by Kit DeCanti
Regulations called for Ron to take the two criminals back in the squad car, which he had stashed inside the barn, forcing Kat to ride back with Jack in her Jeep. She sat on the passenger side in silence as Jack steered her Jeep down the mountain. She didn’t mind him driving, because she was still emotional over all that had just transpired. But she would have much rather have ridden with Ron. And besides she didn’t know what to think about Jack. He had, if not lied to her, then certainly misled her.
But right now she didn’t want to discuss it. She wanted to lean back and remember Ron’s words in the cellar. “He loves me. Only me.” Kat’s heart was singing.
As Jack pulled the Jeep off of Summit Road onto Highway 17, he broke the silence. “Kat I know you’re mad at me, but let me tell you I never intended on keeping your retainer. I never cashed your checks. I was already on this case with Ron. Dr. Fleming contacted him and Lenny to help Guido and his wife. All the things that have happened to you these past weeks were just a drop in the bucket compared to what they suffered… but they couldn’t get the police officially involved for reasons you’ll soon understand.
“That is Vince and Stella Lombardi in the back of Ron’s cruiser. They are the ones that chased you, tried to run over you and tonight would have done far worse if we had not gotten there first.
“Francesca called Ron and said you saw her talking to Angel. She said that Angel had told her that she and you were on the way to the Marina, so Ron put in a call there, and was told that you dropped Angel off and left. And since you had already called and fired me, he figured you might be coming back here. Ron and I caught up with you just before Vallejo. We weren’t the only ones following you. Vince and Stella Lombardi were already following you to Mare Vista. Ron, Lenny, and I were keeping his eye on you and them. They have been following your every move since your first trip down here. They knew about the numbers but didn’t know what they meant, and figured you had broken the code, and perhaps even already had the will. When you pulled off for gas in Vallejo they guessed you were on your way back here and passed you to be here waiting. We passed you too so we could get their first and stash the squad car in the barn. Guido had already given us all the keys. We closed the gate and Ron took the tunnel to wait for you inside the cellar, while I hid in the barn loft. I followed you to the house to make sure you were safe until you made it to the cellar. We figured they wouldn’t bother you until you got back there- and we were right.”
Kat bolted up and said, “You and Ron… and Uncle Lenny knew they were following me tonight? And you didn’t stop them or warn me?”
“We couldn’t very well warn you against what we weren’t sure of, and besides, we had to catch them in the act. There was a restraining order against them and they were trespassing here, but we also wanted to get them for attempted murder.”
“Murder!” Kat paled, “You mean they were planning to…” She slumped back on the seat.
Jack was silent for a while and then said. “When you told me you had come here and were chased, we figured it was them and that they must have been looking for the will. Ron had me following you around Lake County ever since you were run off the road. But until you told me we had no idea you even knew about Mare Vista; so Ron had me following up on something else when you left town to come down here the first time.
“Oh… and, sorry about the close call in Lakeport, Kat. I never dreamt Stella would try something like that in broad day light! She was more desperate than I thought. A few million dollars will do that to a person I guess.
“There’s more; but I’m guessing Ron will fill you in on the rest tomorrow.
Then Jack looked at her with a look of admiration. “You really went through that tunnel?” A low whistle emitted from his lips, “You are quite a woman!”
Kat pulled the letter out of the envelope that she was still holding. “I guess since this almost cost me my life, it would be alright for me to read it” she said.
Jack shrugged, “I’m in no position to tell you what to do… and I wouldn‘t stop you if you wanted to read it out loud.”
Kat gingerly unfolded the letter and reached up to turn on the light and began reading:
My darling Guido,
I was correct about my attorney being bought off by my step children. However, I was able to retrieve the wills before they were destroyed.
You’ll find them accompanying this letter. I am sure you will understand the tone and affection that is bestowed to you in this letter, and why the exact nature of our love may be misunderstood. But so be it, and never may we care!
How I wish my health had not given out. How I wish I could continue with you forever. I know you will have to face my step children’s wrath and conniving and for that I am sorry. How I wish things could be different.
As you well know, their father was so good. And generous. Perhaps to a fault. His children never learned to make their own way. They grew up with a sense of entitlement. He had every intention of dividing his estate between them and me, however when their wickedness and hatefulness towards me progressed to the point of my needing a body guard he cut them off. And he left in his will that I continue his wishes with my own will.
As you will see here, attached to my will is his. I took these from my attorney’s briefcase, after I found them missing from my safe. That’s when I learned for certain that he could not be trusted, and I’ve fired him.
I never wanted to burden you with all this, but now that it has all passed over to you I feel you should know the history of your inheritance, and you may need this information for protection from Stella and Vince.
Don’t feel that you have taken anything from them. It was their father’s wishes that they be cut off. And he wanted to show his appreciation to you for your loyalty.
I want to thank you for loving me and taking such good care of me. You are too good of a man to be alone, and I know you will find someone to share the rest of your life with… and I am so happy for you. Be well and happy.
Love,
Maria
Confused, Kat looked at Jack, seeing that he was not surprised, she asked, “You knew this already?”
