“And how is Trevor Muldoon involved in all this?”
Mario hesitated, contemplating his next words. He couldn’t prove that Trevor was indeed Pope Pius XII’s son. That’s why he needed to meet him and Anna, to confirm if the pope had indeed fathered a child with Anna in 1941. “I say too much.”
Janet’s eyes were locked onto Mario as she struggled to comprehend the bizarre tale he’d spun. Her gaze flicked to the digital clock on the nightstand. The glowing numbers read 7:18 a.m. “I need to get ready for work,” she announced, untangling herself from the bed and vanishing into the bathroom. The door snapped shut behind her.
Mario was left alone, the sound of the shower starting up starkly reinforcing his sense of solitude. He stared at the closed bathroom door, a sense of unease creeping in. This was uncharted territory for him.
Rising from the bed, he located his scattered clothes and dressed in silence. What was the protocol after a night of passion? He yearned for Roberto’s wise counsel, but the silence from beyond was deafening. Uncertain, he approached the bathroom door, the sound of cascading water seeping through. Tentatively, he cracked it open. “I leave now.”
“Wait. Can you stay until I’m finished?” Janet called from within.
“No, scusi. I go.”
“Okay.” Janet’s disappointment was noticeable, her hopes of a tender farewell kiss dashed.
Chapter 91
May 15, 2000
Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Naples, Florida
Mario had been evading Janet all weekend, unsure of how to face her after their intimate encounter. The best coping strategy he could come up with was to keep his mind occupied with his task at hand: reaching out to Trevor Muldoon. He spent the majority of his time at the town’s library, immersing himself in research about Trevor and crafting compelling questions that he hoped would capture the author’s attention.
Mario had devised a plan to instant message Trevor during the AOL Chatroom interview. It was a risky move, one that could potentially alarm the man, but Mario was willing to gamble for a chance to meet with the renowned author.
AOL Host: Good evening, cybernauts! I’m your host, Jesse James, back with another electrifying episode of our AOL Chatroom interview series. Tonight, we’re thrilled to be in the virtual company of the renowned author Trevor Muldoon. Welcome aboard, Trevor.
Trevor Muldoon: Thanks for having me, Jesse. It’s a pleasure to be here.
AOL Host: We’ve got a chatroom bursting at the seams with over a thousand eager fans, all itching to pick your brain about your latest literary masterpiece. Why don’t you give us a sneak peek of your book, and then we’ll dive into the sea of questions from our chatroom audience.
Trevor Muldoon: Absolutely. This book is the next thrilling chapter in the saga of Secret Agent DiMaggio, who’s on a mission to thwart the Nazis’ sinister plan to harness the power of the underworld. Deep within the bowels of Himmler’s Castle in Germany, the Nazis are conducting unholy rituals to summon Satan himself. If they succeed in controlling him, they’ll have the world at their mercy. It’s up to DiMaggio to prevent Himmler and Hitler from unleashing hellfire.
AOL Host: That’s spine-chilling! We’re all on tenterhooks for your book’s release on June 6th. Now, let’s dive into the questions. WWIIGirl, you’re up first.
WWIIGirl: Why did you decide to kill off DiMaggio’s love interest in the last book?
Trevor Muldoon: I know it was a controversial move. Even my agent warned me against it. But without giving too much away, let’s just say that love might be in the air for Agent DiMaggio in future books.
AOL Host: Intriguing! That’s how you keep your readers coming back for more. We can’t wait to meet this potential new love interest. Now, SecretAgentM, what’s your burning question?
SecretAgentM: How do you come up with the names for your characters?
Trevor Muldoon: Excellent question. I’m a huge baseball fan, and I needed an Italian name for my protagonist. For some reason, Joe DiMaggio, the legendary New York Yankees player, popped into my head. Given Joe’s World War II injuries limited him to only 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, it seemed like the perfect fit for my main character.
AOL Host: What a fascinating tidbit about Joe DiMaggio. Are you a Yankees fan, or do you root for the Tampa Bay Rays?
Trevor Muldoon: The Yankees are a team you either love or loathe. I respect their achievements, but my heart belongs to the Rays here in West Florida.
AOL Host: Spoken like a true believer. No wonder you’re a local celebrity. Let’s move on to our next question. Nowisee1941, what’s on your mind?
In the bustling queue of questions in the AOL Chatroom, Mario got his opportunity. He had carefully crafted his name to catch Trevor’s eye; now he just had to pose the perfect question to ignite Trevor’s interest.
NowISee1941: Did your father’s legacy play a role in shaping your writing?
Trevor Muldoon paused, fingers hovering over the keyboard. His knowledge of his father was limited to the tales his mother had shared. Hannah “Anna” Muldoon had painted his father as a war hero of the Second World War. Her influence had indeed left an indelible mark on his writing through the subject matter of these stories. But Trevor knew better than to publicly disclose his father’s influence in any interview or public forum—his mother had taught him well.
NowISee1941 had presented a loaded question. Did he know? Had he somehow stumbled upon their closely guarded family secret?
Trevor Muldoon: Indeed, his legacy did shape my writing. May I ask who this is?
AOL Host: Intriguing question. Moving on. Our next question comes from FlyBoy45.
Trevor quickly located NowISee1941 in the chatroom directory. Clicking on the IM, he initiated a private conversation, eager to uncover the identity of this mysterious participant.
Trevor Muldoon to NowISee1941: How do you know about my father?
NowISee1941 to Trevor Muldoon: Can we speak over the phone? I have information you will want to hear about him.
Trevor Muldoon to NowISee1941: Here’s my number. Call me tomorrow.
Mario jotted down Trevor’s phone number, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. He’d done it. Now he could meet with Trevor Muldoon directly and ask if he knew Pope Pius XII was his real father. Even better if his mother were present.
AOL Host: Mr. Muldoon, are you still with us? FlyBoy45 had a question about Agent DiMaggio’s prowess in piloting the P-51 Mustang fighter plane during the war.
Jolted back to the AOL Chatroom discussion by the host’s prompt flashing on his monitor, Trevor refocused his attention on his eager online fans.
Trevor Muldoon: Yes, sorry, Agent DiMaggio learned to fly . . .
Chapter 92
May 16, 2000
Tuesday, 11:05 a.m.
Naples, Florida
Mario dialed the number Trevor Muldoon had given him during their AOL Chatroom exchange.
Trevor: Good morning. Trevor Muldoon speaking.
Mario: Good morning. I am Mario Marino. We Instant Message during AOL interview.
Trevor: Ah, Mr. Marino, is it? I’ve been expecting your call. You hinted at having some information about my father.
Mario: Sì. May I come over?
