Delayed Death (Temptation in Florence Book 1) (23 page)

"Looking for anything special, Commissario?"

Her voice made him jump. He turned on the balls of his feet, his hands deep inside the pockets of his trousers. It was
Carlina. Of course. Who else? "No."
Attack is the best form of defense
. "Where are you coming from this late at night?"

She came closer. In the weak light coming from the unshuttered window above, she looked smaller than usual. For once, she wasn't wearing jeans but a short skirt and a jacket. "Is that question part of the murder investigation?" she asked.

"Yes." An unknown feeling of protectiveness rose inside him. He suppressed it.
This woman does not want to be protected.

She leaned against the wall of the house and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm not sure if I should believe that, but I'll answer it anyway. I'm coming from a meeting at the town hall, where the wife of the mayor presented a new project to support the businesswomen of Florence." She cocked her head to the side. "And you, my dear Commissario, are trying to see how to get access to our house by way of the balcony, if I'm not very much mistaken."

He mirrored her posture. "How acute,
Signorina
Ashley."

"You won't find it," she said.

He lifted an eyebrow. "No? Why not?"

"Because," she laughed, "it's a Mantoni thing."

Her laugh was low and soft, and did something to him he didn't want to analyze.

She walked up to him.

A hint of her alluring scent made him wish she would come even closer. He stood rooted to the spot.

Carlina smiled. "I'll show you."

"Why?"

She froze. "Why?" She sounded stunned.

"Yes, why? Why should you help the police?"

She shrugged. "Why shouldn't I?" She gave him a challenging glance. "I've got nothing to hide." She came closer. "Could you step to the side, please? You're right in front of the stone."

"What stone?" He wanted to wait until she was close enough to touch him, but he forced himself to step to the side.

"This one." She looked up and down the street, checked the windows, then bent with one fluid move and pulled out a loose stone just above the ground. It was the size of a brick, flat and rectangular. "Don't tell anybody." An impish smile, a hop, and she stood on the window sill of her grandfather's kitchen, the toes of her high-heeled shoes between two iron bars. Carlina stretched and inserted the stone into a hole at the side of the window, then used it as a stepping stone.

Garini narrowed his eyes. It looked as if she accessed the house every night via the balcony. With one more step, she reached a decorative ledge high above him. Now she already had one hand on the balcony railing. Instead of climbing across the balcony railing, however, she turned around and returned the way she had come, more slowly now.

As she stepped on the brick, she lost her balance. Arms flailing, she slithered the last meter and fell in front of his feet.

He steadied her. Her arms felt warm and soft. She was so close, he could smell the fragrance of her hair, the delicate scent of her skin. What would happen if he bent down and kissed her? He felt himself going hot.
Steady, Stefano. She's a suspect.
He clenched his teeth and forced himself to drop his hands. Not trusting himself, he took a step back.

"Sorry," Carlina said out of breath. "I've never gone down, only up."

It took all his concentration to ask a question that made sense. "Why didn't you go inside and come back through the front door?"

She grinned. "Because I won't climb over that railing in a skirt if someone's watching. Besides, the door of the balcony needs to be open."

He shook his head. "Risky. What if Benedetta closes it when you're gone?"

"No problem. Then I call someone inside the house and ask them to open the door. Anybody but my mother or aunt, that is."

He regarded her. "I see. Did you do it often?"

"Hmm. Not as often as Emma, Ernesto and Annalisa. Benedetta is an anxious mother."

"And your mother isn't?"

Carlina hopped onto the window sill again and retrieved the stone. "She is, but officially, I always stayed the night with my friend Rosanna. She has very lax parents." She returned the stone to its hiding place.

"Who created this . . . side entrance?"

"I have no idea." Carlina shrugged. "The knowledge has been passed on within the Mantoni family for ages. A cousin showed it to me when I turned fourteen."

"And you taught your cousins."

"Sure."

"Weren't you afraid of waking someone?"