“Yeah, well I figured most of it out. And Guido told me that…. well that that they only married as a way to keep the step kids at bay, you can see that can’t cha Kat? You notice that there is no reference to a ‘romantic love’ only love… Guido and Maria Lombardi did love each other. But it was a love like a mother to a son... She wanted to adopt him; but with out the father’s will, an adult adoption could have been protested by his natural children on the grounds that their inheritance would be put in jeopardy. They could have held it up for years in court… Maria was pragmatic and knew she didn’t have years left.
“So she came up with the idea that a marriage of convenience was the fastest and safest route to take to insure her constant protection by Guido.
“She was smart. There was no mention of Guido’s love for Francesca in case the step kids got hold of the letter. They could have used it as grounds for an annulment. So Maria only put in writing that she gave Guido the go ahead to find love.
“It was Maria who took him to Italy and introduced him to Francesca. She hoped they would fall in love, even though she knew they couldn’t marry until she died.”
Kat was stunned by all this. “So it’s true… Mrs…. So Maria is dead?” she asked.
Jack looked at her sadly. He knew Kat had grown attached to the old woman whom she thought she was protecting. “Yes, Kat… she died. I’m not sure of the circumstances, but I’m sure Ron will have that information for you.
“Speaking of Ron, I don’t think I’m out of line here to tell you that Wanda is Ron’s cousin. You know the county’s policy about relatives working together, well… Ron had to keep it under wraps so that she could get on as a dispatcher. He had promised his aunt to keep an eye on her; and that is why they were seen together so often. He was going to tell you himself, but that was about the time that you… well... yo
u know.
That was enough for Kat… if Jack said anything more she didn’t hear. She leaned back on the seat and closed her eyes and drifted off to a contented sleep filled with dreams of picnics in pink snow.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Guido and Francesca Lombardi
Ron and Kat sat in the parlor of the Cobb Valley Manor across from Guido and Francesca Lombardi, which was the only room the movers had set up. The two wills and letter lay on the table between them as Mrs. Lombardi poured tea. No one spoke for several minutes. Guido Lombardi gazed out the window tentatively, while Kat and Ron sipped their tea fighting back impatience to hear the complete truth about this mystery; which they both felt was eminent.
Although Ron knew more than Kat there were details that even he needed filled in.
Finally Mr. Lombardi drew in a long breath and began, “Mrs. Lombardi- Maria- had been a house servant of a wealthy old widower. She had helped raise his children at Mare Vista when the mother died after a long illness. She and Mr. Lombardi fell in love and were married much to the children’s disapproval and jealousy. They never believed it was a marriage of love and not greed on her part. They did their best to make her life miserable.
“When my parents died in a car accident, their will named my uncle my guardian, and I was sent to live with him. He was Mare Vista’s groundskeeper. My uncle was a stern man. He was a good man but… well he had little patience or affection for children. He took me in due to a sense of family responsibility, but he really was not ‘father’ material.
“Mrs. Lombardi was my only source of comfort, and helped me deal with the loss of my parents.
“My Uncle trained me to be a grounds keeper hoping for me to be his replacement when he retired. However he died early and I was to be sent away. I had become attached to Mrs. Lombardi. Her husband was a good man and knew of her fondness for me.
“He took me in and had my last name legally changed to his. He didn’t adopt me; but rather treated me more like a nephew. I continued to call them Mr. and Mrs. Lombardi out of respect.
“I grew up on the estate, and knew first hand Vince and Stella’s meanness. They were jealous and cruel to me, but what bothered me more was how they lied and schemed against Mrs. Lombardi, always trying to turn their father against her.
“Mr. Lombardi thought they would get over it sooner or later. However the older they got the more hateful and vengeful they became. And when accidents started happening such as Mrs. Lombardi’s brake lines to her car being cut, and the stairway to her art studio collapsing he sent them away and cut them out of his will. He was very afraid for her safety and hired a body guard. However, bodyguards can be bribed, which Old Mr. Lombardi found out too late. There was one very close call, so I took over as body guard.
“Mr. Lombardi was very appreciative to me for my long years of loyal service and was more than generous in his will. He had already set up a trust for me, but now he cut his own children out of his will, and named me as heir if something happened to his wife before his death. He also had stipulated in his will in no uncertain terms that Mrs. Lombardi was to keep his natural children out of her own will.
“After the old man died his children feigned repentance and tried to play on Mrs. Lombardi’s soft heart and did their best to convince her that they had turned over a new leaf. But they were only trying to get back into her life to try and control of her money.
“Mrs. Lombardi was taken in for awhile. But when the accidents started up again, we both felt that they had some scheme up their sleeve. Especially since we saw them leaving her attorney’s office, and he never mentioned their visit.
“Mrs. Lombardi was terrified! She thought that if she had an heir to leave her wealth to, they would go away and leave her alone; but as long as they had a shot at getting the money she was in danger. We looked into adult adoption, but learned that her husband’s natural children could contest it and hold it up for years. And since Mrs. Lombardi’s health was failing she decided that a quick marriage of convenience was the only solution.
