Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 85569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85569 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
My thoughts returned to Montana, the woman who had just minutes earlier turned this old banger of a car into a pleasure seat. A smile curved my lips. My mother’s life had taught me silver linings were a myth, but what was happening to me now was incredibly interesting. I moved away from danger, and by a stroke of incredible luck and magic ran again into what had to be the most beautiful woman in the world.
Montana was everything a man could want in a woman. She is the dream find. I literally couldn’t ask for better. She was everything! Sassy, loyal, funny, and extremely sexy. Who would believe that after living for years in the city with its millions of inhabitants I would find someone like her in a tiny town like Bison Ridge?
My telephone rang. It was Leila, I’d hired her to be the go-between, the extra layer of separation between me and my private investigator, Tom. This way even if Tom got careless and was in some way compromised, there were no trails for Paganini to follow back to me.
“Any news?” I asked.
“You sure kicked that hornet’s nest. It’s been going crazy here. They even paid a visit to your mother’s previous care home. Paganini is incandescent with rage. The guy was so livid he threw a tantrum at the restaurant when he first heard the news. Smashed up the table and scared all the other customers. Tom says heads have rolled since.”
“What about Arianna? Any news on her?”
“Tom got someone to befriend the Chef and he says her meals are brought up to her. It’s clear she is now locked away in one of the rooms upstairs. Don’t worry though, nothing’s going to happen to her. She’s the one card he’s got left to play.”
I couldn’t feel too bad for Arianna. Her freedom was gone, but she was safe for the moment. What did she expect from a Mafia Kingpin? Sunshine, flowers, and unicorn farts forever.
“What about my father? Any change in his condition?”
“No. Your father is valuable to Paganini. He’s paid for him to stay alive in luxury all this time and soon he’ll be wanting his pound of flesh back. Your dad will be working for him till the day he dies.”
I exhaled softly. “Good work, Leila. Contact me again if there’s anything I should know.”
“I know that this is a delicate time for you and your daughter,” Leila said, “but I want to assure you that Tom has eyes on everyone that needs to be monitored and everything is under control.”
“Right. Thanks.”
“By the way, your car was sold yesterday at 2:54 p.m. to the son of a Mexican multi-millionaire, drug money. His girlfriend is Russian, but they’re both harmless. Young. No connection to Paganini. Just saw it and couldn’t resist the quick purchase. We’ll keep our eyes on the house sale as well and ensure nothing leads back to you.”
“Fantastic,” I replied and ended the call.
After those two calls, I could breathe easier and try to concentrate on settling down in Bison Ridge. I looked to the side to see that Anya was stirring several times. She opened her eyes and smiled sleepily at me. “Daddy,” she whispered.
“The ice cream put you down?” I asked.
She straightened in her seat. “Tolstoy was cute. Can we have a cat, Daddy?”
“Maybe. Let’s settle down first, okay?”
“Okeydokey.”
As we drove into our driveway, I was surprised to see a blue Toyota parked in front of our home. An obviously peroxide blonde wearing a pink dress got out of the car. She was carrying a box. Anya and I walked towards her. The sight of her surprised me. I never expected to see her type grow in the countryside. She was one of those completely plastic girls that thrived in big cities. Everything about her was fake. Her lips, her hair, her nose, her boobs.
“Yoo Hoo,” she called and raising her hand high above her head waved as if she was the heroine in a movie.
I raised a half-hearted hand.
“Well hello, Cole,” she cooed, before looking down at my daughter. “And you must be Anya. What a pretty little thing you are.” She looked up at me again. “I’m Tiffany.”
“Hi, Tiffany.”
I thought I’d bring you something I baked to welcome you.”
I took one look at those fake-ass fingernails and knew this girl didn’t even know where the kitchen was, let alone bake anything.
“That’s nice of you,” I said politely.
“We’re all nice around here,” she said and batted her eyelashes at me.
I blinked. I never knew women still did that. Wow! “Well,” I said, holding out my hand towards the box. “Thanks for the welcome gift.”
“Tell you what. Why don’t we all go in and I’ll put the kettle on and we can all have a piece of this delicious apple and blueberry pie.”