Elena still hadn't gotten the hang of what she had witnessed when she pushed the door to the CAVEMEN's Café, stepping into the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the aroma of the cinnamon from the pastries on display.
Pete dropped quickly from a tall stool, racing to hug her, squeezing her petite body in a tight hug. "I have missed you Elena. I almost thought you wouldn't be coming" he cried ecstatically, hugging her tight. He pulled away after a while, confusion clouded his face upon witnessing the gloom and dankness in her eyes. His expression shifted to one of concern. "Is anything wrong, Elena? Has that damn Mafia guy been harassing you or did he lay his hands on you?"
Elena looked up at his concerned face. She was tempted to tell him what had happened, as they never kept secrets from each other, but she hesitated at last. Luca had cruelly killed Enzo and Nico, but he had also saved her. The least he deserved from her was a bit of secrecy about his crimes.
"Nothing" she said, withdrawing a bit to herself. Pete didn't look convinced, he began searching her face. The continued gloom decided him and he probed further. "What happened, Elena? The Elena standing before me isn't the same Elena I have known for years now." He said. His eyes continued to probe her face.
Elena forced some life into her eyes and some colour into her cheeks. "Nothing is wrong, Pete. I am just a bit stressed out with everything happening lately" she answered. Before he could probe her further, as she had known him to be quite insistent, she marched away from him to Barry Moore. Barry was sitting on another of the high stools, leaning an arm on a round coffee table, taking swigs at his Expresso. When she began walking up to him, he took interest in her, watching her come.
"Glad you were able to make it, Miss Elena", he offered his hand. She took it, forcing a smile, whilst moving to replace Pete on the other stool around the table. Pete fetched a stool from an empty table, settling beside her.
"I have told the detective about the diabolical contract Raphael made you sign. He asks if you can get him a copy", Pete told her, quivering from enthusiasm.
Elena shook her head negatively. "I can't. He must have kept it in his private bedroom. And I haven't gotten a chance to go into his bedroom yet. If I can find a way to sneak in without him knowing, I'll do that. I don't want to go into his bedroom by means other than that" she said.
"Yes, you shouldn't, Elena. Try as much as you can not to let that vile creature touch you with his filthy hands. If he attempts to lay his hands on you, I'll be storming into his estate like a hurricane", Pete swore furiously.
"Don't," Elena cautioned, "Don't attempt that stunt you pulled last time. The security is pretty tight on that estate, and the men are bloodless killers." The image of Enzo and Nico's corpses on the cold floor and Luca standing over them flashed past her mind for a moment. She had a bit of trouble chasing it away, steering her attention back to them. "I can handle Raphael myself", she added.
"I think you should listen to her, Pete, else you are digging yourself an early grave" Barry Moore supported.
Pete gnashed his teeth in frustration. "Okay. I'll stay away" he grunted reluctantly. Barry took a thoughtful sip of his Expresso. "Let me go into why I called you here, Miss" Barry said, dropping the plastic cup containing his Expresso carefully on the table, his eyes concentrated on her face. "I want you to hunt the estate for evidence that can incriminate Raphael Mancini in any crime. He is a big-time arms dealer, and has his weapons inventory warehoused secretly in someplace on the estate. The police had searched the estate for the arms warehouse sometimes in the past, before he bought them off, but they had never found it. I also heard he keeps a ledger of his illegal transactions. Find out the secret arms warehouse in the house and, if you are opportune to be able to sneak into his bedroom, find the ledger, or any other incriminating document." Barry said.
Raphael Mancini was also an arms dealer. Elena wasn't surprised, nothing about him seemed to surprise her anymore. "But how do I get the evidence across? I don't think I will be able to leave the estate again. My arrival here today, was only by pure chance" she said, refusing to let her mind slip to the thought of Nico and Enzo.
Barry said, pausing for a moment. He carried his eyes around on a careful but hurried assessment of the café. His eyes also trailed to the large glass windows providing a perfect view of the bustling street outside. His eyes perused much of the street that they could cover.
"Don't worry, detective. I made perfectly sure I wasn't followed."
Not finding anything to worry about, Barry Moore said. "I have a spy in the house. She works in the kitchen. She has a bitter grudge against Raphael's father, and she hopes to bring the empire down under his son. She works in the kitchen. So whenever you come across something interesting, hide it somewhere surreptitious in the kitchen, where she can find it. If you are able to get something tangible across, I promise I will help put Raphael Mancini and his gang of no-gooders in prison for a lifetime, and you will have a chance to get back to your life with your father. I will make sure your father gets less jail time."
"I'll work on that then" Elena agreed, standing up to leave. "I think I should leave now" she smiled at Pete. Then she turned sharply for the exit, thinking of how to get back to Raphael's estate, and a convincing lie to explain her disappearance.