Fatal Cover-Up

by Lisa Harris

  Despite the hot sun pounding down on her, her body was shaking. A mixture, he was sure, of both fear and relief.

  “Talia? Are you okay?”

  She managed a nod.

  “Try to breathe, then. Slow, deep breaths.”

  “Where’s Anna?” she asked.

  “She’s still on the boat, but you’re safe. She’s not going to be able to hurt you anymore.”

  Talia turned her head toward the boat. Silvio still stood on the stern, pointing his gun at Anna. “Who is he?”

  “Agent Silvio Gabriello,” Joe said, turning to his new friend. “And someone I owe a debt of gratitude.”

  “That ‘agent’ bit might just grow on me,” Silvio said, not taking his eyes off Anna. “In case you were wondering, we just needed a distraction,” he said to her. “I know this island very well. In fact, I have a number of friends who live here. A few burly fishermen. I gave them a call as we were pulling up to the dock. They’re on their way here now to ensure you are placed in custody until the polizia show up.”

  “I still don’t understand who he is,” Talia said.

  “I’ll tell you all about him later. Do you think you can sit up?”

  Talia pressed her hands against him and managed to sit up. Her dark hair clung to her face, where a nasty bruise was beginning to show up. But at least she was alive and safe.

  She scrunched her hair with her fingers, then turned back to Joe, her gaze stopping at his arm, where he’d been shot the day before. She reached up and pulled at his sleeve. “Your arm…it’s bleeding again.”

  “Forget about my arm. It will be fine. I was afraid I’d lost you out there.”

  “How in the world did you find me?”

  He shot her a smile. “I have a few resources available to me.”

  “She was going to kill me as soon as she got those paintings.”

  “I know, and I couldn’t let that happen.”

  “She was planning to use me as leverage.”

  “So she never found the paintings.”

  “No. And there’s another thing I found out. Thomas was innocent.”

  “Innocent? What do you mean?”

  “Thomas never should have died. She framed him. She was the one stealing from the raids, and he found out. She ended up killing him and planting evidence on him.”

  He wiped away the water running down her cheek. She had to be exhausted both physically and emotionally. But now, while nothing was going to bring Thomas back, maybe she could move on with her life knowing he really had been the man she’d always believed he was.

  “I’m so sorry for everything you’ve had to go through,” he said.

  “So am I, but it’s over, Joe. And I finally know the truth.”

  He could hear the relief in her voice, but it wasn’t over. Not completely. Not for him. He glanced at Anna. There was still a connection between Anna, the paintings and the murder weapon that killed both Thomas and his brother, and he intended to find it.

  SIXTEEN

  Joe stood in the doorway of the Morellos’ living room that led onto the balcony of the small apartment. He watched Talia interact with friends and family. It looked as if most of the neighborhood had shown up and were now pressed into the small space. Rows of food in covered dishes sat on the counters of the adjacent kitchen, leaving the place smelling like garlic, onions and tomatoes. He was reminded that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten.

  But eating seemed almost frivolous.

  He could read a hint of pain in her eyes as Talia stood talking to an older woman. He’d spent the past thirty-six hours visiting the local doctor to make sure his wound wasn’t getting infected, then sleeping off the pain medicine.

  Now, two days later, the police had finally finished with their closed crime scene, giving the family back a semblance of normality. But things would never be the same. And the hardest part of all, in his mind, was the fact that the loss of the Morellos’ children had been completely senseless. Even with Anna locked behind bars for the rest of her life, it would never be enough to make up for the pain and loss they’d experienced.

  Talia greeted another neighbor with a solemn expression, then started toward him. He’d debated coming at all. She’d spent the day before with her in-laws, trying to help them make sense of everything that had happened. He should have left and yet something had kept him from going. Maybe it was his own sense of needing closure. Or maybe it was the woman walking toward him that he wasn’t quite ready to leave.

  He worried about how she was handling things, and the memories this entire experience had triggered. And yet at the same time he’d been impressed with how strong she was. How she hadn’t allowed fear to stop her from standing tall when conflict struck. It was what had drawn him to her in the first place. A mixture of vulnerability and strength.

  Which was partly why he was still standing here. That not-so-subtle desire to get to know her had refused to leave no matter how hard he tried to ignore it. He hadn’t been looking—wasn’t looking—and yet he knew that she was the kind of woman, given time, that he’d like to spend the rest of his life with.

  She stopped in front of him, looking beautiful in a black-and-white dress that dropped just above a pair of silver sandals. But it was her smile that had his heart in a tailspin.

  “Hey, ” he said, stepping out onto the balcony with her. “How are you doing?”

  “I’ve had better days, but I’m okay. I’m glad you’re here. I could use a bit of air.”

  Outside on the balcony gave them a mesmerizing view of the canal. While he’d never tire of the city scene, Venice would always be more than just a tourist stop for him.

  “I know this hasn’t been an easy few days,” he said, keeping his thoughts focused.

  “To be honest I’ve had worse days. And this time I’m not the one facing the brunt of the loss. But I’m sorry to have left you to fend for yourself after you brought me here.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad you’re here with Marco’s parents. They need you.”

