Page 2 of Bad Husband

Marco looked down at Paulie, and he wasn’t in the mood. The Andante Mafia had taken out one of the brothels and casinos overnight. It wasn’t unheard of for their businesses to get hit. In their world, it came with the task, but he didn’t like that the brothel and casino were not exactly well known. They were private. No one, not even his wife, knew of these places.

Up until this point, everything pointed to Chiara being the bitch of a snitch she was. Last night, that didn’t make any sense.

He ran a hand down his face and looked around Paulie’s empire. He lived in an old, abandoned warehouse. From the outside, it looked freaking haunted, but it was locked up tighter than a fucking prison. There was no way to get inside, unless Paulie wanted to see you. Only then were you granted entrance, like he had been.

There had to be at least thirty computer screens and multiple keyboards in the main room where he stood. Off to the left was the living room and he’d also made himself a kitchen. He’d turned the warehouse, for want of a better description, into a proper-looking apartment floor. There weren’t even any rats, and he kept a tight ship.

It was a good place to go when he needed information and fast. Six months ago, multiple videos landed in his inbox, showing his wife in varying compromising positions, including a meeting with the head of the Andante Mafia. There appeared to be an exchange of funds. Then of course, the sex tapes of his wife. All of which he hated.

There were moments when he wanted to go and find her. His men had done as he asked, dumped her in the middle of nowhere and left her to fend for herself. Even now, she could already be dead. A Bove Mafia wife out on the loose was dangerous. Many of the enemies would kill each other for the chance to take her, and ruin her.

He’d told her father he was not to go looking either, and he kept a close eye on Angelo. Her father was still trying to clear her name, even though he had a feeling they never would. Women were all the same. They were only interested in what a man could offer them. They were not worth it.

“Can you tell if a video is fake?” Marco asked.

“It would depend on the quality of the video. Usually, I can, but some professionals have upped their game. Why?”

Marco pulled out the USB key he kept on his person, and handed it to Paulie. “This stays between us, do you understand me? The contents of this document are strictly between us.”

Paulie took the USB key from him, slid it into a portal, and started tapping away. He expected him to say it was going to take months or even weeks to come to a decision.

“Is this a joke, Marco? I mean, seriously. Or is it some kind of test?”

“What are you talking about?”

“First of all, this is a fucking fake, and it is so easy to tell, look at the dates along the bottom of the page.”

Marco frowned, as he had only paid attention to the content, no other details. “It’s like an old video recording dating back to the nineties.” Paulie let out a little click of his teeth. “Also, I happen to know that this woman was not at this location at the date, nor the time.”

“How?” Marco asked. “I don’t see a date and time.”

Paulie did some zooming in, and then he happened to circle the calendar on the wall, which dated it as December twenty-third the previous year, along with the time. Paulie’s job was to maintain security cameras and supply the Bove Mafia with potential blackmail material.

“How do you know?”

“How do I know, because your name was mentioned on December twenty-third, that is how I know.” Paulie scanned through his notes, slapped his clipboard, and then got to typing, bringing up an even clearer picture of Chiara. “She was in one of the animal shelters you love so much.”

Paulie did some more typing, and Chiara’s voice came over the screen.

“Do you think you can deliver her ... perhaps tomorrow? I think Marco would love it and we can enjoy Christmas Eve together, training her?” Chiara asked.

He then saw a beautiful labrador being passed to Chiara, and his wife holding her. “She’s so cute. Yes, this is perfect. Honestly, I have no idea what to get the man that has everything, and he told me once how he always wanted a dog. He’s worried he won’t be able to train her, but I think with my help, I can do all of that.” She clapped her hands and looked so excited about it. “He is going to love it.”

He never got the freaking dog. On Christmas Eve morning, Chiara woke up, tied to a chair, being slapped by one of the soldiers to wake up.

“So, this footage is way too blurry, which is a dead giveaway. Most security cameras nowadays and certainly across all your businesses, have clear imaging. There is no point in using outdated material like this. Also, the features on this woman are off.”

“What do you mean?”

Once again, Paulie typed away, and before long, Chiara was circled and lined up, and the two bodies did not match.

“This is a fake.”

“I want you to look at the sex video,” Marco said. He was not going to base his assumptions on one video.

Again, Paulie was able to work his magic, and again, the woman, although she looked like Chiara, was not her.

“Is there any way you can figure out exactly who this is?” Marco asked.