Page 36 of Murder on an Italian Island
Virgilio took refuge in obfuscation. ‘No doubt we’ll find out in due course, but all I know at the moment is that the inspector has a man in custody. If he turns out to be the perpetrator, that should mean that nobody here need have any more worries. If that is the case, that’ll mean we’ll all be free to go, but no doubt official word will be coming from the inspector in the course of the morning.’
‘That’s excellent news. I’ll make sure I tell Signor Silvano. He’s been most concerned about the effect of the investigation on the guests. Now he’ll be able to celebrate his birthday in peace.’
As she went off to deliver the drinks invitation to Tatsuo, I reflected that today was already Thursday and my windsurfing course would be finishing tomorrow afternoon. I was a bit concerned that Ingrid had indicated that she intended making up the lessons missed due to the strong winds and I had a feeling today and tomorrow were going to be long days. Still, I told myself, I had told Anna I would go through with it, and I intended to keep my promise.
I was impressed to find that Anna was well able to walk across to the windsurfing beach, although I kept a precautionary hand on her good arm as we did so. When we got there – albeit later than we should have done – my fears were realised when Ingrid greeted us with the news that today’s lunch break would be shortened to just half an hour, the afternoon session would go on until five-thirty, and tomorrow would be even longer. It was clear she intended making sure we got our money’s worth. I smiled in response, but it was through gritted teeth. Stefano came over and it was immediately clear that they had both heard at least some of what had happened yesterday, and he and Ingrid were horrified to see Anna’s wounds. She reassured them that the doctors had said that she would be fit and well again before too long.
Anna took a seat on the veranda outside the bar to watch my travails, while Oscar strategically positioned himself at her side – which just happened to be the side near the entrance through which people emerged in the course of the day bearing cakes, biscuits, ice creams and sandwiches. Anna told me later that all kinds of tasty morsels had ended up being offered to him when he had subjected the customers to his pathetic,I’m fading awaylook.
In fact, the day turned out to be very enjoyable. By lunchtime, I found I was managing to turn by tacking upwind seven or eight times out of ten without falling in, although gybing downwind remained fraught with problems, so I did my best to avoid trying that manoeuvre. As a result, when I came in for my abbreviated lunch break, I was able to count the number of times I had fallen in on the fingers of just two hands, and that was definite progress.
The progress continued after lunch and Tatsuo and I were finally encouraged to sail a bit further out to sea where the breeze was stronger and I thoroughly enjoyed zooming up and down. As I did so, I even had time to admire the view back towards the coast. From out here, I could see the beach, the campsite, the hotel, the overgrown field with the big shed and the imposing bulk of Monte Calamita stretching up behind it. It all looked remarkably peaceful now, but I shivered in spite of the heat as it occurred to me yet again just how close to death Anna had come. If it hadn’t been for my four-legged friend, it was more than likely that she would be dead, and I knew that if that had happened, I would be bereft.
Finally, at well after five, Ingrid waved to me from the beach, indicating that it was time for me to head back to the shore.
The Greeks have a word for what happened next. I had no trouble in steering back towards the beach at pace, helped on by the little waves and feeling inordinately proud of myself. However, as I was approaching the shallows, I chose to do something very silly. I caught Anna’s eye, raised my right hand from the boom and gave her a cheery wave. The sail, now only gripped by one hand, suddenly developed a mind of its own and two seconds later, I was propelled head first into the sea. To add insult to injury, the sail and mast landed on top of me and when I surfaced, I had to fight my way out from under the orange and blue fabric, coughing and spluttering.
Hubris, that’s what the Greeks called it. ‘Gross overconfidence leading to a tragic downfall,’ as Anna gleefully explained to me when I joined her back at the bar. I thanked her for the Classics lesson and added the word to my vocabulary, making a mental note not to fall into that trap again.
I took a seat alongside her and we both ordered ice-cream sundaes complete with sprinkles and glacé cherries perched on top of mountains of whipped cream. Accompanied by half a litre of water, mine was delicious and I soon recovered from my moment of hubris. By the end of the ice cream, I was feeling weary but refreshed, and in fact, I was so refreshed that I told Anna I would give Oscar a quick walk before we headed back to get ready for Signor Silvano’s birthday bash. Virgilio and Lina had joined Anna in the course of the afternoon and he accompanied Oscar and me as we walked up through the campsite, heading for the overgrown field where Oscar would be able to run about to his heart’s content – although it was still very warm even as evening approached. When I spotted the pointing finger marked Reception, I glanced at Virgilio.
‘Feel like having a word with Teresa Franceschini?’
He grinned. ‘Definitely.’
We found Teresa in Reception, the radio now blaring out some unidentifiable Italian Europop song loud enough to set the teaspoon in her coffee cup jingling, and she treated us to a beaming smile. Mercifully, she reached for the volume control as we approached, and I began to hear myself think again. No doubt the ringing in my ears would subside with time.
‘Hello, gentlemen. Isn’t it a beautiful afternoon?’
Virgilio answered for both of us. ‘It’s a delightful afternoon, and it must be especially pleasant for you, now you’re no longer being held at the police station. I imagine you’re glad to be back.’
She didn’t bat an eyelid. ‘What is it you policemen say? I’ve been helping the inspector with his enquiries – that’s it, isn’t it?’
I exchanged glances with Virgilio. How come she knew that he was a police officer? She certainly didn’t miss much.
I gave her the sort of look I used to give Oscar when he was younger and I found him drinking out of the toilet bowl. ‘In spite of what you told me, I understand that you and Aldo were in a relationship after all.’
The beaming smile didn’t leave her face for an instant. ‘I wouldn’t call it a relationship. We had an arrangement.’
Wow, I thought to myself, she really was a tough character. ‘Aren’t you sorry he’s dead?’
Her expression became fractionally less happy. ‘That rather depends on what happens now. I’ve been running this place for the last three years. I hope whoever inherits it realises that and understands how much I’m worth to the company.’ She caught my eye. ‘I don’t suppose you happen to know who’s going to inherit, do you? It’s going to be complicated. I kept telling Aldo he needed to make a will, but he didn’t listen.’ Her tone became one of resignation. ‘He never listened.’
I ignored her question and asked one of my own. ‘Did you help him with the Etruscan antiquities racket?’
Her expression became one of blameless innocence. ‘The police told me about that. I’m impressed. I didn’t think he was that bright. It explains where he got his money from.’
‘So you knew nothing about it?’
‘Not a thing.’ There was a twinkle in her eye as she carried on. ‘If I’d known about it, I’m sure I could have helped him make a lot more money out of it than he did, but, like I said, he never mentioned it.’
In my years at Scotland Yard, I had only ever met a handful of people as adept at lying as Teresa. I found it hard to believe that she hadn’t been in on the racket, but it was our word against hers, and she knew that we had no way of proving her involvement. Rather than bang my head against a brick wall, I changed the subject.
‘So are you going to carry on running this place until the succession is finalised?’
‘Why not? I already sign the cheques, pay suppliers and staff, and handle all the banking. Of course I’ll carry on.’ She smiled brightly again. ‘I’ll probably give myself a pay rise, though. I think that’s only fair, don’t you?’
Virgilio and I took Oscar up to the field and strolled up the track to the shed. Police tape now surrounded the whole building, and the front doors and the concealed rear door had been secured with padlocks to stop any more incursions. I wondered if the Etruscan treasures were still inside or if they had been moved. With Teresa now free and only just down the hill, I rather hoped that anything valuable had been removed. She was a formidable character and not the sort to be put off by a couple of padlocks.
