Page 22 of Devil Among Men
PORTIA
“You should call him,” Jayla says. “It’s just a call to Dad, sissy. You’ve done it a thousand times.”
“This isn’t a normal call, Jayla.”
“I know that.” She softens from where she’s sitting beside me on the bed. “But sitting on it isn’t going to make the truth go away. Better to know than to keep imagining every possible version of what it could mean.”
Rafael leans against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the exchange with composed scrutiny.
“Go ahead and add your two cents,” I say. “I can practically hear your thoughts.”
“I think it’s too soon,” he answers. “We don’t know how deep this goes yet. If you call him and reveal what you’ve found and there’s more to this than an old investment, you’re tipping our hand before we understand what we’re actually dealing with.”
“So what? I just sit here wondering forever?”
“I’m saying be strategic about it. Feel him out without showing your cards completely.” Rafael pushes off the doorframe, crossing the room to sit on my other side. “You’re good at this. Use it.”
“He’s not a source, Rafael. He’s my father.”
“That’s exactly why you need to be careful. Sources you can walk away from if it goes wrong; family’s a lot more complicated.”
Jayla shakes her head. “He’s not wrong that it’s high stakes, but overthinking this isn’t going to protect us from whatever the truth is. Sometimes you just have to rip the Band-Aid off.”
I look between them, two people who love me giving opposite advice, both convinced they’re right. My mind goes to every instinct I’ve built over a decade-long career as a journalist.
Rafael’s right that strategy matters. But Jayla’s not wrong either. Some truths only get heavier the longer you carry them unspoken.
“I’m calling him,” I say finally. “Jayla’s right. I can’t keep living with the question hanging over us.”
Rafael doesn’t argue further, merely nodding out of respect for my decision. He reaches over and squeezes my free hand. His way of saying he supports the decision even if he wouldn’t have made it himself.
He and Jayla give me a moment alone so I can place the call. I spend a minute or two steadying the nerves quaking in my stomach and then dial his number on the burner phone I’ve been using.
Dad picks up on the second ring.
“There’s my cupcake!” he says brightly. “Your mother and I were just talking about you. We saw a report on the news about the manhunt to locate your kidnapper. You sure this isn’t as serious as authorities are making it out to be?”
“I’m safe, Dad. So is Jayla. You can’t trust what the news says right now. They’ve got the story about what’s going on wrong.”
“How much longer are you going to be gone?” he asks. “Sweetheart, whatever mob craziness your investigative reporting has gotten you into—”
“That’s not it at all, Dad. I didn’t call for a lecture either. I called to check up on you and Mom. How are you two doing?”
“Can’t complain. Your mother’s driving me crazy trying to plan another cruise. We just got back from the Caribbean! I told her she needs to let my wallet recover.”
“Right, what else is new? You two practically live on cruise ships now that you’re retired.”
“You and Jay are always welcome to join us, sweetie. When you stop being reported as missing in the morning paper.”
“It’s complicated right now, Dad. I’ll explain everything when I can.”
“You know your mother and I don’t need explanations. We just want you safe.”
I draw a breath at his warm words, preparing myself. “Dad, I need to ask you a question. Do you remember having involvement with a company connected to the Bellucci family? An early investment, years back?”
The silence on the other end stretches half a second too long.
“Why would you ask me that?”
