A Death In Tuscany (Sarah Woods Mystery Book 13) Read online

  The next morning at breakfast, Jamie came to sit with us at our table.

  “Where’s your sister?” I asked her.

  “She’s with Brittany. I offered to come get some pastries and coffee to take back to the villa. I think Britt is afraid to leave her place and run into Calvin.”

  “Yeah,” I said. “She must have told you what Calvin said to us. What do you think about all that?”

  “There’s no way Brittany could have killed her husband,” Jamie said, matter-of-factly. “She’s not the type of person to do something like that.”

  I shrugged. “I tend to agree with you - but you never know.”

  “What’s the brother like, anyway?” Jamie asked. “Do you think he and Dick had a close relationship?”

  I shrugged. “Hard to say. The way he talked about him, there was no love lost. He basically admitted to the fact that his brother was a bully. Which is why I think it’s interesting that he’s even here.”

  “So, how could he possibly think that a petite woman—who weighs a hundred pounds at most— could overpower a big man like Dick?” Jamie asked. “As if she could have held him under water. It’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

  I appreciated the fact that Brittany had some hard core supporters on her side. If I ever got into a bind, I’d want Jamie and Lauren in my corner. They are as loyal as they come. “By the way, I think it’s great that you and your sister are helping Brittany right now. I’m sure she’s grateful. But may I suggest something?”

  Jamie hesitated. “Sure, what is it?”

  “I speak from personal experience when I say this: try to stay objective. You’ve only known Brittany for a few days.”

  “Here’s what I think,” Jamie said with conviction. “I frankly don’t care if she killed him or not. He was abusive and demeaning to women. So as far as I’m concerned, he got what he deserved.”

  I was a little taken aback by her words, but Carter was grinning. I could tell he had a lot of respect for Jamie and her beliefs, but I wasn’t so sure I agreed with her severe judgment. Just because someone has a few demons, doesn’t necessarily make them a bad person. Every case was different and, just like life, not so black and white. “Well, there may be nothing to worry about as long as the coroner is satisfied that Dick’s death was an accident.”

  Jamie stood up. “The girls are probably wondering what’s taking me so long. I better get back. If Lauren doesn’t get her coffee first thing in the morning, she’s a bear.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Send Brittany our best.”

  “Will do.”

  Carter and I busied ourselves at the buffet table, stacking our paper plates with tarts, muffins and fresh fruit. However we were not nearly quick enough to escape the clutches of the desperate writer.

  “Buongiorno,” Hope said to us, as cheery as ever. “Mind if I join you for breakfast?”

  “Actually, we can’t stay,” I said. “Maybe next time.”

  “Oh,” she said, deflated. “Well, I’ve been looking into some details that might be of interest to you. Are you sure you don’t have a few minutes?”

  Clever lady, but I wasn’t going to fall for her tactics. “Sorry,” I said. “We’re heading out for the day.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out for a drive, maybe hit a few wineries.”

  “Which ones?” she asked.

  “Whichever ones are open.”

  Before she had a chance to ask me another question, Carter kindly told her we had to leave. She must have known it was time to back off.

  “Okay,” Hope said in a regretful tone. “But maybe we can talk when you get back. I think you’ll be very interested in what I have to tell you.”

  * * *

  It was a beautiful morning to take a drive and I was thankful to get away from the resort for a while.

  “So, where are we going?” I asked Carter, who was concentrating on the road. He took the turns like a race-car driver, working the shifter expertly. I was ashamed to admit I’ve never learned how to drive a manual transmission. Maybe he’d teach me someday.

  “Montepulciano,” Carter said. “Another quaint hill town village. They have some tasting rooms I think you’ll enjoy.”

  I leaned back, rolled down the window a crack and breathed in the fresh air. I didn’t even mind that Carter was trying to emulate a race-car driver. Finally, we were enjoying our vacation and I wanted to drink in the scenery. It was just like the postcards, but even better.

  Yet, as much as I tried to fight it, my mind kept wandering back to Hope Dillard. What kind of information did she have?

  Chapter 14

  After a full day in Montepulciano which included a wine tasting, full lunch and plenty of walking and shopping, we arrived back at the resort around three-thirty feeling exhausted, yet satisfied.

  “I wonder if Brittany has heard anything from the coroner’s office,” I said. “Should we go over and ask?”

  Carter led me into the bedroom. “I’m sure we’ll find out from one of the sisters at dinner.”

  “You’re right,” I said. “What do you have in mind? A little fun in the sack?”

  “Actually.” Carter fell back onto the bed, pulling me with him. “To be honest, I just need a nap.”

  I laughed, but I had to admit, I could use one too. “Okay. One hour of sleep and then I’ll go for a run before we get ready for dinner.”

  “A run? We just walked the whole perimeter of Montepulciano. Three or four miles at least. I think you can afford to forgo the run.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” I said, laying my head on his chest.

  I was about to close my eyes when someone knocked on the door.

  Carter grunted. “Don’t answer it. They’ll go away.”

  “What if it’s Brittany?”

  “She has your number, she could call and leave a message.”

