The Good Daughter Read Online Free PDF Page B

clue he’d been unhappy. Surely there would have been at least a hint?
    Somehow, she couldn’t process that Sandro had left, even after watching him go. Or that he left Daniele behind without a goodbye.
    She paused. “Wait a minute!”
    Daniele looked up from his toys. “Momma?”
    She realized she’d spoken out loud. “Momma’s talking to herself, sweetie. Play with your toys.”
    When Daniele picked up a toy car, Nia’s thoughts turned back to her husband. Sandro wouldn’t leave Daniele behind without a goodbye. She knew it with every fiber of her being.
    The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became he wouldn’t leave her either. Family was Sandro’s number one priority, coming even before his soccer career. He would never let lust for another woman overtake his obligation to his family.
    Even if he had fallen out of love with his wife.
    Nia frowned. Sandro’s actions were too out of character. No way would he change so drastically in such a short time. He only wanted her to think he was leaving her for another woman. Why? And was the woman really Marisa Peruzzo?
    Then there was the large, rather intimidating man who came to her door. Strangers didn’t just show up on her doorstep. Not many people outside of close friends and family even knew where they lived.
    Her heart pounded anew. She was onto something. She trusted her instincts. Something was definitely wrong. Sandro was trying to keep her from finding out about...something. What?
    Determined to find the truth, she left Daniele playing happily with his blocks and toy cars while she searched for the number of her childhood friend turned New York FBI agent, Dave Armstrong. Though she didn’t live in the city, having a ready-made friend living in the same state had been a reason she hadn’t objected moving to New York instead of her home state of Texas when they had returned from Italy.
    Now her friend could be useful as well. She had memorized the plates of the BMW Sandro left in, and if Dave could tell her who owned it, perhaps she could begin to piece together the puzzle. If Sandro were in trouble, she would find a way to help.
    When she picked up the phone, she remembered the earlier missed call and checked the caller ID, but didn’t recognize the number. They left no message, either. With a mental shrug, she called Dave. But of course with the sort of day she was having already, he didn’t answer, and she had to leave a voice mail.
    “ Damn,” she murmured. Now what?
    “ Momma, watch!” Daniele crashed his small cars into a block tower he’d built, clapping his hands when the blocks scattered.
    She squatted down beside him, love for the tiny boy swelling in her battered heart. “Awesome crash, sweetie.”
    He giggled with delight and began to restack the blocks.
    Perhaps Brad would know what was going on, she thought as she handed Daniele a red triangle block to put on top of his new tower. Sandro and the team’s goalkeeper were almost as close as brothers. If anyone knew anything, he would.
    Brad would still be out on the soccer pitch practicing and wouldn’t have his cell phone. She could track him down but she’d need someone to watch Daniele. Since he was recovering from a recent ear infection, she didn’t want to drag him out in the ever-increasing cold winds. Not wanting to disturb Sandro’s aunt and uncle this early if she didn’t have to, Nia called the neighbor’s daughter hoping she would get lucky and the college girl would have no classes this morning.
    Luck. Nia snorted. It would be nice to have a little good luck. It had certainly started out as a bad day.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
    Nia pulled her cream-colored Mercedes sedan to the end of the long driveway and stopped. A black Lincoln Navigator blocked the end of her driveway. She couldn’t go anywhere until it moved.
    To her surprise, the passenger door on the SUV opened, and the big Italian who had been at her door earlier