temptation in florence 03 - bankers death

by boeker, beate

  Something hot and comforting rushed through Garini, but he suppressed the feeling. “So you decided to kill him?” His voice was full of irony.

  Rafaele shrugged. “It was done on the spur of the moment.”

  “You never do anything on the spur of the moment!” Sofia shook her head.

  He glared at her. “I did.”

  Sofia got up and stopped so close to him that her nose almost touched his chest. “You stupid idiot.” Her voice was soft. “I didn't do it.”

  Rafaele's face turned a fiery red, then he blanched. His eyes widened, and his chest pumped up and down as if he had been running. “I never thought so.” His voice sounded strangled.

  “Oh, yes, you did.” She tapped her index finger against his chest with every single word. “And that's why you concocted this stupid story. I bet you made any number of mistakes in blaming yourself, didn't he Commissario?”

  Garini had to admire her astuteness, but at the same time, he couldn't rid himself of the feeling that the siblings were enacting an elaborate hoax for his sole benefit. He wanted to get some distance, some time to himself, to evaluate and weigh all the different pieces of information he had collected in the past hours. Were the two murders not related after all? Who was Alana? He hadn't finished asking all the questions, and he was not going to be distracted by the siblings and whatever it was they were doing.

  “Sit down, both of you.” He made sure his voice sounded curt. “I need to ask you some more questions.”

  Sofia shrugged and fell back onto the armchair.

  Rafaele sat on the armrest of the same chair, one hand on her shoulder, his face set.

  Garini took a seat on the sofa and bent forward. “Do you know the Bellini Circus?”

  They looked at each other, surprise written large upon their faces. “The what?” Sofia asked.

  “The Bellini Circus.”

  “Never heard of it.” Rafaele shook his head in slow motion.

  Sofia shook her head. “Ditto.”

  “How about Alana? A trapeze artist named Alana?”

  They stared at him as if he had gone crazy right in front of their eyes.

  “No.” Sofia frowned. “Alana? Wasn't that the last word the newspaperman said, the one who was also stabbed?”

  “Yes.” Impossible to keep any secret in this house.

  “No idea.” Rafaele shrugged.

  They were convincing. Damn. Garini felt as if he was turning in circles.

  “Where were you when Valentino Canderini was stabbed?”

  Sofia looked at her hands. “I was at home, in my room.”

  Garini suppressed an exasperated sigh. Difficult to prove the opposite, unless someone had seen her.

  “And you, Rafaele?”

  Rafaele shrugged. “I wanted to check if a new computer game had arrived, but the store didn't have it. I didn't ask and didn't buy anything. I just looked at the shelves with the new releases. The store was full. I doubt anyone will remember me.”

  “What is the name of the computer game?”

  This time, Rafaele didn't hesitate. The answer came like a shot. “It's the latest version of Monster. Monster V.”

  “Do you still uphold your previous statement that you stabbed Valentino Canderini?”

  Rafaele gave a sheepish grin and glanced sideways at his sister.

  She rolled her eyes. “Of course not, Commissario. Rafaele is a lamb. He'd never hurt anybody.”

  “Rafaele? Can I have your answer, please?”

  Rafaele shook his head in slow motion. “I don't know what to say anymore.”

  I bet. Garini got up. “For the time being, I reserve my judgment. Until then, I ask you not to leave town and to hold yourselves ready for further questioning.”

  “Of course.” Rafaele looked relieved. “C'mon, Sofia.”

