Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2)

by boeker, beate

  “Oh?” Those rheumy eyes held a distinct glint. “You quarreled?”

  “No.” Garini bit off the word. He didn't offer an explanation.

  “Let me give you a bit of advice.” Uncle Teo tilted his head to one side, his eyes sharp. “She's a great girl. A woman, I should say. Very loyal.”

  That's just the problem. Garini tossed back the rest of the coffee, scalding his tongue, and got up. “I have to go. Thank you for covering this case, Signor Mantoni.” He placed some coins onto the table. “I'll call my assistant in a minute, so he'll be prepared for your visit.”

  “One moment, young man.” Uncle Teo held up his hand. “Don't let a good thing slip through your fingers.”

  “I won't.” Garini clenched his teeth, turned on his heels and went to his bike. What on earth had come over him? Out of sheer compassion, he had asked a civilian to take up a needless job, and all he got in return was a stupid admonition. He felt incensed for Carlina. They all behaved as if she was on the shelf, in danger of passing the 'best before' date. Didn't they have eyes in their heads? Had they no idea how alluring she was with her irrepressible smile and those freckles on her nose? If only she wasn't so loyal, so bent on protecting her family and friends. If only he had gotten out of the case, then he could have stood by her side, could have helped her without any conflict, without being torn between reason and instinct. As it was, he had to remain neutral, had to keep her at a distance. It was difficult enough as it was, with his feelings jumping up and down like yo-yo. He was not used to being in such a state. He was used to being in control, to having his life well in hand. Drat the woman.

  III

  “I say, I think I need a bigger size after all. These Italian things are all too small.” The petulant voice of the English lady in the changing cabin could be heard in every corner of Temptation.

  Carlina caught five bras which came sailing over the partition. Why hadn't the English lady noticed she needed a bigger size before she tried on half the inventory? “I'll get you a larger size.” She turned on her heels and caught a commiserating glance from Ricciarda who was busy explaining the new nylons to a customer, managing at the same time to listen to the conversations going on around her.

  With an answering smile and a slight shrug of her shoulders, Carlina turned to the shelf that showed the model the English lady had liked from the start, but just as she picked up the larger size, Annalisa stormed into the store.

  Her hair hung in lank streaks down to her shoulders, and her face was so pale, she seemed translucent. “Carlina!”

  “What's the matter?” Carlina's voice sounded sharper than she wanted. Cold fear flashed into her heart. Had anything happened? Did Garini want to arrest Annalisa?

  “I can't stand it at university anymore. They all look at me, and they whisper, and . . .” she covered her face with her hands, her whole body shaking.

  Carlina placed a hand on her cousin's shoulder and steered her to the storage room in the back. With one fluid move, she took a folding chair from the wall, placed it on the floor, and pressed Annalisa onto it. “Sit down. I'll be with you in a moment.”

  “I say, am I going to wait until New Year before you'll bring me the size I need?” The British lady put her head through the slit in the black curtain and held it close below her chin. Her head now looked like a disembodied member with improbable curls, floating through the room. Her mouth turned down at the ends, forming the most malcontent shape Carlina had ever seen.

  “I'm coming.” Carlina passed her two bras. “I've taken two different sizes, so you can check which one fits best.”

  The head disappeared as if someone had sucked it inside the changing room. “I say, do I look like an elephant? How dare she bring me such a huge bra?” The mumble wafted through the curtain, all too clear to hear. Now even Ricciarda's customer lifted her eyebrows in surprise.

  Damn. I hate it when people poison the atmosphere like this. Carlina hurried back to her cousin and knelt down next to her. “What's the matter?” She spoke low enough so the customers would not be able to overhear them.

  “I . . . I just can't stand it. Life is so empty, so useless without Trevor. I feel left over and discarded.”

  Carlina stroked her cousin's red hair. “Yes.” She swallowed. “I can imagine how difficult it is.”

  “How much is this bra?” The English accent penetrated even into the back of the store.

  Carlina squeezed Annalisa's arm for comfort and turned back to the changing cabin. “Which model is it?”

