Violent Daylight

by Caroline Angus Baker

  “I don’t know what to do, Giancarlo. Really, I don’t.”

  “Why are you limping?”

  “I hurt my ankle, don’t sweat it.”

  “I’m going to find out who killed Giorgio; someone shot him at point blank range and then cut him into bits. That’s nasty.”

  “Have you ever done that?”

  “Cut someone? No, a bullet is easier. Cutting the brakes on someone’s car is even simpler again.”

  “Like Countess Elene.”

  “Hey, I cut those brakes so Giuseppe could become a widower and be free to marry you.”

  “I appreciate it. Holy shit, Giorgio is in pieces?”

  “It’s ugly. Really ugly.”

  “I can’t… can’t even comprehend this right now. Giorgio has a teenage son and a little girl. How are Gabriele and Grazia supposed to live with this?”

  “Thing is, if you stay in London, it’s going look like you’re hiding.”

  “It makes me look more guilty. I didn’t even hate Giorgio. I wouldn’t dare suggest a grisly death.”

  “We need to establish when he was killed so we can get you an alibi.”

  “It won’t be hard – I didn’t kill him!”

  “They will think I killed him for you.”

  “I assume you didn’t do this.”

  “I couldn’t even find the asshole, God rest his soul. No wonder, by the time we wanted to hunt Giorgio down, he was already dead. I have one serious concern.”

  “Which is?”

  “That night I held Giorgio at gunpoint in your apartment. The blow I gave him left quite a blood splatter.”

  “But you cleaned that up blood.”

  “But I did a hurried job. If the police check your apartment, they will detect blood. Giorgio’s blood. Now that you don’t have a maid there, no one is keeping the place clean.”

  “I assume you know how to clean that up properly.”

  “I do, but I need to get back to Milan.”

  “Then let’s go back.”

  “I have the inside word on the death. Nothing has been announced. I expect that Giorgio’s wife, Tatiana, is getting the news about now. We need to get ourselves covered before the news gets out.”

  “What about Silvio Costa? Is his jet heading back to Milan today?”

  “He is, yes.”

  “We should go with him. We could be back in Milan tonight.”

  “What about Claudio and the baby? Don’t you need to be here?”

  “His wife is taking her son home. Claudio needs to realise that he doesn’t live with Veena.”

  Giancarlo paused. “Wow, you’re nasty today.”

  “My business partner is in pieces, days after my other business partner met a violent end. I have no room for sentiment or sentimentality.”

  “Let’s go back to Milan. I will see what I can find out.”

  “One of these days, you’ll need to tell me how you manage to do your job so well.”

  “One day. In the meantime, just keep paying me handsomely to keep your secrets.”

  “Ours is a relationship that will never die.”

  “Are you all right, Canna? You don’t look well.”

  “I’ve had a few rough nights.”

  “You can’t tell Claudio about this. It will implicate him, and ruin his happiness. Do you want to do that?”

  CHAPTER 32

  LONDON

  Canna shut the front door of the townhouse and waited. Claudio appeared a moment later. “What did Giancarlo want?”

  “He had to talk so we went for a walk, well limp, around the block.”

  “My parents left. I’m so sorry.”

  “What about?”

  “About what they said to you.”

  Canna shook her head; she had forgotten already. She had an image in her mind, an image of Giorgio hacked into pieces. “I love you, Claudio.”

  “I’m relieved to hear it.”

  “I’m sorry that I can’t be what you need right now.” Canna beckoned him forward, and he approached with caution.

  Claudio held her forlorn gaze. “What?”

  Canna brought her body to his and kissed him. Claudio’s lips responded in an instant. His touch was so tender and intuitive.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” he whispered against her lips.

  Canna looked up into his eyes, which searched her face for answers. “I’m not telling you a lot of things. I need you to make love to me right now.”

  Claudio paused; Canna could see his concern. Instead of questioning, he took her hand, and she led him up the stairs. Canna couldn’t be sure of what was about to happen, but a sense of foreboding crept in between them.