  When they had gone, Garini leaned back and closed his eyes in concentration. Something was bothering him. Valentino was killed here, in this very room. He had plenty of suspects, but their alibis were all over the place, impossible to prove or disprove, and half of them were lying for a multitude of stupid reasons. For the moment, he had to stick to motivation. Why was Valentino killed? He had given everybody around him plenty of reasons to want him dead. Benedetta to protect her son Ernesto from his bad influence and to stop the bungee jumping. A weak motive, but added to the danger of being thrown out of the house, it might be viable. Uncle Teo, to save his family from humiliation. The rest of the family to avoid losing their home. This included the Frenchman, Leopold Morin, who was now practically a member of the family. Carlina had the added reason of self defense, if she had lied and had come home earlier, surprising Valentino during the set-up of his seduction. He found it hard to believe that Carlina had lied to him, but if he was honest, he had to consider it a possibility. Damn. Rafaele's motive was to protect his sister. Sofia could have done it for revenge that he had left her and the baby. Simonetta didn't have a motive because she didn't live in the house permanently. Neither did Maria, who came here to clean. However, these two were the only ones with direct links to the circus. Simonetta had worked in a circus. She might have met the clown Giorgio Pulo during her career there, even if he was employed at another circus. Roberto, the pathologist, had said the thrust had come from above, with great strength. That pointed to Simonetta who was built like a man. But how to prove it? And what was her motive to kill Valentino? He frowned. He was getting nowhere fast.

  Now to Maria. He didn't know enough about her. What had Carlina said? Daughter of a rich father who cleaned other people's houses for fun. A likely story, if he ever heard one. Mother died when she was twelve. Maria didn't like to talk about herself. Where had she lived between two and twelve? Those were decisive years for a child. It must have been hard to return to a strict father she didn't know at all. One who lived for his company. The fat neighbor of Signora Pulo crossed his mind. Hadn't he mentioned a slim man who was at the apartment at the crucial time, someone who moved in a strange way? A slim woman like Maria could easily disguise like a boy. That would fit to Orfeo's story of the small Russian who had bought the knife. But what possible motive could Maria have for killing Valentino? Garini rubbed his forehead. Maria was an attractive young woman. In fact, she looked a lot like Sofia, and they knew that Valentino had had an affair with Sofia. Knowing Valentino's character, it would not be surprising if he had dated several girls at the same time. Suppose, just for the moment, that Valentino had dated Maria. Suppose she had waited for his return with hope in her heart. And suppose that Sofia had shared the information about her baby's father with Maria, unwittingly disclosing that he was two-timing Maria. Was this enough to make her kill Valentino? He couldn't imagine it. Maria had seemed so subdued, so cowed. It seemed totally out of character. Still, he'd better talk to her right away.

  He got up from the sofa and stretched. It was too hot inside the apartment. He felt stifled, as if no oxygen was left. Well, no wonder, with all the pent-up emotions from Rafaele and Sofia. He went to Carlina's window seat and threw open the window. The fresh spring air blew in. It smelled of rain and wet earth. Garini took a deep breath, then turned around and froze.

  As if conjured up by his imagination, Maria stood at the door and stared at him. She was pale, and her hands were clasped so tightly that her knuckles were white.

  “Hi Maria. It's good that you've come. I've been wanting to talk to you.”

  Her eyes widened. “Why?”

  “Please come in and close the door.”

  Maria obeyed, but she stayed close to the door, as if unprepared to give up her way of escape.

  Garini went to the table. “Unfortunately, my assistant is ill. May I tape your statement?”

  “Yes.” Her lips were white.

  “Would you like to have some legal counsel with you?”

  “No.” Her eyes widened until she looked terrified.

  He scrutinized her face. She looked as if she was ready to drop any minute. Compared to Simonetta with
her formidable voice and aggressive demeanor, he found it hard to cast her in the role of murderess. “Please sit down.”

  She shook her head. “I'd rather stand.”

  “All right.” If it made her feel better. Garini leaned against the window sill. “Please tell me about your friendship with Sofia.”

  Maria flinched. “What's wrong with our friendship? What did she say?”

  “She didn't say anything bad at all.” Garini was afraid that she would faint at any moment now. What on earth made her so nervous? “But I'd like to hear a bit more about her from you.”

  She looked around Carlina's apartment as if he had stowed her away. “Did you arrest her?”

  “No, of course not.” Garini made sure his voice sounded soothing. “Didn't you see her going down with Rafaele?”

  She shook her head.

  So they left the house immediately, without talking to the family. “When did you get to know Sofia?”

