My Tragic Mafia Life | ✔️

66

For days Lucia avoided her like the plague. Josephine was grateful—and distracted. The swirling information of Valentina made her feel uneasy, even more so because she was about to do something about it. So much time had been wasted. It had been a year since the beginning of Hugo's murder, and she certainly wasn't about to make it another.

It had been two weeks since she heard anything. Dante stopped with his communication but she received a text every day from Camillo. Only one. He had learned to limit himself in the time spent apart, giving her the space needed, and she was thankful for it. She'd go to him when she was ready.

With the time Josephine allowed herself to wallow in self-pity. But only then. She couldn't be sulking like this forever—the murder was still unsolved and she, though angry, knew that it couldn't just be ignored.

Which is why she had planned to catch Valentina sometime during the day. She had meant for it to be this morning, getting it over with already, but something had thrown her off. Something... off-putting.

Most mornings were spent with the team. They'd be full of chatter and overpriced coffee, and today was no exception because she scheduled for morning practice. They needed the extra energy. But after the laborious hours were done, she stayed afterward to skim through her phone, hungrily searching through social media. Only then was Josephine led astray.

It had been, honest curiosity, before diving right into Valentina's personal account.

She found those same shoes of the crime scene right on her feet during the same month. The truth was right in front of her face. Valentina's claimed that her shoes had been stolen a month prior, but here she was weeks before the murder with them right on her feet.

It was why Josephine was hesitant to go find her. What if she was the murderer? All these clues were connecting a path and Josephine was having a hard time trying to throw her off it. The conclusions reached were starting to make sense. But what if there was more to it? In the end, she knew there was only one way to find out.

Valentina was where she knew she'd be. Near the fashion department, in an area cut off by pillars. It was much more secluded than needed, but far more beneficial for the sort of interaction that was going to happen.

"Wow. You managed to look worse since the last time I saw you." Josephine strove for lightness, but seeing just how untethered Valentina seemed to be, the comment slipped right out her mouth.

Valentina snapped her head, glaring. "Did you enjoy hurting Camillo like that? He's been depressed for weeks."

Right. So Lucia hadn't breathed a word after their... interaction. Her lips curled. It was blackmail keeping her away. But that had been two weeks ago. Though thorough, it would explain Valentina's lack of knowledge on the current situation. Josephine saw what it meant for her, but didn't know how to respond. If she would even listen.

Then again, it wasn't really any of her business. "I actually want to know where he is. Which is why I came to find you." Not an entire lie, but there were more things on her agenda.

Valentina said, "You couldn't have texted him?"

"I think it'll be better to see him in person." After the mirage of words spilled, Josephine knew what she wanted to say, the words she wanted him to hear... It was something that couldn't be conveyed through written words.

Valentina crossed her arms, demeanor still dark and alert. "Fine."

Josephine was surprised. She expected more disagreement.

"The only reason I'm taking you is because if not Camillo's going to keep being sad." Explained Valentina in a huff. Right. It wasn't for her. It was for him. "He's already done so much for you. The least you can do is go apologize for what you did. Then you can get out of our lives."