Unforgivable Cin An Opera in Three Acts (Cin Fin-Lathen Mysteries Book 5)

by Alexie Aaron

  I quickened my pace up the stairs.

  Since I wasn’t bait, I didn’t wait to make some kind of entrance. Max gave me his hand as I stepped into the box. I sat down, setting my purse at my feet. Max moved his chair close to mine before he sat down. This was noticed below. I saw many heads turn.

  “You may have broken an opera rule, Maximiliano.”

  “So? I care not for the opera.”

  “Neither do I,” I said, laughing. “Sure, the music is beautiful and the costumes, but the stories…”

  “Here she goes again,” Harry complained. “Prepare yourself, Max…”

  “…the chauvinism.”

  “Ouch,” Max clutched his heart.

  “I wasn’t calling you a chauvinist,” I explained.

  He sighed. “If you’re trying to seduce me, you better start laying on the compliments.”

  Sally laughed behind us.

  The lights dimmed and came back up. I watched as Antonia, who wasn’t in this opera, came down the aisle on the arm of Dave Buslowski. My stomach turned.

  Harry put a hand on my shoulder. Max looked at the interchange between us.

  “She’s the mother of the woman who killed your father,” I explained.

  “And he?”

  “My lover before I was killed.”

  “I’m thinking I am watching an opera within an opera, Cin,” Max said, reaching for my hand.

  “I hope not. Operas tend to end tragically.”

  “Not all, and not really,” Harry challenged.

  I was about to argue with him, but the house lights went down.

  Aida has four acts. The opera house decided to have an intermission after act two. Harry and Sally disappeared. I made no move to go, but Max got up and held out his hand. “We don’t want to break another rule, do we?” he asked, sensitive to my mood.

  We walked to the stairs. Max walked before me. I think, in his gallant way, he was protecting me from the photographers.

  I adjusted my dress when we arrived on the first floor.

  “Did the artist draw that?” he asked, pointing to Bes.

  “Austin? Yes. He’s an interesting fellow.”

  “Have you taken him to your bed yet?”

  “No.”

  “Good,” he said. “Wait here, Cin, and I will bring you a drink.”

  He didn’t ask what I wanted. He knew.

  Ryan came up with a young woman and another couple. “May I introduce a good friend of mine, Cin Fin-Lathen. Cin this is…”

  I lost their names. My mind was in a panic. Dave was approaching. I did my best to smile and thanked the young woman for the compliment on my dress. They moved on, and I closed my eyes as Dave stood there in front of me.

  “I’m not going away,” he said.

  I opened my eyes. “Hello, Buslowski, tripping the light STD tonight?”

  “You crude little bitch. You look amazing as always. What does your lover think about your hair?”

  “I think it suits her,” Max said, handing my drink to me. “She is lighter, as if she has jettisoned a heavy burden, yes? Come, Cin, I would like to introduce you to some friends. If you will excuse us…” he said cordially.

  “Thank you, Max.”

  “So I am your lover. According to all of these people who I overheard at the bar, I have inherited my father’s concubine,” Max said with disgust. “People without vision.”

  “Did you?” I asked.

  “You are no concubine, Cin. Although you are precious to me.”

  “He tried to give me to you. What does that make me?” I asked, looking intently in his eyes.

  He looked down at me and smoldered. “A treasure. He tried to give me a treasure.”

  The Shiny Sheet would caption that photo. “Love blooms.”

  “Come. We don’t have to be here. I don’t want you to be in danger.”

  The lights flashed. I stood looking up at him. “I would love to leave, but I made a promise, and I try to keep my promises.”

  “Then promise me this, Cin. You will stick close to me and let me protect you. With me, you will not lose a shoe.”

  “Who told you about the shoes?”

  “Harry.”

  “I’ll stay at your side, Max.”

  He seemed satisfied. We ran up the stairs and entered the box just as the lights lowered.

  I don’t remember the rest of the opera. I ran conversations and people through my mind. I scanned the audience. I thought I spotted Tony in the crowd at one point. I felt safer knowing he was there.

