temptation in florence 03 - bankers death (13 page)

“Why, nothing, of course!” Fabbiola gave a false laugh. “But I know that the Commissario is very thorough and will want to interview everybody inside the house. We can go back to the kitchen, so he can tape your statement. Come on.” She grabbed Maria's arm and pulled her toward the door.

Maria hung back. “But Fabbiola, I . . . .”

“You have nothing to fear, my dear.” Fabbiola gave her a warning glance that conveyed another message as clearly as if she had spoken. “Just answer the Commissario's questions.”

Garini didn't move. Fabbiola had already convinced him to make a thorough search of Carlina's apartment, something he had not planned to do, but for the moment, he enjoyed the show she put on.

“I already know his questions,” Fabbiola continued when neither Maria nor Garini budged. “First, do you have an alibi, second, when did you last see the victim alive, third, why should anybody want to kill him?”

Maria's look of dismay was almost ludicrous. “But I don't know why anybody should want to kill him!”

Fabbiola gave a satisfied nod, so that the strand of henna-colored hair fell forward. “See, that was easy. How about the alibi? What did you do yesterday evening between five and eight?”

Maria took a step back. “I . . . I . . . why, nothing! I was at home.”

“Good!” Fabbiola nodded with satisfaction as if she was talking to a child that had just managed to add two and two. “Now only one question remains. When did you last see Valentino alive?”

Maria lifted both hands and pushed back her curls. “I only saw him during Ernesto's birthday party.”

“See? That's it already!” Fabbiola opened the door to her apartment and pulled Maria forward. “Let's go inside and ask the Commissario to tape this, so it'll be all official and correct.”

“That's fine.” Garini smiled at Maria. “You've made a statement in front of a witness, so for the moment, this is enough.”

“Good!” Fabbiola grabbed his sleeve again.

I hope this won't become a habit.
He resisted her tug.

Fabbiola fixed him with a stare that was probably meant to be hypnotic. “Let's go down and see if Carlina has arrived for lunch. She might already be in Benedetta's kitchen.”

“I'm here, Mama.” Carlina's voice floated down from upstairs. Then she came clattering down the steps, one hand on the smooth wooden banister. Her eyes lit up when she saw Garini. “Stefano.”

His heart beat faster. He wanted to be alone with her. “Carlina.”

Maria looked from one to the other with a quick glance. Her mouth trembled.

“Ah, there you are, my dear.” Fabbiola gave another false laugh. “I thought you hadn't arrived yet.”

Carlina frowned. “But I met you when I--”

“It's good that you're here,” Fabbiola interrupted her in a somewhat feverish way. “I think Benedetta has lunch ready. Let's go down right now.”

“One moment, please.” Garini went to Carlina and took her hand. “I need to talk to you.” He looked over his shoulder with a warning glance at Fabbiola. “Alone.” Then he turned back to Carlina. “Let's go upstairs.”

“Oh, you can talk in my apartment, Commissario!” Fabbiola made a beckoning motion with her right hand. “My home is your castle.” Her booming laugh filled the staircase.

Maria and Carlina both winced.

“Thanks, that's not necessary.” He grabbed Carlina and pulled her upstairs.

As soon as the door had closed behind them, he slid the bolt to the side so nobody could come inside, pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, hard kiss.

When they emerged, breathless, she smiled. “I like that kind of talking.”

“Promise me you'll never turn out to be like your mother.” His voice sounded rough.

She put a hand on her heart. “I promise.”

“And now tell me why your mother is hell-bent on preventing me from going into your apartment.”

The smile slipped from her face, and her whole body stiffened.

He dropped his arms and took a step back. Then he looked around, taking in every detail. Next to Carlina's favorite armchair, a new carpet covered the floor. It was dark-green, much too old-fashioned and traditional to fit the light colors in Carlina's apartment. With one big step, he went to it, knelt down, and flipped it over. A dark stain disfigured the wooden planks on the floor.

A dove landed outside on the roof. Its cooing sounded loud in the quiet room.

The world seemed to turn around him. He lifted his head and met her gaze. “Why didn't you tell me that your cousin was stabbed here?”

