temptation in florence 04 - expected in death

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Authors: beate boeker

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Table of Contents

Expected Death

Temptation in Florence #4

by Beate Boeker

Kindle Edition I

Copyright 2014 Beate Boeker

License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 1

I

“Psst! Psst! Carlina!” Fabbiola waved her arms and charged through the dancing couples with the subtle efficiency of a rhino.

Several people turned to stare. Dusk was falling, and the lights on the trees had just gone on, giving the converted Tuscan farmhouse garden a magical atmosphere.

Carlina winced and hid her face in her boyfriend's chest in the hope that her mother wouldn't spot her.

His arms tightened, and with one quick step, he swung her around so they ended up behind a leafy olive tree in a large terracotta pot.

Carlina looked up at him. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Stefano smiled. “I'm at your service whenever you need a bit of distance from your family.”

She chuckled. How good it felt to be in his arms, to inhale his familiar scent. “I didn't know you danced so well.”

His smile deepened. “There are plenty of things you don't know about me yet.”

“Psst! Psst! Carlina!” Fabbiola's excited voice was coming nearer now.

Stefano pulled Carlina further away, toward the lilac hedge. The warm May evening air was filled with its fragrance. He gave her an evaluating look, a little devil in his eyes. “I doubt my little strategy will work, but it's worth giving it a try.”

He tilted her chin up and kissed her until Carlina clutched the lapel of his elegant dinner jacket, not sure if she did it to pull him closer or if she needed something to hold onto as her knees turned soft.

“There you are!” With a swish of her long skirt, Fabbiola appeared next to them and tapped her foot. “Will you please listen?”

Stefano released Carlina with a sigh. “I thought as much. Subtle hints are entirely wasted.”

Carlina didn't open her eyes at once, not trusting herself to speak. She had only been going out with Stefano Garini for a few months, and this was her first chance for a slow, romantic dance with him. Way too often, she was booked up with the activities at her luxurious lingerie store, Temptation, in the center of Florence, and it didn't help that he was equally often called away at short notice in his capacity as
Commissario
of the Florence homicide department. In fact, it was a wonder that he had made it to Uncle Teo's eightieth birthday party at all, as they celebrated the occasion on a wine-growing estate that was situated a two-hour drive from Florence and most of his colleagues were down with the flu at the moment. She resented the interruption by her mother with such a fierce emotion that it made her choke.

“Carlina.” Fabbiola tugged at her sleeve.

Carlina swallowed. Her mother's voice sounded more upset than usual - perturbed beyond her usual state of craziness. Maybe she should listen after all. To calm herself, she took a deep breath, then gave Stefano a wry smile as well as an apologetic glance and touched his cheek. “You're right. Subtle hints are lost on the Mantoni family.”

“What are you talking about?” Fabbiola frowned.

“Nothing.” Carlina turned to her mother, curbing her impatience. “What's the matter, Mama?”

“You've got to come with me to the other side of the dancing area.” Fabbiola pointed beyond the dancing couples who turned slowly to the soft strains of the music. “I need your help.”

Stefano shrugged and turned away. “I'll see you later, then.”

“Oh, no.” Fabbiola caught the sleeve of his dark suit. “I need both of you.”

“Why?” Carlina eyed her with unease. What was her mother up to now?

“I can't explain.” Again, Fabbiola tapped her foot – though it sounded more like an impatient stomping now. Her henna-colored hair - for once elaborately coiffed to celebrate her uncle's special birthday - moved, and one persistent strand of hair fell forward over her eyes. “There's no time. Come on.” She grabbed them both by the hand and pulled them through the throng of people. It was as if the lilting music, the warm air, and the festive dresses didn't have any effect on her.

Carlina hung back. “I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why it's so important. You just destroyed a precious moment, and I resent that.”

Fabbiola rolled her eyes. “There'll be plenty of other precious moments in your life. But this can't wait.” She charged forward like a steamship. “Teo is in trouble.”

Carlina exchanged a startled look with Stefano and hurried after her mother. “Why? What happened? Was the excitement of the birthday party too much for him?”

“See for yourself.” Fabbiola pointed to the edge of the courtyard. Close to the three-man-band, Uncle Teo was dancing with a measured gait, holding an attractive woman of about fifty years in his arms. He was smiling as he bent his head to his dancing partner and listened to something she whispered into his ear.

“Doesn't look like trouble to me.” Stefano Garini's voice was dry.

Fabbiola frowned at him. “That's the third dance with her.”

“So what?” Carlina smiled. “Why shouldn't Uncle Teo enjoy a nice flirt on this eightieth birthday? I think it's perfect.”

Her mother gave a snort. “For a grown-up woman of thirty-five, you're way too naive.”

“Thirty-three.” Carlina rolled her eyes. As if her mother didn't know how old she was.

“She's way too young for him.” Fabbiola gave the dancing lady a menacing look.

Garini grinned. “It's not unheard of that elderly men fall for much younger women.”

“It's preposterous.” Fabbiola shuddered.

“It think it's sweet,” Carlina said. “Look how he smiles.” She turned away. “Just let him be.”

Fabbiola grabbed her daughter's arm again. “You don't know her.”

Carlina shrugged. “Plenty of people here are unknown to me. Uncle Teo invited half of Florence, or so it feels. No doubt she's an old friend.”

