Page 60 of The Venice Murders

‘E la rosario.’

‘And the rosary.’

‘Sì,sì.Now, our beautiful Rastello. I go, tell Don Stephano. Call police. But the boy too fast. Very strong. He come down…saltare dalla scala. He hascorda.’

‘Rope. He tied you up – to a pew?’

‘Sì. Un banco. I havefazzoletto, handkerchief, in the mouth.’

‘And your nephew, Matteo?’ It was Flora who asked.

‘Mi ha protetto.’

‘He protected you?’ Jack sounded sceptical and saw Flora’s eyes widen in disbelief.

‘Luigi Tasca is thief,’ Filomena said severely, ‘but Matteo good boy. He sad for me.’

‘Did Matteo help him steal the painting?’ Someone must have, Jack thought. It was far too heavy to lift from the wall alone and then carry to a waiting boat.

‘Luigi make him help.’

‘How?Come?’

‘They are friends. After he work, he drive from Asolo to Santa Margherita. Then Luigi ask him, help me, and Matteofolle.’

‘Foolish,’ Jack translated.

‘Matteo saysì.But hescioccatowhen he see me. Let Zia Filomena go, he say.’

‘And what did Luigi Tasca say?’ Flora sounded breathless. It had become a frightening tale.

‘He say OK. You help and your aunt go. I do not steal, he say. I take painting.Sequestro il dipinto.’

‘He was kidnapping the painting!’

‘Sì, sì.To punish Don Stephano. He want Don Stephano to lose church.’

‘To keep paying him back for Father Renzi telling the truth,’ Jack said grimly.

‘Monsignorwill be angry. So much trouble. He tell Don Stephano he must leave.’

‘What was Matteo’s response? What did your nephew say?’

‘He tell Luigi you go to prison.Ancora. But Luigi say no one know that he take painting. No one know where painting is. His father has place for it.’

‘Enrico Tasca knew what his son was doing?’ Jack asked, quietly appalled. He could imagine Filomena nodding her head at this.

‘Here, here is the place,’ she said.

‘In this cellar?’

‘Sì, I think so.’

‘Then Silvio Fabbri must also know.’

‘Signor Fabbri not happy. I hear him. But he is friend of Enrico Tasca and Tasca promise the painting go soon.’

‘Luigi promised that you could go soon, but didn’t keep his promise,’ Jack pointed out.

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