She lifted her chin. “Because he wore nothing but the boxer shorts he had bought from me that afternoon.” Her voice sounded belligerent.

Something cold poured through him. He dropped the carpet and got up. “Did you have a date?” He had to force himself to get the words out.

She clenched her teeth so hard that the muscles at the side of her face bulged. “No, I didn't have a date with my precious cousin, Garini. He staged a surprise seduction.”

“You had no idea?”

“I had no idea.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Why did I do what?” She folded her arms in front of her chest.

“Why did you move the body?” Anger filled him. Why had she led him on?

“I didn't. That was my family.”

“Of course.”

She swallowed. “I was sent out to call you.”

“Oh, they wanted me?” His voice was heavy with sarcasm.

“Yes, they wanted you.” Carlina shrugged. “Because they expected you to be loyal to the family.”

He gave a snort. “Just because of our relationship?”

“Yes.”

“I wouldn't consider that.”

“I know. I told them so.”

He shook his head and pushed a hand through his hair, exasperated. “But why didn't you tell me?”

“Because I didn't want everybody to laugh at you.”

“To laugh at me?” He couldn't believe it. “Why should they laugh at me?”

“Because . . . because you have to investigate a case where your girlfriend's cousin is found dead in a highly compromising situation. They will all assume that I was cheating on you.”

He took a deep breath. “So that's why you asked about my alibi.”

“Yes.”

Garini turned his back on her. What a total mess. She was right, of course. The whole town would laugh. In the first shock of realizing that Valentino had been stabbed right here, he had not thought this far. His only thought had been Carlina's involvement.

The dove cooed again, then fluttered away.

“Garini?”

“What?”

“Do you believe me?”

He turned back to her. “Do I believe what?”

“Do you believe that I wasn't cheating on you?”

He wanted to believe it, but he first needed time to clear his head. Every instinct inside him screamed to get his distance, to take time off to assess the situation, but he knew it was a luxury he couldn't allow himself. Now that the cat was out of the bag he had to face the family immediately. He could scrap all the statements of this morning. A whole day wasted. His insides coiled up in anger. Every single member of the Mantoni clan had been leading him on, even the people he thought he could rely on - Leopold Morin - Uncle Teo. Every single one. Even Carlina. That hurt most.

“Garini?” Her voice sounded small.

He pressed his lips together. “Actually, I'm extremely fed-up with being led on by you and your family, and I don't quite know yet how to react.”

She bit her lips.

He clenched his teeth. “I think it's best if we discontinue our relationship for the duration of the investigation.” The words were out before he had thought them through. They had come from deep inside him, out of the feeling of his trust being betrayed and, most of all, because of their easy assumption that he was one of them, that he would protect their shenanigans and go along with whatever mad scheme they would come up with. Even Carlina had gone along, expecting him to follow.
Over my dead body.
If the Mantonis thought they could corrupt him, they would have another thought coming.

Carlina had gone pale.

He forced himself to look away. “Let's go down.”

“What do you mean?”

He slid the bolt open and held the door for her. “I have an urgent need to talk to your family.”

Chapter 6

I

Benedetta's kitchen smelled of warm butter, sage, and a hint of garlic. It was packed full with Mantoni family members, and they had just started to dig into the freshly made raviolis with ricotta-spinach filling.

When Garini came through the door, holding Carlina by the arm as if she was a prisoner, the room fell silent.

Garini took his time. He looked from one to the other, meeting every pair of eyes for a second before moving on. The expressions on their faces were identical - fear combined with a certain belligerence that comes from being in a tight corner. Benedetta sat at the end of the table, next to her Leopold Morin. Garini felt a surge of anger when he looked into the face of the Frenchman. All of them had banded together against him, even the ones he had trusted. Ernesto and Annalisa sat side by side, their red hair flaming. Next to Ernesto was his best friend Rafaele Altori. He seemed to practically live in this house at the moment. Down the table, Fabbiola. She was the only one who had something unappetizing on her plate. It looked like lentil soup in an off-color. On Fabbiola's right hand side, Emma and Lucio, the only ones he had not yet talked to. No doubt they had their lies already prepared for him. Across from them, Uncle Teo, his back straight, his bushy eyebrows furrowed.
I have an ax to grind with you.
Garini's gaze swept on. Next to Uncle Teo, the two jugglers - Maria and Simonetta. They always seemed to come as a pair.