  Neither of them bothered to close the bedroom door, there seemed no time for such an unnecessary task. Canna kicked off her shoes and brought her fingers to the buttons on Claudio’s shirt. “I need you to fill my senses,” she said. “Let me love you, just for now.”

  Undressing one another acted out like a slow dance; one item at a time, slow and methodical, affection given to ordinary tasks. Canna felt relieved when Claudio’s desire began to overtake her own. She needed to be overwhelmed by love instead of the demonic images in her mind. They fell into bed together, and the out-of-body experience of connecting with her soul-mate took over Canna’s pain. The way Claudio touched her had a raw carnal aspect, laced with affection and voluptuous sexual energy. Claudio knew how to invade every sense in Canna’s body, how to fill her with a powerful consciousness of how much he adored her. He looked her in the eye the moment he took her, a sure way of showing that were equals in their union and that he worshipped her. The lustful desires of the flesh took over the pair, but Canna knew that she would experience more than just desire when Claudio touched her.

  They lay face-to-face in the bed, and the silence stretched out far longer than planned. Claudio had such a sweet smile; a smile of contentment and peace. Canna wished that she could make that smile last forever. If only she had that power. “You’re my darling,” he whispered as he brushed her curls from her cheek.

  Canna giggled. “I thought I was a storm in the desert.”

  “If the desert is loneliness then yes, you are. You’re a rare storm made of beautiful distraction that churns up the loneliness.”

  “Cheesy.”

  “Shut up, Blinky.”

  Canna brought a hand to his cheek and kissed him. “Can you remember me like this?”

  “Why do I need to remember? I can see you every day.”

  Canna swallowed, and saw that contented smile fade away. “I meant in the wider context.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Canna took her hand from Claudio’s face. “I mean, sometimes love doesn’t work out. Sometimes, things can seem hard. We should remember this moment when life isn’t perfect.”

  “Life is never perfect.”

  “The line between love and hate is so narrow.”

  “Canna, you’re scaring me.”

  “It’s easy to hate someone that you love. When you love someone so passionately, when they do you harm, your heightened emotions can turn to a vicious anger.”

  Claudio sat up in the bed. “You need to tell me what is going on, right now.”

  Giancarlo’s words echoed in Canna’s mind. You will ruin his happiness. “I have to go back to Milan.”

  Claudio sighed with relief. “That’s it? I couldn’t hate you for any reason, least of all something that simple.”

  “Your continued fascination does flatter me,” Canna said. “But, Claudio, I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be as happy as we are.”

  “Why not?”

  “There is no room for me here. You need space to be with Veena and Casamiro.”

  “Whoa, whoa, hang on a moment.” Claudio’s voice became laced with fear. “I don’t want to go back to Veena. I don’t love Veena, not one tiny bit. I feel sorry for her and I’m obliged to help. Don’t mistake that for something more.”

  “I
don’t. Whether you like it or not, Veena loved you once.”

  “Then she loved someone else.”

  “Someone else, who has now run off.”

  “Nothing is going on with me and Veena.”

  “I’m saying that you’re in a family situation with Veena, like it or not. Your families are here. You’re a group in which I have no part to play.”

  “Things will go back to normal soon.”

  “Things will never go back to normal.”

  Canna got out of bed and started to scoop up her clothes. Claudio watched her pull on her underwear. “What the hell is your problem?” he asked, his voice angry.

  “I want to be happy for you and your son, I do.” Canna paused while she fumbled with the clips on her bra. “I don’t want to get in the way.”

  “You’re not in the way. You don’t need to go to Milan to stay away from here.”

  “I’m in the way. That is stupid and needy. You must focus all your love and care on Casamiro right now. Still, with someone as high-maintenance as me, I’m suffering over the whole situation.”

  “You still have my full attention.” Claudio leapt from the bed and the pair stood eye to eye. “What have you done?”

