The Year of the Mantis

by P J Mann

  “None of your business, detective,” her voice resonated in a firm state. Yet, Maurizio felt a cold shiver crawling his spine, raising the hair on his neck.

  “You were living with your father for a period, including the night of the murder. You knew he was going to kill Mr. Calvani. You could have called the police or warned your boyfriend. I believe he was devastated by the death of his father.”

  Shaking her head, she furrowed the brows creasing her forehead. “Do you believe I haven’t thought about it? I was sure he wouldn’t come to the point of killing the man. I was sure that until I would have stayed with him, he might have not done something stupid that could have brought him to jail, ruining his life, together with the life of many others— me included.”

  “So, what happened the night of the murder?” Maurizio wasn’t impressed. Of course, she could have at least warned Mr. Calvani. He would have been wise to hire a bodyguard. Unless it was her who killed the man, framed her father, and organized his murder, forcing Aldo and his crew to take part in the murder and concealing the corpse.

  “I went to sleep, as usual, at ten in the evening. I wasn’t supposed to meet with Luciano, as the following day he needed to go to the University so we would have met in the afternoon. The morning after, my father was in his regular mood. He behaved like nothing had ever happened, so I couldn’t imagine he killed Mr. Calvani,” She replied, glancing around at her attorney, who gave a curt nod.

  “Haven’t you heard anything? Like, for example, the door opening or closing. Something that woke you up.”

  “No.”

  The noise of someone knocking at the door startled the people present in the room. Maurizio glanced around, knowing it was the time to get Aldo and his crew in the room, to finally shed some light on the case.

  “Yes, come in,” Maurizio answered.

  An officer peeked from the door, and turning his face at his back, he let the guests come in one after the other. The five members of the Sea Rider entered the room, and silence fell like a heavy drape. Regardless of the fact that this meant the end of all the lies, Irina didn’t seem to be impressed by their presence.

  With a loud click, the door closed behind the last member who entered the room, and none of them said a word. Everyone was holding his breath, waiting for something to happen.

  “Ms. Leonova, do you know any of the people who entered the room?” Maurizio asked with a quiet tone of voice, trying to hide the turmoil and the racing heartbeat in his chest.

  Irina didn’t reply, meaning that this was a question he had to ask the counterpart. Standing up from his chair, Maurizio approached the five men. “Do any of you, gentlemen, knows who this young lady is?”

  They all nodded, “We know her. She is Irina Leonova. She used my boat on several occasions to enter and exit the Italian territory without passing through the border control.” Aldo’s voice resounded through the walls, loud and clear.

  “Can you tell us your name?” Maurizio asked, glancing at Aldo.

  “My name is Aldo Carrisi, and I’m the owner and captain of the Sea Rider,” his voice was broken as he tried not to look in Irina’s direction.

  Opening the folder, where all the documentation about the case was, Scala took out a picture of Igor. He showed it around to all the people in the room, and finally to Aldo. “Do you know this man? Have you ever seen him?”

  Aldo exhaled, “He is Igor Leonov, he was introduced to us as Ms. Leonova’s father. He is the man she asked us to murder. She made it clear to me that in case I refused to help, she would have killed us both, so it wasn’t the time for any brave choice to be made— it was him or both of us. I cowardly chose him, and I regret and regret more that decision every second of my life.”

  Glancing at the same officer who brought the five men in, Maurizio said, “You can bring them back, I guess we have heard enough.”

  As the crew left the room, Maurizio returned to sit at the table in front of Irina. Her head lowered, regretting not having killed them all.

  “Ms. Leonova, do you have anything to say?” Maurizio spelled his words slowly, hoping she would have started finally to tell the truth.

  There was a long pause of silence. Maurizio knew she was trying to fabricate another lie, he had experience with murderers; he knew they always had a good reason to justify their actions and the more the time that passed between his questions and her answers, the more he felt she was confirming his suspects, and she was the one who organized the murder of the two men. I can understand the reason why you killed your father; he would have been an uncomfortable obstacle to your theory by which he was the assassin. But why in this world would you want to kill Mr. Calvani, a man you hardly knew?