Carlina giggled. "Oh, no. Benedetta wouldn't even wake up if you started a tap dance next to her bed."

"Then why didn't you use the front door?"

She laughed.

It was more a giggle, coming from deep inside her, sounding carefree and fun. He couldn't get enough of it.

"Because grandpa always closed the front door by midnight and left the key stuck on the inside. He was convinced that you can't force open a lock if the key is stuck. He also believed that ninety percent of all break-ins are done after midnight."

"He was wrong." Garini shook his head. "What happened if an adult returned after midnight?"

"Oh, they had to ring the bell. I always used the balcony and called Annalisa or Ernesto. Grandpa turned grumpy when you woke him."

He looked at her. "That reminds me of something. Did you teach Emma too?"

Carlina nodded.

"What other mischief did you do with her?"

Her eyes widened. "Mischief? Nothing out of the ordinary. Who told you that?"

"Benedetta."

She grinned. "Oh."

Madonna
, this was difficult. When she grinned like that, her cat-like eyes shining, he wanted to--

He interrupted his train of thought and narrowed his eyes. "Come on, share the secret with me."

Her grin broadened. "I hadn't thought of that story for ages. One summer, Emma decided to go swimming in the middle of the night. She had a boyfriend with a very fast car at the time, and they drove all the way to the coast to go swimming." She bit her lips to suppress her laughter. "Unfortunately, while they were in the water, her clothes were stolen. She came back, dressed in nothing but her bikini, at four in the morning. That night, Benedetta had some sort of stomach problem which kept her awake. She closed the balcony door during the night, but she never checked Emma's room, thank God. So when Emma came and found the door closed, she rang me. I went to Benedetta's kitchen to let her in, and just as Emma had stepped inside, her mother tottered in with a hot water bottle."

"Sounds like fun."

Carlina shook with laughter. "Benedetta asked what on earth we were doing, and Emma came up with a wild story about a bet going on between us, a bet that involved getting dressed in a bikini and dancing in the kitchen in the middle of the night."

"She's good at inventing wild stories, that one."

Carlina stopped mid-laugh and gave him a sharp look.

He pointed at the wall. "Aren't you afraid that one day, someone will use that knowledge to break into the house? I assume half the population of Florence knows by now how to use that stone."

She shrugged. "We remove it when we go on vacation."

He shook his head. "Has it ever occurred to you that your family is a bit . . . out of the ordinary?"

"Or, they're as crazy as drunken hens." Carlina smiled. "That's why I love them."

"Good morning, Piedro." Garini frowned. Piedro looked like an old t-shirt, crumpled, white with a dirty rim, and out of form. "Did everything work out last night?"

"Ugh." Piedro sank into the chair in front of Garini's desk.

I hope he won't start owl talk with me.
"Any trouble at the Internet café?"

"No." Piedro shook his head, then winced.

"Did you drink?" Garini's heart sank.
If he drinks on the job, I'll have to tell Cervi.

"No. Stiff neck."

"Good."

"What?" Piedro's eyelashes fluttered, but in spite of his effort, his eyes remained half-closed.

"Nothing." Garini bent forward. "Did you see Ernesto?"

"Yeah. He stayed all night at the café." Piedro sat up straighter and swayed.

"Were you offered anything suspicious? Any mention of drugs?"

"Monster slasher. Black spider."

Garini frowned. He'd never heard of these drugs before. "Piedro." He made sure his voice sounded like a whip. "Get up."

Piedro sat motionless. A faint snore came from his mouth.

Stefano went around the desk and hauled Piedro to his feet. "Now tell me again. What drugs?"

Piedro's eyes rolled back. "No drugs. Game. Game all night."

"Nothing but a game?"

"Yeah."

Garini shook him. "Sure?"

"Yeah."

"All right." Garini dropped him and took out his wallet.

Piedro sank into his chair like a balloon without air.

"Here." Garini handed him ten Euros. "You take a taxi home and sleep. Don't return until you know your name."

