The Secrets of Villa Rosso

by Linn B. Halton

  ‘You didn’t tell anyone about this, did you?’

  ‘Gracious, no. Trista took me aside and told me that what I had heard was in strictest confidence. To be honest, I thought she was simply panicking and ensuring that whatever happened, Max would be there to keep things running. I mean, there’s no one else capable of managing the business and that situation hasn’t changed. But if Gianni knew – I mean, the Ormanni family have become the workforce with no line of inheritance. It’s shocking in more ways than one.’

  We stare at each other, trying to make some sense out of it.

  ‘And Max really has no idea?’ I double-check.

  ‘As far as I know, no he doesn’t, but if this was to become common knowledge it looks bad for him, doesn’t it?’

  Bella reaches down and zips open the handbag lying at her feet. She extracts a folded piece of paper, handing it to me.

  As I open it I can see it’s a photocopy of an actual photograph of a woman holding a newborn baby and shows both the front and rear of the hard copy.

  ‘This is Aletta, although she looks very different from the photo I saw of her in Trista’s bedroom. Whose baby is it?’

  Bella frowns and our eye contact lingers for a couple of moments.

  ‘I don’t know, but look at the date stamp on the back. It was taken seven months after her disappearance.’

  Chapter 29

  It’s a lot to take in and Bella and I go down to the kitchen for a break from the tension, as suddenly I’m in need of a really strong cup of coffee.

  ‘It’s a lot to process, isn’t it?’ Bella leans back against the worktop counter, watching me as I grab two mugs and spoon in the granules.

  ‘How did you come across the photo and why haven’t you taken it to the police? Or, even, talked to Max about this? If this isn’t a hoax, then surely this proves that Aletta is still alive.’

  Bella breathes out, her chest slumping as she expels the last of a long breath. I can see that this is something she’s been over and over in her own head many times already.

  ‘The only person I’ve confided in, aside from you, is Piero. And he will tell no one. When Trista made a fuss about moving her desk into her sitting room, it was left to Gianni and me to organise it. A couple of guys brought the desk up to the room. She wanted it by the window and, if you remember, there was an ornate wooden table standing there with a collection of framed photos. I cleared them off, they took the table away and put the desk in situ. I was left on my own to polish the desk top and arrange the photos.

  ‘Eduardo’s increasing concern about the situation and what he had told me about some people still suspecting Max was very much in the forefront of my mind. I knew it was probably my only chance to have a good look around. Trista was out, Max was at the refinery and I was unlikely to be disturbed. I went through the drawers and there didn’t seem to be anything related to Aletta. So I began polishing the silver frames and setting the pictures back up. When I picked up Aletta’s photo I stared at it for a while, as if her face would give me some sort of clue. I mean, I was there with Max and Trista to wave her off as the taxi pulled away the day she left for London. It was like all of her other trips and there was nothing to indicate otherwise. But I was still in detective mode and I asked myself where I would hide something I didn’t want to be seen. It was a long shot, but I unclipped the back of the frame. And that’s where the photo was hidden. Trista has had this for quite a long time and she chose to keep it a secret from everyone, including the police. I’m not sure that’s a crime, exactly, but morally it’s definitely wrong.’

  I put my finger up to my lips, remembering that Hettie is working only a few feet away. I grab a carton of apple juice, a small chocolate bar and a banana from the fruit basket.

  ‘I’ll be back.’

  Hettie is on her knees, surrounded on one side by a pile of boxes and on the other side by a mountain of shoes.

  ‘Is it possible to have only one Wellington boot?’ She moans. Her eyes light up when she notices the snacks.

  ‘You are doing a good job there, Hettie. Take a break, but don’t forget you have a job to finish.’

  ‘Aww, thanks Mum. You are a star.’

  Going back into the kitchen I shut the door firmly behind me.

