The Italian Affair (14 page)

‘Wine delivery,’ he announced. ‘Where do you want this?’

Someone shouted. ‘Not in here. See Bill in the bar. He’ll tell you.’

He nodded and carried on his way, passing by the security guard who was now busy stuffing his face. ‘Keep close to me,’ he instructed the girl. In the bar, he delivered the crate to a man standing behind the bar serving drinks. ‘Bill?’

A heavy-set man turned to face him. ‘Yeah, that’s me.’

‘Someone asked me to bring this through for you.’

Bill glanced at the crate of wine and pointed. ‘Just put it over there, will you?’ He put the crate down, swapped glances with the girl, then both of them slipped out amongst the guests. There had to be at least a couple of hundred people milling around, he thought, talking and eating. It would be easy to blend in.

He saw Gina’s grandmother sitting in the corner, her handbag at her feet. He whispered to the girl. ‘That’s her, over there. Give me five minutes to get to the car. Remember what I said. And don’t forget to smile.’

The girl walked over. ‘Excuse me, Mrs Rosselini, your granddaughter wants to talk to you privately.’

‘Gina? Where is she?’

The girl whispered, ‘In the ladies room. It’s something important.’

Rosa lifted her handbag on to her knee, frowning. ‘Luigi, I’ll be right back.’ She stood up.

The girl followed her. Rosa had just opened the door of the ladies room when the girl pushed her hard. She fell through the doorway, dropping her handbag. The girl grabbed it as another woman went to Rosa’s aid. She heard Rosa cry out, ‘Wait….’

The girl sprinted down the hallway and through the front door.
He was waiting in the vehicle, the engine running, just as he had told her. She ran down the steps and half fell into the car as he took off. The tyres squealed as he took the corner and sent them racing away. A quick glance in the mirror told him the police car that was parked outside wasn’t following him. But, as he turned the corner, he saw someone run out of the building to alert them. He put his foot down hard on the accelerator.

She held up the handbag. ‘Easy.’

He gave a smile. ‘You did well. Now, look for the keys.’

The girl rummaged in the handbag and pulled them out. ‘Here they are.’

He had to get to the Rosselini apartment quickly before the alarm was raised. Ten minutes later he pulled up to the kerb, just a few metres away from the wrought-iron gates of the Rosselini apartments. The girl lifted up a large bouquet of flowers he’d placed on the back seat earlier on. Together they walked towards the security guard. The guard stepped forward when he saw them. ‘Can I help you?’

‘We’re friends of Gina’s. We couldn’t make it to the Club Italia, so we just wanted to drop these off for her on the way home. My name is Grey. This is my sister, Julia.’

The guard looked uncertain. ‘I’m sorry, no one’s allowed in.’

‘We’re good friends of the Rosselinis.’

The girl smiled brightly, adding, ‘We’ve got Gina’s favourite flowers. Red roses. She’ll be so pleased to get them. We’ll leave them at her door.’

The security guard relented. ‘OK, but make it quick.’

‘We will,’ they said in unision.

One minute later they stood at the door of Gina’s apartment. He took the bunch of keys out of his pocket. It had been a gamble the old lady might have a key to her granddaughter’s apartment and he’d been right. The original plan had been to steal Gina’s bag somehow and get her keys, but with her not turning up at the Club Italia, he’d had to think again.

The third key fitted and they stepped inside. ‘Don’t touch anything,’ he warned the girl. He checked to see she was wearing gloves just in case she did.

He went into the kitchen and took out a knife from the drawer.

‘What are you going to do?’ she asked, wide eyed.

‘You ask too many questions.’

She scowled at him.

In Gina’s bedroom he looked around. On the wall hung a black and white photograph of Gina and her sister with their grandparents. ‘Perfect,’ he murmured. He lifted it off the wall and set to work.

The girl whispered urgently. ‘Hurry up. We’ve been here too long.’

She was right. By now, the police might have alerted the security guard at the gate. He laid the red roses on the table.

Both of them hurried up the steps, crossed the parking area, and walked casually past the security guard standing at the gate.

‘All done,’ he said to the guard, giving him a friendly wave.

The security guard unlocked the gates and watched the man and the girl walk through them, side by side. Then he went back to his coffee and newspaper.

