Mountains of Dawn

It is said Henry hesitated. If he did, it does not matter. It is also said he had never gambled before in his life. Again, it does not matter. Henry and Michele played for hours. At sunrise, Henry was the owner of both the Monteturros' largest vineyard and the mansion on the Riviera.

Luigi Amedeo had searched for the owners of the mansion for years, searched for a link which would bring him close to the Caldwells. He never stopped resenting the man who took advantage of his father's weakness. He would never forgive Henry or Carla Caldwell for taking away the mansion where he had spent so many hours in the company of rich friends.

* * *

Luigi Amedeo had been comfortable as a child due to his mother's forethought in establishing a special fund. Cecilia Maria, his sister, managed the family business while he spent many years simply roaming. He dreamed of a life with plenty of money, no hassles, no unpleasant work, and grew up resenting the aura of poverty he wore.

Like his father before him, Luigi Amedeo went to many elegant receptions where he met influential people. At one such reception, he was introduced to an elderly gentleman know only as Ismeen. Ismeen took an interest in Luigi Amedeo.

"I believe I have a job for you," Ismeen said. "It is the kind of job that will allow you to travel and make good money, with little effort on your part." The elderly man laid a finger alongside his nose and winked. He lowered his voice. "We need couriers from the east and South America to Europe. You would travel first class, stay in luxury hotels. Your only duty would be to wait for a call, pick up a suitcase or parcel, travel to a prearranged destination, and deposit the parcel."

Luigi Amedeo hesitated for a moment, then blinked and nodded.

Luigi Amedeo entered the world of international crime with the same style he entered a ballroom. Amiable but distant, prompt but meticulous, he performed each job efficiently and received his compensation with dignified tolerance.

By the end of the second year, Luigi Amedeo's enterprises had become extremely risky. The demand for his services was incessant, his compensation astronomical. The need for a credible cover for his activities and a laundry for his cash came about along with his decision to open a travel agency, 'Vacations with a Difference.' He kept two residences, a permanent home in Anzio, near Rome, and another transient one in New York. Luigi Amedeo personally recruited his guests among the jet set; he was their guide, friend, and adviser. The business thrived, becoming more popular each year, and served him well as a means to launder his money.