Read Online This Haunted World Book One: The Venetian: A Chilling New Supernatural Thriller by Shani Struthers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shani Struthers
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far at all, not even an hour. As for the cost, it could be anything.” He paused. “Do you really want to go?”
“Yes,” Rob replied, at the same time that Louise answered ‘No’.
“There is nothing to be scared of,” said Kristina, focussing on her.
“I’m not scared.” Now they were at it, as well as Rob. “We have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Oh come on,” Rob cajoled, “we’ve seen loads already. Why don’t we do something different, see if we can find someone to take us? Don’t pretend you’re not fascinated.”
“I’m not!”
“You are! You’re the one who told me about it.”
“So what? Being fascinated is not a good enough reason to go.”
“Why not?”
“It’s… macabre.”
“Macabre?” Piero quizzed.
“So many people died there,” Louise explained.
“It’s history,” he replied, shrugging again. “The Venetians try to brush under the carpet what happened, to make light of it. But I disagree, it shouldn’t be forgotten.”
“It shouldn’t be treated with disrespect either.”
“Louise,” Rob seemed annoyed with her again, “nobody said anything about disrespecting the place!”
“I know, but—”
“I’ll take you.” Piero said the words so quietly that Louise thought she’d imagined them.
“Sorry?” she said.
“I’ll take you.” His offer was clearer this time, more confident.
Rob’s eyes widened. “Really? How much?”
Piero let loose a burst of laughter, waved his hand in the air. “No cost. We are friends. You’re here tomorrow, so let’s go then, mid-morning perhaps? We’re free. One thing though, there is no lighting on the island so we need to leave before sundown.”
“Thank you, it’s very kind but—”
Again Rob cut her off. “You’re serious? That would be brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Are you sure though? It seems like one hell of a cheek.” When Piero frowned in confusion, Rob added, “An imposition, it seems like an imposition to take up your time.”
“No, I offered. I’m happy to take you. We are happy, aren’t we, Kristina?”
Kristina looked as puzzled as Louise felt by his offer but she agreed nonetheless. “Perhaps one more time it would be good to visit. Where’s the harm?”
Feeling as though she were caught in a vice, Louise tried to appeal to Rob. “The thing is, I’d really like to see more of the actual city before we fly home. Maybe we could talk about this, between us I mean, take a number or something and let Piero know.”
“Sure, sure, take my number,” Piero said, retrieving a business card from his wallet. Piero Benvenuti, Architetto . “It’s no problem. Call me tomorrow, but early, let me know.”
“Well, I’d love to accept,” Rob said, taking the business card and handing it to Louise to put in her bag. “As for my wife, don’t worry, I’ll work on her.”
Chapter Nine
“How bloody dare you!” Louise yelled. “What do you mean ‘you’ll work on me’? Like I’m some sort of doll without a mind of my own.”
How she’d kept from exploding after Rob had delivered that particular gem, she’d never know. But she’d sat there, a smile plastered on her face, as the conversation had continued over coffee and liqueurs, the waiter serving a round of grappa on the house, clutching at her glass so tightly she’d been amazed it hadn’t shattered in her hands. Around them the restaurant had emptied and finally they’d called it a night, their newfound friends kissing them on both cheeks, as was the Italian custom, before disappearing from sight. They had walked a short way too, to where the archway was, when she came to a grinding halt, unable to keep a lid on her fury anymore.
“The things I said, my reasons for not wanting to go to the island, you just dismissed them completely. You talked over me at every opportunity—”
“I didn’t, I—”
“There you go again, let me bloody speak!”
“All right, all right, go on then,” he replied
“Yes,” Rob replied, at the same time that Louise answered ‘No’.
“There is nothing to be scared of,” said Kristina, focussing on her.
“I’m not scared.” Now they were at it, as well as Rob. “We have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Oh come on,” Rob cajoled, “we’ve seen loads already. Why don’t we do something different, see if we can find someone to take us? Don’t pretend you’re not fascinated.”
“I’m not!”
“You are! You’re the one who told me about it.”
“So what? Being fascinated is not a good enough reason to go.”
“Why not?”
“It’s… macabre.”
“Macabre?” Piero quizzed.
“So many people died there,” Louise explained.
“It’s history,” he replied, shrugging again. “The Venetians try to brush under the carpet what happened, to make light of it. But I disagree, it shouldn’t be forgotten.”
“It shouldn’t be treated with disrespect either.”
“Louise,” Rob seemed annoyed with her again, “nobody said anything about disrespecting the place!”
“I know, but—”
“I’ll take you.” Piero said the words so quietly that Louise thought she’d imagined them.
“Sorry?” she said.
“I’ll take you.” His offer was clearer this time, more confident.
Rob’s eyes widened. “Really? How much?”
Piero let loose a burst of laughter, waved his hand in the air. “No cost. We are friends. You’re here tomorrow, so let’s go then, mid-morning perhaps? We’re free. One thing though, there is no lighting on the island so we need to leave before sundown.”
“Thank you, it’s very kind but—”
Again Rob cut her off. “You’re serious? That would be brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Are you sure though? It seems like one hell of a cheek.” When Piero frowned in confusion, Rob added, “An imposition, it seems like an imposition to take up your time.”
“No, I offered. I’m happy to take you. We are happy, aren’t we, Kristina?”
Kristina looked as puzzled as Louise felt by his offer but she agreed nonetheless. “Perhaps one more time it would be good to visit. Where’s the harm?”
Feeling as though she were caught in a vice, Louise tried to appeal to Rob. “The thing is, I’d really like to see more of the actual city before we fly home. Maybe we could talk about this, between us I mean, take a number or something and let Piero know.”
“Sure, sure, take my number,” Piero said, retrieving a business card from his wallet. Piero Benvenuti, Architetto . “It’s no problem. Call me tomorrow, but early, let me know.”
“Well, I’d love to accept,” Rob said, taking the business card and handing it to Louise to put in her bag. “As for my wife, don’t worry, I’ll work on her.”
Chapter Nine
“How bloody dare you!” Louise yelled. “What do you mean ‘you’ll work on me’? Like I’m some sort of doll without a mind of my own.”
How she’d kept from exploding after Rob had delivered that particular gem, she’d never know. But she’d sat there, a smile plastered on her face, as the conversation had continued over coffee and liqueurs, the waiter serving a round of grappa on the house, clutching at her glass so tightly she’d been amazed it hadn’t shattered in her hands. Around them the restaurant had emptied and finally they’d called it a night, their newfound friends kissing them on both cheeks, as was the Italian custom, before disappearing from sight. They had walked a short way too, to where the archway was, when she came to a grinding halt, unable to keep a lid on her fury anymore.
“The things I said, my reasons for not wanting to go to the island, you just dismissed them completely. You talked over me at every opportunity—”
“I didn’t, I—”
“There you go again, let me bloody speak!”
“All right, all right, go on then,” he replied
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