by Karen Moore
“Thanks, Nerys. Not too sure what’s happening yet. We’ve got to give statements to the police later today. Sergio’s taking the whole thing really badly, and now his mother has fallen ill again. I’ll call again tomorrow with an update.”
“OK. I’ll pass you back to Eva.”
Hanna blew several kisses down the phone to her daughter, promising to speak again the following day, and rang off. No sooner had she put the phone back on the table, the entry phone sounded. Rhys got up to answer it.
“It’s the police,” he announced. He glanced around the door into the lounge. Sergio hadn’t moved. “Let’s hope Sergio’s up to talking to them.”
***
Hanna opened the door to two uniformed police officers, both carrying a suitcase in each hand. They flashed their identity cards and introduced themselves, the older officer taking charge.
“Buongiorno, signora. Inspector Graziano asked us to collect your effects from the hotel,” said the older officer, indicating the cases. “He’d also like us to take your statements while we’re here. Save you from coming down to the Questura, in the circumstances. If that’s convenient with you, of course.”
“Yes, of course,” said Hanna, showing them into the kitchen. “I presume you’ll want to interview us individually?”
The older officer nodded. “Please. Will that be a problem?”
“My partner doesn’t speak much Italian. I can translate for him, or you can interview us together.”
“We can interview you together, in that case.” The two officers took a seat at the table, the younger officer producing a tablet from a pocket of his uniform.
“Is it okay with you if we record the interviews?” he asked.
“That’s fine. Our friend, Sergio – the husband – is still pretty much in shock. I don’t know how communicative he will be.”
“Eh, signora, non si preoccupi. Don’t worry,” said the older man. “We’re well used to dealing with victims of shootings.”
I bet you are, thought Hanna grimly.
Chapter Forty-Four
It didn’t take long to make their statements to the two police officers. After all, there was really very little to tell. The police were particularly interested in the men who’d threatened Sergio in the hotel restaurant the evening before, pressing Hanna to give them a detailed description. She struggled to do so as her back had been turned to them most of the time. Maybe Sergio had been able to be more helpful, although she doubted it in his current state. With Hanna and Rhys, he remained monosyllabic and grim-faced; with the police officers, he was little better. Hanna wondered how long this would last.
Although no-one had any real appetite, for dinner Hanna ordered takeaway pizza from a little place they had passed down the street earlier on their way to the hospital. Sergio ate one piece of his pizza, chewing each mouthful painfully as if he suspected it might be poisoned, washing it down with a bottle of Peroni beer. The beer went down much more easily than the pizza. When he’d drained the last drop, he rose wearily to his feet and announced that he was going to lie down. Hanna glanced at the kitchen clock. It was shortly after ten. Unlikely they’d see much more of him before morning.
Wearily she started to clear away the dishes, when her mobile rang. Vincenzo.
“Thanks for the message about Ceri. Are you going to see her again tomorrow?”
“All being well, if they let us,” said Hanna.
“And Sergio? He’s still not answering my calls or messages.”
“He’s pretty unresponsive with us, too. It must be delayed shock. He’s taken himself off to bed. How’s Marta?”
“I think the shock has affected her, too. She’s barely lucid. The doctor’s given her a sedative to calm her down. Her sister’s coming to look after her while I go to work. I shouldn’t really be investigating the shooting as it affects my family, but given the likely link to the trafficking investigation, my boss has agreed to let me stay on.”
Hanna wondered again what would happen to the main police investigation now, but she didn’t have the energy to discuss it any further that evening. She ended the call, having agreed to speak to Vincenzo again the following day. In response to Rhys’ questioning look, she relayed the contents of the conversation.
“We’ll have to make a decision tomorrow about what we’re doing,” he said with a frown. “Our flight is on Tuesday. Whether we’re staying or what…”
“It’s difficult. We don’t know yet if Ceri’s going to pull through, and Sergio’s in such a state. But we’ve got Eva to think of, too, and I really don’t want to leave her any longer than necessary.”
