by J. G. Sumner
Everything on the menu looked delicious. Was it because she was famished or because they did a good job marketing their food? Either way, she would have whatever the waiter recommended. After spending years ordering specific things on menus to critique a restaurant, she was looking forward to the element of surprise of someone else picking out her food.
Donovan seemed to move at lightning speed as he approached with a plate of bruschetta, the wine, and a glass of water. He placed everything on the table and stood with his hands behind his back. “We grow four different types of tomatoes out back. We also grow all our own herbs, including the basil in this dish.”
Katherine picked up the bruschetta and took a bite. The mixture of flavors exploded on her palate. The tomatoes were some of the sweetest she’d ever tasted, and the texture had just the right amount of firmness on the outside and tenderness on the inside. The basil accentuated the tomatoes perfectly and the garlic was out of this world. The bread itself was what really made the appetizer incredible. The quality of the olive oil used to toast the bread was some of the best she’d ever had.
“We bake the bread fresh daily. We get the water from our well, which makes the bread rise to perfection providing the best texture and taste.”
Katherine couldn’t agree more. This bruschetta was definitely in the top three on her list.
“Thank you. This is really fantastic.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Donovan replied as he reached for the bottle of wine. “This is one of my family favorites. We sell many of these bottles.” He poured a little sample in her glass while explaining the wine’s fruity properties and bold flavors. She inhaled the fragrant scent of oak, pepper, and cherries. She took a small sip and swished it around in her mouth, coating her tongue with each sensual flavor.
“This is wonderful!” Katherine cried out.
Donovan quickly filled the glass. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?”
She closed her menu and made eye contact with Donovan. “I have, but I was wondering if you have any recommendations.”
“The gnocchi with a gorgonzola cream sauce and crumbled pan-fried pancetta is outstanding.” Donovan put his fingertips together, kissed them, and released the kiss in the air, as if spreading love to the food being created in the kitchen.
Her stomach grumbled just at the mere mention of his recommendation. “That sounds amazing. I’ll take the gnocchi.”
She picked the napkin off her lap and lined the corners into a perfect triangle before placing it back across her legs. Contentment—that was what she felt. Not a care in the world at this moment; only the desire and excitement of having a really good meal and heading back to the hotel for a restful sleep. Things couldn’t be any better.
Katherine nibbled on the bruschetta while sipping her wine. She removed the folder from her backpack and then sifted through the reservations she’d made for Florence. Katherine wanted to develop a plan to visit as many sites as possible while in the city. There was also a cooking class in a couple of days with a local chef that she had planned to attend. Katherine quickly realized that three days wasn’t enough time to see everything. However, with a good amount of planning, she could hit most of the major sites.
While comparing the times and days that the various museums were open, she overheard the waiter seating someone else. The sound of a familiar Italian voice made her look up. Knots formed in her stomach and her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Tony. How could one man’s presence leave her with so much anxiety, but make her heart flutter at the same time? Her sanctuary was washed away by a tidal wave, only to be replaced with ambivalence and apprehension. She was forced to climb out of the rubble and search for that happy place, or run from the situation in which unforeseeable danger loomed.
“Katherine, what a pleasure to see you here.” Tony approached with his hand extended.
“Thank you. I-I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Ah, the manager of the hotel recommended this place to me. I presume he did to you as well.”
The knots that had formed in Katherine’s stomach slowly untied themselves. Of course the hotel recommended this place. They probably recommended it to all of their guests. He isn’t following me. I’m just being paranoid.
“I see you’re eating alone, and so am I. Would you mind if I joined you?”
There went the knots again. This time they were like boa constrictors on her stomach. Was it just her, or was he being very forward? Would it be rude to tell him she wanted to be alone? Perhaps it was part of the Italian culture. Settle down. It’s only dinner. Reluctantly, she gestured for him to sit.
“Sure, please join me.” She collected the pile of reservations and itineraries and placed them into her backpack.
“Grazie.” Tony smiled as he pulled out a chair and sat across from her. The waiter offered a menu to which he politely declined. Without hesitation, he ordered spaghetti bolognaise.
“Would you care for a glass of wine?” There was no way she would drink the entire bottle. Perhaps by offering some wine, she could ease the tension forming in her shoulders.
“Prego. I’d enjoy that very much.”
Donovan brought another glass for Tony and poured some of the red liquid.
“I’ve noticed you have an Italian accent, but you speak very good English. Are you from around here?” She wasn’t normally this direct, but she was very curious about this man who seemed to pop up everywhere.
“Si. I was born in Pisa. I grew up in the Tuscany region. When I was in high school, my parents sent me to live in London for a year on a student exchange program so I could become more fluent in English. When I graduated high school, I went back to London for college. In my opinion, I’m a very good English speaker.”
“I would agree. I have no problems understanding you. What did you study in London?”
“I was a business major. My father wanted me to help run the family business. He required I get a management degree before I took over the company.”