Blood-shot eyes tried to focus on him. "My name?"

"Yes. You'll remember. Eventually."

"
Buongiorno
, Carlina." The voice came from Temptation's entrance.

Carlina looked over her shoulder. "Aunt Maria! You're up and about early. Let me just finish this, then I'll be with you." She took an old towel and rubbed the floor of the dressing room dry, then fished a bottle from a hidden corner and sprayed the uneven stone tiles that had seen more than a few centuries of business.

Aunt Maria watched her with a frown. She wore a light-green rain jacket and a matching green hat. "Why are you doing that?"

Carlina sighed. "Because you have to take off your shoes when you try on underwear, and in summer, many customers have smelly feet. I need to scrub the floor of the dressing room at least twice a week, and I always add disinfectant too." She straightened. "There, that's it. Clean and fresh for my next customer."
At least, it would be if you didn't reek of garlic
. She pushed the thought aside and went to the door of Temptation. "Let's air the place a bit." She slid the glass door open and fixed it while looking at the gray sky. A drizzle of rain was keeping the tourists away. Carlina sighed. It was the right weather for a museum, not for shopping.

Aunt Maria followed her and leaned against the cash register. Her small eyes were bloodshot.

Carlina frowned. "Are you all right?"

Aunt Maria nodded. "Yes. I had a bad night, that's all." She wiped her hand across her brow. "My thoughts kept me awake."

Her great-niece pointed at to bar stool. "Take a seat, Aunt Maria. I'll get you a glass of water. It'll make you feel better." She went to the tiny bathroom behind the storage room.

When she came back, her aunt had managed to climb onto the bar stool. With her green garments, she looked like a round nymph on her throne next to the golden horn filled with thongs. "You have a great overview from this chair." Aunt Maria's smile was triumphant. "Even if it's a bit difficult to climb."

Carlina handed her the glass of water. It was translucent red. In a small square on the front, the word 'Temptation' was written with golden curlicues.

"That's a great glass." Aunt Maria took a sip. "I didn't know you had these."

Carlina leaned against the counter. "I bought them in summer. So many customers asked me for a glass of water that I started to feel like a bar and became quite resentful, but of course, I couldn't refuse to give them something. After all, it was very hot."

"Yes, it was a hot summer." Aunt Maria took off her green hat and wiped her brow again though cool air was coming by now through the open door.

"So I talked to Francesca. She's a glass-blower with her own studio on Via Burchiello, and she made those for me."

Aunt Maria smiled. "So now you sell glasses too?"

Carlina nodded. "I also have another version in translucent black." She grinned. "If they buy the glass, I don't even have to wash it."

"And how much is one?" Aunt Maria held it against the light and squinted at the reflection on its red glass.

"Twelve Euros." Carlina said.

Aunt Maria's hand sank. "What?" She eyed the glass with respect. "How come it's so expensive?"

"It's handmade." Carlina pointed at the rim of the glass. "See the little swirls here? Every piece is unique."

"But do you make a profit too?"

"Of course." Carlina grinned. "I didn't want to risk selling more glasses than underwear and becoming bankrupt." She shivered but didn't close the door. The garlic smell that permeated the air around Aunt Maria was as dense as a fog. "In fact, it's a great bargain for a handmade glass."

"I'll take your word for it." Aunt Maria bent forward and placed her glass with care on the cash counter. Then she straightened and folded her hands on her lap, crushing the green hat. "I didn't come to talk about glasses, Carlina."

"I can imagine." Carlina smiled.

"I've been thinking all night long." Aunt Maria stared into space. "I've been thinking about the murderer of Nico, and I think I know who it was."

"What?" Carlina's mouth dropped open. "You know who it was? How come?"

Aunt Maria looked past Carlina's shoulder. "I think we should close that door."

"Sure." Carlina moved with alacrity. Suddenly, she didn't care if the whole store smelled of garlic.
What does Aunt Maria know?
She rushed back to her great aunt and leaned against the counter. "Tell me."

