Bargaining

Paolo's last thought was brought into sharp focus with Sofia’s next throwaway line.

“Well, whatever ransom Tony paid, Marcia will have got it out of him and she’ll tell me. She tells me everything.” Sofia’s lie about her closeness to her sister seemed very believable to Paolo. He didn’t really want the two of them sharing notes about recent events, so he decided to try and close the subject now.

“It won’t even have been half a million,” he said “a couple of hundred thou max, but no more.”

“Don’t be daft, Paolo, a life is never bargained that cheaply!”