  “It’s been good, though, just to get to chat with some Marco’s friends and family. It’s been so long since I’ve seen many of them. I just wish I wasn’t here because of his death. It still seems so surreal.”

  “And you? How are you being here? I know it had to have brought a lot of difficult memories back to the surface.”

  “It has, but it’s also been good for me to be here. I’ve known many of these people for years. Even before Thomas and I were married. It’s always a bit like coming home, and yet at the same time everything seems so different. So much has happened since then. Babies born, people who have passed away…”

  He studied her face as she stared out over the canal. She’d given her heart to two countries and loved them both deeply.

  “You look tired,” he said.

  “I am. But it’s my in-laws I’m worried about. They’re strong, but they’ve lost so much. First Thomas and now Marco.”

  “I can’t imagine what they are going through.”

  “Me neither, though they seem…I guess shattered is the right word. In the meantime, there is family here. A sister and a niece who are going to stay with them for a while. And they have the entire community behind them.”

  “And you’re here,” he added.

  “Yes, but I think it’s hard for them when I’m here. They care about me, I have no doubt of that, but I think I’m a reminder of what they’ve lost. I’m not sure how long I should stay. Not sure if they need me.”

  He glanced out beyond the balcony. “You said you needed some fresh air. Do you feel like going for a walk? There’s something I’d like to show you.”

  She looked up at him and nodded. “Actually…I would.”

  “Good.”

  They stepped outside into the humid summer breeze and started down the narrow street toward the canal. Past a few restaurants and bars with customers sitting out in front of them drinking coffee an
d laughing. He’d always found it ironic how the world still went on around you even when your own world seemed to be ending.

  Like the day his brother died.

  He was still waiting, but maybe with the new information they now had, he’d also be able to find closure for himself and his family. And for Talia… All he could do was pray that she felt the same way. That as difficult as the past few days had been, that she’d find healing and a way forward.

  “Are you up for a surprise?” he asked, as he headed toward the canal.

  “A surprise?” She frowned, making him wonder if he’d misread her.

  “Don’t worry. It’s a good thing.” He hesitated. “You said you’d never gone on gondola. I met a friend of yours and mentioned that I’d like to take one of them one day. He offered to take us. You can say no, but I thought you might like to get out of the house for a while.”

  “A gondola ride?” She still didn’t look convinced. “Are you serious?”

  “Very. But too touristy?”

  “Yes.” She laughed. The first laugh he’d heard from her in days. “But it’s perfect, actually. I could use a distraction. And they don’t need me back anytime soon.”

  He smiled at her. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  He led her down to the gondola, where the man he’d hired, wearing a black-and-white striped shirt and black pants, waited for them. Before long the sun would begin to set, giving them a front row seat to a perfect Venetian sunset.

  “Bruno?” she said, stepping into the boat. “I haven’t seen you for a long time. It’s nice to see you.”

  “It’s nice to you, too, though I can’t believe you’ve never taken a ride in a gondola before. I would have thought you’d given a tour on one if nothing else.”

  “I’m too much of a local, preferring to walk or take the vaporetto.”

  Her smile was back, as he helped her onto the boat, leaving him with a feeling that he’d made the right decision.

  “I have to say that this city continues to amaze me,” he said, settling into the boat. “And the view from the water—especially when I’m not chasing someone—is spectacular.”

  The boat glided down the narrow passageway, next to century-old buildings rising out of its depths.

  She leaned in next to him. “I never get tired of the water or the views of the city or being out on the water. There something mesmerizing about it.”

  He studied the gondola ahead of them as it navigated the canals. “Look at them. I think I should have added the accordion player and singer.”

  “No. This is perfect.” She nudged him with her shoulder as the music played. “Though I remember someone telling me they’d learned not to mix business with pleasure.”

  “Maybe I was wrong.”

  He looked down at her, contemplating whether or not he should put his arm around her, and let her lean even closer against him. Because he wanted to. Wanted to reassure himself that she was safe. Except a part of him wished it didn’t feel so perfect for her to be next to him. He was leaving in the morning. He’d already booked a train ticket to Rome and had a flight out in the evening. And after he was gone…

  The setting sun painted yellows and pinks across the water and buildings. Bells from the Venetian Basilica rang out across the Grand Canal. Boats sped past them with their passengers. No roads. Nothing to really think about for the moment, except the movement of the water and the beautiful woman sitting beside him.

  Because she was nothing like Natasha.

  He’d only mentioned Natasha to a few people. And he’d never told them what had really happened. He’d just stopped talking about her, and yet there was something about Talia that made it easy for him to open up. Something completely unexpected.

  “Her name was Natasha Waybright,” he said, deciding to tell her the truth.

  “You don’t have to tell me,” she said.

  “I know, but I need to. She worked for an upscale art gallery, primarily for contemporary artists. She ended up helping us with a sting operation we were working in connection to a number of art-fraud cases we needed to close down. It was supposed to be straightforward, but things didn’t exactly go as planned.”