When Gina heard what had happened to her grandmother she felt sick with worry. As for getting Rick fired, the last thing she wanted was a showdown with her grandparents especially with her grandmother suffering from shock. Maybe she’d wait a little longer before she brought up the subject of Rick Caruso.

She’d helped her grandmother to bed and made her a cup of tea. Her grandfather had wanted Rosa seen at the hospital, but her grandmother had refused. ‘I don’t need the hospital. I’m fine.’

Instead, the doctor came to visit her grandmother at the apartment. ‘She’s got a few bruises and is shaken up, but nothing a few days’ rest and some painkillers won’t fix,’ he told them.

After he left, Gina said, ‘Are you sure there’s nothing else I can
get you,
Nonna
?’

Her grandmother’s voice sounded sleepy. ‘No … no … nothing.’

Gina watched her grandmother’s eyes close. Satisfied her grandmother was fast asleep, Gina got up quietly and left the room. Rick was waiting for her. ‘All OK?’

‘She’s resting.’ She sighed. ‘It’s like a vendetta. I’ve heard stories about vendettas from my grandfather, but I never thought for one moment that would ever happen to us.’

‘Your grandmother said her house keys were in her handbag. I’ll arrange for the locks of her apartment to be changed,’ said Rick. ‘It’s best to be safe.’

‘
Nonna
has a key to my apartment as well,’ muttered Gina. ‘It was on her key ring.’

‘In that case, I’ll check out your apartment straight away.’

‘I’ll come with you. Please,’ she pleaded.

He nodded. ‘OK. But wait outside. I’ll go in first.’

Gina watched Rick slip the key into the lock of her front door.

A few minutes later, he came back grim faced. ‘Just as I suspected.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Fear shot through her.

‘Don’t touch anything.’

She stared at him but he gave nothing away. ‘Why can’t I go in?’

He hesitated. ‘Because someone’s been in your bedroom.’

‘What?’ She pushed past him. She saw the red roses lying on the table.

‘Gina,’ he shouted. ‘Don’t!’

Too late. She took in her bedroom at one glance. The large photograph of herself and her family lay on the bed, the glass smashed. Her eyes widened. ‘My God….’

Her face and Maria’s had been removed from the photograph.

Rick saw the priest to the door. Gina’s grandmother had arranged for him to bless Gina’s bedroom after the forensic team had
finished. Gina had gone along with it.

Three days passed. Rick was worried. Gina had shut herself in her bedroom, only coming out to briefly eat and drink, though Rick noticed that what she had eaten had been very little. She had refused to take any calls from friends. When he had tried to approach her, she had said, ‘Just leave me alone.’

‘He’s trying to scare you,’ said Rick.

She exhaled. ‘You think I don’t know that?’ She slammed the bedroom door behind her.

When Gina opened her bedroom door on the fourth morning, Rick was waiting for her, determined to coax her out of the griefstricken and terrified state she had sunk into.

‘Come on, we’ll go for a drive by the sea. You’d like that,’ he said gently.

‘I don’t feel up to it.’

Before she had a chance to return to the bedroom, he stepped in front of her, barring her way. ‘Then let’s talk.’

Her chin lifted. ‘I don’t feel like talking either.’

He saw the distant look in her eyes. Recognized it. He’d been there once himself. But he’d survived. Somehow he had to get through to Gina that she had to as well.

He took both of her hands in his and pulled her over to the couch. ‘Then listen.’ He saw her mouth purse rebelliously. ‘Please,’ he added.

She nodded, though her face was wary.

He chose his words carefully. ‘Shutting yourself up in your room isn’t going to make it any easier. You can’t bring Maria back.’

‘I didn’t ask for your opinion.’

‘Yeah, well, I’m giving it anyway. For what it’s worth.’

He saw the angry glint in her eye but that didn’t deter him. He had nothing to lose, but she did.

He continued, ‘Death is never easy. We never know when it’s our turn … it’s something we have to accept. No matter how unfair or unpleasant. Or even heartbreaking.’

She pulled her hand away sharply. ‘Is this a lecture? Because I don’t need it.’

He could see she was fighting for control. He could see it in the way her mouth trembled. He pushed on. ‘You have to face people. Pick up your life again.’

‘I can’t,’ she explained, swallowing hard. ‘I don’t know what to say to them. For the past three days, I’ve been questioning everything about my own life. Every decision I’ve ever made. And what’s even worse, I can’t even envisage a future. There just doesn’t seem to be anything to look forward to.’ Her voice cracked. ‘I’ll never be the same person again.’