  After the opera, Sally and I went to the washroom together. She sensed my reluctance, fearing Antonia or Eldora may be lurking.

  She flipped the lock on the door, pulled out her weapon, and checked out all of the stalls before allowing me to use one.

  We took care of business and stood primping at the mirror. Her eyes locked with mine.

  “Bella is really gone, isn’t she?”

  “I’m sorry, Sally, but Dr. Andrews insisted I boot the man-eater out.”

  “Harry says that you’re making better choices. But please don’t lose your lust for life, Cin. It makes you, you.”

  “Sally, you are a good friend and make me feel brave.”

  “What did my boss say that upset you?” she asked.

  “Everything your boss says upsets me these days,” I admitted. “But in this case, I started it.” I told her what I said.

  “Oh, I’m going to write that one down. That’s excellent, ‘tripping the light STD.’”

  We exited the washroom to find Harry and Max in lighthearted conversation. Max looked at me and held out his arm. “Propriety says that we can leave once the principals arrive.”

  “Let’s stand at the door for a quick exit.” I turned to Harry. “You…”

  “I’ll be careful, Cin,” he said, smiling.

  The room was decorated oddly, I thought. They had clusters of spears mixed in with the paste Egyptian artifacts. There were a few chairs scattered around. Most of them were taken by the older patrons. My flat footwear negated my craving for a seat. Max and I walked around doing, what we called, “face time.” We were in the back of the room when the principals came in. Aside from Pello, I didn’t recognize any of them. I spotted Preston. That evil man had the audacity to approach Max and myself.

  “What are you wearing?” he said, frowning at me. “Bad enough you have shorn your luscious locks, but you have lost your body.”

  “Excuse me, but you’re being rude. Leave,” Max demanded.

  Preston didn’t. He shoved Max in the chest. Max stood his ground and didn’t react.

  “I hate you D’Amores. You think you can come into my opera house and take the women. I decide who gets the divas. Kyle was most gracious to have your charms, diva. I hear he died with a smile on his face.”

  I put my hand on Max’s arm. “He’s trying to provoke us. For some reason, he wants to fight you. Don’t listen to him.”

  “You can’t fill your daddy’s shoes. What makes you think you can fill her…”

  He used the C word. Max punched him. Preston hit the ground hard. I pulled Max out of there as Dave ran up to see what had happened. I looked around and felt a sickness move through me. I saw Kyle leaning against the doorway. He was beckoning me to follow him. I stood there paralyzed.

  Shots rang out, and Antonia screamed in pain as she crumpled to the ground. I looked at Max, and he was sound. I searched for Harry. I found he and Sally were in the alcove. Who had the gun? There was mass movement of people running for the doors. Max held me against him so I wouldn’t be taken away in the tide of people. The room cleared quickly. Tony entered and bent over Antonia. He picked up his radio and called for help. Another shot rang out. This time, I heard the bullet hit the plaster-of-Paris Anubis behind Max and me.

  Max picked me up, ran over to the refreshment bar, and set me down behind it.

  Who had the gun? I struggled to stand, but Max had his hand on my shoulder, keeping me behind th
e mahogany and brass bar. I saw her finally. She was about my height, holding on to Aida’s lead soprano with one hand, the other hand pressed a gun against the soprano’s back. The years and plastic surgeons had been kind to Eldora Capella. Tonight she was Carmen. She strutted with the arrogance of a beauty and the anger of a woman scorned. I could see a faded remnant of a tattoo not sufficiently hidden by the makeup on her neck.

  “Put your guns down, gentlemen,” she said in a clipped Spanish accent. “My argument is not with you.”

  Tony and Dave lowered their pistols.

  “I have a few things to say, and unless you want the parakeet’s spine blown away, you better stay where you are,” Eldora warned. “Preston, you did all of this to find me. Well, here I am. Why couldn’t you just let me go? You used those poor children. Just like you used to use us all.”

