“What’s going on, Noura?”
“You will see.”
“Is Giovanna okay? Tell me nothing has happened to her.”
“You will see.”
They walked past the donkey carts and onto a residential street that was quieter and slightly less crowded. A smaller mosque, Sidi Ishak, was in front of them.
“Stop here,” Noura said. “To the right of the mosque, on the corner there, is a tiny souk for coffee and tea. Go inside.”
Noura abruptly turned and walked away. Abby hurried down the street, past the mosque and into the store. In a corner, partially hidden, was Giovanna Sandroni, wearing the same jeans, jacket, and hiking boots she had worn the day she was abducted. She grabbed Abby and they embraced tightly and for a long time. The shopkeeper eyed them suspiciously but said nothing.
They stepped outside and onto the street. Abby called Cory, gave him the news, then called Mitch.
“Are we safe?” Giovanna asked as they walked back to the market.
“Yes, Giovanna, we are safe. And we’re taking you to Rome. The airplane is waiting. Do you need anything?”
“No. Just food.”
“We have food.”
Abby glanced at an alley behind a row of stalls selling fruits and vegetables. A cardboard box was half filled with rotten produce and other garbage. She took a few steps toward it and dropped the Jakl into the mess.
Chapter 46
“Have you ever stopped to think about how much misery those bad boys can create with seventy-five million dollars?” Stephen asked.
“It’s actually eighty-five, and yes I have,” Mitch replied. “More people will be terrorized and killed. More bombs bought and detonated. More buildings burned. Nothing good will come from the money. Instead of being used for food and medicine, it’ll be wasted on more bullets.”
“You feel bad about that?”
“If I think of it in that context, yes. But I don’t. We had no choice because there was a life at stake.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it either. As long as it’s bad actors killing one another, who really cares?”
They were sitting at a small table on the shaded porch of a coffee bar overlooking Hog Sty Bay. One massive cruise ship was docked and another was visible on the horizon. They were nervous and staring at Mitch’s phone in the center of the table.
It finally buzzed and Mitch grabbed it. From 4,500 miles away, Abby said, “We’ve got her and we’re going to the airport.” He flashed a smile and gave Stephen a thumbs-up.
“Great. Is she okay?”
“Yes. She called Luca and can’t wait to get home.”
“I’ll call Roberto.” Mitch was choked up for a second, then said, “Great job, Abby. I’m so proud of you.”
“I didn’t really have a choice, did I?”
“We’ll discuss it later.”
“You have no idea. She disappeared after the money was wired. I’ll tell you all about it.”
“I’ll see you in Rome. I love you.”
Mitch pressed the OFF button and looked at Stephen. “They’re going to the airport and headed for home. We did it.”
Stephen shrugged and said, “Oh well, all in a day’s work.”
“Right. I’m calling Roberto and Jack. You call Riley in London.”
“Will do. Where am I going from here?”
“You’re going to New York. I’m going to Rome.”
“Who gets the jet?”
“Not you.”
“Figures.”
“But I’ll approve an upgrade to business class.”
“That’s nice. Thanks.”
On the plane, the nurse finished a quick exam and found nothing wrong. Pulse, blood pressure, heart rate — all within normal ranges. She offered a sedative to help her relax, but Giovanna wasn’t thinking about pills. She asked for a glass of very cold champagne. She drank half of it as they waited for clearance, then stretched out on the sofa and closed her eyes. Abby gently placed a blanket over her. As she tucked it tight around her legs, she realized Giovanna was crying softly.
When they lifted off, Abby smiled at Cory, who gave her a thumbs-up. They were in the air! Twenty minutes later, as they leveled off at 40,000 feet, Giovanna sat up and draped the blanket over her shoulders. Abby unbuckled her belt and sat close to her and said, “There’s a small shower in the back.”
“No. They moved me into the hotel last night and I was allowed to bathe for the first time in forty days. Try that sometime. My hair was nothing but knots and grease. My teeth were covered with a grungy film. I was gross from head to toe. I stayed in the bathroom for hours.”
Abby was touching the sleeve of her shirt. “Looks clean.”
“Yes, I wasn’t allowed to wear this stuff. Did you see the videos?”
“Yes, some of them.”
“They dressed me a like a monk, hijab and all. Last night they gave me this outfit back, all clean and pressed. Such nice boys.”
“You said you were hungry.”
“Yes, what’s on the menu?”
“Sea bass or steak.”
“I’ll take the fish. Thanks. And more champagne.”
Mitch was six hours behind them. Roberto had a car waiting for him at the Rome airport, along with strict instructions from Luca to come straight to his villa where a small party was underway. He arrived just after midnight, and practically tackled his wife when he saw her. After they finished a long embrace, he went for Giovanna. She thanked him repeatedly. He apologized repeatedly. He embraced Luca and thought the old guy looked ten years younger.
Along with Roberto and his wife, Cory, Darian, and Bella, there were about a dozen old family friends on the veranda and the mood was one of sheer euphoria and relief. They had feared the worst for so long, now it was time to celebrate the miracle. They did not want the night to end.
A friend who owned a restaurant around the corner arrived with another wave of food. Neighbors who complained of the noise were invited to join the revelry. “Giovanna’s back!” someone yelled and the word spread.
Mitch and Abby slept on a narrow bed in a guestroom, and awoke with mild, matching hangovers. Nothing that sparkling water and strong coffee couldn’t fix.
One glance at his phone and he wanted to toss it. Dozens of missed calls, voicemails, emails, texts, all related to the release of the hostage. He and Roberto huddled and put together a quick media strategy. They wrote a press release that gave the most important fact — Giovanna’s release and safe return — while avoiding all other details. They sent it to New York and London. Roberto would deal with the Italian newspapers. No one was getting near a television camera.
Mid-morning Luca appeared and joined them on the veranda. He said that Giovanna had agreed to follow the advice of his doctor and spend a couple of days in the hospital for tests and observation. She had lost at least twenty pounds and was dehydrated. He and Roberto would leave with her in half an hour.
Luca thanked Mitch and Abby again, and when he hugged them his eyes were moist. Mitch wondered if he would ever see him again.
Yes, he would. Once things were settled at home, he and Abby would return to Rome and hang out with Luca and Giovanna. He had made the decision to take some time off.
At noon, the Gulfstream left Rome again, bound for New York, where it would deposit Cory and Darian, then fuel up for a quick trip to Maine, where the McDeere family would be reunited and enjoy a long, lazy weekend.
Monday would be brutal. The boys were two weeks behind at school.
Chapter 47