‘No one ever is. But losing someone close can make you a better person – if you let it.’

She gave a bitter laugh. ‘In what way?’

‘You’ll be more willing to take chances. Live life to the full. Not so afraid, and more appreciative of those you care about. We have to take some good from the bad.’

He could see she was considering his words. ‘The trouble with you, Caruso, is that sometimes you sound so damned convincing.’ She shook her head. ‘But right now, underneath the fear, I feel such a terrible sadness.’ She put her hand over her heart. ‘Everything is so overwhelming. So painful. I’d give anything to stop feeling this way.’

‘That will pass,’ he said knowingly.

She gave a deep, heartfelt sigh. ‘You talk like you’ve had experience of death.’

‘I have. A cop deals with it often.’

‘But it’s more than that, isn’t it?’ she persisted, searching his face. ‘I can tell.’

But he didn’t let on as she hoped he would. He just gave her another of his enigmatic smiles and more words of comfort before he left the room so she could rest quietly and be alone with her thoughts.

The next morning, Gina stepped out of the shower and dried herself, then surveyed her face in the mirror. Dark shadows circled her eyes. Her skin had a pale pallor. Not surprising. She’d spent a lot of time crying over the last few days. The whole of the previous night she had sobbed into her pillow. And when the first rays of dawn had filtered through the window, she found she had no tears left. Only a deep sense of loss remained.

More importantly, she realized, if she didn’t do something to stop the fear drowning her, she couldn’t catch the killer. Maria needed justice. They all did. She wouldn’t rest until the killer had paid for what he had done.

Rick had been right: she had to face people.

Forcing herself to take several slow breaths, until her breathing became more regular, the tension in her stomach eased. But her thoughts continued to race ahead.

There has to be a way to draw the killer out. I can do it. I know I can
.

She reached for her make-up to repair the damage to her face, but the effort was almost her undoing again. She reached out for a glass and filled it quickly with water. She’d once read somewhere that you couldn’t drink and cry at the same time. It was worth a try. Anything to help her snap out of this tearful and volatile state she had fallen into.

After draining the glass, she felt more composed. She started to apply her lipstick though her hand shook too much. Not satisfied with the uneven line she had made, she wiped the lipstick off with a tissue, then, concentrating, began all over again.

If only her stomach wasn’t so clenched tight in a knot.

I have to try to relax. Focus. Make a plan.

After a final check in the mirror, she decided she looked as good as she could under the circumstances. She found Rick in the living room. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said.’

‘And?’

She tried to smile, hoping she could convince him. ‘You’re right.
So how about we eat out tonight?’

Surprise entered his eyes. ‘That’s like diving into the deep end without learning to swim. You might like to wait a few days before you go on a public outing. At least until you’re feeling stronger.’

‘I’m strong now.’ But was she really? She’d do all she could to bring the murderer to justice and realistically she knew she couldn’t do that hiding away in her bedroom. She firmed her voice. ‘I mean it. I really do want to go out tonight.’

He considered her request for a few moments. ‘I don’t know. It could be risky. Look what happened last time.’

‘Risky or not, it’s something I have to do. Like you said, I have to start sometime.’

He gave her a quick smile that had her heart skittering all over the place. If she didn’t watch out she might fall in love with him, she realized, with a jolt. And she couldn’t do that. Not now. Not with Maria’s killer on the loose. It would distract her. Besides, hadn’t she convinced herself she didn’t want a man in her life? She had to stay focused on what she had to do. Find the killer. Whoever it was. Whatever it took. Her resolve deepened.

‘So what do you say?’ she prompted.

‘OK. I’ll book a table. The Boat Shed Café. Seven o’clock.’

She nodded. ‘Perfect.’

Gina phoned the hairdresser, Donna James, and made an appointment. Donna had done her hair for the wedding and she was one of the top hairdressers in the town. Two hours later, she walked out of the salon, feeling a lot better, and more confident. She’d had her hair trimmed and highlighted with gold streaks.

She took care in choosing what she would wear. She changed her clothes several times before settling on an olive-green dress with thin shoulder straps. She was tempted to remove the
cornicello
from around her neck and wear her greenstone necklace but she had promised her grandmother she would wear the amulet. She studied her image in the long mirror, satisfied she looked her best. Silver sandals and a clutch bag completed the outfit.