continue to believe she’s with Mariano.”
“Yeah.”
“In the meantime, I’ll get more trusted eyes on the dockyard.”
I leaned back in my chair and stared out the window, studying the windy road.
“As one of your oldest friends, Elio,” I heard the pages of his notebook close, “may I offer you a bit of advice?”
“I’m listening.”
“Sienna is old fashioned. It’s part of her appeal. Trust and loyalty are as huge in her eyes as they are for us. She’s hurting but hasn’t run yet. Maybe hit the reset button and try a different tactic with her. Show her that you’re still you, even after all these years.”
“And what about when she discovers what we actually are?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “but what I do know is that she suspects something more is going on. She’s smart and is figuring it out quickly on her own. You either get ahead of it and soften the blow, or she runs.”
“True.” I sighed, trying to get my head on right.
“Would you like to see the numbers from last month?”
“I would.” I turned back around and spent the next two hours combing through a sea of numbers, all the while running possibilities of what the other numbers meant.