Read Online A Thousand Tombs by Molly Greene - Free Book Online

off these shoes and wash my hands and I’ll be right back to do the potatoes.”
    She went down the hall to Mack’s bedroom and opened the curtains to let in some light, then made the bed and sat down to unlace her trainers. She pulled the pepper spray from her bra and started to pitch it back in the shoe where she kept it, but its shape reminded her that she might want to put on some lip gloss this morning. She rummaged around in her purse for the tube.
    When she couldn’t find it, she upended the contents onto the bed. Everything tumbled out. But when she dropped the purse beside the pile, she heard a distinct movement within the bag. Something was still inside. She spread the top and looked.
    It appeared to be empty.
    She shook it and the movement was repeated, so she pulled out the lining and shook again. Again the sound came. She examined the material and found a slit on one side, then stuck it back inside and pushed two fingers through the hole and grasped something soft that was nestled against the leather. She pulled it out.
    It was the velvet bag.
    The coin was in her purse.
    There was only one way it could have gotten there, and that was by the hand of Vincenzo Vitelli. She carried it back into the kitchen and held up the square of velvet on the flat of her palm.
    “Mack.”
    He glanced at her, smiling, but did a double-take when he realized what she was showing him. He put down the spatula and reduced the flame beneath the pan, then turned around and crossed his arms over his muscular chest.
    “Where’d that come from?”
    “Good question.” She tossed the bag on the table. The heavy clink of the gold inside was almost ominous, like the sound of a lock closing on a heavy door. She sat down. “Mr. Vitelli must have stashed it in my purse before I left.”
    “Why would he do that?” Mack picked up his coffee, then pushed off the counter and sat down across from her.
    “Beats me.” The minute the words cleared her lips, they both smiled. She’d almost forgotten about her eye. “The only plausible explanation is that he wanted it out of the house so the Italian detectives wouldn’t find it. But if that’s true, he must have stuck it in there before they even showed up.”
    Mack nodded. “How’s that eye feel today?”
    “Good enough to let me forget about it once in a while. But I bet you can’t, staring at it like that.”
    “I’m staring at what’s behind it.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I’m trying to imagine what you’re thinking.”
    “Aside from the fact I can’t seem to get rid of this” – she held up the coin – “I’m thinking I hope the bacon doesn’t burn.”
    He leaped from the chair to grab a hot pad and shoved the pan to the back burner. “We’re good,” he said. “But that’s a problem, that coin. What to do with it now, I mean.”
    “Yeah,” Gen replied. “The Italian cops say he’s importing illegally, and Vitelli says they’re wrong. If I give this to the Italian cops, it might be a mistake.”
    “But the real question is why does Vitelli want it out of his house so bad he loses that bag twice.”
    “That’s the million dollar question.”
    The hinges on the guest room door squeaked and Luca came slowly down the hall. His hair was flat on one side and bushed out on the other, as if he’d fallen asleep with one cheek on the pillow and hadn’t moved an inch all night.
    “Good morning,” Mack said. “Sleep good?”
    Luca nodded. From the looks of it, he wasn’t fully awake.
    “Do you drink coffee?” Gen asked, then gave their host a quick glance.
    Mack grabbed a mug and poured two more cups, then handed one to Gen and the other to the boy. “Yeah, let’s get the kid all jacked up and see if maybe after breakfast he’s interested in finishing the job.” He threw a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the garden. “Milk is in the fridge.”
    Luca started toward the refrigerator, but stopped and stared as if he’d seen a ghost. He put his coffee