"Here." Garini handed him ten Euros. "You take a taxi home and sleep. Don't return until you know your name."
Blood-shot eyes tried to focus on him. "My name?"
"Yes. You'll remember. Eventually."
II
"Buongiorno, Carlina." The voice came from Temptation's entrance.
Carlina looked over her shoulder. "Aunt Maria! You're up and about early. Let me just finish this, then I'll be with you." She took an old towel and rubbed the floor of the dressing room dry, then fished a bottle from a hidden corner and sprayed the uneven stone tiles that had seen more than a few centuries of business.
Aunt Maria watched her with a frown. She wore a light-green rain jacket and a matching green hat. "Why are you doing that?"
Carlina sighed. "Because you have to take off your shoes when you try on underwear, and in summer, many customers have smelly feet. I need to scrub the floor of the dressing room at least twice a week, and I always add disinfectant too." She straightened. "There, that's it. Clean and fresh for my next customer." At least, it would be if you didn't reek of garlic. She pushed the thought aside and went to the door of Temptation. "Let's air the place a bit." She slid the glass door open and fixed it while looking at the gray sky. A drizzle of rain was keeping the tourists away. Carlina sighed. It was the right weather for a museum, not for shopping.
Aunt Maria followed her and leaned against the cash register. Her small eyes were bloodshot.
Carlina frowned. "Are you all right?"
Aunt Maria nodded. "Yes. I had a bad night, that's all." She wiped her hand across her brow. "My thoughts kept me awake."
Her great-niece pointed at to bar stool. "Take a seat, Aunt Maria. I'll get you a glass of water. It'll make you feel better." She went to the tiny bathroom behind the storage room.
When she came back, her aunt had managed to climb onto the bar stool. With her green garments, she looked like a round nymph on her throne next to the golden horn filled with thongs. "You have a great overview from this chair." Aunt Maria's smile was triumphant. "Even if it's a bit difficult to climb."
Carlina handed her the glass of water. It was translucent red. In a small square on the front, the word 'Temptation' was written with golden curlicues.
"That's a great glass." Aunt Maria took a sip. "I didn't know you had these."
Carlina leaned against the counter. "I bought them in summer. So many customers asked me for a glass of water that I started to feel like a bar and became quite resentful, but of course, I couldn't refuse to give them something. After all, it was very hot."
"Yes, it was a hot summer." Aunt Maria took off her green hat and wiped her brow again though cool air was coming by now through the open door.
"So I talked to Francesca. She's a glass-blower with her own studio on Via Burchiello, and she made those for me."
Aunt Maria smiled. "So now you sell glasses too?"
Carlina nodded. "I also have another version in translucent black." She grinned. "If they buy the glass, I don't even have to wash it."
"And how much is one?" Aunt Maria held it against the light and squinted at the reflection on its red glass.
"Twelve Euros." Carlina said.
Aunt Maria's hand sank. "What?" She eyed the glass with respect. "How come it's so expensive?"
"It's handmade." Carlina pointed at the rim of the glass. "See the little swirls here? Every piece is unique."
"But do you make a profit too?"
"Of course." Carlina grinned. "I didn't want to risk selling more glasses than underwear and becoming bankrupt." She shivered but didn't close the door. The garlic smell that permeated the air around Aunt Maria was as dense as a fog. "In fact, it's a great bargain for a handmade glass."
"I'll take your word for it." Aunt Maria bent forward and placed her glass with care on the cash counter. Then she straightened and folded her hands on her lap, crushing the green hat. "I didn't come to talk about glasses, Carlina."
"I can imagine." Carlina smiled.
"I've been thinking all night long." Aunt Maria stared into space. "I've been thinking about the murderer of Nico, and I think I know who it was."
"What?" Carlina's mouth dropped open. "You know who it was? How come?"
Aunt Maria looked past Carlina's shoulder. "I think we should close that door."
"Sure." Carlina moved with alacrity. Suddenly, she didn't care if the whole store smelled of garlic. What does Aunt Maria know? She rushed back to her great aunt and leaned against the counter. "Tell me."