  ‘Bella, before you go any further, I need to tell you something. None of my family knows anything about this situation or Max. Yesterday I sent him an email letting him know that in future our new lady, Eve, will be his contact. I feel I’ve become too close to this and I’m not completely sure Josh would understand or approve. My family have to be my first priority, even though my heart aches for what Max is going through.’

  She looks disappointed, clearly sad to hear this.

  ‘Max feels something for you, Ellie. I know that’s wrong and meeting Josh and the girls makes that even more apparent. If you didn’t have anyone, I mean, if –’

  ‘But I do, Bella. I already have my soul mate and nothing can change that. I want to help you, and I’m here to listen, or do whatever I can. But you can’t tell Max about my involvement, as I’ve made it very clear there can be no more contact between us.’

  I immediately wonder if she’ll read something into what I’ve just said, thinking it implies something other than what it really is. I listened to Max, yes, and sympathised with him, but that’s as far as it went. Other than a sense of connection that was only in my head and is still in my dreams, but isn’t real. There’s no point in going into detail and I can only hope she understands.

  ‘This is my parting gift to Max, as a friend. So if you haven’t taken the photo to the police, what’s your next step?’ I’m leaving her in no doubt whatsoever about where my first loyalty will always lie.

  She wriggles around in her chair, outstretched hand cupping the hot mug of coffee.

  ‘Piero and I agreed that I should run this past you first. I don’t really want anyone to know I found the photo. I love my job and any further scandal could jeopardise everything. I fully understand your concerns, Ellie, but I desperately need your help. This isn’t solely about Max and Trista, but the whole family, and everyone connected to it.’

  ‘So what’s the alternative?’

  ‘I want to find Aletta. I’m convinced she’s living in the UK. We know from the photo that she’s changed her hair colour and style. What we don’t know for sure is whose baby she’s holding. I’ve managed to get the address of the hotel Aletta stayed at in London, from the invoice files in the office, and I thought I’d start there. I know it’s been almost two and a half years, but I have the photo to jog people’s memories. Do you think I’m doing the right thing?’

  I sit back and mull it over, considering the options. Renewed police interest is something I don’t think Max could handle at the moment. What further damage might ensue as a result, I can’t even begin to imagine. Trista, well, whatever sympathy I had for her is rapidly being replaced by anger and disbelief at her lack of action.

  ‘I think you are doing exactly what I would do in your situation. However, I’m not sure about the likelihood of being able to find anyone who will remember her after all this time. Staff turnover in the hotel trade is notoriously high. It might mean you’ll struggle to find someone whose employment with the hotel stretches back that far. But it’s a start. What can I do?’

  Bella looks relieved. I hadn’t appreciated what those on the edge of this have to lose just from the association of a new scandal breaking out if the case is reopened. Or if Max was suddenly arrested, what would happen then? I know in my heart he has nothing at all to do with this, but everything revolves around proof.

  ‘This is just me thinking outside the box. Although you didn’t meet Aletta, I think you heard enough to gauge what type of person she was and the lifestyle she wanted. I’m assuming Max probably told you a little bit about her too. She was a party animal, very into fashion and very out there on social media. If she wanted to disappear and start over again without the obligations of family du
ty, I seriously doubt she’d be happy with an ordinary lifestyle. Oh, and I have this. I talked to one of her best friends and made a few notes. It’s a list of people Aletta knew and places they’d visited when they all went on shopping sprees together, in London and Paris. She’s high maintenance and always will be. Someone will have to have funded her new life.’

  ‘Thanks, Bella. I’ll trawl through this and see if there’s anything I can add. Then I’ll start looking online. It must be hard for anyone to completely disappear, even if they change their name. And you are right. Aletta doesn’t sound like the type of person who would settle for a simple existence. I have the entire rest of the day, but tomorrow I’m back in work. This might take a while, though. How long before you fly back?’

  ‘I have a full week and I can only hope it gives me enough time. Let’s see if we can do what the police couldn’t.’

  Bella high-fives me.

