Read Online Delayed Death (Temptation in Florence Book 1) by Beate Boeker - Free Book Online

end of the world."
    "But how do I collect my bike?"
    "By the very same train. On your next day off." Garini made sure his voice sounded sweet.
    Piedro sighed. "All right."
    "Hurry. We have a new case, and I need you here."
    "A new case?"
    "Yes. Remember the grandfather who died with his socks on?"
    "Yeah. The one with the mad family."
    "Exactly. He was poisoned."
    "Cool."
    Garini sighed and rang off. If only Piedro wasn't the son of my boss.
    As he hurried back to the station, his mind clicked off the things he had to do. Get a search warrant. Kick himself for having been taken in. Get a tape recorder from the station and start with another round of interrogations, first tackling that woman called Carlina. He shook his head at his own stupidity. It's not like you to be taken in by a pair of cat eyes and some freckles, Stefano. If only Roberto had for once given him a tighter frame of time. Vague as it was, it didn't help at all. The whole Mantoni family had been milling around the house all morning, bringing flowers, helping each other get ready for the wedding, collecting stuff. He had already established that during the first round of interviews. Damn. He had to scare someone into talking. It was his only chance.

Chapter 5
    Carlina hummed to herself as she undressed the mannequin in her store. Thank God she had switched to the new models. They weighed less than the former style of mannequins, were a lot easier to handle and looked sexier too. She slung the old bra and slip over her shoulder, then bent down to pull the new collection from the box at her feet. The bra came up first, and she held it against her mannequin to check the effect. Hmm. Creamy white with lace. Gorgeous, but on the mannequin it looked kind of weak. Carlina stopped humming and frowned. Maybe she needed to buy a darker mannequin. After all, white was still the best-sold color, and if she could never show it on her pale mannequin, it hurt sales. She dropped the creamy bra and fished out another in chocolate brown with white lace.
    Better. Much better. Carlina started to hum again. Lovely for autumn. She would hang up a poster of a dark-skinned woman with the creamy bra behind the mannequin, then she could show both. The new nylons in soft brown with golden swirls would fit so well. She could--
    " Buona sera , Signorina Ashley."
    Carlina jumped and dropped the bra. She swiveled around and stared at the tall man in front of her. "Commissario Garini." As she met his eyes, she knew her memory hadn't faulted her. He looked as intimidating as ever. No, he looked worse. The blue jeans and black leather jacket seemed too warm for this late September day, but that wasn't the problem. His eyes scared her, those hawk-like eyes, too light and cold. She felt like a mouse and wanted to run for cover. "What can I do for you?"
    The Commissario looked around. "Is anybody else in the shop?"
    Carlina's heart started to beat faster. "No. My assistant has already left."
    "Can you close up?"
    Her hand started to tremble. "I'd rather not."
    He checked his heavy wristwatch with an impatient gesture. "When will you close?"
    "At seven."
    "I can't wait that long. I need to talk to you."
    God, he was rude. Carlina pressed her lips together. "One moment, please." I won't leave my mannequin naked in the window, even if you have to wait. She turned back to the mannequin, laid it on the floor with an expert flick of her wrist, slipped on the new thong, fixed the bra, and put it back into the window. The nylons would have to wait. His presence made her too nervous to handle the fragile material.
    Then she stepped out of the window and went past him to the entrance of her store.
    Quick as a flash, he was behind her, a hand on her arm. "Where are you going?"
    She jumped with fear. "I just want to put up a sign that the store is closed." She narrowed her eyes. "Unless you prefer to interrupt our conversation whenever a customer comes in."
    His hand dropped from her arm. "Go ahead."
    With