  She shot him a serious glare. “My father was a horrible person; he ruined the life of my mother with his obsessive jealousy. He stalked her and threatened her, even after they divorced,” she commenced. “I could tolerate that, but how could I stand the fact that he killed the father of my boyfriend and the man with whom my mother finally found happiness?”

  No, you don’t impress me, Maurizio thought. “Murdering a man, regardless of what he did is not allowed by the law. For this reason, you’re under arrest with the charges of first-degree murder, corpse concealment and illegal immigration. This is validation for the murder of Igor Leonov and Claudio Calvani.”

  A jolt shook her body. “I haven’t killed Mr. Calvani!”

  For the first time, her voice trembled in the realization that in case she would have been considered guilty, she could have faced lifetime imprisonment. That wasn’t the way it was planned!

  “Then, I suggest you start telling the truth because nobody is saving you from jail. At this point, you can make your situation lighter by cooperating with us.” Maurizio started to feel his blood boiling in his veins and tried everything in his power to keep his temper at bay.

  He got as close as he could to her face, “This is going to bring you in jail for at least fifty years, or you can have a lighter sentence based on your cooperation, and if it’s true and you haven’t killed Mr. Calvani, maybe you might get only fifteen years.”

  The scent of his aftershave reached her nostrils. She opened her mouth as if she were going to speak, but closed it immediately after, biting her lower lip to avoid saying something she would have regretted.

  I need to talk with Luciano, she thought.

  He was the only one who could have helped her. First, providing her the best attorney money could buy, and then with a solution to get out of that situation.

  Narrowing her eyes, she glared at Maurizio, but said nothing.

  “Take her away!” Maurizio ordered, opening the door of the room.

  With long strides he reached his room and collapsed on the chair behind his desk. “She killed them both; eventually, the reason why she framed and killed her father was indeed the resentment for the pain he caused to her mother. I bet, it hadn’t been easy to live away from her and being raised by her aunt, yet what the heck did it have to do with Calvani?”

  He grabbed his head between his hands and closed his eyes. He remained in the same position for as long as his arms could give out, then falling limp on his lap.

  Opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling, ruminating about the case.

  “What if her mother told her about some arguments with Mr. Calvani? Could it be so, and she felt the need to protect her even from him? Was that the reason why she contacted his son and pretended to be in love with him?”

  He listened to his voice as if it came from somebody else, and like magic, every piece of the puzzle started to take a place in that crazy plan.

  “The mantis generally kills the lover. This one, the lovers who eventually hurt her mother,” he mumbled through tightened teeth. “Could it be that Luciano Calvani might have been in danger? Was there a trap also set for him?”

  Without thinking twice, he stood from his chair and paced out of the room, heading to his parking place. He had to talk with Madlen one more
time. First, because he had to inform her about the death of her ex-husband if she hadn’t been informed. Secondly, he needed to tell her about the imprisonment of her daughter.

  CHAPTER 25

  It was around four o’clock in the afternoon. Madlen was returning home from shopping, when she noticed the police car outside her building. Although there wasn’t any reason, she could figure out for them to be there, she was sure it was connected to the murder of Claudio. She hurried her steps to the entrance, literally stumbling into Maurizio.

  “Detective!” she exclaimed uncertainly.

  “I’m terribly sorry, Ms. Fazekas, I didn’t want to alarm you. I needed to see you and have a chat; can we reach your apartment?”

  “Of course, is there any news about the murder?” She opened the door of the building, heading to the elevators.

  “Yes, and I’m afraid I have some bad news to tell you, unless the media has found a way to release the latest piece.”

  “I haven’t heard anything at this point, and I hope no charges have been raised against me,” a nervous giggle escaped her mouth. A couple of months before, Scala reassured her she wasn’t considered a suspect anymore, but having him again right at her door, made her as jumpy as a cat on a hot tin roof.

