rived too

tcase while Maria adjusted th

nt to go?" the house

N

ooked s

ile. "But apparently, my opinion has

ay that,

g useful. Did my mothe

hands

er knew ma

not an

nly one I c

ad raised her almost as much as Vittorio had, an

e looke

whispered, "don't let anyo

losed around the bra

at does

ed toward t

t h

sk another question, a

had ar

outskirts of Florence, surrounded by

ke a home and mor

guards stood at intervals along the driveway, and secur

ared throug

one here ca

e who need one,

o decid

d

urse y

red her

ws, and a staircase that curved toward the upper floors. Ev

r fifties app

home, s

s Isabella Moretti. S

lingered on Isa

how l

wedding a

ke it sound as though I've alrea

. "We will discuss the

ill discu

per quietly

aced Is

ss to the gardens, and anything you

What are the

e the estate wi

lutel

d to kill you

nside won't make

ou inside. I'm ass

ut ask

. "Would you pref

epped

reated like a person in

ent, neit

dded toward t

ndaries later. You

it was the closest thing

n the entire living area o

opened onto a balcony overlooking the gardens. A wardrobe occu

ed her suitca

diculous,"

ck so

entered car

ike anything

And please, ca

ed nervously.

es and checked that the brass key was still h

xplored th

uest rooms, and a small library. At the far e

ed the

dn't

for som

a spun

tood be

expl

ore somewh

behind t

ate r

lock

they're

"You really enjoy

ng questions that a

the important ones, I wou

ssion gre

rom this doo

ld his

one goo

I asked

sn't a

nly one you

lked

appear around the corner

room matt

ered to Dante De Luca

abella sat alone

ds patrolling the grounds and lig

ansion only to find h

one vi

ber had sent a

than you think. Don

a sat u

again, then looked

e Luca estate kn

were watc

into her pocket and lo

nce arriving, she fel

ide this house might no

crets waiting behi