  As much as I wanted to ignore the knocking, I was too curious to fall asleep at this point. I got up and went to the door.

  “Jamie,” I said, noting the anxious expression on her face. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes. I just wanted to tell you the good news. We just got back from the coroner’s office.”

  “…and…?”

  “Her husband’s death has been ruled an accident. There will be no further police investigation into the matter.”

  “Really? How did he come to that conclusion?”

  “Well, according to what Brittany told us, there were no defensive wounds found on his body. There was a minor contusion on the right side of his head, but that could be explained. He could have lost his balance and hit his head on a rock, which could have caused him to pass out. There was a large amount of water in his lungs. Taking into consideration he had an alcohol blood level of point zero six, it likely contributed to his imbalance. Like you’d said yourself, the rocks down there are a bit treacherous.”

  “Well,” I said. “I guess Brittany must feel relieved in a way. What about the brother? Does he know, yet?”

  Jamie shrugged. “Who knows? We haven’t seen him. We expected he’d be at the morgue after the autopsy, but he wasn’t around.”

  “That’s weird. When I spoke to him last night, he seemed very motivated to get answers about his brother’s death. Where is Brittany now?”

  “She’s at her villa with Lauren. We’re taking her into town for an early dinner.”

  “So, what are her plans?” I asked. “Is she going to stay the rest of the week? I can’t imagine she’ll want to stick around. I wouldn’t want to.”

  “She’s already booked her flight home. Lauren and I are driving her to the airport first thing tomorrow morning. She’s been busy making arrangements with the local crematorium. Much cheaper than shipping his body back to the states.”

  “I guess that makes sense,” I said.

  “By the way, Brittany would like to say good-bye to you and Carter before she leaves.”

  “I’d like that,” I
said.

  When I returned to the bedroom, Carter’s eyes were closed and I wondered if he’d heard any of the conversation with Jamie. As soon as I lay down next to him, he said, “So Brittany is leaving tomorrow?”

  “Yeah. I guess you heard that his death has been ruled accidental. I wonder if Calvin will accept that or not.”

  “Unless he has some kind of proof that Brittany caused him to drown, what can he do?”

  “Well, it’s no longer our concern,” Carter said. “We can finally get on with our vacation.”

  As tempting as it was to take a nap with Carter, I couldn’t shake the antsy feeling inside. I changed into my jogging clothes and sneakers. A vigorous run would help clear my mind and settle my nerves. “I’ll be back in half an hour.”

  “Getting sick of me already?” he teased.

  “Of course not.” I leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “I’ll be back before dark.”

  Chapter 15

  The sun had disappeared behind a thick blanket of clouds and the smell of rain hung in the air. Better make this a quick run unless I wanted to get soaked.

  I started out with a slow jog just to get my muscles warmed up. Passing through the courtyard and toward the main resort office, I noticed the trail to the hot springs was still closed. Apparently the police hadn’t had a chance to take the “closed for maintenance” sign down yet.

  Since there would be no further investigation into Dick’s death, I figured there was no harm in me heading down there. Besides, I couldn’t see a soul around to stop me.

  Half-way into the trail, I stopped in my tracks when I heard the faint sound of voices speaking rapidly in Italian. Apparently, other people had not heeded the sign to keep out but, as I got closer, I realized these people were not here to relax in the warm water.

  There were about six or seven teenaged boys, all squatting along the edge of the stream. A few of them were actually standing in the lower pool area. When I realized they all had the same green bowl in their hands, it dawned on me. They were panning for gold.

  The boys were chatting to each other and, of course, I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. By the tone of their voices, however, I could tell they were probably complaining to one another. They didn’t want to be there.

  It was obvious to me that someone must have hired these boys to look for gold, probably paying them a few euros an hour.

  I wonder if Eduardo knew this was going on. Should I go back and tell him about the trespassers? Would these teenaged boys get in serious trouble if the police came? Or should I go down and warn them? Would they even understand me?

  Maybe I should do nothing. I didn’t want to get involved. I decided to turn right around and head back up the trail. I convinced myself that there was no harm in panning for gold. It’s not like they were digging up the earth, making a mess, or destroying the ecosystem.

  Yet there was something about the situation that left a bad taste in my mouth. I decided to head back to the villa and run it by Carter. He’d know what to do.

  As I rounded the main courtyard and passed by the parking lot to my right, I noticed Calvin was loading a suitcase into the trunk of a Mercedes.

  I slowed my pace and casually walked over. “Leaving so soon?”

  He looked up, startled to see me standing there. He cleared his throat as if he were nervous. “Yes, I’m heading out. There’s no reason for me to stay.”

  “So you’re not going to dispute the coroner’s findings on your brother’s autopsy?”

  “What’s the point?” he said. “He’s gone and there’s nothing I can do to change that.”

  “So does that mean you have no hard feelings toward Brittany?”

  He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. “I made a bunch of calls this morning and found out my brother was in debt up to his eyeballs! After all his creditors are paid off, there won’t be anything left of Dick’s estate. If Brittany expects to get anything, she’s going to be disappointed.”

  Why was he was telling me all this? Did he think I’d break the bad news to her so he wouldn’t have to? “I’m sure Brittany will have a lot to deal with when she gets home. One day at a time.”