“I knew what people would say- gossip that would spread like wildfire about me being a gigolo. Although the trust set up for me by Mr. Lombardi made me a wealthy man in my own rights- it was not common knowledge. I knew there would be talk, but my concern for Mrs. Lombardi’s safety and well being out weighed any fear of the scandal that would occur.
“So we married and took a long trip to Tuscany, Italy. We leased a small house in the village where she grew up, and she reacquainted herself with her Italian relatives. She was especially fond of her cousin, Sofia Carloni who she played with as a girl. Mrs. Lombardi was happy there, but we finally had to return home due to her health.
“When we returned home, her step children were always there trying to pull her away so they could get control of her money. They tried everything to turn her against me- even setting me up as an adulterer. Which was ridiculous; since Mrs. Lombardi was always trying to introduce me to young women.
“Stella or Vince was always coming around with their sad tales of woe… always ‘bleeding’ Mrs. Lombardi of money… there was always an emergency, or tuition, a wedding, a sudden need of an operation or something that required money… In spite of all their back biting and gossip they well knew Mrs. Lombardi had a soft heart. In fact if she was not so loyal to her husband’s wishes, she would have gladly divided her inheritance with them- giving them the lion‘s share.
“But I doubt if even that would have satisfied them. They were after it all!
“The accidents started happening again. Just like before; brake lines tampered with, staircases half sawed, food messed with. It was a full time job trying to keep Mrs. Lombardi safe. I needed help but who could we trust?
“One of the accidents left her with a broken hip and she was bed ridden and needed full time care. More than I was equipped to provide, I watched the nurses we hired like a hawk, but never kept any for very long for fear that they had been bribed by the Stella and Vince.
“When Mrs. Lombardi was able to get around again she sent me to Italy to bring Sofia Carloni’s daughter, who was a nurse, back to care for her,” smiling lovingly at his wife he said, “Francesca.”
Then looking back at Ron, “As the letter confirms, the attorney had been in cahoots with Stella and Vince Lombardi to rewrite Mrs. Lombardi’s will,” adding with disgust, “with the promise of a huge payoff no doubt. All that was left was for them to make sure that Maria’s original will and their father’s will disappeared.”
Frowning, Guido said, “Not only would my trust in jeopardy, but the children could bring charges of embezzlement against me as well. And if I went to jail, Mrs. Lombardi would have no one to protect her from them… Then they would have her forged will… ” Guido paused before adding sadly, “With all the stress she suffered a stroke while I was in Italy. She was still in a coma when I returned with Francesca.
“Mrs. Lombardi did regain con-sciousness but was confined to a wheel chair and lost her ability to speak or write, except for fleeting moments when she would scratch some numbers on paper. I had no idea what they meant, but she seemed desperate for me to understand. I suspected that it had something to do with the wills, but I couldn’t be certain.
“I heard rumors that Stella and Vince had acquired a new will, and without the old will of their father’s to back up my protests, I knew they would succeed in taking over everything upon her death, and send me to jail.
“And to make matters even more serious, accidents started happening again. We couldn’t trust anyone. So we let the staff go, closed up Mare Vista and took a long trip, ending up in Lake County where we bought this home- Cobb Valley Manor.
“Mrs. Lombardi loved Cobb Mountain. She and her husband loved camping and had wonderful memories of her time here with him. It was a special get away for them. I thought perhaps moving here would make leaving Mare Vista more bearable for her… I had hoped that being here would help raise her spirits. Valley Manor sits on the lot that she an
d her husband owned. She had a view of where they camped from her window, she loved sitting and looking out at it.” Guido looked at his wife, and she patted his hand, and then he continued, “I hired a private detective to keep an eye on Stella and Vince and when we knew they were out of town I had everything we needed moved up here to the Manor.
“We just kept a small staff here and kept replacing them for fear they may be bought off. But somehow Stella and Vince found us, and so we moved to the Willow Mansion. I was prepared… I had purchased the property already for Francesca to bring her mother to America to live, but they… they were waiting until… Mrs. Carloni was not well herself, and it would have been too much for Francesca to take care of them both. I had hired a nurse to care for her in Italy, but of course Francesca was anxious to be with her…” Guido trailed off and got quiet.
After a moment or two, Guido started up started up again, “Then we saw someone snooping around the grounds at the Willow Mansion and feared that Stella and Vince had found us, and so we were forced to move again- to Vista Montagna. I had looked at it before purchasing the Willow Mansion and fortunately it was still available. And so we managed to stay a step ahead of Stella and Vince. Each time they found us I would pass out a few checks, and hire a fast move again; hoping that they would think we left Lake County or just give up and stop following us. However that didn’t happen…” Guido trailed off shaking his head and sighing.
“It was so sad- just when we started to get Mrs. Lombardi settled and comfortable into a new place and with the staff, it all had to change. I know it was very upsetting to her. She became increasingly depressed and withdrawn.
“That’s when I heard about the retreat and checked her in there for awhile. Dr. Fleming referred me to Jack to keep an eye on her while she was there. And of course Dr. Fleming also introduced me to you, Ron.” He said this last part to Kat. “You’ve got a fine young man there.”