  Preston looked up from his place on the floor. There was a look of pure adoration in his eyes. I could see he still lusted for her. All he had done had indeed brought Eldora to him again.

  Antonia cowered on the floor. Eldora pushed the frightened soprano away and pulled Antonia up by her dyed blonde hair. “What about this whore? She makes her daughter suck the patrons’ cocks to get her better parts. Leora, poor Leora, brought up by a woman who betrayed me with my secret to Preston, who then beat the child out of me!” She dragged Antonia over to Preston.

  “Here’s your bitch, killer.” Eldora tossed the wounded woman on the ground beside Preston. Blood seeped out of her shoulder wound, soaking into her expensive gown.

  “Where is Marco’s tramp? I see his wife’s bastard, so she can’t be far away. Fear not, little doll. I will not kill you today. First, there was me, and then there was you, and now there is me again,” she said graciously. “We are bellas, but there can only be one diva. You are but a baby diva, no matter your age, yes?”

  I stood up, and Max put a protective arm around me.

  She turned and addressed us. “I watched Preston stick a sword into that child, who only wanted to have the baby diva. They died together. It was so romantic. A sword in his back, a noose around her neck. I took pictures.” She pulled a small camera out of her pocket and took a picture of Max and me.

  She handed the camera to Tony. “I was going to let Preston get away with it, but then Tom talked to me. He says this baby diva feared for my life. This baby diva feared for Eldora Capella! Marco’s plaything thought I needed protection.” She strutted away, stopped, turned, and looked back at me.

  “Marco, Marco, he had changed too much from the boy who loved only me. Marco consumed the women he loved before he cast them away. He was a vampire and had to be stopped. I pushed at Leora until she did the job for me. She thought she was the heroine in an opera. Imagine that.”

  Eldora waved the gun around.

  “I watched you all. I watched the baby diva die and then come back. But she fell under Marco’s spell. She doesn’t know how horrible he is. He says he’ll marry me, but then I lose Tom’s child, and he no longer marries me. All he wants is to stick his dick into beautiful young women. Who does that anymore?”

  Eldora spit on Antonia. “I watched this whore take the man who was supposed to protect the baby diva to bed with her. She spun her lies, and he now shuns the baby diva.” She pointed at Dave and said, “You, sir, are shit!”

  She walked over to her last lover and ran her hand over his large stomach. “And then we have this one. Pello, I think I shall kill you first for destroying your beautiful voice with the drink.”

  She raised her gun. I had to do something. I pulled a spear out of the decorations, calculated the distance, and sent it flying.

  Eldora put the gun to Pello’s head, but the spear found her at the same time. She fell into Pello’s arms, dropping the gun. My aim was true; I hit her in the ass. Just like where I hit my brothers when we were young.

  Tony charged forward and kicked away the pistol. He looked over at me, and I saluted.

  Max put his arms around me. Harry and Sally ran over. I felt something amazing inside. This broken baby diva had awakened, and I remembered that I was still an amazon.

  Finale

  I walked into Tony’s office to sign my witness statement. I sensed Buslowski was in his office, but it no longer mattered to me. Tony teased me by tapping out a jungle-drum tune on his desk while I read the statements. I signed them and smiled at him. “So, Moriarty, are you and the missus coming to Harry’s and my loft warming?”

  “Yes, my wife has always wanted to meet you. I think she suspects you’re the reason my blood pressure is so high.”

  I pointed to his lunch and said, “The evidence is on your desk.” I picked up a snack cupcake and shook it at him. “No more. Come to the loft. Harry makes better ones.”

  “So you and Harry are settled in? It must be different from suburban living.”

  “We like it. We have a great neighbor, and I like the security of having three floors between me and Buslowski.”

  “Your knight sure got tarnished in your eyes, Cin.”

  “A big disappointment. I’m sure he had a good reason.” I looked pointedly at Tony. “Well?”

  “I’m not the one to ask. Cin, you’re a different woman, and yet, you’re still the same pain in the ass you were when we met. It was a pleasure to work with you again.”

  I got up to go.