  I tell myself that this is a little harmless research to help Bella in her quest. It’s no longer about Max, as such, so what’s the harm?

  ‘Right, I’ll pack up my things and head off to London. It might be a day or two before you hear back from me, Ellie. If you find anything you think might help, text me and I’ll call you as soon as I can.’

  ~

  I make a start, only stopping briefly to make some lunch and heading back to the study with a plate of sandwiches. Hettie feigns exhaustion and I let her watch a film on the condition that she finishes sorting the cupboard by dinner time.

  I’ve added a few items to the list of bullet points Bella gave me. As it appears that Aletta was very into the selfie culture, I wonder if she would have been able to curb that, or maybe set up an account under an alias? With a totally new look, and country, was it enough to keep her true identity safe? Might she be on Facebook now under her new name? Would she attend fashion shows? Would she have a job? Even if she was being very careful and not in character, it’s hard to avoid being photographed when you are out in public places. With people constantly taking photos, posting on YouTube and blogs, it’s a long-shot but worth thinking about. It’s a case of knowing where to look, but my main problem is that I don’t really know where to start.

  As I read and re-read the list Bella gave me, I decide to Google her name as a starting point. As with most people who have a social media platform, there’s page after page, after page. None of it is recent, obviously. I click on the links to the usual accounts, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, but nothing has been posted to any of the accounts since the day she flew to London. I trawl through for a while, adding another couple of items to the list.

  Sitting back in my chair I look out of the window, noticing that it’s actually a beautiful day. I wonder how Max is doing. Then an idea pops into my head. Let’s assume the baby is Aletta’s. Crazy, I know. She could be a nanny, although it’s hard to see her slotting into that sort of role, but when you want to disappear I suppose anything is possible.

  I draw a straight line on a piece of A4. I don’t know the exact date Aletta disappeared, but I remember Max mentioning two years and three months. And maybe a few days or a week, or something. Okay, that was about two months ago. So that’s around the end of April of that year. I write April at the start of the line and then divide the line into twelve equal sections, filling in the rest of the months. I can’t remember the time stamp on that photo Bella had, but she said seven months after the disappearance. I put an asterisk against November. No one knew Aletta was pregnant, but if it was true, this could all be making a lot of sense. She wasn’t happy with Max and she’d already made it clear to him, in confidence, that she thought her future lay elsewhere. Paris and London had the cosmopolitan vibe she was after and she might have been seeing another man for months before she plucked up the courage to leave.

  I also mark the date of Stefano’s death, which was about two months after Aletta’s disappearance, so that would be May/June. Looking at the info Bella gleaned from Aletta’s friend, I know from her birth date that she is now twenty-nine. So what does this give me? She isn’t the sort of person who would sink into the background and be satisfied with life in a quiet suburb. I’m sure of that. So we are talking London, or a big city. What I need is someone who can trawl through records and I know just the person.

  ‘Hi Michelle, it’s been a while. How is everyone?’

  My cousin Michelle lives in Southampton and we usually catch up a couple of times a year. As with a lot of families these days, we tend to only meet up with the more distant relatives when there is a christening, a wedding or a funeral. Michelle is one for detail and twenty minutes later I think I’m up to date on what everyone has been doing.

  ‘I’m actually ringing to ask you a favour. Are you still into genealogy and all of that stuff?’

  ‘Yes. I’ve done research now for quite a few friends. It’s only a hobby, but it’s fascinating. You won’t believe what it throws up. Illegitimate babies, marriages and secret divorces – and we think we have big scandals today. Nothing is new, Ellie, they just swept it under the carpet and didn’t talk about it.’

  I feel a twinge of excitement.

  ‘How would you feel about doing a little research work to help out a third party? I instantly thought of you as it’s beyond my capabilities. We need to trace someone’s daughter. It’s all very confidential and rather sensitive. It’s a client, actually, so this is literally for their eyes only. I’m happy to pay for your time.’

