A Villa in Sicily: Capers and a Calamity

by Fiona Grace

  Audrey stared at her. Flora Abruzzo clasped her hands in front of her, shaking even more. The woman was clearly desperate. In a way, Audrey understood that. She’d had plenty of men pretend to understand, only to use her in the end and then easily discard her. The pain was almost unbearable, so that’s probably why her heart squeezed for the poor girl.

  “My God,” Audrey whispered, not sure what to say. So she repeated herself: “I’m so sorry he hurt you.”

  Flora looked at her with tears in her eyes, blinking them away. “Yeah. Me, too.”

  “But murder is never the answer.”

  Flora shrugged. “It was for me. Now, the doctor is in hell where he belongs, and that bitch will hang for it.”

  Audrey stiffened. Those were clearly not the words of someone who regretted her actions. Audrey thought of Mason, and the way he’d looked at her at the door of his house, when she realized his betrayal.

  It had hurt. So bad, she could barely breathe.

  But never once had she considered such a drastic answer, creeping into Mason’s house and committing cold-blooded murder. “You need to confess what you told me to police. That’s the only way you can find peace.”

  A smile broke out on her face. “What makes you think I’m not at peace right now?”

  In the girl’s cold expression, Audrey saw something she’d never noticed before. Resolve. It chilled Audrey to the bone. “But . . .You can’t be serious. You can’t let Loretta Mauro take the blame for something you did!”

  The woman stared at her. “Why not?”

  “Because it’s wrong. You must know that. How do you think you’d be able to sleep at night?”

  She snorted and stood up, taking her bottle of water behind Audrey to the kitchen. Audrey heart the faucet go on, like she was rinsing out the bottle. “Like a baby?”

  “But you wouldn’t get away with it,” Audrey said, trying to talk sense into her.

  “You want to bet? I don’t see anyone around here who’s going to stop me.”

  Okay, so much for the “Be a friend” plan to get her to go running to the police. Think, Audrey. Before she could, she whirled on the sofa and her heart stopped.

  Flora was standing there behind her, holding a full syringe. “What’s that?”

  Flora smiled at it. “You said you’re a vet. I think you can figure it out.”

  “Yes . . . but what do you have it for?” she asked, her words trembling as they left her.

  “What do you think? Don’t be stupid, Doctor. I have enough pentobarbital to go around. Dr. Mauro trusted me implicitly. He let me take whatever I wanted from his medicine cabinet. In fact, he let me have the key to it. That’s how I got the stuff that killed him. He was such a chump, he never knew it was missing.”

  Audrey slipped off the sofa and backed to the wall. “What are you going to do with that?”

  Now, Flora laughed and put a finger on the plunger. “You really thought I was just going to tell you all that and let you go? I can’t let you leave now.”

  “But . . . I won’t tell anyone,” Audrey begged, staring at the syringe as the woman took a step closer.

  “Right. One thing that my time with Dr. Mauro has shown me?” She grinned wider, baring perfectly straight, white teeth. “Don’t trust doctors.”

  Without warning, the woman lunged forward, moving around the sofa, toward Audrey. Audrey pushed away from the wall and ran, frantic, for the door. She hit it and scrabbled at the doorknob, managing to open it just an inch before Flora slammed against her back, shoving the door closed again.

  Audrey spun halfway and grabbed the woman’s wrist in her hand, just as she attempted to sink the needle in. The two scuffled there, holding each other still. Flora grunted, her eyes wild with hate as she held the syringe between them, trying to shove it into Audrey’s neck. The syringe shook between them as Audrey held it off, but little by little, no matter how hard she tried to keep it away, it seemed to move closer to her neck.

  She let out a scream as she felt the needle, first scraping, then starting to pierce the skin of her throat. Oh, no. I’m dead. This is not going to end well, she thought frantically as she sensed Flora moving her thumb to press the plunger at the end of the syringe. She felt the pressure digging into her body, anticipating the warm, poisonous liquid that would invade her veins and stop her heart.

  Suddenly, a voice shouted, “Polizia!”

  The voice had come from the outside hallway. Muffled, somewhat far away, but distinct nonetheless.