  “Yeah,” he said, halfheartedly. “Something like that.”

  “By the way, you haven’t seen Brittany since you got here, have you?”

  “No, why?”

  “Well, it might mean a lot to her if you just stopped by and said hello before you left. I think she’s a little hurt that you haven’t made an effort.”

  “Why should I? She’s not really family. My brother barely knew her before he tied the knot. After the funeral, I hope I’ll never have to see her again.”

  No point in trying to change his mind. Time to wrap this up. “So you’re flying back to the states tonight?”

  “No. I’m heading to Rome for a day. I’ve always wanted to go there. Who knows if I’ll ever get to Italy again?”

  “I don’t blame you. Have to make the best out of a bad situation, right? Where are you staying in Rome?”

  He retrieved a folded piece of paper from his briefcase and opened it. “The Hotel Tiber. It’s supposed to be within walking distance of the coliseum.”

  “Sounds great. Carter and I are planning to go there at some point. Hopefully tomorrow.”

  “So,” he said, extending a hand for a final farewell. “Once again, I’d like to thank you and Carter in regard to my brother. I hope you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your vacation. ”

  “Thanks,” I said. “And I hope you have a safe trip back home.”

  It was getting dark as I watched the Mercedes pull out of the parking lot. I thought it was a little strange that Calvin was staying in Italy another day, sightseeing. His brother just died. You’d think he’d be too distracted to enjoy himself. With all the details of the funeral, getting affairs in order, I’d hardly be interested in ancient architecture. Then again, it sounded like he and Dick were never very close. Perhaps he just came to Italy because he felt a brotherly obligation.

  I checked my watch. It was almost six. As I headed back to the villa, my cell phone buzzed. Probably Carter wondering where I was. But the number didn’t look familiar. I answered it.

  “Sarah?”

  I immediately recognized the frantic voice as Jamie’s. “Hey,” I said. “What’s wrong?”

  “Can you come to Brittany’s villa right now? We have a situation on our hands and we need your advice. Please, can you hurry?”

  “What happened?”

  She didn’t respond because the connection cut out.

  I just stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Had Brittany had an accident? If so, why didn’t Jamie just call the police or the paramedics? Shit, I wanted to run back to get Carter but that would take too much time. I decided to call him instead.

  “Sarah, where are you?” he asked.

  “Jamie just called me. Something has happened at Brittany’s place and they need my help. Can you meet me over there?”

  “Putting shoes on now. I’ll be right there.”

  As soon as I ascended the stairs to Brittany’s villa, the door flung open and Jamie stood there. She ushered me in inside and closed the door behind me. I followed her to the kitchen. When I got there, what I saw nearly stopped me cold. Hope Dillard was sitting in a chair, her hands tied behind her back. Lauren sat beside her, wielding a small steak knife. It reminded me of a scene from a movie, where a person is held hostage and pretty soon fingers would be cut off one by one.

  “What in the heck is going on here?” I said, not sure if I should take this seriously or not.

  “Guess who was inside Brittany’s villa when we got back from dinner?” Lauren said, pointing the steak knife a little too close to Hope’s face. “This nosy little witch.”

  Hope’s bulging eyes were a clear indication that she was frightened. “I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”

  “Where’s Brittany?” I asked, looking around.

  “She’s i
n the bathroom,” Jamie said. “She still isn’t feeling well. She asked me and Lauren to deal with Hope and we’re not letting her go until she tells us the truth about why we found her in Britt’s villa.”

  Hope rolled her eyes. “You guys are making a big deal out of nothing. It’s not like I was going to steal anything.”

  “Look guys,” I said to the sisters. “I appreciate how protective you are of Britt but this is going a little overboard. Can we ditch the steak knife, please? It’s making me nervous.”

  Lauren placed it on the counter behind her. “It’s not like I intended to use it. I mean, unless I had to.”

  I took a moment to think this through. I turned to Jamie. “Carter will be here any second so please let him in when he gets here.”

  Lauren went to the door and looked out the small window. “I see him. He’s coming up the stairs.”

  When Carter walked in and saw the scene before him, he raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I didn’t know what to expect but this wasn’t it.”

  I filled him in. “Lauren and Jamie claim they caught Hope inside Britt’s apartment snooping around.”

  “Wait a minute,” Hope interjected. “First of all, the door wasn’t locked. I would never break and enter. It’s against the law, even in Italy.”

  Jamie took a step toward Hope. “That doesn’t give you the right to waltz right in.”

  “I agree,” Hope said. “And I’m very sorry about that.”

  “What were you looking for?” Carter asked her.

  She squirmed. “Would you mind untying me? My hands are practically numb.”

  Carter got busy cutting the twine. “This doesn’t mean you’re free to go,” he said firmly. “Brittany may decide to press charges.”

  Hope rubbed her hands together briskly. “If you’d just let me explain, you’ll understand why I came here in the first place.”

  “Then I suggest you start talking,” Carter said.

  “It has to do with the gold. I know that Brittany’s husband found it down at the hot springs a few days ago.”