Aunt Maria's small eyes regarded her. "Do you like the Commissario?"

Carlina was taken aback. "I . . . no."

"Why not?"

Carlina swallowed. "He's rude. He pushes me forward, makes me try to lose control."
And he has a smile that makes my knees weaken.
Carlina shook her head. Where did that thought come from? She pushed it away.

"Hmm." The ample nymph on the bar stool nodded her head from side to side. "Funny, Annalisa says the same."

"Does she? I thought she was interested. I saw that gleam in her eye."

Aunt Maria shook her head. "No. She says he's impossible."

"Ah." For some reason, that statement made Carlina feel better. "She has more sense than I thought. But let's not talk about Annalisa. You said you knew who killed Uncle Nico? Do you really know or do you just have a good guess?"

Aunt Maria took the glass of water and drank a thirsty draft from it. "I like Garini," she said, as if she hadn't heard Carlina's question.

"You do?" Now it was Carlina's turn to stare. "Why?"

"He understands weaknesses."

Carlina's mouth dropped open. "We're not talking about the same man."

Aunt Maria started to laugh. "Oh, yes, we are. I think he's leading you on, Carlina."

Nettled, Carlina said. "I can well believe that, but he has never given me the slightest reason to believe that he understands any human emotion. He reminds me of a police computer, that one. I keep wondering if he has a switch he turns off when he goes to bed at night."

Aunt Maria held onto the counter. Her whole body shook with laughter. "Oh, Carlina," she said, "you have to look closer."

"No, thanks." Carlina crossed her arms in front of her chest. She had difficulty with her breathing. If any unsuspecting customer came into Temptation right now, he would be blown out again by the garlic stench. "Now please tell me, Aunt Maria. Don't keep me hanging."

The laughter fled from Aunt Maria's face. "It's difficult," she said. "You see, if my theory is right, then a lot more people should be dead by now."

Carlina felt the blood draining from her face. "What?"

Aunt Maria nodded. "Because several people know the secret. That's what bothers me." She turned her hat in her hands. "But we aren't dead. So does this mean my theory is wrong?"

Carlina swallowed. "What is your theory?" She stressed the second word.

Aunt Maria didn't answer. "Should I tell Garini?" She lifted her head. "What if it's all wrong?"

"Tell me." Carlina felt like jumping onto the counter and shaking her great aunt. "Then we can decide together."

"That's why I came to Temptation," Aunt Maria said. "I wanted to speak to you without anybody overhearing."

An icy current ran up and down Carlina's back.
It's someone from the family. Oh, Madonna.

Aunt Maria's mouth twisted. "Now I wonder. I would put you in danger." Suddenly, she looked old.

"You can tell me," Carlina held her breath and bent forward. "You can tell Garini too. He will know what to do."

Aunt Maria frowned. "I thought you didn't like him."

Carlina reared back. She bent down and pretended to fix something on her shoe so she could take a deep breath of pure air before she came up again. "I don't. But that doesn't mean he's a bad Commissario. Actually, I believe he's quite good at his job."

Aunt Maria shook her head as if she wondered about her great-niece. She started to search for something in her large pockets and unearthed a fresh garlic clove which she held out to Carlina. "Do you want one?"

Carlina shook her head. "No, thanks."

Aunt Maria popped the garlic clove into her mouth and started to chew. "I think--" She broke off and choked. Her face turned red, then blue; her eyes looked as if they wanted to pop out of her head; her hands came up and grabbed frantic fists of air, then she toppled forward, straight into the golden horn.

"Aunt Maria!" Carlina jumped to her side to steady her, but she couldn't hold her weight. She went down with her great-aunt; the golden horn fell over with a crash, and thongs scattered right and left like lacy snowballs. "Aunt Maria!" Carlina shook her, forced her great-aunt's mouth open and took out the remaining pieces of garlic, then she jumped up, grabbed the glass of water, and flung the contents into Aunt Maria's mouth. It flowed out again. "Oh,
Madonna
."