  “I say! The one you gave me, of course!” Ms. Malcontent snapped.

  Ricciarda's customer gave an embarrassed smile, stopped the conversation, and hurried from the store without buying anything.

  Damn. Now Mrs. Malcontent had driven her away. Carlina swallowed her anger. “It's a special Christmas-offer and--”

  Stefano Garini appeared behind the glass door of Temptation. The black leather jacket and the scowl on his face gave him a menacing air that grew more pronounced as he opened the door and entered together with a gust of icy wind.

  Carlina's voice petered out.

  “Well?” The English head appeared in the slit of the curtain, the eyes hard. “What about the price?”

  Carlina pulled herself together. “It's forty-nine Eu . . .,”

  Annalisa gave a high-pitched scream. “I haven't done it! I swear!” She jumped up and clutched Carlina's arm. “Carlina! Don't let him arrest me!”

  Mrs. Malcontent's eyes widened. “That's a ridiculous price, I say . . .” her head swiveled to Garini. “Are you a police officer? I say you should arrest them for over-pricing products.”

  Garini ignored her. “Can I talk to you for a moment?” He looked at Carlina, his face immobile.

  “Yes.”

  “I say, how dare you walk away? You have enough customers, so you can treat them like dirt?”

  Ricciarda took a step forward. “If you need anything, I'll be happy to be of assistance.”

  “Carlina!” Annalisa pulled at her cousin's arm. “Don't leave me!”

  Carlina detached herself with a reassuring pat on her cousin's arm. “Don't worry. I'll be right back.” She smiled at Ms. Malcontent, “Thank you for understanding. It's an urgent matter.” She grabbed her coat from the hook in the storage area, mouthed a “thank you” to Ricciarda, and rushed outside.

  Garini followed her. “What is Annalisa doing here?” His scowl deepened.

  “She came for comfort.” Carlina closed the zipper of her coat and turned up her collar. “Is that a problem?” Why does he scowl at me like that? Is he still angry because of the things I said yesterday night?

  “I think you should keep your distance,” he said.

  “She's my cousin!” Carlina lifted her chin, prepared to go to battle. He doesn't understand the concept of family at all.

  “Yes, and she's also the number one suspect in a murder, with motive, means, and no alibi. Try to be a little bit rational.” His lips pressed together into one thin line as if he wanted to say much more and had trouble keeping it back.

  Her anger rose up like a geyser, suffocating her. “Listen, Garini, I'm not a child. I know what I'm doing, and I know my family very well.”

  “Fine.” He snapped off the word. “But are you aware that Annalisa would never move a finger to protect you?”

  Carlina blinked. She knew Annalisa well enough to recognize the strong streak of egotism in her, but she also knew how much her younger cousin had struggled after the early death of her father. Having lost her own father at the age of thirteen, she knew what Annalisa had gone through and had developed a strong protective instinct. She decided it was safer not to reply to Garini's question. “What do you want?”

  “Did you really threaten to kill Trevor during your dinner with Annalisa?”

  So he had overheard their conversation yesterday. Carlina drew herself up. The sharp wind crept underneath her coat with chilly fingers. Attack is the best form of defense. “I didn't
think you would snoop behind doors.”

  “I didn't snoop.” His jaw clenched. “I heard you scream upstairs. Do you think I would stay downstairs, waiting for the sound of your body falling to the floor? Of course I rushed to your apartment right away.”

  Carlina frowned. “I didn't hear you.”

  “You wouldn't have heard a walrus; you were so intent on each other.”

  “Oh.” Carlina swallowed. “But still you listened to our conversation without making yourself known.”

  “True.” Garini nodded. “I remembered you wanted to talk to Annalisa by yourself.”

  “Ha.” Carlina gave a derisive snort. “Am I supposed to believe that?”

  Without warning, his face broke into a smile. “No. Would you?”

  His smile did things to her she couldn't control. With a stern hand, she suppressed an answering grin. All anger evaporated. “Would I what?”

