CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE – TIME TO LAY LOW

"Where are we going?" she asked Caporelli. The old man kept his eyes on the road as he replied. "I've got a safe house in the mountains. We'll lay low there for a while until things cool down." Joan nodded, her mind racing with questions. "Caporelli, why are you helping me? What's in it for you?" The old man was silent for a long moment before answering. "Let's just say I've got my reasons. We've all got our pasts, Joan. Sometimes helping others is a way of making amends." They drove in silence for a while, the darkness of the Sicilian countryside enveloping them. Joan's thoughts drifted to Alessandro, wondering if he was safe, if he was looking for her. As dawn began to break, Caporelli turned onto a narrow, winding road that led up into the mountains. The truck groaned with the effort of the climb. "Almost there," Caporelli announced. "Once we're at the safe house, we can rest and figure out our next move." Joan nodded, fatigue settling into her bones. The events of the night