𝐑𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞

"Merda, questa era la mafia." Conti spoke, and I turned my body to face his. I couldn't tell you a word that he said but I knew it sounded like heaven.
(Shit, this was the mafia)

"what?"

"The Mafia, the kneecaps it's their thing." he explained, though the thought of a mafia and some sort of obsession with kneecaps didn't sound too pleasant

Hell, anything that was in the same sentence as 'kneecaps' never turned out to be pleasant.

"Mafia? If you know who did it then why are we here? I have jobs to apply to, a doctorate to finish why-"

"Laurence." I interrupted

"Yes, Dr. Valentina?"

"Shut up."

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It took me hours to observe the bones. Each crack needed to be noted as a possible injury.

With the time it took the analyze the skull to having to put on face markers on it.. it seemed like years before I could sketch out the possibilities.

The boy was from Italy. He worked hard, his body showed that over the years he had broken multiple bones. His estimate age was late twenties to early thirties. Yet in the end that was all I had. Possible age, race, that he was a hard worker, and that he was deceased.

That and the mafia. That this man was a target.
Emphasis on the was.

What I couldn't understand was why they targeted the knees. Out of two hundred and six bones they chose two of the oddest ones.

"Have you ID him yet, Tesoro?" I turned to see Mr. Conti holding a brown paper bag and some sort of drink in his hand. He looked more worn out since the last time I had seen him. Possibly from his job, possibly from waiting.
(It means darling, though it translates to 'treasure')

"No, and please refer to me as Elvira, or Dr. Valentina." I handed him the sketches I drew and in exchange he gave me the paper bag and drink. "What is this?" Inside the bag was some sort of sandwich wrapped in foils.

"It's a Panino al Prosciutto, and sweet tea. Laurence said to get you food or you take longer."

Thank you Laurence.

You may never do work in the office but at least you know how to keep me working.

"How do you say 'thank you' in Italian?" I asked, and pulled out the sandwich that he gave me. When I didn't get an answer I turned to Conti to see the color that usually flooded his face had all drained away. "What?"

"This is Enzo Domenico.. Porca vacca!"
( Means 'Miserable pig" though it is meant as "Dammit!)

"I've already told you, Mr. Conti I cannot understand nor speak Italian." I said, taking a large bite of my whatever he called it.

The meat was warm, and filled my mouth with nothing but sensational heaven. The cheese only added to its flavor. I didn't know what it was, but it was something that I wanted more of.

"He was a cop, we figured he was dead after he disappeared but.. He was just a kid. Porca Vacca!" the lines of his forehead all creased together, and I was half tempted to smooth them out myself. Though I refrained and instead took another bite of my sandwich.

"Well if that's all I think I'll return to my hotel and call it a night. Have fun with your mafia kneecap lovers and the uh.. pork vacuum?" I said through my full mouth, and then began to walk away from him.

I dropped my sandwich when his hand wrapped around my wrist and tugged me back. If I was wearing heels I most definitely would have fallen to the ground.

"Actually Tesoro, you're going to stay and help with this case. That was what you were sent here to do." I hadn't seen him look so serious before. Honestly if he wasn't a man in a stupid looking pineapple shirt I might've actually have been scared of him.
(Darling)

"Firstly, my name is Dr.Valentina. I do not know who or what tesoro is. secondly you're buying me another sandwich and thirdly if you wish to keep those balls hanging from you intact you will never grab me again." I tore my hand away from him and looked down at my now splattered sandwich all over the floor.

"It's a nickname it means-"

"Do not grab women without warning us. Don't you have any common sense?" I interrupted without missing a beat.

"It was the spur of a moment thing. It won't happen again." he smoothed out his coat and placed his hand in his pockets.

"I'll help you with the case, of course. However I need sleep, and I need food. I'm not a robot." I picked up my sandwich and tossed it into the trash. There was no point in eating it now, not after it had been on the floor of a morgue.

"Is there anything else I can get you? Perhaps you should let me drive you home. It will be danger for you to walk around now that you're involved." Once again I received the serious look. With both brows drawn towards his nose and the creases on his forehead forming swiggly lines.

"No thank you. I've got a black belt, and extensive self defense training. I can assure you that I am very capable of protecting myself." I left the lab without another word and headed towards my hotel.

And although I had assured him I would be fine, I couldn't help but feel as though I was so far from being right.

It seemed like every turn I took someone was following me. Every street I crossed eyes followed.

Yet every time I looked around me there was no one there, no one that stuck out of the crowd at least.

You're an attractive woman in a foreign country Elvira, it's natural to feel watched. I assured myself, but part of me knew It was far from a feeling.

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Song: Bust your kneecaps
Not Edited