  Flora’s eyes, once full of determination, now widened with fear. The small blip in her concentration gave Audrey the distraction she needed to shove the needle away. With all her strength, she pushed with her forearms, letting out an animal grunt. Flora stumbled back, dropping the needle to the ground, and Audrey reached for the door just as it exploded open.

  There was Officer Lorenzo, gun drawn, looking every bit like the police officer she’d been trained to be. Ready, and right on time.

  At that moment, the room began to spin. Audrey felt faint, and the edges of her vision began to blur as the officer rushed in. Breathing hard, doubled over, Audrey pointed at Flora Abruzzo and the syringe while clutching at her heart with the other hand. She spat out, “Loretta Mauro’s innocent. She’s the one! Flora Abruzzo killed Dr. Mauro!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Still breathing hard, Audrey tried to straighten, but the pain in her chest was a lightning rod. Had she gotten the medication inside her? Her heart was going a mile a minute. Clutching at it, she watched as Officer Lorenzo advanced on Flora Abruzzo. She pulled out her handcuffs and snapped one on Flora, then spun her around as expertly as any police officer Audrey had ever seen. Maybe she was more knowledgeable than Audrey had given her credit for.

  Meanwhile, Flora unleashed a torrent of Italian curses on them, spittle flying from her mouth. Audrey sucked in a breath, and another, until she felt better. Maybe it had just been a panic attack. If she’d been injected, she’d definitely be feeling worse.

  “How did you know?” Audrey asked Officer Lorenzo, leaning over to pick up the needle of pentobarbital.

  “Don’t!” Lorenzo warned, holstering her gun as the other male officer appeared.

  Audrey let it go.

  “Pick the syringe up,” Lorenzo instructed the officer. Then she said to Audrey, “When you left the station, he radioed me and told me what you were up to. I was on the tourist beat, so I decided to take some time to follow you and see what you were up to. Good thing I did, yes?”

  Audrey tilted her head to the sky and said a little prayer of thanks that she was still okay. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Oh, yes. A very good thing.”

  Lorenzo handed Flora over to the officer, who led her outside, her head down. She shook her head. “Flora Abruzzo. Of course, Dr. Mauro’s old vet tech.” She looked at Audrey. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

  “Yes. I realized that she had to have been the killer, and the vial you found in the car was just a plant. Flora Abruzzo was in a relationship with Dr. Mauro. She wanted him to leave his wife, but he refused, and a few months ago, he fired her. So, out of jealousy, she decided to murder him and pin it on the wife.”

  “No kidding,” the officer said with a shrug. “I’d all but forgotten about Ms. Abruzzo. In fact, I didn’t even know she still lived here. I thought when she was fired, she left Lipari altogether.”

  Audrey smiled and sat down on the couch. As she did, Nick rushed in and jumped on her lap. As usual, he’d wanted to be her savior, but she’d left him outside. She stroked his fur. “I think maybe that’s what she wanted you to think. She kept a low profile. I get the feeling she’s been planning this ever since she was fired.”

  Officer Lorenzo nodded. “Wow. Well, thanks for ironing that out. To tell you the truth, I was never quite sure about Mrs. Mauro being the killer. It seemed wrong.”

  “Same to me. That’s why I couldn’t stay away. I’m sorry if I stepped on your toes. But it just goes to sh
ow you, a woman’s intuition is a valuable thing,” Audrey said.

  Officer Lorenzo smiled and shook her hand. “You’re leaving soon?”

  Audrey nodded. She knew exactly what the officer was saying. Thanks for your help with this case. Please be gone for the next one.

  And she certainly planned to be. At that moment, she couldn’t wait to get back to Mussomeli.

  *

  The following morning, Audrey turned in her hotel key at the front desk. As Councilman Gallo had promised, he’d left her a check and a little note. She gawked at the amount—it was far more than she’d expected for a tiny village—and smiled at the note from the councilman:

  Dearest Audrey,

  Again, words cannot express how happy we are with the work you have done here. You are welcome here any time, for a day, a week, or forever! Though I was able to find a new veterinarian that will be starting here in the next few months, perhaps you wouldn’t mind coming back to help out? It is your planning and expertise that we will ask this doctor to follow, as we think it has done wonders for our island. You are truly a miracle worker! Thank you again, and be safe in your travels!