“Interesting. What kind of business does your family own?”
Tony smiled coyly. “Enough about me. I would like to hear what brings you to this wonderful country of mine.”
She shifted in her seat; the sudden change in topic was not lost on her. “I’m here on vacation. I’ve always wanted to come to Italy, try the food, and taste the wines this region is known for.”
“If I may be so blunt, why are you traveling alone?” Tony folded his hands and placed them under his chin.
Her pulse quickened, and she felt her heart become guarded. He knew there was no one else. Of course he knows. He was on the train with me.
“I’m sorry to alarm you. That was not my intent. There was no one with you on the train or when you checked in to the hotel. Now you’re sitting here all alone. Am I wrong?”
She shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. “No, of course not. I was supposed to have someone with me, but he backed out right before the trip. It was already paid for and I didn’t want to cancel. I decided to go anyway.”
“I presume you’re from America. What part?”
“I live in New York City.”
“I’ve never been there, but it’s someplace I’ve always dreamed of going.”
She took a sip of wine and her body warmed as the alcohol began to calm her nerves. “It’s a wonderful city. It’s rich in history, there are so many things to do, and they have some of the best restaurants in the world. You should go sometime.”
Tony smiled warmly. “The way you described it—it’s everything I imagined.”
She took another sip of wine and sighed as her guard slowly lowered. She was feeling more comfortable with Tony. He seemed relatively harmless; he was not only outgoing and direct, but was also friendly and easy to talk to.
She looked into Tony’s eyes and regretted it as soon as she made contact with him. They were mesmerizing; it was as if a spell pulled her under. Maybe she should slow down on the wine consumption. She
hadn’t eaten anything all day and the alcohol seemed to be going straight to her head.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
The question hit her like a ton of bricks, causing her to almost spit out the wine. She wasn’t ready to talk about Mike to her family and friends, let alone a complete stranger. Not to mention it was a random question.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say something wrong.” Tony must have seen some change in body language or expression on her face. Clearly, she could be read like an open book.
“No, it’s okay. I was in a relationship, but it didn’t work out. How about you?” It was her turn to change the subject. This was about as good of a deflection as she could muster.
“Unfortunately, no. My parents have been pressuring me to settle down and get married. I’ve wanted that for myself, but I haven’t met anyone yet.”
She picked up the glass and stared into it. She wished her future would appear in the surface as though it were a genie in a bottle or a crystal ball. “I thought I met the right guy. Unfortunately, he turned out to be anything but.”
There was an awkward silence before Donovan arrived with their dinner. Katherine and Tony ate and continued small talk about their interests. Despite some uncomfortable moments in the conversation, she was really enjoying herself. It was nice spending time with another person. She had spent a lot of time alone as of late and was ready for some social interaction.
Tony paid for dinner regardless of her objection, and insisted on walking her back to the hotel. Despite being in a foreign country with a complete stranger, she had fun. She couldn’t remember a recent time in which she went to bed happy instead of crying herself to sleep.
Chapter Four
Tony lay in bed reflecting on last night. What the fuck happened to his life? After dinner, he walked Katherine back to her room. Her personal walls, which were erected so high to keep people like him out, had started to come down. She let loose a bit toward the end of the evening and was fun to talk to. Lying to Katherine was like putting a jackhammer through his moral beliefs. He was raised an honest man who stayed true to his values. Unfortunately, his life had changed, and not in a good way. He now had to make decisions that would help him stay alive, and being with the American tourist would give him the cover he needed to escape Italy. He rolled over and pulled the directory out of the drawer next to the bed.
He would have left right after the accident, but he needed to access the money his family had stashed in a safe at their factory. The factory was still being investigated, which prevented him from reaching it. He would use this time to plan his entrance without being seen.
The accident was still fresh in his mind.
Tony had been at his parents’ house with his two brothers for their traditional Sunday family dinner. His family spent the entire week working hard to keep their olive oil business running. They often worked under high-stress situations, especially around harvesting time. Family dinners were a way to reconnect and enjoy one another’s company.
He remembered the day vividly. It had only been three weeks, but it seemed like yesterday. His mom and sister-in-law were in the kitchen preparing dinner. His dad and brothers, along with one of his brother’s friends, were sitting in the living room watching highlights from the Italian football team, Azzurri. The room was palpable with machismo and exuberance. Tony had spent the day distracted by a fight with his girlfriend, and wasn’t participating much in the discussion.
His cell phone rang. He rolled his eyes and sighed as his girlfriend’s picture popped up on the screen. He quickly stepped outside to take the call. He didn’t want to be razzed by his brothers for yet another failed relationship. His oldest brother, Paolo, was married and trying to start his own family. Tony’s younger brother, Giovanni, was engaged to be married. Tony was the only one who never had a serious relationship, and was considered the playboy of the family.
