“I did let them know I was okay a few times,” Angelo said. “I was in such a mess, I didn’t think Martin and the rest of the family wanted anything to do with me anymore. And I can’t blame them. But the real reason I disappeared had nothing to do with the family … well, I take that back. It had to do with them. I wanted to protect them.” Angelo hesitated. “It’s a long story. But still … why now? Why did you want to find me now?”
Miriam came into the room with a pot of coffee and cups. Angelo got up and brought a jug of milk, a bowl of sugar, and a plate with cookies.
Miriam poured the coffee. Angelo took a sip, then set down his cup. “Why now?” He asked again.
Sofia exhaled deeply. “Something happened a few weeks ago.” She told him about the bones in the field and the fact that they belonged to his friend, Fred Leonardi.
Angelo paled. He stared at Sofia, then covered his face with his hands. “Damn it,” he mumbled.
Was he shocked that they found the evidence after all this time? Was Angelo the killer after all? Or was he upset about his friend’s death?
“The bastard killed him.” Angelo’s voice trembled. He looked up and Sofia saw despair in his eyes.
Chapter 28
“Who? Who killed him?” Sofia whispered.
“I guess there’s no use hiding it any longer,” Angelo murmured. “Fred and I worked for his cousin, Anton Leonardi. We witnessed him killing another person.”
“Anton is the cousin of our neighbor Frank, from whom we bought the property,” Sofia explained to Miriam.
“Yes.” Angelo brought his hand to his forehead. “Anton and the other guy got into a violent argument and Anton shot him. We got the impression that this other guy was some sort of a rival of Anton, some higher up in a crime syndicate. Anton saw us. He knew we had seen him. We ran away and decided to disappear separately.”
“Why not go to the police?” Miriam asked.
“First of all, we knew or at least suspected that what we did was illegal,” Angelo said. “We were drivers for this so-called trucking company. I think it was a front for their illegal activities. We transported material from one place to another, handed it over, and waited for the next load. The pay was good, so we didn’t ask any questions. I was really messed up at the time.
“But the main reason was we were terrified. Anton is a powerful member of several organizations. We knew that. He is wealthy and influential. Who do you think the cops would’ve believed? A powerful member of society or two lowlifes like us? And who knows which members of the police were paid off by him.”
“But the investigator told us that Anton had been in jail once. They would’ve known he wasn’t the respectable member of society he pretended,” Sofia said.
Angelo lifted his shoulders. “That doesn’t mean anything. Yes, he was known to not always follow the letter of the law, but as far as I know, he got away with it most of the time. He was in jail for a short time once, got off on good behavior. The fact is, he was and probably still is a powerful person with a lot of friends who are paid off by him.”
Miriam shook her head. “But that sounds like some kind of Godfather movie. Surely, the police are not all corrupt.”
Angelo narrowed his eyes. “I wish I had your positive attitude toward authorities. Unfortunately, I had some experiences that made me a little more cynical. Anyway, Fred and I decided to lay low for a while. That ‘little while’ turned into years.”
“But twenty years, Angelo? Why did you never contact the family?” Sofia asked.
“I didn’t want to involve them. I was afraid they were going to try to find us. The farther away I was from the family, the less they were affected. At least that’s what I hoped.” He hesitated. “Also, I was ashamed. Martin had helped me out so many times, and I betrayed him again and again. And then my wife died and it was my fault, really. I was on my last leg. I had enough money saved up to live for a while. I wanted to get away as far as possible from everything.” His voice sounded hoarse.
It was quiet for a while. Angelo sat bent over staring at the floor.
“Why don’t we eat something. This is going to be a long confession.” Miriam put her hand on Angelo’s shoulder. “We need some sustenance.”
“Good idea,” Angelo said.
Sofia unpacked the sandwiches and Miriam brought some plates from the kitchen. Angelo got up and slowly walked into the kitchen, slightly hunched over. He seemed to have aged in the last ten minutes. He came back with glasses and a jug of water and three bottles of lemonade. “That’s all I have.” He put the bottles on the table.