  Best wishes,

  Councilman Gallo

  Audrey folded the note carefully and pocketed it, thinking about everything she’d use the money for. She could expand the clinic, or maybe even open another location! Hire an animal control officer to help catch the strays! Maybe hire a contractor to finish the repairs on the house! The possibilities were endless, and she couldn’t wait. She hoisted her travel bag on her shoulder, picked up her pet carrier, and stepped outside, ready to walk to the pier and board the ferry.

  “Nick!” she called at the door, and like clockwork, he appeared. She set the carrier down, opening the front, and he backed away. She motioned forcefully inside. “Come on. It’s time to go home.”

  He eyed her warily.

  She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few apple slices she’d gotten from the hotel café. The second she laid them at the bottom of the cage, he eagerly jumped in.

  “Good boy,” she said, sealing it up.

  When she stepped to the curb, though, she found Vito waiting for her. He waved.

  She went to the window and looked in. “Hi, there. Come to wish me goodbye?”

  He nodded. “Hop in, I’ll drive you to the pier.”

  She put her things in the back hatch, then opened the door and slid inside. As she settled her purse on her lap, she noticed the bouquet of flowers on the dashboard. “Oh. Is that for me?”

  He nodded and pulled away from the curb. It was kind of silly, the ride, considering the hotel was less than a block from the ferry, but at least with Vito, she’d have someone seeing her off at the pier. “You like them?”

  She took them and smelled their sweet aroma. “Oh you two didn’t have to do this. I was more than happy to help with getting the shelter under control. And I’m really happy that you don’t have to deal with all those cats-run-amok—”

  “No,” he said seriously, his brow wrinkled. “Audrey. They’re not from Sabina. They’re from me. Just me.”

  She blinked. “Oh,” she said, confused. But the way he was looking at her made all the pieces suddenly fall into place. “Oh . . . but Vito . . .”

  “I know. I should’ve said something before. But I really don’t want you to leave. So maybe you can think about coming back, and—”

  “Actually, I might.”

  His voice went up an octave, full of hope. “Yeah?”

  “Well, of course. There’s good news. You probably haven’t heard. Councilman Gallo said there’s a new vet coming. So I might come and help train whoever it is, in the future. We’ll have to—”

  “No, that’s not what I mean,” he said, shaking his head. “I meant that I hoped you’d come back to see me.”

  She gritted her teeth and set the flowers on her lap. “Oh, well, sure. Of course I wouldn’t come back without stopping to see you and Sab—”

  “No, you don’t get it. I—”

  “I do. I really enjoyed being with you over the past few days. You’re like my fam—”

  “I kind of like you,” he blurted, making Audrey’s eyes widen. As much as she’d been expecting it, she’d hoped he wouldn’t go there.

  But he’d gone there.

  Shoot.

  She’d known that was where he was heading, and she’d hoped to stop him from putting it all out on the table. But he was so earnest and young and passionate, of course he would. He was like a volcano that couldn’t keep its top on. Now, her hand on his shoulder felt entirely inappropriate.

  She quickly removed it as he continued on, “And not like family. I know. I’m a little younger than you. But—”

  “Vito. You’re a lot younger than me,” she said, in her most mature voice. “I know I might not look it, but I’m almost thirty-five.”

  His eyes went wide; clearly, that wasn’t something he’d expected, but they only stayed that way for a blink. Then he said, “I don’t care. I think that you’re incredible, Audrey. Like, the most incredible person I’ve ever met. And I . . . I . . . don’t want you to leave.”

  Audrey smiled sadly. He was so sweet. And maybe if he were ten years older . . . “Vito. I’m really flattered. And I think you’re an incredible k . . . uh, person, too. But it’s not just the age difference. It’s the distance, and everything . . . and you have your whole life ahead of you. There are so many experiences waiting out there for you. And with everything you’ve done, I can tell . . . you’re not that kid people thought you were. That troublemaker? That’s not who you are. You’re going to do amazing things. If you want to study to be a vet, be a vet. You’re going to blow people away. I promise you.”

