“I see what you mean,” said Kat. “Remembering what’s truly important, every single day.”
Deborah smiled ruefully. “Yes. Easier said than done, isn’t it?”
“Certainly is,” Blaine agreed. “It’s very easy to get caught up in the stuff.”
The flight felt even shorter than it was, and Kat was surprised as they began to descend. “Wow, that was quick.”
They landed on a small airstrip right by the coast, tucked into the Sardinian countryside among rows and rows of vineyards.
“This is Bruno’s private airstrip” Deborah said. “Luigi told me it’s just a short drive to the house.”
“Oh, is that it?” Kat said, pointing to a huge, classic looking Italian mansion.
Deborah nodded. “I think so.”
There were three luxurious cars waiting for them at the airstrip. The drivers were standing at a distance, smoking cigarettes and chatting, but they stubbed them out as soon as the airplane door opened. They rushed forward to get the suitcases, while Primo bounded down the folding stairs, followed by everyone else.
Luigi went over to the cars and spoke to one of the drivers in Italian. Kat wished she spoke it. It was such a rhythmic and beautiful language.
Before long, they were ready to go. Kat and Blaine were in one car, which had luxurious cream leather seating. Deborah, Luigi and Primo were in the second. Luigi’s face was grave as he stood beside the car and looked around at the surrounding vineyards. Kat could only imagine how his heart was breaking in that very painful moment, looking at the special place his friend loved most in all the world, but his friend was gone. After all their luggage had been loaded into the third car they began their drive up through the vineyards toward the mansion.
As they got closer, Kat noticed part of the mansion looked centuries old, while one wing, which looked out at the sea, was sleek and modern. It was quite a strange mix, but certainly made the place look grand and imposing. On both sections, the gold intricate railings across the veranda were the same, somehow uniting the entirely different parts of the building.
Kat turned her head to see what the view would be like from the veranda, and saw that it was absolutely stunning. The vineyards rolled all the way across the landscape to the coast, giving way to a fantastic view of the Mediterranean, a deep blue that was glittering in the morning sunlight.
Soon they arrived at the grand entrance, which was located in the older classical part of the mansion. They were led into a large kitchen and dining room, which was filled with people, cooking, eating, and drinking. Kat was quite taken aback.
“Luigi!” A beautiful dark-haired woman rushed towards him and embraced him, sobbing. “Luigi...” Then she said something in Italian that Kat didn’t understand.
Kat watched, feeling heartbroken. She assumed the woman must be Chiari, Bruno’s wife. Kat looked at Deborah, who wiped away a little tear. Primo nuzzled into Deborah’s side, and she reached down to gently pet him.
“Chiari, I am so sorry,” Luigi said. “This is my wife-to-be, Deborah, and our friends, Kat and Blaine.”
“Hello,” Chiari said in a heavy Italian accent, though she didn’t quite look them in the eye. She motioned towards the people in the kitchen and said, “Here is my family. They have just come from Lazio.” She turned to Luigi and said something in Italian.
Luigi turned to them. “Chiari and I need to speak privately for a few minutes. She said you can all sit down at the table and eat.”
Deborah smiled. “Absolutely. You two take as long as you need.”
Chiari gave them a distracted smile, then walked out of the kitchen with Luigi following her. She led him through a hallway, through the salon, and into a back room. Then she opened a heavy door, with steps that led downwards. “Here,” she said. They spoke in Italian from then on.
“His wine cellar,” Luigi said, tears in his eyes.
“Yes,” Chiari said. She’d cried for so long she felt numb. She wondered if she’d ever be able to cry again. “This is where… where I found him.”
She turned on the light, and they walked down the stairs together. Luigi felt claustrophobic, and, all of a sudden, so angry that he could break every bottle in the cellar if they hadn’t been so precious to Bruno. “No,” he said, then louder, “No!”