  “No, nothing against you. That was the reason why we released the funds from the insurance company,” he clarified as they reached the apartment.

  She allowed him to come inside and carefully closed the door behind her.

  Reaching the living room, Maurizio recognized the familiar place where he’d stepped inside a few times in the past. He turned around to glance at her and drew a deep breath.

  The reason for his visit, although it wasn’t to arrest her, wasn’t pleasant either, and he had to find the right words to tell her.

  “It’s better if you’ll take a seat. I’m afraid you will need it,” Maurizio suggested.

  “Detective, now you’re scaring me!” her brows furrowed as she sat down on the couch.

  “We’ve arrested your daughter, Irina, for the murder of Claudio Calvani and Igor Leonov. Although she denied the first murder, she had to confess the second one, as other witnesses provided unquestionable proof of her involvement. I’m afraid that considering all the accusations from the double homicide for futile reasons, the concealment of a corpse, illegal immigration, she might face long time imprisonment.” He sat down, speaking with a calm tone of voice, feeling the pain she should have felt, understanding her daughter was an assassin.

  Madlen remained silent for a moment; tears choked her breath, and she felt as if she was going to faint. “That... No!” Covering her face with her hands, both to avoid looking at Maurizio’s face for the shame and to hide the pain her expression would have shown. Her heart shattered. Her daughter, the one she considered the most precious gift of life ever allowed her, killed the man who gave her back hope for her future. Even though she was bitter with Igor for the pain he’d inflicted in her life, she would have never wished him dead. The only thing she wanted was to be left alone, and with Claudio around, Igor, too, reached an agreement with his own jealousy.

  It had been months since the last time he acted like a jealous boyfriend, and she was sure he started to go on with his life. The death of Claudio caused an endless sense of pain in her heart, but more painful was to know that the one who did this to her was her own daughter.

  Maurizio remained silent, sharing her pain. He thought about his daughter, Giovanna, and wondered whether there could ever have been the chance that she would have ruined her life with a similar crime.

  Certainly, Madlen couldn’t expect something like that could have happened to her. She would have thought Igor was the one who killed her boyfriend, and he might have had a real reason to do so, but what could have been Irina’s reason for it? Why her father and Claudio? Maurizio thought as a lump formed in his throat.

  Slowly he raised a hand to Madlen’s shoulder. “I’m truly sorry. I wish it wasn’t me who had to deliver such terrible news.”

  She went on sobbing for a few minutes before she could find the strength to raise her head back to Maurizio. “I tried my best, I sent her away from Italy because I didn’t want her to be bullied at school for being the daughter of a stripper. I wanted her to grow up in a normal family environment, and my sister was able to offer that.” She searched her purse for a tissue to dry her tears. “I did everything I could, detective. Igor was a terrible husband, but he also had been present in her life, like a father should. Irina didn’t have any reason to kill him nor Claudio.”

  “The only person who can answer those questions is Irina herself,” Maurizio whined. “I also have a daughter, and I would be devastated if something like that would happen in my family. I know nobody is safe from errors and troubles. I want you to know I feel your pain, and I’m sorry.”

  A weak smile appeared on Madlen face. “Thank you, detective. I appreciate your sympathy, and the fact that you don’t judge me for my choices. I don’t know whether it’s also my fault; I wanted to give her what I thought was best.”

  Shaking his head, Maurizio stood from the couch. “It’s not your fault; as parents we can simply do our best, hoping it’s going to be enough. We can’t see the future, unfortunately, so we can’t be sure we’re preparing our children for a life in a world that’s constantly changing. We’ve learned to live it at our time, and what was twenty years ago, is no more the same nowadays, nor will it be in another twenty years. I hope you will take the chance and talk to her and try to understand her reason and perhaps find a way to forgive her and be at her side.”