Panic stricken, she looked around. Nobody was in front of the store. She grabbed her phone and called an ambulance, then she dropped to her knees again. "Please, answer me. Come on. Aunt Maria!" She rubbed her aunt's hands, touched her face, and wondered how to do heart massage, but she had no idea where to apply pressure and if it would help or make it worse. Tears ran down her face. "Aunt Maria!"

A siren sounded on the street. The next instant, a hand grabbed her shoulder and pushed her to the side. Carlina lost her balance, but when she saw it was the emergency physician, she only said, "It's poison. Don't touch her mouth."

She retreated to the back of the store and pressed her fists against her mouth, praying without knowing it.

The next minutes passed like a blur. Suddenly, Stefano Garini's lean figure emerged behind the doctor. He pushed himself through the crowd that had gathered in front of Temptation, took two big steps over Aunt Maria and the doctor, then stopped next to her. "What happened?"

Carlina's teeth chattered. She trembled so hard, her feet shifted on the floor though she tried to keep them still. She couldn't turn her eyes away from Aunt Maria, prostrate on the cold stone floor, her green coat covering her like a blanket. She had looked so cheerful on that bar stool.

Garini narrowed his eyes, then disappeared into the storage room. He returned with one of Carlina's small folding chairs, placed it onto the floor, took Carlina by the shoulders and made her sit on it, with her back leaning against the shelves. Next, he took an empty water glass from the display and went to the tiny bathroom in the back.

Detached, as if she wasn't really here, Carlina heard the water run from the tap.

The next minute, he returned and thrust the glass of water into her hands. "Drink this." His voice sounded commanding.

Carlina took the glass, but her hand shook so hard, she couldn't keep it straight.

He covered her hand with his and guided the glass to her mouth.

His hands felt warm and comforting, but her teeth chattered against the rim of the glass when she tried to drink. Finally, she managed to swallow a bit.

He took the glass away and placed it on a shelf. "Carlina." His voice was compelling. "Look at me."

Carlina turned her gaze from her great-aunt and looked at Garini without seeing him.

He studied her with narrowed eyes. "What happened? Tell me. I can help."

Carlina gulped air. "It was poison." Her voice sounded flat, as if she was a machine on autopilot. "A clove of garlic. She put it in her mouth, and then . . ." Her face twisted. "She fell from the bar stool. I took the piece of garlic from her mouth, but she didn't wake up."

He nodded. "Stay here." One step brought him back to the doctor. He bent down and exchanged a few low words with him, then he searched the floor. He picked up something, placed it into a handkerchief, and put it into his pocket. Then he straightened and took in every detail of the store, the fallen bar stool, the abandoned glass of water on the floor with a small puddle next to it, the closed door.

Carlina watched him as if he was behind glass, as if this whole show didn't concern her. She had a feeling of floating above them, of not belonging.

Garini returned to her. "Why did you think it was poison?"

"Why?" She blinked. "It happened as soon as Aunt Maria started to chew. She . . . she didn't cough. She just changed color and collapsed."

"Did you give her something to drink?"

Carlina stared at him. She heard the words, but the sense eluded her.

He bent forward, his light eyes forcing her to listen. "It's important that you tell me. Did you give her something to drink?"

She nodded. Her tongue felt stiff when she said, "Water from the tap. I tried to rinse her mouth, to take out the poison. But it didn't work."

His hand dropped onto her shoulder for an instant, warm and safe, like an anchor to a world she had lost, then he turned around again, pulled out his phone and started to speak into it in a low voice.

Carlina didn't listen. She wanted to feel his hand on her shoulder again, wanted to lean against someone who would tell her that nothing bad had happened, that it had been a nightmare, that all would be well again.

The doctor sat back on his haunches, his face gray. He looked up and met her eyes, then he slowly shook his head.