“She isn't. And she wasn't invited, either.” Fabbiola pressed her lips together until they were one thin line.

Behind them, Fabbiola's younger sister, Benedetta, appeared in a bright red dress. She had her hand on the arm of Leopold Morin, the slim Frenchman who had been staying in the apartment on the ground floor of the family home since last Christmas. “Have you seen this?” It sounded like the hiss of an angry cat. She pointed her chin toward Uncle Teo and his lady. “What on earth can we do?” Her bright red mouth turned down at the ends as if she were witnessing a tragedy.

“I really don't know why you're making such a fuss,” Carlina said. “Uncle Teo is having fun on his birthday. What's the problem?”

Her aunt gave her a disapproving look. “Don't you know that woman?”

Carlina frowned. “No, I don't think so.”

“Her name is Olga Ottima.” Benedetta's voice sounded tragic, as if she were announcing a death in the family.

Carlina couldn't help it, she had to laugh. “What a great name. Ottima – the best. Imagine if that were your name.”

“A high concept to live up to.” Leopold Morin, the Frenchman, said with his quiet voice. “I'm not sure if I'd like to have such a name myself.”

“Oh, you needn't feel sorry for her,” Fabbiola gave him a dark look. “She never had any inhibitions at all.”

Garini looked at her and narrowed his light eyes. “So you've known her a long time?”

“They were in the same grade at school,” Benedetta replied instead of her sister.

Fabbiola winced as if the memory hurt. “You can take it from me that she never felt intimidated by her name. She thought every accolade was due to her. Everything had to work out just as she planned.”

Benedetta opened her mouth. “Until you--”

Fabbiola grabbed Garini and Carlina and pulled both forward. “Go ahead. Dance with them.”

“What?” Carlina stared at her mother.

“You take Uncle Teo. The
Commissario
can ask Olga.” She gave him a measuring glance. “You're looking really nice today in your suit, and she doesn't know you're a policeman, so she'll accept.”

Carlina rolled her eyes. Sometimes, she wanted to throttle her mother, but when she stole a look at Garini's face and met his gaze, she saw the hidden smile in his eyes. Thank God he had enough self-esteem not to mind her mother's barbs. “I refuse to interrupt their dance,” she said, dug both feet into the ground, and hoped she wouldn't topple over from her high heels when her mother continued to pull her forward.

At this instant, Uncle Teo swung around and saw them. He led his lady closer and smiled. “I haven't yet danced with you, Carlina.”

A warm feeling rushed through her when she saw the look of happiness on his face. The last year had been tough on Uncle Teo. First, he had lost his twin brother, then his wife. She had been afraid that his birthday would leave him sad and lonely. Thank God this Olga had come along. “There's still time.” She smiled. “I can take the next dance.”

At this moment, the band struck up a new melody.

Uncle Teo made a funny little bow in front of Olga and said, “It was a great pleasure to dance with you, my dear. However, my beautiful grandniece is claiming me now.”

Carlina looked at Olga Ottima with interest.
She's a porcelain doll.
Fragile and delicate and tiny. Her skin was pure milk and honey with just a touch of rose that looked as if it were painted on with care. She was wearing a fluttery chiffon dress in purple, enhancing the dark-blue color of her large eyes. At her slim wrist, an elegant watch sparkled with diamonds.

Olga gave Carlina a fixed smile that looked as unreal as everything else about her.

Stefano held out his hand to Olga. “Would you like to dance with me?”

A look of surprise crossed her perfect features, but she gave him a slight nod and put her hand into his.

As Uncle Teo led Carlina away, she wondered what Garini would talk about with Olga. Never known for loquacity, he might not even try. As Olga barely reached his chest, a conversation would be difficult anyway.

Uncle Teo gripped Carlina's hand with surprising strength and pulled her closer. “Are you having a good time, Uncle Teo?” Carlina looked down at her tiny great-uncle. A feeling of tenderness overwhelmed her. Uncle Teo was a bit vain and could be difficult, but he was the patriarch of the wide-spread Mantoni family, and she liked his intelligence and sense of humor.

“I'm having a perfect time, my dear.” He winked at her. “Anyone as old as I am would say the same to dance with such a beautiful woman as you are.”

Carlina smiled. She knew that her cousins Annalisa and Emma, who also lived in the family house, were considered to be diamonds of the first water, whereas she was more average. But the thought counted. “Did you tell Olga the same?” she teased. “You're a charmer, Uncle Teo. You know that, don't you?”

“Me?” He opened his rheumy eyes wide. “I'm absolutely sincere, my dear.”

Carlina lifted an eyebrow and left it at that. In spite of his age, Uncle Teo was a good dancer, and she enjoyed the music, the soft May air, the feeling of happiness that suddenly gripped her and made her feel as if she were floating.

Uncle Teo broke that bubble when he said, “Do you know Olga Ottima, my dear?”

“No. I met her only now, but she went to school with Mama, didn't she?”

He nodded, deep in thought. “Yes, she did.”

Carlina hesitated. “She looks like a doll, doesn't she?”

Uncle Teo nodded again. “Yes, she does. But looks can be deceiving. I'm not sure about her. Not sure at all.”

“Why not? What did she say?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all, my dear. But I remember a big clash, oh, so many years ago.” He carefully danced with her away from the band and nodded at someone who waved at him from the buffet in the corner.

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