Read Online Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2) by Beate Boeker - Free Book Online
Authors: Beate Boeker
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so much. He always cleared his stuff away.”
Garini didn't take his gaze off her. “Where did you put all the stuff from the red-haired lady?”
“In here.” Gloria went aside and slid open the wooden door at the furthest end of the wardrobe. “I hung it all up, though I knew she would throw most of it on the floor, and I'd have to do it again tomorrow.”
Garini froze. The wardrobe was stuffed full with female apparel, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the glossy shopping bags, all neatly folded. With one step, he was next to the wardrobe and picked up the top one with the distinctive logo of Temptation . Carlina's store. His mouth went dry.
“ She had so many of those bags,” Viola sighed. “But it's such an expensive store that I didn't dare to throw away a single one.”
Garini clenched his teeth. Damn. He had hoped Carlina would only have a slight connection to this case, and now it sounded as if the rich American had even been a regular customer.
“ In the mornings, Mr. Accanto often went shopping on his own and later surprised his . . . friends with the results.” Peter explained. “The bags were all directly delivered here. I think some of them are still downstairs at this moment.”
With an effort, Garini dragged his thoughts away from Carlina. At least he now had an explanation why the rich American didn't have a single shopping bag with him when he was killed at Santa Trìnita. He focused on Viola. “Did you notice anything unusual about Mr. Accanto or his friend this morning? Anything, even if it doesn't seem to be related to the murder?”
Viola pushed her lower lip forward and frowned. Then she shook her head. “No, I don't think so.”
“ Did you empty the paper bin this morning?”
Viola drew herself up. “Of course I did!”
“But you didn't notice anything unusual?”
She shook her head. “Nah. Some paper, a tissue, stuff like that. Nothing special.”
“And in the bathroom?”
Viola frowned. “The bathroom bin was empty. I remember because I found an empty bottle of shampoo on the floor, and the cellophane wrapping of a new one.” She sniffed. “That red-haired lady dropped everything right where she stood. She didn't put no things where they belonged.”
“Thank you.” Garini nodded. “If you should later think of anything, just contact Mr. Grant, so he can get in touch with me.”
“ Fine.” Viola looked around the room. “What will happen to all the stuff?”
“ We'll lock it up until the heir comes to claim it.” Peter answered.
“ Even the women's clothes?”
Garini and Peter exchanged a glance.
“Probably not.” Garini answered. “Once we know the red-haired lady, we can ask her to collect it. Technically, these things belong to her.”
When Viola was gone, Garini continued with the wardrobe and quickly worked his way through the female clothes. He found two pairs of nylons and placed them on the bed. “I'd like to take those with me,” he said.
“Right.” Peter looked at them with a sober expression on his face.
The next wardrobe was filled with Mr. Accanto's clothes, rows and rows of expensive suits. Even if someone had bound Stefano's eyes, he would still have been able to tell that he was touching the most expensive clothes men could make. The materials felt thick and smooth at the same time. He turned out the pockets and checked the deepest recesses of the wardrobe, but he did not find anything, not even a stub of paper. “Mr. Accanto must have been a very tidy man,” he said.
“Yes, he was very organized,” Peter said. “I've never seen him out of his depth.”
Garini closed the wardrobe. “Could you open the safe for me now?”
“Sure.” Peter slid yet another wooden door aside and revealed a well-stocked bar. Next to the gleaming bottles was a metal box, set directly into the stone wall. He turned the key and pulled the door open. “It's empty.” His words sounded hollow.
“ Damn.” Garini clenched his teeth. He
Garini didn't take his gaze off her. “Where did you put all the stuff from the red-haired lady?”
“In here.” Gloria went aside and slid open the wooden door at the furthest end of the wardrobe. “I hung it all up, though I knew she would throw most of it on the floor, and I'd have to do it again tomorrow.”
Garini froze. The wardrobe was stuffed full with female apparel, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the glossy shopping bags, all neatly folded. With one step, he was next to the wardrobe and picked up the top one with the distinctive logo of Temptation . Carlina's store. His mouth went dry.
“ She had so many of those bags,” Viola sighed. “But it's such an expensive store that I didn't dare to throw away a single one.”
Garini clenched his teeth. Damn. He had hoped Carlina would only have a slight connection to this case, and now it sounded as if the rich American had even been a regular customer.
“ In the mornings, Mr. Accanto often went shopping on his own and later surprised his . . . friends with the results.” Peter explained. “The bags were all directly delivered here. I think some of them are still downstairs at this moment.”
With an effort, Garini dragged his thoughts away from Carlina. At least he now had an explanation why the rich American didn't have a single shopping bag with him when he was killed at Santa Trìnita. He focused on Viola. “Did you notice anything unusual about Mr. Accanto or his friend this morning? Anything, even if it doesn't seem to be related to the murder?”
Viola pushed her lower lip forward and frowned. Then she shook her head. “No, I don't think so.”
“ Did you empty the paper bin this morning?”
Viola drew herself up. “Of course I did!”
“But you didn't notice anything unusual?”
She shook her head. “Nah. Some paper, a tissue, stuff like that. Nothing special.”
“And in the bathroom?”
Viola frowned. “The bathroom bin was empty. I remember because I found an empty bottle of shampoo on the floor, and the cellophane wrapping of a new one.” She sniffed. “That red-haired lady dropped everything right where she stood. She didn't put no things where they belonged.”
“Thank you.” Garini nodded. “If you should later think of anything, just contact Mr. Grant, so he can get in touch with me.”
“ Fine.” Viola looked around the room. “What will happen to all the stuff?”
“ We'll lock it up until the heir comes to claim it.” Peter answered.
“ Even the women's clothes?”
Garini and Peter exchanged a glance.
“Probably not.” Garini answered. “Once we know the red-haired lady, we can ask her to collect it. Technically, these things belong to her.”
When Viola was gone, Garini continued with the wardrobe and quickly worked his way through the female clothes. He found two pairs of nylons and placed them on the bed. “I'd like to take those with me,” he said.
“Right.” Peter looked at them with a sober expression on his face.
The next wardrobe was filled with Mr. Accanto's clothes, rows and rows of expensive suits. Even if someone had bound Stefano's eyes, he would still have been able to tell that he was touching the most expensive clothes men could make. The materials felt thick and smooth at the same time. He turned out the pockets and checked the deepest recesses of the wardrobe, but he did not find anything, not even a stub of paper. “Mr. Accanto must have been a very tidy man,” he said.
“Yes, he was very organized,” Peter said. “I've never seen him out of his depth.”
Garini closed the wardrobe. “Could you open the safe for me now?”
“Sure.” Peter slid yet another wooden door aside and revealed a well-stocked bar. Next to the gleaming bottles was a metal box, set directly into the stone wall. He turned the key and pulled the door open. “It's empty.” His words sounded hollow.
“ Damn.” Garini clenched his teeth. He
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