Page 14 of Lost Prince

“You need to send men to find him,” Lana demands of Elio.

“I’m already on it,” he responds, telling her the area of town he has his men looking.

“We’re heading out again. We thought you’d want to come too,” Matteo adds.

“I’ll let the staff know to hold off dinner,” Lana says.

I duck back into the kitchen as their footsteps approach.

Lana bursts through the door, her eyes scanning the room until they land on me. “Where’s Anna?”

“I believe she’s in the pantry. Can I help you?”

"We need to postpone dinner. There's been a… situation."

I nod, trying to keep my face neutral. "Of course, Miss D'Amato. Is everything alright?"

Lana shakes her head. "Just keep things running here. We'll be back as soon as we can."

Anna emerges. “Miss D’Amato?”

“We need to push back dinner. Plate it and keep it warm if necessary, and we’ll grab it when we get back. Other staff can leave at their regular time.”

“Of course,” Anna says with a nod.

Lana leaves in a rush, and I help Anna wrap up dinner to keep it warm. As I work, I worry about Lazaro. What if they can't find him? What if he's hurt, or worse? The Lazaro I've come to know seems so lost, so vulnerable beneath his gruff exterior. The thought of him out there alone, perhaps not remembering how to get home, makes my chest ache.

We wait for an hour, and Anna decides to plate the meals and put them in the warmer. When we finish, she dismisses the staff, including me. She says she’ll take care of the family when they return since she’s one of a few of the staff who live in the house.

I busy myself wiping down counters hoping that Lazaro will return before I have to leave.

“You can head home now,” Anna says.

I hesitate, not wanting to leave. "Are you sure? I don't mind staying…"

"I'm sure. You've done more than enough. Go on, get some rest."

Reluctantly, I nod. "Okay. But if anything happens, if they need anything?—”

"I'll handle it," Anna assures me with a gentle smile. "Now go on, scoot."

I gather my things, casting one last glance around the kitchen. Everything's in order, but it feels wrong to leave with Lazaro still out there somewhere.

The night air is cool as I step outside and make my way to my beat-up old car. The engine sputters to life on the second try, and I pull out of the driveway, my thoughts still swirling with worry for Lazaro.

I head toward my apartment but find I can’t go home without looking for Lazaro. I recall the area where Elio said they were looking for Lazaro. I drive to the industrial area he mentioned, noting how dark and eerie it is this time of night. I grip the steering wheel tightly, fighting my unease. I’ve been traveling around the country on my own for a long time, so sketchy neighborhoods aren’t new to me.

The area is deserted, no signs of life. Just as I'm about to give up and head home, I see a bright light emanating from a garage. It's a mechanic's shop that appears to still be open. That’s good to know since I’ll need repairs on my car soon.

Then it hits me that maybe Lazaro found this place too. He loves working on cars. Could he have sought refuge here?

I pull into the small parking lot and cut the engine. I head into the garage, hoping beyond hope that Lazaro is here.

Before I can take more than a few steps, a skinny, scowling man in grease-stained coveralls blocks my path. His eyes narrow suspiciously as he looks me up and down.

"We're closed," he grunts, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm actually looking for someone. Lazaro D'Amato. Is he here?"