Читать книгу The End of the World Mafia - Rolf Nagel - Страница 8

Like her father, Marian had spent her youth in an outrageously expensive residential school in Switzerland.

The fathers of the first rank and Don Rosso’s father had been extremely farsighted and had sent their children to this private residential school. Thus, the descendants could spend their youth together and receive an excellent education.

Another reason was that the children were able to establish a firm and trusting friendship and bond with this joint school time. This was also something the fathers wanted. The inner circle should enter a hard and fast trust association and what could be better than starting this when still at school. And this is also what Don Rosso did with his daughter.

The strict residential school was located on a small hill directly on the outskirts of the idyllic Swiss town of Lucerne on the Lake of Lucerne. From the hill, you could look down at the beautiful little town with its river and famous landmark chapel bridge.

In wintertime, you went to the mountains for skiing and in the summer you could swim in the lake. Apart from that, only the children of the wealthiest parents resided in the school, something that also helped the young people establish the best contacts in international and influential society. Nobody at the residential school of course knew about the true background that some of the parents had in the Mafia.

Marian remembered vaguely that there had only been one slip-up when a boy made a comment that there were children there who came from criminal families. This claim couldn’t be proven and Don Rosso and his friends immediately complained to the school management. The boy then had to leave the school and nothing was ever heard of him or his family again. It was never clarified whether the boy’s statement was based on mere supposition or if there were reasonable grounds for suspicion behind it.

The families’ wives and children had never been involved in the affairs of the fathers. They only heard in passing that the fathers belonged to a secret organization. But it was forbidden to talk about it even in the slightest way and nobody ever made the mistake of doing. Even thinking in this direction was absolutely forbidden. Most of them will probably have banned this completely from their minds.

Marian reached the café at the corner and saw Don Rosso with his sunglasses on sitting comfortably in the sun at a table for four. Before him stood a bottle of water and an espresso. His two bodyguards had seated themselves at a table at behind him and were carefully observing the scene.

Don Rosso still loved his hometown Palermo but in the meantime he was traveling to so many countries that he had dropped the typical habits of a Sicilian. He dressed more like a banker from London and had their middle-class features. Otherwise, he was of a normal build and there was nothing particular eye-catching about his appearance. He had always been a very loving father who found the right balance between the necessary strictness and generous love in the education of his only daughter.

After the early death of her mother because of an incurable disease, Don Rosso took over also the maternal part and tried to fulfil this role as well as he could. Marian and her father treated each other in a trustful manner and had a strong bond. She only had the best memories of a happy childhood and her father always tried to fulfill every wish for her.

"Hi daddy," she said to him and kissed him on both cheeks. Her eyes spoke sweet volumes and Don Rosso was actually able to read everything from them.

"It is good to see you so happy, my daughter," he said, with his distinctive voice, "Yes, I can see everything in your face, but sit down and tell me all the details."

Marian told him of the encounter with Karl on the park bench. Everything went as planned and in addition, she had fallen head over heels in love with Karl without knowing why. She described everything enthusiastically and in such detail that Don Rosso felt as if he had been there himself.

As father he was now happy and pleased, especially because the hard work had borne fruit. Now it had to be ensured that Karl became a future player in the organization and everything would be perfect. Things could not have gone better for Don Rosso.

"Daddy, thank you so much that you interceded at the bank so quickly on Karl’s behalf. He was clearly worried this morning about getting to the bank too late" She looked at her father gratefully and they both smiled about Karl’s flustered state.

“Of course, my child, that was not a big deal for me and I of course want to see my princess happy. Enjoy a few weeks of vacation with him and then introduce me to the man who wants to take away my daughter."

With a friendly grin, he asked his daughter what she would like to order.

"Daddy, we should have some good champagne and drink to that." Don Rosso, who rarely drank alcohol, agreed to this and motioned to one of his guards who was dressed in black. The guard stood up straight away and walked over to a waiter to place the order.

"Where’s your bodyguard?" Don Rosso asked his daughter.

"Oh daddy!" Marian dragged the two words out like chewing gum. "You always worry about me so lovingly, but there is no reason to do so. Karl accompanied me together with the chauffeur to the airport, well, and here ..."

She was interrupted by the approaching waiter who skillfully opened the champagne bottle with a pop and filled the glasses.

"My dear child, you know that these precautions are perfectly appropriate and your Karl is not a trained security guard. Robbery and kidnapping always a topic. You read about it every day in the newspapers. So, please! For the future! Even if Karl is with you, I still want the security guard to be close by. This must be evident even to Karl." Don Rosso looked a bit grim now.

Neither he nor his daughter had ever been attacked, but in his eyes, the new Russian and Chinese clans were at least as unpredictable as the Sicilian Mafia had been in the early ‘20s.

"Okay, Daddy, I promise it will never happen again. Are you happy again now?" Marian looked at her father pleadingly like a small, sweet girl.

"Yes, my little one. Of course I am pleased and I suggest that you introduce the guy to me personally after your wonderful vacation."

"But Daddy the guy, his name is Karl! Please don’t call him a guy. But are you sure you only want to meet him personally in a few week’s time? You know, I am very certain about him!"

Don Rosso looked at his daughter a little surprised and replied, "It’s not yet time to introduce Karl to me, and besides, I have urgent business in South America. Therefore we’ll do that in a few week’s time!"

Marian had learned never to question her father’s words. Whenever he permitted no further responses to his comments, protest was pointless and would certainly not lead to success.

Like an old married couple they sat together for a while discussing everything possible until the sun set and it became a bit cooler. Don Rosso had his car drive up and brought his daughter to the airport.

As Marian and Karl sat together in the hotel restaurant at 8 o’clock that evening he told her of his experiences in the bank.

Marian said gushingly, "My dearest, let us spend a couple of weeks in Palermo, the city of my childhood, I would love to show you the sights. We could stay in our family home and go on excursions on the island. Oh my darling, that would be wonderful."

At the same time, as a so-called blackmail, Marian gave her lover the little gold chain that she had bought for him earlier in the day in Paris, and said casually, "Your bank has released you from your duties. And in a few week’s time you will get to know my father personally. He is eager to talk to you. Father still has to do some urgent business meetings and will also be coming to Palermo afterwards." She was all smiles and nobody, especially not Karl, could have refused this request. So it was settled.

After Karl had packed his bags, they flew to Palermo the next day.