“Right here,” Chiari said, walking to where the table and chairs had been. “He apparently was sitting here, drinking his new wine release. He was so excited about it. He had fallen off his chair when I found him lying on the floor. The police took it all, the table, the chair, and the bottle, for evidence.”
“That was a quick response,” Luigi said.
“Yes. Well, given who Bruno was…”
Luigi shook his head and paced the floor. “How… how was he killed?”
“At first they thought it was a heart attack. But the doctor said the way he looked was more symptomatic of poisoning. That’s when the police were called.”
“Poisoning?” said Luigi, startled. “But…” His mind raced. “Do you know what kind of poison?”
“Not yet,” Chiari said. “The doctor and the coroner will find out and tell us, but no, I know nothing yet.”
Luigi shook his head, looking around at the bottles of wine. Bruno had been murdered, right in the heart of the place he loved the most. A place where he should have been safe. “Who could have done it? Not many people have access to this room.”
“This is the thing,” said Chiari. “The vineyard manager and a couple of the workers have access. Then there’s just me and Bruno. He doesn’t even allow the house cleaners and staff to come down here. He insists that the vineyard manager clean it after it has been used.”
“Is the vineyard manager still Gabriele Ferrari?” Luigi asked. He had been the manager for ten years now, and Luigi had met him on a few occasions. Bruno always sung his praises.
“Yes,” Chiari said. “I am sure it is not him. He would never want to harm Bruno.” Her voice cracked. “Anyway, I cannot even begin to think of all this. It makes me too fearful. Whoever did it may very well want to kill me, too. I will leave the task of solving this terrible crime up to the police, and hide in the bosom and protection of my family.”
She knew that many of the family members were only there because they knew she would inherit all of Bruno’s money, and wanted to be sweet to her so she would drop a portion of it into their hands. But none of them knew about little Diego Ossani-Lombardi. She was hoping he would not show up on the doorstep with his devil of a mother.
“My fiancée Deborah has brought her matron of honor along, Kat Denham. She is an author by trade, but has been instrumental in solving a few murders in Lindsay, Kansas, which is where they come from in the United States. Deborah and I think she might be able to help.”
Chiari nodded. “Anything for Bruno. We must get justice for him.”
Luigi nodded. “We will. Between the police and Kat, we have a good thing going. And if Kat cannot solve it, we will hire more investigators. Justice will be served for Bruno, Chiari. You can trust me on that.”
Chiari gave him a hug. “You were his best friend, Luigi. He loved you. Do you know that?”
“Yes,” Luigi said, a lump rising in his throat. “I do. I wish we could have had our wedding just a few days earlier, so he could have been there.”
Chiari nodded. “He will be there in spirit. He was so happy for you, that you found yourself a lovely woman to grow old with.”
Luigi wiped his eyes. “Yes. We celebrated our victories together. But Chiari, you have lost your life partner. How will you go on? What help do you need?”
Chiari straightened her back and held her head high. “I will go on, for Bruno’s memory. He would not want to see me go down. I have my family to help me.” Truthfully, she doubted they would be any help at all, but it would be disloyal to say so. “I will be fine. With God’s and Mother Mary’s help, I will be fine.”
“Okay,” Luigi said, not entirely convinced. “As long as you’r
e sure, Chiari. Make sure you call me if you need anything, anything at all. You could even come to stay with us, if you want. Whatever you need.”
“You are a generous man.”
“No,” said Luigi. “I see you as family. It is nothing. Nothing is too much for you to ask for. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Chiari said. “Thank you, Luigi. It means a lot to me. But you must make sure your fiancée is happy first.”
Luigi broke into a laugh. “Oh, Chiari, you do expect the worst from people. She has already cried on your behalf. She wants to befriend you and make sure you are happy and cared for.”
Chiari had found it very difficult to trust any woman, since Sofia had betrayed her so spectacularly. So this declaration from Luigi did not mean much to her. “She is being most kind,” she said evenly.
“She is a very good-hearted person,” Luigi said. “As are Kat and her husband Blaine. Shall we go and see them now? I expect Kat will want to start investigating as soon as possible.”