  ‘Ooh, a real-life mystery, count me in. Of course I don’t need paying. I already have a subscription to some of the larger databases and other sources I use are free. I love a challenge. Now you’re going to tell me you don’t have much to go on, right?’

  I smile to myself. ‘Right. I have a few dates and things, and a general location. I’ll email you everything I have: full description of Aletta Ormanni, age, approximate dates I think she might have given birth to a baby, although the sex is unknown. She’s Italian by birth, but may have changed her name shortly after she arrived in the UK. She wanted to disappear, but she’s a lady who wouldn’t simply fade into the background. I’m convinced she’d still have quite a high-profile life. And I can’t stress enough that this has to be treated as very confidential. Not only would I lose my job, but the case of her disappearance has never been solved. The police still have her listed as a missing person.’

  ‘I feel like Sherlock Holmes. Of course I’ll handle this sensitively. Thank you for thinking of me. Send it over and I’ll start work. I will warn you that it’s a case of trawling through a lot of records and finding something, only to discover it’s a false lead. Then back-tracking and going off in another direction, or widening the area of the search. But that’s what I love doing and I’ll do my best.’

  I pull the email together and press send, feeling it was the right decision to make. I wouldn’t know where to start and Michelle is virtually an expert. I’ll continue to pursue other avenues, but it will be sheer luck if I stumble across anything. Before I quit for the day, I watch several YouTube videos of recent London fashion shows. Trawling the footage for a glimpse of the audience in the background, I hold onto a mental picture of the new Aletta. I wonder if, as time has gone on, she’s settled into a false sense of security. I’m sure that at first she must have been in an almost constant state of paranoia. The fear of discovery in those early days must have been hard to ignore. But you can’t live your life looking over your shoulder every minute of the day.

  Finding nothing at all, and conscious that it really is time to stop, I reluctantly close down the PC. Dawn will be dropping Rosie off after her gymnastics class very soon. The iPad is still in the drawer and although it’s calling to me, I turn and walk out of the room. I’m helping you in the only way I can, now, Max. I pray we can free you of this burden.

  Chapter 30

  With Josh due home early evening and both Hettie and Rosie at school, it’s back to work for me.

  Livvie and I are now working more as a team, as Ev
e takes away a lot of the repetitive admin side of my job. Some of the design ideas I put together while I was at home pique Livvie’s interest and we spend the day developing them.

  ‘You seem a bit more like your old self, today. If the job ever gets you down, you only have to say, Ellie. If it stops being fun then we know we’re heading for a disaster.’

  ‘This never is going to be just a job to me, Livvie. You listen to my ideas and put your faith in me, which is good for the morale. It has added a little something extra to my life, a sense of rising to a challenge, I suppose.’

  My words are received with a short, sharp laugh.

  ‘I think having kids is the real challenge. I admire the way you manage to juggle everything. There can’t be much time left for you, Ellie. Now that would drive me mad as I need my space to relax and get away from people.’

  I suppose she’s right in one way. What would I do with lots of time on my hands and how would I fill it?

  ‘I have all the time I need, really.’ If I want to get away I always have my dreams.

  ‘Have you let Max know a big order is coming his way very shortly?’

  ‘Yes, but I’ve also told him that Eve is the contact from here on in. It makes a lot of sense and you really do need a lot more support, Livvie.’

  She agrees, surveying the large, if incredibly neatly stacked, project folders.

  ‘Ellie, it didn’t cause you any problems going to Italy, did it? I mean between you and Josh?’

  I freeze. Livvie doesn’t usually notice anything if it’s not business-related. I swallow hard.

  ‘No, not at all. He just gets lonely when I’m not around. Men, eh?’

  She smiles and her mind moves off onto something else. I think I drew that line at precisely the right time. As far as anyone is concerned now, all ties are cut. Bella won’t tell anyone what we’re doing and, hopefully, we’ll know before too long whether all of this research is going to lead anywhere.