  “Where are you headed?” he asked.

  “Home.”

  “Bye, Cin. Stay out of trouble,” he said and held out his hand.

  I grabbed it, and he pulled me in for a hug. It felt good.

  Buslowski was leaning against the jeep’s door. I kind of knew he would be there. He ducked as I tossed my pack at his head and in through the open window. I reached around him to get the door, but he caught me up in his arms.

  “Unhand me, you scoundrel.”

  He smiled. “You like scoundrels.”

  “True,” I said. “But I’m tired, and I want to go home.”

  “I don’t like your boyfriend.”

  “Which one?” I asked.

  He lifted an eyebrow.

  I kicked his leg, and he let me go.

  “You don’t have to be so brutal. I just wanted to ask you about this.” He unfolded a section from the Sunday paper. There was Austin’s painting. The reviewer estimated that Austin’s newest work would be a high seller at the auction. It was entitled “Unforgivable Sin.” I smiled, pleasantly surprised that Austin had taken my title suggestion seriously.

  “I see they got the title wrong. It should be C I N not S I N. I recognize those tits, freckles. I know you posed for that painting,” Buslowski declared.

  I just smiled.

  “I want to be invited to your party.”

  “No.”

  “I want to meet the painter.”

  “No.”

  “You say no a lot.”

  “It has been brought up to me before. I’ll consider it and get back to you.”

  “Did you love him?” Buslowski asked.

  “Who?”

  “Marco.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why then are you fucking his son?”

  “I’m not,” I confessed. “I had a late dinner with Max, and then I put him on a plane home early in the morning. Next, I met with Tom to give him the news of Eldora, Preston, and Antonia’s arrests personally. No, I didn’t make love to him either. I’m embracing, for now, celibacy. This seems to be amusing Dr. Andrews to no end.”

  “Fin-Lathen, you’re a piece of work.”

  “At least I wasn’t dining on wine so old that it has turned to vinegar.”

  “I was working. She was my line to knowing what Preston was up to.”

  “What was he up to?” I asked.

  “He was consumed by Eldora. He wanted, basically, to either possess her or kill her so no one else could have her.”

  “He kills Kyle to set you up, so you’ll work your ass off trying to locate Eldora. But instead, you spend your time popping your cork with
his so-so soprano.”

  “I was protecting you.”

  “Keep telling yourself that. Buslowski, next time you decide to protect me, warn me so I can leave the country.”

  “Cin, you’re hilarious,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “Time for me to go. Take care of yourself, Dave,” I said sweetly.

  “We could start again.”

  “No.”

  ~

  Harry was waiting for me with a list of possible clients. We discussed the projects, and I left it up to him to pick what he was interested in pursuing. I went out and sat on the couch. I fell asleep there. I felt a hand on my shoulder and smelled oil paint. I opened my eyes. “Hello, Austin, what can I do for you?”

  “I want to show you something.”

  I tried to open my eyes. “Give me a moment. I need some caffeine. I haven’t gotten enough sleep these last few days.”

  I found a Pepsi in the refrigerator.

  “Those are bad for you, Cin,” he scolded.

  “Life is bad for me, Austin.”

  I followed him into his loft, and he shut the door after me. I took a sip of my Pepsi… Why lie? I drank it down. I think I even burped after. Austin stared at me awhile after that.

  “Sorry, family trait. Okay, my eyes are open. What do you want to show me?”

  “First, there’s this letter. It’s from my overseas commission.”

  I looked at it but couldn’t read it. “It’s in Italian,” I said. “You read it to me.”

  “Basically, it says that he is pleased with the picture and has named it Bella. He has commissioned me for another one.”

  I took the letter back and looked at the bottom. I could just make out an M and D’Amore.

  “Well, it seems that an M. D’Amore loves your painting and wants another one,” I said.

  “He wants another portrait of you.”

  “Oh. And so…”

  “I want you to pick it out. I have so many that I can’t choose.”

  I angled my head. Did he mean he had so many sketches to choose from or paintings? “Show me.”