  The situation was moments from falling into a disaster. She heard her phone beep downstairs, and she knew what it meant. Giancarlo was ready to leave. “Nothing. I need to go back to Milan. I want you to be here, and happy about the tremendous gift you have received.”

  “When are you going to Milan?”

  The phone beeped again. “Now.”

  “Now?” Claudio shrieked. “No!”

  “I should have left yesterday, to give you some space with your family.”

  “You planned to leave behind my back?”

  “No, it’s a last minute decision. Silvio Costa’s jet is leaving, and Giancarlo and I are hitching a ride. You need some space and there are things I must do. If I don’t, our future happiness could be seriously damaged.”

  “I don’t want to play cryptic games, Blinky. What the hell is going on?”

  “I don’t want to play either and I want things to be harmonious between us. I love you, but I have to go to Milan. I have to go right now.”

  “This better not be because of my engagement ring idea. I didn’t know you would hate it so much.”

  “I don’t hate the idea. I just don’t think I deserve it.” Canna left Claudio in the bedroom and made a dash for the office. She slammed her laptop shut and jammed it in her briefcase, along with a few papers and passport. Canna left the room and Claudio emerged from the bedroom, now dressed.

  “Canna, this is crazy. What about your things?”

  “I have everything I need in Milan.” She limped down the stairs, and Claudio followed. Canna swiped up her handbag off the table in the entranceway and checked it for the essentials. “I’m sorry. Claudio. I don’t want to cause trouble.”

  “NO!” he yelled, and Canna froze on the spot. “I don’t like this.”

  “Neither do I!”

  “You’re not telling me the truth.”

  “I don’t want to tell you the truth.” Canna sensed an old emotion rising up, a panic attack. She hadn’t suffered one in years. “I want to make you happy.”

  “Then stop running away from me! I love you.”

  “So what?”

  Claudio took a step back. “Excuse me?”

  “Love isn’t always enough. This… here… it’s not working.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?”

  “I don’t want to end things with you! I just need to go away for a while.”

  “What the fuck is your problem?”

  “I’m not good enough for you. All I do is bring you down. It’s like the Yuri situation; that could have gotten you bad press.”

  “I don’t care!”

  “I do. That was my fault.”

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  Canna cringed; it was all her fault. “Sorry, this has come out all wrong. I love you but I need to go back to Milan. I have a lot to deal with in Italy.”

  “You’re frightening me.”

  “I’m sorry. I want you to be safe and happy right here. That will be a lot easier if I’m in Milan.”

  “Has something happened?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why can’t you tell me?”

  “I don’t want to let you down in any way, especially in regards to your safety or happiness.”

  “Why would you let me down? Canna, please. Casamiro is coming home tonight…”

  “That has nothing to do with me!”

  “Do you resent my son? Is he the problem?”

  Canna pulled the front door open and looked out. The car hadn’t arrived. “No, I don’t resent him. He’s a baby who doesn’t deserve to pay for the sins of his parents.”

  “So what’s the problem? We can fix anything.”

  “It’s hard to see you with him,” Canna cried. “It’s all you’ve spoken about for two days! I’m so disgusted with myself for being jealous. I need to remove myself from the situation. You want to be a father, and you won’t do that with me. I’m in the way of what makes you happy. I won’t give you a son.”

  “You don’t need to give me a son! Canna, come on…”

  “You have been so caught up that you can’t help me. I have problems that have nothing to with nurseries, breastfeeding, or knitted booties. I shouldn’t be around children at all.”

  “Canna, have you been drinking?”

  “Yes!” Canna screamed in his face. “Yes I have! I left you at the hospital, and I went and bought vodka. The half-empty bottle is under our bed! I added codeine tablets to it. I swallowed the whole packet over the course of one day, just to feel better about being so fucking useless.”

  Claudio rubbed his face as he thought about it.

  “You didn’t notice. Claudio Ramos, the man who can see my problems from miles away, he didn’t notice. You didn’t see me taking pills, you didn’t see me suffering withdrawal, and you didn’t even notice that I went back to hurting myself!”