The silence became heavier every second. For some reason, the anger inside Garini was at once searing hot and so cold it made him shiver.

“Before I take the next step in the murder investigation of Valentino Canderini, I need to make a statement.” His voice cut through the room, sharp and precise. He took care to sound as official as a report presented to the judge. “I am not going out with Carlina anymore, so don't count on any loyalty toward the Mantoni family. I will investigate this case exactly as I investigate every other case.”

Fabbiola jumped up. “You told him! I told you to hold your tongue, Carlina!”

Carlina flinched.

Garini could feel it because he was still holding onto her arm.

“You are wrong, Signora Mantoni-Ashley.” He made sure to address her as formally as possible. “You yourself told me.”

“I didn't!” Fabbiola drew herself up to her full height. “How dare you say that I--”

“You gave yourself away when you tried to stop me from going into Carlina's apartment. The rest was easy. The next time you try to conceal something, make sure you pick matching colors. That carpet stuck out like a sore thumb.”

Fabbiola opened her mouth, then closed it again. “But--”

“Let me finish.” He cut her short without the slightest hesitation. “You banded together, all of you, safe in the knowledge that I would go along. You were wrong.”

“We did it for the best!” Fabbiola rallied. “You will be the laughing stock of town when it comes out that Valentino was killed half-naked in Carlina's apartment.”

Carlina flinched again.

He dropped her arm so he would not be touched by her reactions anymore. “Let that be my problem.”

An uneasy silence descended upon the table.

Uncle Teo got up. “You need to know something else, Commissario.”

As one, the family surged up.

“Don't!” Benedetta grabbed his arm and tried to pull him back. “It won't make things any better.”

“Be quiet, Uncle Teo!” Annalisa flashed her great-uncle a warning glance.

“I really think it would be better if you didn't mention it.” Leopold Morin looked at Uncle Teo with something akin to pity.

Garini narrowed his eyes. “Do you wish to talk to me on your own, Signor Morin?”

Uncle Teo shook his head. “That's not necessary.”

Fabbiola bent forward. “Stop talking, Teo! This will only lead us into more problems.”

“I agree!” Emma clenched her fist. “You're making things more complicated. Let him” she made a move with her head toward the Commissario, “find out by himself.”

Uncle Teo ignored them. “The truth is, Commissario, that each and every one of us had a strong motive to kill him.”

“I didn't!” Simonetta sat up straight.

Annalisa gave her a look of acute dislike.

Uncle Teo inclined his head, acknowledging the point. “I meant everyone who lives here permanently.”

“Why?” Garini's question came out like a bullet.

“Because I took up a mortgage on this house and gave the money to Valentino to invest. He lost it all, and the bank was about to kick us all out.”

“So the motive is revenge?”

“No.” Uncle Teo's shoulders slumped. “The motive is his life insurance. When we arranged the mortgage, the bank made us take out insurance so that their risk would be covered even in the case of Valentino's sudden or even violent death. The premium covers the mortgage and the interest rates.”

Garini froze. This was a lot more serious than he had expected. Petty family disagreements were one thing, but this took the case to a whole new level. He gave Carlina a glance. She had her hands clenched in front of her, her head bowed. Her dark curls had tumbled forward and hid her face. She looked beaten.
Damn it all.

“So you banded together and killed him?”

“No!” For once, the Mantonis were of one opinion.

“We do not know who killed him,” Fabbiola said with dignity. “But we did not think it would help the case if you found him in Carlina's apartment.”

“Yes, I gathered that.” Garini's voice was dry.

“It was a stupid thing to do,” Fabbiola pressed her lips together. “Because it was clear that you would not support us if you thought that Carlina is cheating on you. The murderer is obviously a bit deranged. Or confused. Or they don't like you. Anyway, they want the two of you to break it off, and at the moment, that's not getting us anywhere because we still need your support. If I get my hands on the person who did that, I'll--”