Page 63

‘Come in,’ she called. She stretched luxuriously, looking forward to the attractive sight of Massimo bringing her hot water with lemon and the morning papers. A few moments passed, then the knock came again.

‘Yes, enter,’ Lucia called out, more irritably now. What was wrong with Massimo? Why didn’t he just come in?

After the third knock, Lucia let out a scream of frustration, jumping out of bed and wrapping a silk dressing gown over her naked body.

‘What’s the matter, why didn’t you …?’ she began angrily as she wrenched the door open, then stopped in her tracks. The man standing in the corridor wasn’t Massimo. He was shorter, older, far less attractive. And he wasn’t dressed like a member of staff. For a moment, her heart contracted, and she felt a bolt of fear. Was he a crazed stalker who had somehow bluffed his way up to her room?

‘Buongiorno, Signora de Santis,’ the man began, reaching into his inside pocket where he retrieved an ID card which he held up for Lucia’s inspection. ‘My name is Detective Roberto Gallo. I’d like to ask you a few questions.’

Lucia’s blood ran cold, but she pulled herself up to her full height and squared her shoulders, snapping into full diva mode as she threw her long hair out behind her and looked at him imperiously. She stood aside, letting him enter, then closed the door behind him.

‘Detective, what can I do for you?’ she asked coldly. ‘Would you like an autograph, is that why you’re here?’

An amused smile played across his face. She saw him discreetly looking around the suite, taking in the luxurious surroundings, and felt as though she had the upper hand. Looking at Detective Gallo’s scuffed shoes and shabby suit, she doubted he had ever stayed anywhere remotely as grand as this in his life.

‘No, that’s not why I’m here. Nice suite,’ he nodded. ‘I bet you’re used to this sort of thing.’

‘I’ve been very lucky,’ she answered airily, ‘but I have worked hard and earned this … comfort.’

‘We sure don’t have anything like this in Cannegia.’

Lucia raised one perfectly arched eyebrow. ‘There is very little of anything at all in Cannegia, Detective. That’s why I left at the first opportunity.’

He scratched his head and stroked his stubble in thought. ‘Except that’s not entirely true, is it, Miss de Santis?’

‘What do you mean, Inspector?’ she said coldly. ‘You’ll have to spell it out, I’m not a clairvoyant.’

‘Something did happen in Cannegia, a decade ago now. A young man went missing.’

‘I read about the case in the newspapers.’ Lucia pulled her dressing gown more tightly around her, uncomfortably aware that she was naked underneath. ‘Such a terrible tragedy.’

‘His name was Lorenzo Mancini. Did you know him?’

‘I don’t remember, Inspector. Cannegia is a small village, as you know, and it was a long time ago.’

Detective Gallo paced the room, strolling to the window and looking out at the view of Venice across the water, with its orange rooftops and pastel-coloured palazzos, domed churches and lofty bell towers. ‘Yes, you’ve done very well for yourself, Signora de Santis,’ he said, without turning round.

‘That’s a statement, not a question.’

Roberto reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a photograph. Holding it up, he walked back across the room until he was at arm’s length from Lucia. ‘Tell me, do you recognize this girl?’

Lucia kept her face absolutely immobile, ensuring not a glimmer of emotion or a telltale reaction passed across it.

She knew who the girl was the instant she saw the picture; she would have recognized her anywhere, even a decade later. Staring at the photograph, Lucia was assailed by memories of Cannegia, of her childhood and adolescence, of everything that had happened in that small town. But she still didn’t betray a flicker of recognition.

‘I’m afraid I can’t help you, Detective,’ Lucia said, looking him straight in the eye. ‘I’ve never seen her before in my life.’

‘Hey, Iz?’ Brad Redford was rushing out of the door, on his way to set. He was filming a love scene today, and Issy found herself feeling envious of Alicia Park, the up-and-coming starlet who was playing Brad’s love interest in the movie, and who would get to spend the rest of the day passionately kissing a shirtless Brad Redford.

‘Yeah?’ Issy replied.

‘I’ve been meaning to ask, does the name Darlene Winters mean anything to you?’

Issy stopped dead, her mother’s maiden name sending a wave of fear washing over her, like cold fingers walking down her spine. She was wrapping up parcels that needed to be returned, and tried to continue as nonchalantly as she could, screwing up her face as though she was deep in thought. For a moment, Issy considered telling Brad the truth – admitting everything, and confessing all about her mother. Then she thought about what was at stake, and what she stood to lose. She thought of Brad’s trust in her, then imagined the way he would look at her if he found out what she’d done, and Issy heard herself saying, ‘No, it doesn’t … Why?’

Brad rolled his eyes. ‘My accountant called. There’ve been payments made from my card to this name, and he can’t tie up what they are – there’re no receipts or anything.’

‘That’s strange.’ Issy kept her eyes down, focusing on the bubble wrap and Sellotape. ‘Maybe it’s a clothing boutique, or a food delivery company, or something you’ve forgotten about.’