  “I will talk to her, but though I can forgive her, I will never forget, because she took away from me the only chance to be happy. She hurt me, when all I offered her was love.” Averting her gaze from Maurizio, she swallowed the tears that returned one more time as she wiped the wet pools from her eyes. “I need to be alone...”

  Without saying another word, Maurizio turned and walked away from her apartment. He was heartbroken; that was one of the things he hated about his job.

  Wiping the tears from his eyes, he glanced at the sky, with a nod, he strolled back to his car, ready to return to the Department and prepare all the reports ready for archiving the case.

  “The judge will decide whether the case is closed. As for us, we don’t have any reason to pursue the investigation. We have a culprit, we have the proof, and for the motives we will need to wait until the final sentence... maybe,” he said, entering his car.

  ***

  The trial went on for other three months, and the result, as everyone was expecting, was that the court considered Irina guilty for both murders.

  The outcome of the psychiatric examination confirmed that the reason for the murder of her father was connected to a type of obsessive desire to protect her mother and to avoid having her hurt anymore. According to the psychiatrist, her possible reason to murder also Claudio was to avoid her mother another disappointment. He believed she elevated herself to the position of being her mother’s guardian, who should have protected her from the abuses of men, which she learned not to trust. Her relationship with Luciano was probably aimed to use him to reach Mr. Calvani and get access to the garage area, obtain information restricted to the inhabitants of the building, like the time of the maintenance of the camera system. In this optic, Luciano was a victim of her clever plan.

  Despite the efforts of the attorney to mitigate the sentence, Irina was finally sentenced to thirty-five years. The sentence wasn’t mild for the crew of the Sea Rider either, although it was the captain who was condemned more severely with twenty-five years.

  “So, it seems like we’ve reached the end of this case,” Leonardo glanced at Maurizio, who thoughtfully, in the common room, was immersed in his own thoughts.

  Startling at his comment, Maurizio raised his gaze at Leonardo, almost surprised to find him close to him. “Uh… well, yes— I guess this is the case...”

  “You don’t sound convinced.
I think there’s no doubt on the reasons for Irina to kill Mr. Calvani and her father. She made a few rookie mistakes, but I have to admit the two murders were carefully planned out.” He walked to the vending machine.

  “That’s exactly what makes me suspicious, you know?” Maurizio followed Leonardo with the tail of his eyes, as if to see something through the darkness of the beverage. “This is something that requires a couple of masterminds, not just one.”

  “And as she admitted, her father helped her in the planning and execution of the first murder...”

  Raising a hand to interrupt what Leonardo was saying, Maurizio moved a couple of steps toward him. “Igor Leonov was a consumed criminal. If he were the one to help his daughter kill Mr. Calvani, there wouldn’t have been flaws, but this wasn’t the case.”

  “You are forgetting Mr. Calvani’s murder was carried out professionally; the problem arose when she decided to get rid of an uncomfortable witness. Leaving other witnesses alive... I don’t know. Maybe I should let this be, as the case is closed, at least considering the evidence we’ve gathered and the final sentence of the judge.”

  “We don’t have any clues to lead us to other responsible accomplices. You can’t chase ghosts, and there are other cases that need your attention, Commissario.” Leonardo chuckled.

  “You’re right, and as a celebration for the conclusion of this case, since it’s almost time for lunch, I’ll drive to my favorite kiosk and get me the best Porchetta sandwich they can prepare. I know a place that won’t fail my trust.” A wide smile brightened Maurizio’s face. He gulped the rest of his coffee, and with a wave of his hand, he left the room.

  Going to get the first Porchetta sandwich after a long investigation was almost a ritual, and he preferred not to have any company. He glanced at his belly, which had already begun to growl.

  As it always happened, he noticed the weight he’d lost during the course of that investigation. He wasn’t able to keep a steady diet, whenever he could indulge in the sin of gluttony, he would have, knowing for sure that the next complex case would have brought his weight under the suggested values for a man of his age and body structure.