He listened patiently as Emilia spoke loudly, nearly blowing out his eardrum. She was upset with him for standing her up the night before. He deserved the lashing, but was numb and emotionless. Emilia was not the one. She deserved better than him; he should cut her loose, but didn’t want to be the one to break up with her. He was taking the coward’s way out, and waiting for her to end things.
He had been pacing back and forth around the backyard. Without realizing it, he had ventured a good distance from the house as Emilia ranted about his shortcomings as a boyfriend. She asked if he was listening and he was about to reply when an explosion came from the direction of the house. He hit the ground. After a moment, when no other explosions hit the air, he peered back toward the house only to find it completely engulfed in flames. It was as if time stood still.
Emilia’s voice broke him from his trance, but there wasn’t time to explain or hear more lectures. He jumped to his feet and ran toward the house, but his body seemed to move in slow motion. The building seemed unreachable. Another explosion shook the ground. He dropped and covered his face with his arms until he felt it was safe to pull them away. Then he shot to his feet and continued running. Finally, he arrived at the house.
Heat from the flames singed the hair on his face while he silently prayed. Someone had to survive. But he knew there was no possible way anyone could’ve. His knees buckled; he collapsed to the ground and loud sobs escaped from his chest. He forced air back into his lungs so he could let out a howling and animalistic, “Noooooo! Why me? Take meeeee!” He punched the ground with his fists and rested his head on the cool hard-packed dirt. Everything he had known and loved was gone in a matter of seconds.
He managed to get himself in check. This was no accident; someone wanted his family dead. The fire department would be arriving shortly, but he had to make sure the people responsible thought he died in the explosion as well. He was sure there would be a body count, and his only saving grace was his brother bringing a friend over. The authorities would think it was him, if only for a short while. He ran to retrieve his cell phone, picked it up, and threw it into the flames. For all intents and purposes, he was now dead. He had to act swiftly and find a way to escape the country before the cartel figured out the truth. He took one last look at his family house collapsing upon itself and ran off into the countryside.
His apartment was a short forty-five-minute bus ride from his parents’ house. By leaving his car behind, he would have some time before anyone would go to the apartment to investigate. He remembered he had a fake ID from when he was a teenager trying to get into the bars. The driver’s license looked very legitimate; even his brother, who became a police officer, had a hard time telling it wasn’t real. He would need to travel under a different name, and the name Tony Lupito seemed to be as good as any. He let himself in, and retrieved the identification and some cash. There was clearly a guardian angel looking over him. Maybe his brothers.
Unsure where to go, he decided to stay on the move. His English was good enough that he could pass as a tourist, so he took the northwest train toward the Swiss border.
All he had to do was cross. He would never have to look back. Tony wanted to more than anything. Instead, guilt took over. He couldn’t just leave and not get justice for his family. This act of terror was intentional. The people responsible wouldn’t stop until he was dead too. Tony would always have to look over his shoulder.
His gut told him crossing the border was the wrong thing to do. He needed to get some money from the factory safe and find out who killed his family. He suspected the cartel, and if indeed it was, he had a fight in front of him.
Tony clenched his fists envisioning his family dying in those flames. Fortunately, it was quick and no one suffered—no one except him.
He had had multiple conversations with his dad. He’d tried to get his dad to turn over the evidence to the authorities. However, his father insisted the information was keeping their family alive as much as it was keeping Guliani Abatangelo out of prison. His dad had a plan; everything would work out how it was supposed to. Now
Tony was wishing he had done better convincing his dad to turn over the evidence.
The clanking of a housekeeping cart being pushed down the hall pulled Tony from his thoughts. He picked up his phone and dialed the number he retrieved from the internet. It only rang once before someone on the other end picked it up. “Ciao, Florence Town Tours,” a woman answered in a cheery voice.
“Ciao, I’d like to see if you have any room in your ten o’clock cooking class tomorrow.”
“Let me check, sir. Please hold.”
“Thank you.”
The woman typed feverishly in the background. “Yes, sir. You’re in luck. Someone canceled their reservation this morning. We have one spot open. Would you like to reserve it?”
“Yes. My name is Tony Lupito.”
He finished booking the reservation, gathered his things, and headed downstairs for breakfast. He wanted to be in the dining area before Katherine. Hopefully, it would be less conspicuous that he was following her. There was no need to make her any more nervous about him than she already appeared to be. Who knew how she would react to his showing up in the cooking class. No, he had to play it cool.
She seemed the type of person he would’ve liked to have known and even considered dating in his former life. Unfortunately, all she could be for him now was a means to the end. No one would suspect him traveling with an American. It was the perfect cover.
He hurried down the stairs two at a time. As he rounded the corner to the dining room, he quickly panned the room in search of Katherine. He didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until the air forced its way from his lungs. Thankfully, she was nowhere to be found.
He found an empty table and placed his backpack on the chair. He walked to the buffet and helped himself to some coffee and a pastry. Once he returned to his seat, one of the hotel employees offered him a newspaper. He accepted it, hoping to catch up on the current events, and to see if there was any more news about the murder of his family.