“I love those.” Sofia pointed at the lemonade. “But I’m fine with water. I don’t want to drink you out of house and home.”
Angelo shook his head. “No problem. There are grocery stores in town. I can get more. I just didn’t expect any visitors.”
They ate in silence. Angelo nibbled on his sandwich but didn’t seem very hungry. Sofia had time to observe him more carefully. She still saw Grandpa Martin in his features, but there was something else. Whereas Martin had soft brown eyes, Angelo’s eyes were almost black and piercing. His demeanor was quiet, withdrawn, and serious. Martin was serious as well but had a dry sense of humor. Angelo seemed to lack that kind of humor, at least Sofia hadn’t seen any evidence of it. Then again, there hadn’t been much of a chance for humor.
They finished their sandwich and Angelo asked if they wanted more coffee. “I’ll make some. Just relax,” Miriam said.
Sofia wondered how well Miriam was holding up. She must be devastated by Angelo’s confession and the fact that he had withheld all this from her.
“What made you decide to live in Italy?” Sofia asked him.
Angelo took a sip of water and looked down at his hands. He turned them over and checked his palms. “I wanted to see if I could find someone on my father’s side. Our father died when I was three. My whole life I’ve wanted to find out more about him. Giuseppe in New York gave me the address of a friend of my father who was still alive. This man, he’s dead now, helped me out in the beginning. He provided me with a false identity, papers, and all that.” Angelo chortled. “Obviously, I was not the only one who lived a less than honorable life and skirted the law.”
“The investigator told us that they found out that you renewed your American passport twice, under your real name obviously,” Sofia said.
Angelo nodded. “Yes, in the back of my mind I always wanted to return one day. I love Italy and the few friends I made here. They gave me the opportunity to turn my life around. But I often missed my family, my country. I felt bad for abandoning them.”
“You know they’re looking for you in California,” Sofia said. “Ever since they found the skeleton in our field.”
“Am I a suspect in his murder?” Angelo asked. He didn’t sound worried or shocked.
“The last I heard they want you for questioning,” Sofia said. “By the way, they don’t know you’re here under a false name. They may suspect it, but they wouldn’t know your fake name … I haven’t told anyone.”
Angelo looked at her surprised. “Why not? You’re withholding pertinent information.”
Sofia raised an eyebrow. “Not as pertinent as your information of twenty years ago about a murder.”
“I guess so.” His eyes showed a humorous spark. So he had a sense of humor, too, just like his brother. “You should tell them. Well, actually, I need to tell them. I need to go back. I need to help the police clear this up and I need to clear my name. I just have to take care of a few things beforehand. I need to inform the abbot at Novalesa, and I need to find someone to take over my classes. I can’t just abandon the kids.”
“Would there be someone who could fill in for you?” Miriam asked. She’d been very quiet the whole time, but she seemed composed.
“I have someone in mind. We take turns, and he is very good and the children like him.”
“If you need help while you’re away, let me know,” Miriam said matter-of-factly.
Angelo turned to her. “Thank you. Perhaps check on the cabin occasionally? You could use it for vacation.”
“I wouldn’t mind checking on the cottage. But staying here? No, it would be too painful. It would remind me of the good times we had together, before you just up and left.” Now, Miriam sounded bitter.
Angelo lowered his gaze. “I’m really sorry, Miriam.”
“Well, you should be.”
Sofia felt the two should have some private time. She got up. “Would you mind if I looked around outside? It’s such a gorgeous place.”
“Go ahead,” Angelo said. “There is a short path to the left of the cabin. It leads to a pond. Very pretty. Just don’t wander off too far.”
“I won’t. I’ll see you in a while.” Miriam gave her a weak smile that seemed to say “thank you.” Sofia went outside and took a deep breath. It had cooled off a little outside, and in the sky behind the forest, heaps of dark clouds were forming.