“And I have to get back to work.”
Hanna sighed. “Let’s see what tomorrow brings and make a decision then.”
***
The following morning, Hanna lay awake for some time, the events of the past forty-eight hours replaying in her head as if an important clue was buried deep in her memory. Next to her, Rhys snored gently. Eventually she got up and padded into the kitchen to make some coffee. Halfway through the first cup, she heard the jets of the shower start up in the bathroom. Shortly afterwards, Sergio appeared, bleary-eyed and morose, his face dark with stubble, his hair wild and unkempt. No sign of him having been near the shower. That must have been Rhys.
She poured another coffee and handed it to him. “Morning. How are you feeling? Did you manage to get much sleep?”
“Not really. I kept getting nightmarish visions about Ceri vanishing.” He sank heavily onto a chair and drained his cup. “It feels like being dragged through a hell from which there’s no escape.”
“That’s understandable after everything that’s happened,” said Hanna sympathetically, refilling his cup.
He fumbled in the pocket of his pyjama bottoms and pulled out his phone. “I’d better check on Ceri, see how she is and whether we can visit.” He scrolled through his contacts to find the number for the hospital and dialled. Like the previous time, it rang for several minutes before being answered, then another wait while presumably the receptionist sought an update.
Sergio’s features softened slightly as he listened to the response. “Va bene. Ci vediamo piu tardi, allora.” Turning to Hanna, he said, “She seems to be doing okay. Better. We can go up there and see her this afternoon. Same time as yesterday.”
“You may want to get a shower first. You don’t want her to see you looking like that, do you?”
Sergio glanced at his reflection in the kitchen window. “Suppose not,” he agreed reluctantly, dragging himself to his feet and heading slowly towards the bathroom as if bereft of energy. Hanna heard the bathroom door open and an exchange between the two men, although she couldn’t make out the words. Then, the sound of a door shutting.
A barefoot Rhys appeared in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his lower half, another around his shoulders “Sergio looks terrible. He’s going back to bed for a while. Said he didn’t get much sleep.”
Hanna looked surprised. “Oh, I thought he was going for a shower. Never mind, plenty of time yet. He phoned the hospital, and Ceri seems to be making progress. We can go up there later.”
“Well, that’s something.” He pulled the towel from his shoulders and started rubbing his wet hair. “Any coffee left in the pot?”
***
Ceri was awake when they visited the intensive care unit that afternoon. She lay on her back, still attached to several monitors and looking frail, but with a little more colour to her cheeks. She brightened when she saw them.
Sergio looked vaguely presentable, having eventually spruced himself up for the visit after some patient coaxing from Hanna. Left to his own devices, she suspected he wouldn’t have bothered.
“Come stai, amore?” Sergio murmured, kissing her lightly on the top of her head. He settled himself into the hard plastic chair next to the bed, gingerly taking hold of her cannula-free hand in his.
“I’m… I’m doing okay, thanks.” The words came out slowly, as if the effo
rt was almost too much.
“Are you in any pain?” Sergio continued.
“Not really,” said Ceri, moving her head sideways slightly to indicate all the drips and monitors. “The medics take care of that.”
“We’ve brought you some things,” said Hanna, who’d raided Ceri’s bag that had been brought from the hotel. “Toiletries, nightie, etcetera.”
Ceri smiled weakly. “Thanks.”
“We’ll leave the two of you to talk for a few minutes,” said Hanna, pulling Rhys’ sleeve in the direction of the exit. “See you later.”
“They need time and space,” she explained to Rhys once they were back outside in the corridor, “if they’re ever going to get through this. It’s bad enough to get shot on your wedding day, but when she finds out that she’s lost the baby she didn’t even know she was carrying… It doesn’t bear thinking about.”