Aunt Maria's small eyes regarded her. "Do you like the Commissario?"
Carlina was taken aback. "I . . . no."
"Why not?"
Carlina swallowed. "He's rude. He pushes me forward, makes me try to lose control." And he has a smile that makes my knees weaken. Carlina shook her head. Where did that thought come from? She pushed it away.
"Hmm." The ample nymph on the bar stool nodded her head from side to side. "Funny, Annalisa says the same."
"Does she? I thought she was interested. I saw that gleam in her eye."
Aunt Maria shook her head. "No. She says he's impossible."
"Ah." For some reason, that statement made Carlina feel better. "She has more sense than I thought. But let's not talk about Annalisa. You said you knew who killed Uncle Nico? Do you really know or do you just have a good guess?"
Aunt Maria took the glass of water and drank a thirsty draft from it. "I like Garini," she said, as if she hadn't heard Carlina's question.
"You do?" Now it was Carlina's turn to stare. "Why?"
"He understands weaknesses."
Carlina's mouth dropped open. "We're not talking about the same man."
Aunt Maria started to laugh. "Oh, yes, we are. I think he's leading you on, Carlina."
Nettled, Carlina said. "I can well believe that, but he has never given me the slightest reason to believe that he understands any human emotion. He reminds me of a police computer, that one. I keep wondering if he has a switch he turns off when he goes to bed at night."
Aunt Maria held onto the counter. Her whole body shook with laughter. "Oh, Carlina," she said, "you have to look closer."
"No, thanks." Carlina crossed her arms in front of her chest. She had difficulty with her breathing. If any unsuspecting customer came into Temptation right now, he would be blown out again by the garlic stench. "Now please tell me, Aunt Maria. Don't keep me hanging."
The laughter fled from Aunt Maria's face. "It's difficult," she said. "You see, if my theory is right, then a lot more people should be dead by now."
Carlina felt the blood draining from her face. "What?"
Aunt Maria nodded. "Because several people know the secret. That's what bothers me." She turned her hat in her hands. "But we aren't dead. So does this mean my theory is wrong?"
Carlina swallowed. "What is your theory?" She stressed the second word.
Aunt Maria didn't answer. "Should I tell Garini?" She lifted her head. "What if it's all wrong?"
"Tell me." Carlina felt like jumping onto the counter and shaking her great aunt. "Then we can decide together."
"That's why I came to Temptation," Aunt Maria said. "I wanted to speak to you without anybody overhearing."
An icy current ran up and down Carlina's back. It's someone from the family. Oh, Madonna.
Aunt Maria's mouth twisted. "Now I wonder. I would put you in danger." Suddenly, she looked old.
"You can tell me," Carlina held her breath and bent forward. "You can tell Garini too. He will know what to do."
Aunt Maria frowned. "I thought you didn't like him."
Carlina reared back. She bent down and pretended to fix something on her shoe so she could take a deep breath of pure air before she came up again. "I don't. But that doesn't mean he's a bad Commissario. Actually, I believe he's quite good at his job."
Aunt Maria shook her head as if she wondered about her great-niece. She started to search for something in her large pockets and unearthed a fresh garli
c clove which she held out to Carlina. "Do you want one?"
Carlina shook her head. "No, thanks."
Aunt Maria popped the garlic clove into her mouth and started to chew. "I think--" She broke off and choked. Her face turned red, then blue; her eyes looked as if they wanted to pop out of her head; her hands came up and grabbed frantic fists of air, then she toppled forward, straight into the golden horn.
"Aunt Maria!" Carlina jumped to her side to steady her, but she couldn't hold her weight. She went down with her great-aunt; the golden horn fell over with a crash, and thongs scattered right and left like lacy snowballs. "Aunt Maria!" Carlina shook her, forced her great-aunt's mouth open and took out the remaining pieces of garlic, then she jumped up, grabbed the glass of water, and flung the contents into Aunt Maria's mouth. It flowed out again. "Oh, Madonna."