Sofia walked along the path through a forest of mainly light-green birches and a few stone pines. There was the sound of a spring and after about two hundred yards, the woods opened onto a meadow and a small pond bordered by reeds and bushes. It smelled of moss and some kind of herb she didn’t recognize. She sat down on a rock next to the pond and listened to a concert of birds tweeting all around her.
Chapter 29
An uncomfortable silence permeated the room after Sofia left. Angelo tried to find the right words to ease the hurt he had inflicted on yet another person. He liked Miriam a lot, even loved her, and had felt guilty for disappearing. He had seen the guy again, the same one who had chased him out of Bardonico. They had been friends once, but the friendship had soured when Angelo discovered his true character and intent. A few years later, the man showed up in Moretta as well and Angelo panicked. He had to disentangle himself from people he was close to once again, because he feared putting them in harm’s way.
“I know you hate me for just disappearing, and I don’t blame you. But I can only say I had legitimate reasons to do it.”
“I don’t hate you. I know now that you needed to hide, to hide from your enemies and perhaps also from your old life. You needed a sanctuary. What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me. We were together for two years. You knew me. Why didn’t you trust me?”
“It wasn’t distrust. I just didn’t want you to know things that could’ve put you in danger. The people I’m running from are lethal. They don’t care about human life and if they feel just the slightest bit threatened, they don’t hesitate to kill. I already lost my wife to my way of life. I didn’t want to cause anyone else’s death.” Angelo felt a knot in his throat. “Now I know that I lost Fred as well.”
“He wasn’t your responsibility. Didn’t you say he was the one who introduced you to his cousin? He knew the danger. It could’ve been the other way round. You could be dead and he could’ve survived.”
“True, but I am the one who is still hunted and anybody with me is in danger as well.”
“Isn’t that a little exaggerated?”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Whatever. Things are the way they are. I just hope you’ll be able to resolve all this and finally find peace.”
“I hope so, too. I was a coward, Miriam. I guess what I said is only halfway true. I tried not to endanger other people. But if that had been the only reason all along, I would’ve gone to the police when I witnessed the killing. I would’ve accepted the consequences. Instead, I ran away and I’ve been on the run ever since.”
Angelo covered his face with his hands. He was so weary and tired. He looked up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He took Miriam’s hand and kissed it. “I guess all this talk doesn’t change anything. All I can say again is I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. You know the most important thing is to forgive yourself. I know you’re not a bad person. You’ve made mistakes in your life, but you’ve never given up. Perhaps came close, but you’ve always found a way to go on. You’re doing something worthwhile. You help youngsters, young people in trouble, as you yourself were once. Don’t give up now.”
Angelo’s eyes filled with tears. He hugged Miriam. “Thanks.”
They heard the garden gate squeak. Angelo looked up and wiped his eyes. “Nicholas sure got himself a beautiful wife. Not just beautiful, but smart. I still don’t know how she was able to track me down. I guess you’re responsible for that, too.”
“She did most of the detective work. The abbot at the Abbey of Novalesa didn’t want to give us your address. He told us where you worked. But the rest was private information. We told him it was important to get a hold of you, so he said he would contact you. But then I remembered the cottage and our favorite hike. So we decided to give it a try.”
The door opened. “Well, hello, Sherlock Holmes,” Miriam said.
Sofia grinned. “Hi, Dr. Watson.”
Angelo shook his head. “You two are something else.”
“I think it’s going to rain. I wonder if we should leave now. Otherwise, we won’t make it to town before the storm,” Sofia said.
“I can drive you.” Angelo got up and checked his watch, then stepped outside and scanned the sky. It began to rain and within a few minutes, the rain turned into a torrential downpour. Angelo scratched his head. “It may be too late. You ladies may have to spend the night. Once it rains like this, the road washes out. It would be too dangerous to drive.”
Miriam and Sofia looked at each other. “But we can’t just stay here, can we?” Sofia asked.
“Do you have to be somewhere tonight?” Angelo asked
Both women shook their head. “Our car is parked in a public lot. Do you think it’ll be okay overnight?” Sofia asked.