  “Would you not have grabbed the opportunity to listen, if you had been in my place?”

  Carlina opened her mouth and closed it again.

  “Admit it.” A spark of amusement lit his eyes.

  “Oh, well.” Carlina shrugged and smiled at the tip of her feet to avoid smiling at him.

  “You haven't answered my question.” His voice was soft.

  She wasn't fooled. “I said it without meaning it. You know how it happens; you're angry, and you say you will kill someone, but of course it doesn't signify anything. It was part of the situation.” She tried to read his face but couldn't tell if he believed her. Maybe he never threatened to kill anybody unless he meant it. With an inward sigh, she pulled a piece of paper from the pocket of her jacket. “Here's the list.”

  He frowned. “What list?”

  “The list where Annalisa spent her day yesterday. You asked her to make it by this morning and to give it to me.”

  “Thanks.” He stretched out his hand to take the paper, and his fingers touched hers for an instant. “You're cold,” he said.

  “Yes.” Carlina said. “Can I go inside again?” She turned back to her store.

  The English lady came out with a swagger. She had a bag with the Temptation logo in her hand.

  Well done, Ricciarda.

  “Not yet.” His hand stopped her. “Can you give me a full list of the women who had a pair of your special nylons by one o'clock yesterday?”

  She sighed. “But I told you already.”

  “Let's just make sure.”

  What was he trying to say? That he wanted more suspects? She bit her lip. “I . . . I don't think I have forgotten anybody.” With a frown, she tried to recall the conversations she'd had when giving away the nylons. She remembered how she had joked about it with Ricciarda, how delighted Annalisa had been, how much the first customer had liked the soft feel of the material.

  He interrupted her thoughts. “So far I have only four people on my list. You, . . .”

  Of course he mentions me first.

  “. . . your assistant Ricciarda, one unknown woman who bought one pair of nylons during the morning, paying in cash, and your cousin Annalisa.”

  Carlina nodded. “That's it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” She thought back and frowned. “Oh, no, I forgot. There was another. It was stolen.”

  “What?” He towered over her. “When did you learn that?”

  “This morning.” Carlina bit her lips. “We counted everything twice, but it seems one pair is gone.”

  “Great.” Garini closed his eyes for an instant. “I thought we only had to find one unknown woman, but now we also have to find an unknown thief.”

  “I'm sorry.” Carlina shook her head. “I--”

  “Ciao, Carlina!” Emma's voice trumpeted across the street.

  Carlina jumped. “Emma!”

  Her cousin crossed the street right in front of an Alfa Romeo that stopped with screeching brakes. She didn't even look at it. The fur she wore looked more expensive than the car next to her. With its fluffy bulk, it made her long, slim legs seem even longer in contrast. “Bit chilly for a rendezvous, isn't it?” Emma winked at the Commissario.

  “At least we're not wearing next to nothing.” Carlina pointed at Emma's short skirt. It covered only half of her thigh, and her high heels prolonged her legs by another nine centimeters.

  “But Carlina, I wanted to show off my new nylons!”

  Carlina caught her breath. Damn, damn, damn. She had forgotten Emma. She had tried to recall everyone by going back to every conversation involving the new nylons, but of course she hadn't talked with Emma. Instead, she had only placed the parcel in front of her door, and it had completely slipped her mind. Carlina was aware of Garini's unmoving body next to her, but she didn't dare to look up. He would never believe the lapse had been unintentional.

  “New run-proof nylons?” His voice was low, dangerous.

  “Yes!” Emma's happy voice filled the street.

  Chapter 7

  I

  Carlina wondered if she should faint. No, better yet, fly. Fly away and never return.

  “Em.” She cleared her throat. “I forgot Emma.”

  His face was hard. “Sure.” His voice was dripping with irony.

  The expression in his eyes made her quake. Hot fury mingled with something else she could not quite define. Carlina's throat hurt. She had botched it. Her friendship with Garini was at an end before it had started. “I have to go.” Her voice sounded like a goat's. She turned on her heels and hurried to the sanctuary of her store.