“Yes,” Chiari said. “Any help is good help.”
CHAPTER 11
Soon they were in the salon, sitting with a huge spread of food in front of them. Chiari’s family had brought copious amounts of food and drink with them. Consequently, the large marble coffee table was covered with bottles of alcohol and all kinds of cakes and snacks.
“I will not drink wine,” Chiari said, and poured herself a glass of a creamy-looking liquid.
“What’s that?” Luigi asked, looking at the bottle. “Guappa?” Chiari handed him the bottle. “Buffalo milk with brandy, aged for three years,” he said, reading the label.
“I can drink the whole bottle,” said Chiari. “Please, it makes you eat and drink. This can make life be… less terrible.”
Kat was thinking hard about the murder already. She saw how much pain it was causing Luigi, who was trying to put on a brave face for Chiari, and by extension Deborah, who was trying to put on a brave face for Luigi. Luigi had already mentioned that the murder had happened in the wine cellar, and that only the vineyard manager and a couple of workers had access.
Chiari became quite insistent that they all pour themselves drinks.
“I’ll try the Guappa,” Deborah said. Primo was curled up at her feet and she ruffled his neck. Blaine and Kat followed suit. Then followed a somewhat uncomfortable silence as they all stared into space or into their drinks.
“May I ask you a question, Chiari?” Kat asked. She felt quite nervous, but her urge to solve the mystery of Bruno’s death spurred her on.
“Of course,” Chiari said.
“Luigi told me that the vineyard manager had access to the cellar, as well as a couple of workers. Do you think any of them could have been involved in the murder?”
“I do not understand,” Chiari said.
Deborah jumped in to translate, and spoke fluently in Italian. Then Chiari spoke back to her and Deborah translated back to English for Kat. “She says the vineyard manager is a good man and would have no reason to hurt Bruno. She does not know who else has access to the wine cellar, but thinks perhaps someone was paid to enter by one of Bruno’s enemies. She cannot think of any other explanation.”
The conversation continued with Deborah as the translator. “You say one of Bruno’s enemies,” Kat said. “Do you have any idea who those enemies might be?”
“Perhaps Vito Rizzo,” Deborah translated. “He is a competing winemaker here in Sardinia, and was always jealous of Bruno. Bruno won all the awards for wine and was beloved by the press and critics. Vito Rizzo always came in second in tasting competitions and was known for complaining about it. He is also known for his violent temper.
“Apparently once he strangled his own vineyard manager for making a mistake. The vineyard manager did not die, but was very shaken. Rizzo paid him off to keep from taking his story to the press, but news travels fast within the wine community of Sardinia. Everyone knows what he did.”
“Okay,” Kat said as she processed the information. “So perhaps he put a worker in your vineyards to deliver the poison. Is that what you’re thinking?”
Once translated by Deborah, Chiari nodded. Then she looked distinctly uncomfortable.
“What is wrong?” Kat asked.
Chiari burst into tears and spoke thickly and very fast. Luigi patted Chiari on the knee, looking awkward and sorrowful. Deborah translated, and Kat was very impressed with how fluent she’d become in Italian, given the rather short period of time she’d been in Italy.
“She says there is something else she has to say, but it is very shameful. She wants us to close all the doors, so there is no possibility of her family hearing.”
Luigi and Blaine both jumped up and closed the numerous doors to the salon.
“She also wants us to all swear we will not repeat this,” Deborah said. “She does not want anyone to know, especially the press. She does not want to ruin Bruno’s reputation or her own. Also, she has only recently found this information out, and it is a very raw wound for her.”
“Okay,” said Kat. “Please tell her none of us will repeat it.”
Deborah did so, but then said, “She wants us all to assure her of that.”
Luigi and Blaine promised not to tell anyone, and then Deborah did too, speaking in Italian.
