“Why?”
“For one, the car’s back tires were blown out. Then there was the black paint found on the passenger side. Mr. Stevens drove a beige sedan Gio. How did the black paint get on their car? Then there was the fact that both her parents’ necks were broken.”
“That could have been from the accident.”
“True and I told Penny that but then explain why when her parents were found not even twenty minutes after the accident, both bodies were stiff. I’m no doctor Gio but it takes lividity longer to kick in.”
“Did you talk with anyone else about this?”
“Hell yes I did. I talked with anyone who would listen. The coroner and I had a few words, so did the detective assigned to the case. That country bumpkin bastard didn’t like me and the feeling was mutual. So, I hired a private investigator to look into the matter and nothing.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean nothing. The fucker is gone. Vanished and I haven’t heard from him in two months. Now Penny is dead and everyone is pointing their finger at me.”
“And you didn’t think this was something the family should have been informed about?”
“Well, excuse me, but this family has been through a lot of shit in the last several months. Penny was my friend and she asked me for help. I thought I could handle this.”
“Apparently not,” Gio deadpanned and got right to the point. “Okay, this is what is going to happen. You will do everything and I mean everything Antonio tells you to do. And when Antonio is done with you, you will sit down with Marko and Enzo and tell them everything and I mean everything that has been going on with Penny. Then you will pack a bag because you are moving back home until this mess is cleared up.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so and with you here, you are not out creating more trouble.”
“You’re grounding me!”
“You are twenty-six years old, Lorenzo. You are a little old to be grounded.”
“Then what do you call it?”
Giovanni grinned, “Making sure my baby brother doesn’t do twenty-five to life.”
“Sounds a lot like grounding to me,” I muttered.
Three
Donatella
That same night in…Atlanta, Georgia,
“Hey Donnie, wait up!” someone yelled, gaining my attention. I really didn’t have time to stand around and talk with anyone. I needed to get to the library and finish my mid-term paper for my English Literature class. Why anyone wanted to spend their weekend readingPride and PrejudicebyJane Austin and then writing a five-page essay on the merits of the relationship was beyond me.
Why I decided to take this stupid class I would never know. I didn’t really need to. But it did keep up appearances. That was all that mattered. Instead of doing what I wanted, I was headed to the library to write a paper that had no bearing on my life. None whatsoever.
Hell, after I read the first two chapters. I already knew that Elizabeth Bennett didn’t believe in the social class system that separated her from the lead antagonist, Mr. Darcy, who was nothing more than a pompous ass with too much money who only cared about his social standing.
I didn’t need to read the rest to know what happened.
Elizabeth’s character would teach Darcy’s character what life was really like. He would be intrigued by her and she would ignore him. Something would happen and like every other romance book ever written, he would ride in to save the day, profess his love, she would forgive his shortcomings and they would live happily ever after.
Blah…Blah…Blah.
Too bad life wasn’t a romance book. Not that I would want it to be. Nope, I was pretty content with my own mind, my ability to spot bullshit a mile away and I was more than capable of taking care of my own shit.
Except for College.
That was another story.