  “What happened?”

  “Turned out our intel was off. Way off. The owner wasn’t the one involved in the scam. It was Natasha all along.”

  “So she played you.”

  “Like a fiddle. And let me tell you, that admission still hurts.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It embarrassing for our team.”

  Particularly for him, someone who prided himself on being able to read people. It had been a blow to both his ego and his heart.

  “She’s now spending ten to fifteen behind bars,” he said. “And let’s just say that after that, I learned to keep my job completely separate from my private life.”

  “I’ve always found dating—especially after Thomas—a bit… I’m not sure what the word is. Awkward, intimidating and even unnerving, for starters.”

  Joe laughed. “I once heard dating compared to jumping into a tank of piranhas.”

  “I can relate to that.” She shot him a smile as a boat sped past them. “I ended up having to feign a headache and walk out on my last date after watching him constantly texting someone else throughout the entire appetizer.”

  “That is bad.”

  “Not quite as bad as you falling for a criminal, but yeah. It wasn’t pleasant.” Her smile faded. “I believed Thomas had fooled me, as well. And sometimes I’m not sure it’s something I can get past. Though my heart tells me that not all people are like Natasha. There are some out there who are simply looking for love, marriage and a family.”

  Talia glanced up at him. “Thanks for sharing with me. And I meant what I said. This is perfect.”

  He smiled down at her, but he knew he was treading on dangerous territory. She’d stay for a few more days, then head back to Rome, but he was leaving Italy, and after that…what chance did they have that their paths would cross again?

  *

  She glanced up at him and smiled, wishing his nearness didn’t affect her, but it did. Over a matter of days, Agent Joe Bryant had somehow managed to become her hero, her rock, her spiritual adviser and friend all rolled up into one.

  “Thank you for this.”

  He smiled back. “You’re welcome.”

  “I have to say that while all of the loose ends weren’t exactly tied up in a neat bow like I would have wished, this is the first time I’ve been able to relax for days.”

  “That’s exactly what I’d hoped for.”

  She stared out across the water at the spectacular sunset, still hoping they would find the paintings and even more importantly hoped that Joe would find the closure he needed regarding his brother’s death. She’d somehow managed to find that lingering need for closure with Anna’s confession. And while the truth had pulled open old wounds, in the end, she knew they would now finally be able to heal.

  “I’ve learned something these past few days,” she said.

  “What’s that?”

  “That maybe my taste in men maybe isn’t so bad after all.”

  He nudged her with his elbow. “If you’re referring to me, I happen to know that your taste in men is impeccable.”

  “Funny.”

  She’d meant Thomas, but had she subconsciously meant Joe as well? Because while she might feel the attraction toward him, that didn’t mean she was ready to move into another relationship. Or was she?

  She looked up at him, suddenly questioning whether she should have agreed to come with him. The setting was too…perfect. Too romantic. Gliding down the Grand Canal in a shiny black gondola in the middle of Venice with him. The sun had slipped farther toward the horizon and now was in the process of bathing the buildings and water in pinks and purples, with Joe, the handsome agent who’d come to her rescue, beside her.

  He was what she was looking for. If she was looking. The bigger-than-life hero with a
heart and passion for what he did. But wasn’t it just that for him? Another job? The intensity of the past few days wasn’t real life. It might be a start, but it wasn’t something to build a relationship on. And after tomorrow she’d go back to the real world, and he’d go back to his.

  “I know that these past few days have been extremely difficult,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “It definitely hasn’t been the kind of situation that allows two people to get to know each other in a real world setting. But tell me something. Tell me I haven’t just imagined a connection between us.”

  “I… No. You haven’t, but…” She looked up at him and felt her breath catch.

  Maybe it was the fading sunlight playing hide-and-seek as it dropped behind a building, leaving a shadow of gold shimmering across the water. Maybe it was the black silhouette of another gondola gliding ahead of them. The perfect romantic scene. The perfect hero sitting beside her. He’d saved her life, but in the process he’d also managed to do something to her heart. Like he’d found all the vulnerable cracks and instead of breaking them, he’d managed to soften them.

  Fear that had threatened to consume her moments before dissipated. He leaned toward her and she let him brush her lips across hers. Her heart raced as he kissed her, slowly, expectantly, with the Venetian sun dipping into the dark waters in front of them. Seconds later, she pulled back, unsure of what she’d just done.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “That was…out of line. Between knowing me for such a short time, and the loss of your husband—”

  “It’s not that. I’ve healed over losing Thomas. That doesn’t mean there aren’t still things that trigger memories and feelings of grief that sometimes linger, but I’m not in that place anymore. To be honest, this past week has been one of the most frightening times I’ve ever experienced, and yet it’s also reminded me of how far I’ve come. How I’m a stronger person than I used to be. I don’t know if I’d have been able to handle what happened two…maybe three years ago. But exploring a relationship?” She let out a low laugh. Part of her wanted to run, but the other part of her wanted him to kiss her again. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know if it’s me or the men I’ve gone out with, but typically I never get to a second date.”