Panic stricken, she looked around. Nobody was in front of the store. She grabbed her phone and called an ambulance, then she dropped to her knees again. "Please, answer me. Come on. Aunt Maria!" She rubbed her aunt's hands, touched her face, and wondered how to do heart massage, but she had no idea where to apply pressure and if it would help or make it worse. Tears ran down her face. "Aunt Maria!"
A siren sounded on the street. The next instant, a hand grabbed her shoulder and pushed her to the side. Carlina lost her balance, but when she saw it was the emergency physician, she only said, "It's poison. Don't touch her mouth."
She retreated to the back of the store and pressed her fists against her mouth, praying without knowing it.
The next minutes passed like a blur. Suddenly, Stefano Garini's lean figure emerged behind the doctor. He pushed himself through the crowd that had gathered in front of Temptation, took two big steps over Aunt Maria and the doctor, then stopped next to her. "What happened?"
Carlina's teeth chattered. She trembled so hard, her feet shifted on the floor though she tried to keep them still. She couldn't turn her eyes away from Aunt Maria, prostrate on the cold stone floor, her green coat covering her like a blanket. She had looked so cheerful on that bar stool.
Garini narrowed his eyes, then disappeared into the storage room. He returned with one of Carlina's small folding chairs, placed it onto the floor, took Carlina by the shoulders and made her sit on it, with her back leaning against the shelves. Next, he took an empty water glass from the display and went to the tiny bathroom in the back.
Detached, as if she wasn't really here, Carlina heard the water run from the tap.
The next minute, he returned and thrust the glass of water into her hands. "Drink this." His voice sounded commanding.
Carlina took the glass, but her hand shook so hard, she couldn't keep it straight.
He covered her hand with his and guided the glass to her mouth.
His hands felt warm and comforting, but her teeth chattered against the rim of the glass when she tried to drink. Finally, she managed to swallow a bit.
He took the glass away and placed it on a shelf. "Carlina." His voice was compelling. "Look at me."
Carlina turned her gaze from her great-aunt and looked at Garini without seeing him.
He studied her with narrowed eyes. "What happened? Tell me. I can help."
Carlina gulped air. "It was poison." Her voice sounded flat, as if she was a machine on autopilot. "A clove of garlic. She put it in her mouth, and then . . ." Her face twisted. "She fell from the bar stool. I took the piece of garlic from her mouth, but she didn't wake up."
He nodded. "Stay here." One step brought him back to the doctor. He bent down and exchanged a few low words with him, then he searched the floor. He picked up something, placed it into a handkerchief, and put it into his pocket. Then he straightened and took in every detail of the store, the fallen bar stool, the abandoned glass of water on the floor with a small puddle next to it, the closed door.
Carlina watched him as if he was behind glass, as if this whole show didn't concern her. She had a feeling of floating above them, of not belonging.
Garini returned to her. "Why did you think it was poison?"
"Why?" She blinked. "It happened as soon as Aunt Maria started to chew. She . . . she didn't cough. She just changed color and collapsed."
"Did you give her something to drink?"
Carlina stared at him. She heard the words, but the sense eluded her.
He bent forward, his light eyes forcing her to listen. "It's important that you tell me. Did you give her something to drink?"
She nodded. Her tongue felt stiff when she said, "Water from the tap. I tried to rinse her mouth, to take out the poison. But it didn't work."
His hand dropped onto her shoulder for an instant, warm and safe, like an anchor to a world she had lost, then he turned around again, pulled out his phone and started to speak into it in a low voice.
Carlina didn't listen. She wanted to feel his hand on her shoulder again, wanted to lean against someone who would tell her that nothing bad had happened, that it had been a nightmare, that all would be well again.
The doctor sat back on his haunches, his face gray. He looked up and met her eyes, then he slowly shook his head.
Chapter 14
I
"Carlina!" Her mother's voice woke her.
Why didn't she come in? Carlina didn't move.
"Carlina!" A pounding on the door.