Chiari poured herself another Guappa and looked nervous. “I had a housekeeper named Sofia. She was my best friend for the two years she was here. Then she left because she was pregnant. I have recently found out that she was pregnant with Bruno’s child, and the child is now thirteen years old.”
Luigi gasped, dropping his head into his hands. Then Chiari and he spoke in Italian which Deborah continued to translate.
“She asked him if he did not know, since she thought Bruno told him everything. He replied he did not. He thought they shared everything too. He is very shocked and saddened. He thought Bruno was so devoted to Chiari he would never do such a thing. Chiari says she had thought so, too, but they were both wrong.”
Then Chiari continued. “She says that the child even has Bruno’s surname, as well as Sofia’s,” Deborah translated. “And that the child wrote her a letter, saying that she was preventing Bruno from coming to live with Sofia and Diego, his real family.”
Tears streamed down Chiari’s face as she took the letter from her dress pocket and handed it to Luigi. He read it, looking very disturbed, shaking his head over and over again.
Chiari continued and Deborah translated, “She says it sounds like Bruno was telling them lies about her, and that he wanted to leave, but she was preventing him. Perhaps Sofia got tired about hearing this, and finally snapped?”
“Oh,” Kat said. “I’m so sorry.”
Chiari sniffed. Deborah translated, “I will be okay. It is only… I do not know what kind of man I was married to. Perhaps he made one mistake and Sofia is lying to the child. Perhaps Sofia is lying altogether because she wants to get her hands on Bruno’s money and estate, and the child is not really Bruno’s.” Then she burst into tears again. “I don’t understand what is happening with my life.”
Deborah stood up and then sat next to Chiari. She gave her a hug and spoke to her in a soothing voice. She gestured toward Kat. Kat guessed she was saying that everything would be okay and that Kat was going to do her utmost to catch the killer.
Kat was beginning to feel the pressure. Who could have predicted that a fun vacation with a glorious happily-ever-after wedding, would have turned into this? But for Chiari’s benefit, she forced herself to find an optimistic smile. She couldn’t imagine the turmoil and mixed emotions poor Chiari must be feeling.
To not know whether her husband had been lying to her all these years… To wonder if their whole relationship had been a lie… And then to find the man dead and not be able to get any answers. To wonder if her own life was now in danger. It was a lot for one person to handle.
“We will work this out the best we can,” Kat said. “Though we can’t bring your husband back, at l
east we can find out who did this and bring them to justice. We won’t stop until we do.”
Deborah translated, and Chiari gave her a wobbly smile.
Kat wondered how long this was all going to take. If necessary, she and Blake could extend their stay. They’d have to change their flights, but their visas allowed them to stay for up to three months in Italy, so that wasn’t a problem. She was sure Lacie and Tyler would stick around to look after the dogs. Blaine should be able to get some extra vacation time, since he’d barely taken any since he’d won his election, and the Deputy DAs could step in and cover for him.
If there was a problem with him staying, Kat would just have to stay on alone. She needed to continue writing, as some of her books were on pre-release and needed to be completed by a certain date, but she could continue that in her own time. It would be a good way to distract herself from the grim murder investigation, and escape for a little while.
Luigi and Chiari spoke briefly in Italian. Deborah translated. “Luigi said he knows Bruno and his brother were not that close, but wondered if the brother, Salvatore, would be coming. Chiari says he will be coming soon, but he had to find someone to take care of his Bed and Breakfast in Esporico, and he’s finding it quite hard to find someone to fill his shoes.”
Luigi looked quite disapproving. Kat thought that perhaps Bruno had told Luigi all kinds of bad things about his brother. Perhaps Salvatore was an unsavory character? Then her mind jumped to the fact that perhaps he might inherit, given Bruno’s death, rather than Chiari.
“Are Bruno’s parents still alive?” Kat asked.
“No,” Luigi replied in English. “Their mother died when they were very young. Their father passed many years ago.”
“Were the vineyards and this home his?”
Murder in Italy Page 7