“You’re right,” Rhys agreed, falling into step as she headed for the hospital exit, “As usual.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Once back at the apartment, Sergio went straight into the lounge and turned on the TV to the local news. A short item on the shooting revealed little, only that the police were pursuing a number of leads. He turned it off, and slumped dejected into an armchair, closing his eyes, as if the hospital visit had sapped him of what little energy he had. Hanna and Rhys left him in peace and retired to the kitchen to talk.
Hanna was feeling happier. She had been relieved to see Ceri looking marginally better, and the news from Dr Di Mauro that they planned to transfer her to a lower-dependency ward the following day filled her with hope. But it would be a long haul to recovery, and God only knew what mental scars would be left. And would the shooting effectively scupper the police investigation and media interest into the trafficking network?
“So, what do you think we should do?” Rhys said, extracting a bottle of beer from the fridge and pouring a glass of chilled white wine for Hanna.
Hanna took a sip and said thoughtfully, “I’m worried about Sergio. I’ve never seen him like this before. He’s doesn’t seem to be dealing with what’s happened.”
“Hardly surprising,” said Rhys drily. “It’s not every day your bride gets shot on your wedding day and loses the baby she’s carrying.”
“Yes, I know. But Sergio’s usually so… in control, able to deal with anything.”
“Different when it’s so personal, though. And in such circumstances.”
“I guess so. It’s been pretty traumatic for everyone.” She fell silent, considering the options as she downed her wine. Finally, she said: “Well, I think one of us should return home and one should stay on here, at least for a few days to support Sergio and Ceri. To my mind, it makes more sense for me to stay than you, as I can be of more use. What d’you reckon?”
Rhys mulled her suggestion over for a few moments before responding. “That seems to add up. Will Eva be okay on her own with me, d’you think?”
Hanna smiled. “Of course, she will! That won’t be a problem at all. She adores you, you know that. And it won’t be for long. Sure you’re happy with that?”
Rhys looked thoughtful again. “What about you, though? You don’t think it’s too risky staying on here on your own?”
“What, with an armed police protection team in tow? Never felt safer!” Hanna made a hollow attempt at a laugh.
A look of concern flitted across Rhys’ face. “Yeah, but look what’s happened, even with police protection.”
“At the wedding, it was merely a precautionary measure. This is hard-core police protection,” said Hanna, trying to reassure him.
Rhys didn’t look convinced. “I really don’t want to leave you on your own…”
“I won’t be. I’ll be with Sergio. I don’t think he should be left on his own. And it’s only for a few days, until he gets back on his feet. His father’s got enough on his hands, what with the police investigation and Marta being ill. Once Ceri is out of ICU, and starts to recover, I think Sergio’ll get a better grip on the situation.”
Rhys still looked doubtful. “Well, if you’re sure…”
“I’m positive it’s the best solution,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him passionately on the lips. “You’ll see.”
***
Early that evening Vincenzo sent a text to say he’d drop by on his way home about nine-ish to give them an update. Hanna rustled up a makeshift dinner of pasta with a ready-made pistachio pesto sauce, ingredients she’d bought from the local alimentari. No one was really hungry, although the locally-produced sauce was really quite tasty.
Over dinner Hanna and Rhys made various attempts to engage Sergio in conversation, but the most response they got was only ever a handful of words. Eventually they gave up, and a taciturn Sergio became engrossed in scrolling through his phone.
Rhys went off to pack while Hanna cleared away the dishes. Shortly before nine o’ clock, the entry phone buzzed and the word ‘papavero’ – the Italian word for poppy – could be heard quite distinctly. Vincenzo insisted on using this new codeword so they could be sure any visitors to the apartment were genuine. Overkill, Hanna had thought when he suggested it, but had agreed to humour him, even though the only visitors to the apartment up till then had been him and his police colleagues.
Hanna opened the door of the apartment and watched Vincenzo wearily climb the last few stairs. He smiled as he reached the top, gave her a hug, and handed her a small package wrapped in red paper and tied with gold ribbon.
“What’s this?”