Oh. She remembered now. Carlina rolled out of bed and schlepped herself to the entrance of her apartment. She still felt groggy from the sleeping tablet she had taken, the very first in her life. The emergency doctor had given her one, and when Garini had said that they would need hours to finish documenting everything, she had handed him the key to Temptation, had jumped on her Vespa and had bolted home.
However, for the first time in her life, it hadn't felt safe. In the end, she locked her door with the key and placed a chair beneath the handle. Feeling ridiculous and small, she curled up in bed, crying like a small child before the sleeping tablet kicked in.
Carlina pushed the chair to the side and turned the key, then pulled open the door. "Oh, no."
Garini stood next to her mother. Around his mouth, he had deep lines she had never noticed before.
"Carlina!" Her mother placed her hands on her hips. "Why did you lock yourself in? I was so worried about you!"
Carlina rubbed her hands over her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be disturbed." She looked at Garini. "Does Uncle Teo know?"
He nodded. "I told him."
She bit her lips. "What did he say?"
"Nothing much." His face was impassive as always.
A strand of Fabbiola's hair hung across her face. "I don't know what's going on here." She hunched her shoulders. "It scares me."
"Me too." Carlina took a step back. "Come in."
Her mother and Garini followed her into the kitchen. "Espresso?" Carlina started to make coffee without waiting for their answers. She was aware of Garini's gaze on her, sharp and intelligent, taking in every detail. She pressed the Espresso maker into his hand. "Can you continue? I'll just go to the bathroom for a moment."
She looked at her face in the mirror. Due to the smudged Mascara, she had dark circles beneath her eyes, her nose still looked red and swollen from crying, and her hair hung in tangles around her face. She brushed her teeth, repaired the worst of the damage and returned to the kitchen, feeling a bit more like a human being on the outside, but with a bleak and hopeless feeling inside.
The espresso was done. It was strong and hot, just what she needed. She finished it with a grateful sigh.
"I need to talk to you," Garini said.
"Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Carlina felt weak, as if she was recovering from an illness, but she tried to sound like always.
"Is that really necessary?" Fabbiola put her cup onto the saucer with a clatter. "You're not giving us much time to grieve, are you?"
His face hardened. "I wished I could leave you alone, but I don't think we have much time."
Carlina remembered Aunt Maria's words.
A lot more people should be dead by now. She shuddered.
"You should start somewhere else." Fabbiola crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Carlina is still in shock."
His light eyes scanned Carlina's face, but he answered Fabbiola. "She was the last who talked to her. It happened in her store."
I'm a suspect. The air went out of Carlina as if someone had punched her in the stomach. Her hand trembled. She turned her back to the Commissario and placed the cup in the sink. Maybe he hadn't seen her reaction.
Fabbiola put an arm around Carlina's shoulders. "There. I hope you're glad now. Do you enjoy tormenting us?"
Carlina glanced at him from the side.
For the very first time, a temper flared up in his eyes.
Carlina swallowed. She had been right the first time. He wasn't a man you wanted to make angry.
Garini narrowed his eyes. "I can stop tormenting you, as you call it, and leave the murderer to go on with his or her business." He pressed his lips together. "You'll have many funerals in the next months."
Fabbiola hissed out her breath. "How dare you?"
He opened the door of the kitchen. "Please leave me alone with your daughter. I need to talk to her."
"No way!" Fabbiola's face became stubborn. "I won't--"
"Mama." Carlina pulled her mother by the arm to the living room. Out of earshot, she said in a low voice. "Aunt Maria said many more people should be dead. She had a theory, but she didn't have the time to tell me."
"What?" Fabbiola's eyes widened until the whites showed all around. "She said that?"
"Yes. I think the Commissario is right, and I need to tell him everything she said. Maybe he can make sense of it." She sighed. "I sure can't."
"But I should stay with you! I'm your mother!"
Carlina suppressed a sigh. How could she tell her mother that instead of helping, her presence made things more cumbersome? She gave her a quick hug. "Thank you. But I think it'll be better to obey the Commissario. I don't want him to take me to the police station again."
"Again?" Now Fabbiola's eyes threatened to fall out of her head.
Delayed Death (Temptation in Florence Book 1) Page 20
