Chapter 13 - A Line in the Parking Lot
Enzo came to Rosa's new workplace on a Wednesday afternoon. She had started the building-services job six days earlier. The receptionist called while she was stocking supplies.
"There's a man asking for you. Says he's family."
"He isn't. Tell him to leave and call security."
Enzo waited beside the parking lot instead. He wore an expensive jacket and smiled when she appeared with two coworkers.
"Rosa. We can have a civilized conversation."
"You were told not to contact me."
"My cousin is upset. People are taking things out of context."
"You photographed my family. You left threatening notes."
He looked past her at the coworkers. "Careful what you accuse people of."
"They can hear me," Rosa said. "That's the point."
Her supervisor stepped forward. "Sir, please leave our property."
Enzo hesitated. A security camera faced the parking lot, and the receptionist was already speaking to police on the phone. The audience he had expected to frighten had become witnesses.
"You'll regret this," he muttered.
Rosa's voice held. "I regret not saying no sooner."
He left before officers arrived. Rosa gave a statement and kept the names of the two coworkers who had seen him.
Alessandro heard that evening and called from his office.
"I should have been there," he said.
"No. You should have made your cousin's friends understand that threatening people isn't a family privilege."
"Enzo isn't my cousin."
"Then there is even less reason to defend him."
"I'm not defending him. I'm angry because I want to do something immediate."
"That's a feeling, Alessandro. Not a plan."
He sat in silence. Then he asked, "What does your plan need from me?"
"Testify to what you know. Give the investigators information you have legally. And keep your next visit with Lily on Saturday, unless we're advised it's unsafe."
"Even after today?"
May you like
"Especially after today. I don't want her world reduced to fear."
When they hung up, Alessandro opened the office calendar. For Saturday he wrote three words in the square reserved for business meetings: Read with Lily.