“Just some pasticcini, little pastries, that might tempt you all to eat a little,” he explained. “I was buying some for Marta for the same reason – they’re her favourite – and I thought you might like some, too.”
“That’s very kind. Come on in. Have you eaten?”
He shook his head. “No, not yet, but Marta’s sister will have prepared dinner for me so I can’t be long.”
“A drink, then? A coffee, maybe?”
“Nothing, thanks. If I have any more coffee today, my head will explode.”
Hanna smiled and led him into the lounge where Rhys and Sergio were watching the TV news. They both looked up expectantly and Rhys turned the TV off.
“Ciao, ragazzi,” he said, lowering himself into an armchair. “I wanted to pop around and check how you’re all doing. How’s Ceri?”
Sergio started to explain but the words seemed to stick in his throat, and he insisted that Hanna take over.
“Thank God, she’s going to be okay,” Vincenzo said, crossing himself. “But it’s terrible news about the baby. How’s she taking it?”
“They’ve not told her yet, not while her condition was still critical,” said Hanna. “The doctor’s planning to tell her tomorrow, once they’ve moved her out of intensive care.”
Vincenzo sighed. “It’ll come as a dreadful shock. The whole incident is just so horrific.” He paused, staring blankly into space as if gathering his thoughts. “Aren’t you two flying home soon?”
“We were supposed to be going tomorrow. But I’ve decided to stay on, and Rhys will go back on his own,” Hanna replied, before quickly adding, “If that’s OK with you, that is. I don’t want to pose an extra risk.”
Vincenzo waved his hands in the air dismissively. “No, it’s fine. There’s no suggestion at present that you’re in any sort of danger. I think it would do Sergio good to have you around, and Ceri will need your support, too, especially when she learns about the baby.”
“So, how’s the investigation into the shooting going?” Hanna asked.
Vincenzo leaned forward in his chair, an earnest expression on his face. “We need concrete evidence before we approach the Cortazzo family. I don’t want to tip them off that we suspect them of any involvement in the shooting until we’ve got good reason for doing so. Otherwise, they’ll simply lawyer up and wriggle out of it. We can’t afford to jeopardise the main trafficking investigation.”
He pause
d a minute before continuing. “We checked the wiretap on their phone, but nothing’s come up that’s related to the shooting. The cufflink we found at the scene has been sent off to Forensics to check for DNA. Oh, and we’re still trying to trace the tyre tracks we found near the scene. If we come up with anything that ties directly to any member of the family, we can make a move. But not until then. In the meantime, we’re keeping a watch on the family estate and Luciano’s apartment in Cefalù. There’s been no sign of Luciano at either place up till now.”
“And what about the main investigation?” Sergio piped up. “Is it on hold?”
Vincenzo sighed. “Eh, beh, it’s stalled temporarily while we look into the link with the shooting. We need to make sure there won’t be any repercussions.”
“Repercussions?” asked Hanna, alarmed.
“Eh, sì, mia cara. As I said before, we don’t want the shooters coming back for more.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Hanna’s mouth went dry. “Do you think any of us could be in danger?”
“Anything is possible,” Vincenzo replied. “So far my men haven’t spotted anything suspicious, either here at the apartment or at the hospital. The likelihood is that the gunmen have gone to ground. I’d say give it another couple of days before you go back to your own place. It should be safe enough then. In the meantime, it’s easier for us to keep an eye on you while you’re here and easier for you to visit the hospital with it being so close. Does that sound okay?”
Vincenzo’s glance flitted from Hanna to Sergio. “I suppose Hanna will be staying with you while she’s here?”
Sergio ran his hands through his hair. “Hadn’t really thought about it, but, yes, of course, she’s more than welcome. And I could use the company right now.”
“That’s settled then.” The older man got up to leave. “I’ll say goodnight. Keep in touch. Oh, and buon viaggio, Rhys, for tomorrow.” Rhys stood up as he approached, and the two men embraced a little awkwardly.