  He nodded. “All right, all right.” He laughed a little. “I figured you’d say something like that. But I had to take my shot.”

  Audrey laughed. “Okay . . .”

  “Anyway, I’m applying to colleges in the States for next semester. Thinking about going back for biology with a concentration in animal sciences. You agree?”

  She nodded. “Sure. I did that at BC.”

  “Can I hit you up for a recommendation?”

  “Absolutely!” she said enthusiastically. She was especially enthusiastic to have the conversation swerve away from him wanting to date her. “Just give me a call! Anytime. And if you’re ever in Sicily . . . look me up, all right?”

  “Yeah. I will.”

  She held her hand out and he shook it. Then she scrambled out of the front seat of his car and got her things from the back, carefully balancing her belongings in her arms. She waved to him from the curb, then headed down the pier toward the gangplank to the waiting ferry.

  She climbed up onto the top level of the ferry so that she could watch Lipari disappear from view. She placed her bags at her feet and went to the railing, still inhaling the scent of the flowers. As she did, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Concetta: A hunter found the dog and brought him in! I just did a checkup on him and he’s fine! No rabies!

  Audrey stared at the message. That was a relief. Now, she wouldn’t have to worry about that when she got home. She typed in: Amazing news! And I’m so glad you’re going to be okay.

  Concetta responded a minute later: Yes, going to open the clinic right now! When are you coming back?

  Audrey typed in: On the ferry right now! Should get in tonight.

  She smiled when she saw the response: Thank goodness! Mussomeli needs you!

  She sniffed the flowers again. The ferry blew its horn, sounding a low, mournful wail over the harbor as it began to pull away from the dock. Standing there in the sun, overlooking the rocky shore, Audrey saw Vito at the edge of the road, waving at her. She waved back. Down on the beach, still empty of tourists, Vittoria walked, canvassing the sand for treasures. The seagulls arced overhead in the pale blue sky, and the sun broke free of the rocky jetty, promising another beautiful day for the island.

  She would miss it all. B
ut there was someplace else that she missed more. And now it was time to return to it, the place where she belonged.

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

  The bus pulled into the main piazza in Mussomeli at shortly after nine in the evening. Audrey had been dozing, her head lolling against a window and feeling every bump, so when the brakes squealed and the bus came to a stop, she jolted upright and looked around. Through the dirty window, she could just make out the old fountain, and beyond that, several storefronts down via Barcellona, the sign that said Veterinaria—Dott. Audrey Smart.

  Grabbing her things, she climbed off the bus. When she stepped off, she opened her carrier and let Nick out. He’d been so cooped up for the past few hours, and was so excited to be free, he practically ran to her little clinic. She ran, too, just as thrilled to be back.

  Skidding to a stop in front of the place, she grabbed her keys, marveling at how the place still looked the same. You’re so silly, Audrey. Of course it still looks the same. You’ve been gone a few days. Not a year!

  But really, as shabby and low-frills as the place was, she couldn’t imagine it looking better. She twisted the key in the lock and threw open the door, then looked around.

  Just the same. Concetta and Mason had done a good job keeping everything in order.

  The sound of animals barking and yipping greeted her ears. She meandered into the back room and turned on the lights. All the animals grew even more excited at the sight of her. There were a couple new ones, and some old friends. She went around, giving all of them pets, and checked on the bunnies. They were huge, now, almost ready to be put up for adoption. Yes, Concetta had done an amazing job.

  But it hadn’t been all her.

  No, Mason had been there, too, for her.

  As she thought of him, she noticed one of his blue sweatshirts, draped over a chair in the back office. She lifted it up, and on instinct, brought it to her nose and sniffed. It smelled like him, like that heady woodsy aftershave he always wore.

  Yes, maybe they weren’t ever destined to be lovers. Maybe he loved that other woman. But he’d come through for her. He was a true friend. He’d said he missed her, and she felt the same.