“Is Iacopo here?” Nikki asked, remembering that his name was on the duty roster for the afternoon shift.
“He’s going to be late,” Angelo said and, handing her the duty phone, followed Mario out.
—
Nikki settled into her cubicle and checked Angelo’s notes from the morning. It had been quiet. No break-ins or accidents. Nobody arrested.
It was a relief to have the office to herself, and nothing on the agenda. She could think about the case.
Rummaging in her rucksack, she grabbed the notecards, the edges starting to soften, removed the rubber band, and laid them out. She reviewed these and digested the new information.
Two young women, educated, privileged—facing murder charges.They had lied about knowing Claire. Why? What connected the three women?
Whatever it was, it had to be more frightening than murder charges.
The most obvious clue was the cocaine. Drugs introduced the specter of organized crime. Had the women been smuggling drugs for the Camorra?
She shuffled the cards slowly, pausing on the interview with Claire’s mother.
Lydia said that Claire had been afraid:She sounded…different…not herself…. She was in tears…wanted to hop on the next flight back.
If Claire had been involved in cocaine trafficking—if she’d even brushed up against the Camorra—it might explain her distress.
Nikki scanned the pale pinks and peaches of Claire’s blog site, searching for confirmation of this hypothesis. But Claire seemed to have been more child than woman, her naive infatuation with Jayston dominating her writing.
Nikki winced a little as she reread the post:Oh, please, Rochester. I need to talk to you alone. There must be some explanation.
She doubted Claire possessed the subterfuge to maintain a secret self—one that smuggled cocaine while maintaining the appearance of a sweet-natured nanny obsessed with her employer.
What could have possibly induced Claire to compromise her future, her work for the Lakes, the proximity to her beloved “Rochester”—for the risky proposition of drug smuggling?
Unless it was Jayston himself who had brought her into it.
—
Sonia answered on the second ring.
“How’s your uncle?” she asked.
They discussed Preston and Izzy for a few minutes before Nikki said, “Angelo tells me that forensics puts Claire in the same flat as Monica and Kami.”
Sonia sighed. “It’s not looking good for them.”
“Do you think it’s tied to the cocaine?”
“We do.”
“Have you read Claire’s blog?” Nikki asked. “She was infatuated with Jayston. He could have influenced her—maybe even gotten her involved in drug smuggling?”
“We searchedThe Prophetyesterday,” Sonia said. “No evidence of drug transport. The cocaine came from Signora Lake’s personal supply. Fiona confessed—and Jayston confirmed that his wife has had long-term issues. It looks like Claire took the cocaine when she left the yacht in Capri, along with Fiona’s jewelry.”
“To sell it?” Nikki asked.
“Yes. We think this is how she met our suspects—selling cocaine at a club.”
“But why leave the yacht so suddenly?” Nikki asked. “Why steal Fiona’s jewelry and drugs, and run? She was such an innocent kid. It’s completely out of character.”
“It seems Fiona was cruel to her,” Sonia said.