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Miriam said.
“Okay, why don’t you stay? It’s rare that I have company. I can drive you to town tomorrow morning.”
Sofia looked around. “Where would we sleep?”
“In my bed. It’s not huge but big enough for two slender ladies.” Angelo opened the door to the bedroom. “I’ll sleep on the sofa. It’s very comfortable. Really.”
Miriam glanced at Sofia. “What do you think?”
“It’s okay, yes. If you don’t mind.” Sofia looked at Angelo with her purple-blue eyes. He was struck once again how much he had missed being away for twenty years. He smiled.
“What?” Sofia asked.
Angelo shook his head. “I just can’t get it into my head. The last time I saw Nicholas he was … what? … eight or nine years old, and now he’s married.” He walked into the bedroom. “Let me give you some clean sheets and towels.”
“Okay, what about dinner?” Miriam asked.
Angelo turned around. “I have enough for a simple meal. And I think I even have some wine.”
“Good, but we’ll prepare dinner,” Sofia said.
“If you insist.” Angelo pulled the sheets from his bed, grabbed clean ones in the chest of drawers. He looked outside. The rain came down hard now. It pelted the windows and the walls and drummed on the stone roof.
Just as he turned away he thought he saw movement at the edge of the forest, a shape that didn’t belong there. But when he stepped closer, it was gone. He narrowed his eyes and watched for a while. Nothing. He turned around and laid the clean sheets, pillow cases, a comforter, and towels on the bed.
“I also have to let Martin and the others know that we found you,” Sofia said. “They’re really worried about my sleuthing and of course they’re worried about you, Uncle Angelo.”
“You may have to wait until tomorrow,” Angelo said. “I don’t have a landline and the cell phone only works intermittently and probably not with this storm.”
“Okay, well, one day more or less won’t make much difference anyway.”
Chapter 30
Sofia and Miriam were in the kitchen preparing dinner. They found a package of spaghetti and a jar of tomato sauce in the kitchen cabinet. There
was lettuce, cucumbers, olives, and tomatoes in the fridge as well as a hunk of Parmesan cheese. Angelo opened a bottle of red wine.
“This is going to be a real party,” Sofia said. Angelo smiled at her and she noticed again the furrows and grooves of care and pain in his face. Some of the lines were caused by laughter, though. So he hadn’t forgotten that part of his being.
“What are we celebrating?” he asked.
“Finding Angelo?” Sofia suggested.
“I’ll drink to that,” Miriam said.
“Not sure how that’s going to affect my life, but I guess I’ll drink to it, too.” Angelo poured three glasses of wine.
They had a simple dinner of pasta, salad, and wine. After the meal, they sat in the living room, drinking espresso. Outside, the storm had subsided and given way to a more gentle downpour. In the house, there was a scent of tomato sauce and coffee. Sofia felt relaxed and content. It began to dawn on her that she’d actually found her and Nicholas’s great-uncle and Martin’s long-lost younger brother. What an adventure it had been. She sipped her coffee and faced Angelo.
“Tell me about your time in Italy. How did you get here? What happened?”
Angelo rubbed his beard and exhaled deeply. “It’s a long story.”
“We have time,” Sofia said.
Angelo put his cup down and held his hands folded in his lap. “After I left California, I spent some time with Giuseppe, Nino and his wife in New York.”
Sofia nodded. “Yes, Nicholas and I went to see them and they told me about that. They also showed me an envelope of a letter you sent them eleven years ago. Somehow it got lost in the mail and they received it a short time before we went to visit them. It was postmarked in Bardonico.”
Angelo gave her an inquiring look. “Is that what made you come to Italy?”
“Well, not really. I was supposed to come here anyway, to visit my sister in Tuscany and look after my vineyards there. But yes I decided to make some inquiries.”
A look of surprise flashed over Angelo’s face. “You have a sister and vineyards in Tuscany?”
Finding Angelo (The Wine Lover's Daughter, Book 2) Page 12