  “I don't know. Years ago.”

  “So you've been friends for a long time?”

  “Not really. We got closer after I started working here. Just after Christmas, that was.”

  “So would you say you're really close friends now?”

  Maria shrugged. “Kind of.”

  “Would you share a secret with her?”

  She cast a wild glance around her. “Did she say that?”

  “I'm asking you.” Garini was getting exasperated. It was like talking to a shivering rabbit.

  “No. I don't share my secrets.” She winced. “I mean, I have none to share.”

  “And Sofia? Does she share secrets with you?”

  “No.” Maria looked toward the door. “Can I go now?”

  Garini frowned. Something was wrong, but he had no clue what it was. “Why did you come upstairs in the first place?”

  Maria looked toward the kitchen. “We need more pans. To roast the corn. I'll just check if there are any.” She disappeared into Carlina's small kitchen with the speed of a chased hare.

  He heard her rummaging around and shook his head.

  She came back into the room and went toward the door with a determined step, her gaze fixed on the door. Her hands were empty. “None left.”

  “Alana.” He didn't know why he said it at that moment. It came out from somewhere deep in his subconscious, testing her reaction.

  She turned around with the speed of a wasp, and in front of his astonished eyes, she morphed into a fury. “So that's it, isn't it?” Her voice lashed out like a whip. “You've found out, and now you're playing with me. Well, it won't get you anywhere, Commissario.”

  Before he could rush up to her and stop her, before he could do anything to protect himself, she slipped a knife from the sleeve of her blouse and held it over her head like a spear.

  Time stopped, as if freezing the moment. Her slim body stretched; she arched backward and seemed to grow, one leg in front of her body, just the tip of her toes touching the floor, the other pushed back, taking her full weight. Then, her body moved forward, fluid and powerful, like a spring uncoiled. The knife flew from her hand with the speed of a rocket, straight toward Garini.

  Chapter 15

  I

  A blur of white and black flew into the picture from the sideline, straight from the open door. Carlina with a frying pan, held like a tennis racket. She lunged between Garini and the knife, her body stretched out to the max.

  A loud bang, metal against metal, then an even louder bang as the frying pan, the knife and Carlina tumbled down.

  Maria hissed, turned on her heels and raced from the room.

  “Stop her!” Garini jumped over Carlina who was just starting to pick herself up from the floor. He flew out of Carlina's apartment, down the stairs. “Don't let her go!” Where was the Mantoni family when you needed them? The house seemed deserted.

  He raced around the first bend in the staircase, past Fabbiola's apartment.

  Maria had already reached the ground floor. She pulled open the heavy front door.

  “Stop her!” Garini was now on the first floor. The door to Benedetta's apartment banged open just as he went past it. He never saw it coming. The heavy pan, filled with corn, connected with his head with a dull thud. Corn flew everywhere, as if he was in a crazy snowstorm. He went down to his knees. A searing pain cut through his head, piercing his eyeballs.

  From somewhere, he heard Carlina's anguished cry. “What have you done?”

  He lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs.

  II

  “I'm telling you, it was a mistake.” Fabbiola's voice was so loud that he wanted to wince but something held him immobile.

  It smelled of antiseptics and washing powder. He was in a bed he didn't know.

  “How could you make such a mistake, Mama?” That was Carlina. She sounded quite unlike herself, tearful, shaken.

  His heartbeat accelerated. She was here, close to him. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he couldn't move, couldn't see her.

  “I heard a bellow on the staircase.” Fabbiola sounded defensive. “I thought something dreadful had happened and rushed to the door. Just before I opened it, I heard someone shout. It sounded like “stop”. So, of course, when I came through the door and someone ran by as if trying to escape, I hit him with the pan.” Fabbiola made an odd little noise in her throat. “Do you think I killed him, Carlina?”

  “Not yet.” Carlina's voice sounded as if she suppressed a sob. “But he has been in a coma for 27 hours now. What if he'll never come back? What if he'll have lost his memory? His speech? His brain?”