  “Your foot,” he mumbled.

  “There is a bloodied razorblade stuck on the underside of our hand-basin. Are you disappointed enough yet?”

  “Why, is there more stupidity to come?”

  “There is always room for more stupidity!”

  Canna watched Claudio start to cry. She had failed; she had hurt him. Canna turned and went down the stairs to the footpath, and Claudio ran after her.

  “You can’t leave me!” he cried. With a firm hand, Claudio grabbed her shoulder and spun her back to him. The handbag and briefcase hit the ground while she faced him. “You’re safe here with me!”

  “I’m not!”

  “Why?”

  “It doesn’t matter where I am. I will still be me! I’m trapped in darkness that won’t ever go away! I will just keep relapsing and failing you.”

  “You’re not failing me, you’re failing yourself! Canna, you’re having another hypomanic episode. You need to calm down.”

  “I can’t calm down. You don’t understand how I feel!”

  “You’re depressed and having a bad moment. I can help you!” Claudio’s word began to falter as he cried. His voice sounded so desperate, so full of despair. His expression spoke of distress and panic.

  “I’m so angry at myself for not doing the right thing. I’m lonely and hopeless.”

  “I can help you.”

  “I have to go to back to Milan.”

  “Why? Give me one legitimate reason.”

  “Giorgio Savelli is dead. They found pieces of him,” Canna muttered. Their screaming match on the street had probably attracted listeners, and they didn’t need to hear that detail.

  Claudio rubbed the tears from his face. Canna saw that he couldn’t process that information. “Is that what Giancarlo came to tell you?”

  Canna shut her eyes for a moment. “Yes.”

  “You’re freaking out because of this! You ne
ed to stop everything. You can’t go back to Milan.”

  “I do, in case they try to accuse me of his death.”

  “Why would they do that?”

  “Someone is trying to set me up for murder. I need to get ahead of them.”

  Claudio looked distraught; the first time you evade the law was the hardest. “Canna, for the love of God… you need to stay away from these people! They are ruining your life!”

  “They ruined it long ago. Now I need to stop them from ruining yours.”

  “Did Giancarlo kill Giorgio?”

  “At this point, I’m not sure, and I shouldn’t tell you anything. You’re an innocent person.”

  “Please, Canna, don’t go to Italy.”

  “I can’t be near you, or I’ll only bring you down.”

  Claudio swiped Canna’s briefcase off the path. “You can’t leave without your passport.”

  Canna tried to pull the case, but Claudio held it tight. The pair clung to the case and looked right at each other. “Don’t do this,” Canna pleaded, aware her makeup had begun to run with her tears. “I have to go, in order to keep you safe.”

  “Please no, Canna. If you love me, you won’t leave.”

  Neither of them noticed the black car pull up behind them. Giancarlo jumped out of the car and raced to Canna’s aid.

  “Canna,” the large Italian said, unsure of the situation. Two crying adults tugging at a briefcase made no sense. He picked up Canna’s handbag and neither of the pair moved.

  “Fuck off, Giancarlo,” Claudio growled but didn’t take his eyes off Canna. “This is your fault.”

  “Claudio, please give me the case,” Canna said through heavy tears.

  “Canna, we have to go,” Giancarlo urged. “Do you need the case?”

  “My passport is in there.”

  Giancarlo raised his fist to Claudio, and Canna let go of the case. “God no, please!” Canna screamed. “Please don’t hurt him!”

  “He doesn’t have the guts,” Claudio retorted.

  Giancarlo swung at Claudio, and in an instant the baritone fell on the path, blood splattered on his face. “I said now, Canna!” Giancarlo yelled, and pulled her arm.

  “I said no! I fucking said no!” Canna bawled. As Giancarlo grabbed the briefcase, Canna fell to her knees to help Claudio. The pain that shot through her knees as they hit the cobbles was nothing compared to the pain Claudio had experienced. “My darling,” she cried. “I’m so sorry.”