  As she burst through the door, Annalisa and Ricciarda looked up from their intense conversation.

  “Carlina, Ricciarda just had a great idea!” Annalisa's cheeks had returned to their usual rosy color. “She said I could help with the preparations for the Florence Christmas Fair!”

  Carlina swallowed.

  Ricciarda laughed and held up both hands. “I didn't say that, Annalisa!” She gave a lopsided smile to Carlina. “I just mentioned that we have plenty to do to prepare for the Christmas Fair and thought that maybe Annalisa could help.”

  “Don't you think it's a cool idea, Carlina?” Annalisa gave her cousin a hug.

  Carlina returned the hug half-heartedly. She felt too overwhelmed to take a decision. Her mind was still on the forgotten nylons, and on Garini, fuming with anger, behind her. She felt as if she had turned her back on an angry tiger. Any second now, he would follow her without a sound and would breathe liquid fire down her back – or he would turn away and never be seen again. She had no idea what was worse.

  “Say something, Carlina!” Annalisa frowned. “What's the matter with you? Did the Commissario say something nasty? He's awful; I told you so.”

  “I'm all right,” Carlina said with an effort. She hung up her coat and went aside to rearrange a hanger that was already in a perfect position. In doing so, she managed to look sideways toward the door without being too obvious.

  Nothing.

  He had left.

  A sharp pricking behind her eyelids made her blink.

  “So, what do you say?” Annalisa was almost hopping up and down with impatience. “Ever since you said it's your universe, and that you can do anything you want, I have thought that I would like to work at Temptation, too. And if you have so much to do right now, then it would fit perfectly well, wouldn't it?”

  “Yes, of course.” Carlina wondered if she would ever see him again.

  “So that's fixed, then!” Annalisa beamed at her. “When shall I start?”

  Carlina blinked. “What?”

  “Shall I come back tomorrow at ten? I still need to clear up a few things today.”

  Carlina nodded. Garini was gone, and he would not return. Whatever she did, it didn't matter.

  II

  The yellow streetlight reflected with a sick yellow hue from the wet cobblestone pavement. Garini shivered and pulled his leather jacket closer. Was the ground wet or frozen? It felt treacherous beneath his feet. Thank God he only had a s
hort way to go before he reached his apartment. His steps echoed from the scarred walls around him. Nobody was around at this time of the night.

  But stop.

  A woman appeared from the side and hurried along the street, away from him. Now she turned her head and cast a frightened look over her shoulder. The yellow light gave her face a ghastly pallor.

  Stefano's heart contracted. Carlina? What was she doing here, in the middle of the icy night? He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He felt sweat breaking out, creating a cold film on his forehead. Why did she look so scared? He hurried to catch up with her, but the distance didn't lessen. Had she broken into a run? Was she scared of . . . him?

  His mouth turned dry. He started to run. She had nothing to fear from him. Didn't she know that? He tried to shout, but his words came out as a whisper, frozen in the air, not even reaching his own ears.

  A black Mercedes overtook him with a vicious hiss. It raced through a puddle, and a jet of icy mud and water covered him to his hips.

  Carlina! Finally, he came closer.

  The Mercedes stopped with squealing tires. A door opened without sound, gaping like the entrance to a dark cave, and a man in a dark suit jumped out.

  No!

  The man clamped his hand over Carlina's mouth.

  She kicked at his legs but missed.

  Garini pulled his gun, but didn't dare to shoot. “Police! Stop!” His feet pounded the ground. Fear clawed at his throat. He was too far away.

  Carlina crumbled.

  The man caught her, threw her into the car like a limp reed, and jumped in. The car accelerated with a deafening roar.

  Garini fired at the tires, but his bullets seemed to have no effect at all.

  The kidnapper leaned out of the open door. His masked face turned to Garini. A laugh, loud enough to be heard in spite of the motor, filled the cold air. A victory sign, then the door closed with a bang.

  “Carlina!”

  His own shout woke him. Hands clammy with sweat, Garini kicked at the bed cover that had twisted around his legs. A nightmare.