  Garini wanted to interrupt her, wanted to soothe her, but he couldn't speak.

  “Just how did you manage to come in here anyway, Mama?” Carlina asked. “I had a hard enough time myself. If Stefano's father hadn't told them we're engaged, they would never have let me stay.”

  “I went to school with the head nurse.” Fabbiola said. “You have to come home, Carlina. You look like hell, and I don't think you've slept in two days.”

  “Of course I haven't. How could I sleep with Garini like this?” It sounded brittle.

  His heart contracted. If only he could console her.

  “Please go now.” Carlina's voice was flat. “You're disturbing him.”

  There was a rustle of clothes. “How can you tell?”

  “It's not difficult to guess.” Carlina sounded bitter. “Please, Mama. Just go.”

  The door opened and closed.

  He heard a sigh of relief and felt her hand on his. Peace descended on him, and he slipped into sleep.

  When he woke up again, Fabbiola's voice filtered into his brain. “You should tell him.”

  He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or actually awake. He tried to pinch himself and was surprised to notice that his fingers obeyed immediately. It hurt. So he was awake and better. But what was Fabbiola doing here again?

  “They say you have to keep him occupied. Tell him about stuff that happens. He might hear everything, subconsciously, you know.” Fabbiola sounded as if she was reading the words from a text book.

  “I'm not sure if it would do him good to hear that the murderess has escaped.” Carlina's voice was obstinate.

  “She only escaped our justice, dear.” Fabbiola's voice became unctuous, as if she was a priest. “But she won't escape the justice of God.”

  “Justice of God, my foot. She killed two men and would have managed to kill Garini if I had not happened to be on hand.” Carlina sounded livid. “I'd prefer not to wait for the justice of God. She looked so innocent. I'd never have suspected her, never in a thousand years. No wonder she surprised Garini.”

  “I find it even more astonishing that she went to her father for help. She hated her father. I'd have bet anything that he'd turn her over to the police. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I heard that he'd put her on a private jet and sent her to South America. Though he denies it, of course, but they say it's quite clear, only they can't prove it.
Anyway, she'll be at his bidding for ever, and she wanted so much to be independent from him.”

  “I won't feel sorry for her,” Carlina said. “She obviously has no control at all over her temper.”

  “You must admit that Valentino treated her abominably.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes, didn't you know? Oh, no, you don't. I forgot you're cut off from the world in here. Not only was Valentino two-timing her with Sofia, but he also married Maria secretly. When the story came out in the papers, a priest came forward and told us about a private ceremony. It wasn't legal, of course, unless you look at it from a catholic point of view. Just imagine. He married Maria, promised to make a fortune for them both in Dubai, disappeared for ages with barely a word, came back, hardly looked at her during Ernesto's birthday party, and the next day, Sofia confides in her and tells her he was the father of her baby. No wonder she flipped when she saw him all set for a romantic night in your room. I bet he wanted to leave her hanging until her birthday, when she would have inherited all that money, and then he would have wheedled it out of her, telling her he was her husband and all.”

  Fabbiola paused to take a deep breath.

  Garini's left foot started to tingle, but he hardly noticed. So that had been the motive.

  “She learned how to throw knives at the circus where she lived with her mother. In fact, it seems that she was quite famous under her stage name Alana. She was swinging from a trapeze while throwing knives at her mother. They say she never missed her target, throwing the knives in a high arch, and with immense force, quite astonishing, considering her tiny size. No wonder she never felt at home here.” Fabbiola sighed. “How dull it must have been in comparison. Her father forbade her to mention the circus anywhere because he was ashamed of it. It was just her bad luck that the newspaperman recognized her after having read about Valentino's murder. He was the only one who knew about her deadly accuracy, and he tried to blackmail her.” Fabbiola took a deep breath. “I'm actually sorry for Maria. What a wasted life. Her soul must be in torment, and I'm certain she won't survive for long. The climate is difficult, not to mention the crime rate. It's dangerous out there.”