Talia waited until they’d left the gondola behind, bobbing in the darkened waters of the canal, before she said anything else. “You know, I might be simply grasping at straws with this.”
“So what are you thinking?” Joe asked.
“We both know that Marco spent his days working here in Venice, but on the weekends, he normally headed out with friends. One of them has a boat they take out to hang out on some of the quieter islands. A lot of the locals do the same thing.”
They headed back through a maze of narrow streets toward the Morellos’ apartment. Maybe she was way off, but on the other hand, maybe it was worth looking at.
“When I spoke to him last,” she continued, “he mentioned he was going out with one of his friends on his boat.”
“Whose boat?”
“A guy by the name of Celso. I’m not sure about his last name, I only met him a couple times. And I know it’s a long shot, but we know Marco had the paintings. We know Anna didn’t find them. The police have searched and haven’t been able to find them, either, but they have to be somewhere.”
“I think it’s worth looking at. But at this point it seems like they could be anywhere.”
“It’s funny,” she said as they kept walking. “I didn’t think I cared about finding them. In fact I didn’t want anything to do with those paintings, but now—but now they seem like one of the final pieces of the puzzle that need to be put into place, I think because if they’re found, no one will attempt linking them back to me.”
She breathed in a deep breath and felt herself relaxing again. Feeling safe again with him beside her. The hot July temperatures had cooled significantly, partly thanks to the breezes of the lagoon. The city was also quieter after the sunset. After the throngs of tourists had left the city to go back to their cruise ships, beachside resorts and the cheaper hotels on the mainland. In their place, she could hear the melodic strains of an orchestra playing beneath the full moon somewhere near St. Mark’s Square.
She glanced up at Joe’s solid profile. She knew he was still waiting for answers about his brother. With Anna now in police custody, they were expecting answers from her. But for the moment, she realized all she really wanted to do was prolong their evening together. Before Joe left Italy and her world went back to normal.
If life ever could really be normal again.
* * *
At six the next morning, with the sun barely up above the horizon, Talia stepped onto Celso Amato’s boat, which was docked along a quiet vein of the city’s canal. After a few phone calls last night, she’d been able to contact Marco’s friend, who’d quickly passed on his condolences, then agreed to let them come get Marco’s things, as she’d put it.
She was glad Celso had agreed to meet them early. In a few more hours, the heat would feel relentless again. She stood at the stern and studied the forty-foot boat, wondering if she was off with her conclusion. There weren’t a lot of places to hide things beyond the cabin and the limited storage areas. She’d spoken to Marco’s parents again last night. They had told Marco she was coming to look for a collection of paintings. The last message they’d received from him was that he’d found them and planned to have them appraised.
They’d never heard from him again.
“I still can’t believe he’s gone,” Celso said.
Talia turned to Marco’s friend, who stood in the middle of the deck. “I can’t, either.”
“We hung out this past weekend. Spent all of Saturday away from the crowds. Went to dinner with friends Monday night.” Celso shoved his hands into his front pockets while Joe started looking through the cabin. “I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but Marco was always leaving stuff on the boat. Sunglasses, hats, his keys—you name it.”
“We’re looking for some paintings Marco had.”
“Can’t say that I ever saw anything like that.” Celso shrugged. “But I’ll leave you to your search. I’m supposed to meet someone in a few minutes.”
Talia glanced at Joe, then decided to start at the helm. There were two things she didn’t want to think about as she searched. One was the fact that Joe was leaving in a few hours to return to the US. Two was what if they didn’t find the paintings? Somehow both mattered.
“Anything?” Joe asked a few minutes later.
“Not yet.”
“I’d hoped your idea would come through, but I don’t think they’re here, Talia”
“I’m afraid I might have to agree with you.” She finished searching a small storage space near the bow. Nothing. “Wait a minute.”
“What have you got?”
Something was taped beneath the bench. She pulled out a yellow envelope from inside a sealed plastic bag.
Talia sat down on the bench and slid out the contents.
The three paintings.
“You were right,” he said, picking up one of them.
She took in the even strokes and pastel colors. “I remember them. They’re beautiful. I just never imagined they would be worth so much or cause so many problems.”
“This case was a bit like opening Pandora’s box, but it’s over now.”
Relief swept through her. Having Joe with her made her feel safe again. She glanced up to where he stood with the Grand Canal behind him. He made her feel as if she could actually start over again with someone else.
Which was what she wanted. Wasn’t it? But was Joe the right person? Or had everything that had happened between them been nothing more than a reaction to what they’d been through over the past week?
“While they are beautiful, I don’t want anything to do with them.” She handed them to Joe. “Not after all the trouble they’ve caused.”
“I don’t blame you, but somehow I don’t think the artist who drew these could ever have imagined the lives they were going to affect one day.”
“Which is why we’re going to ensure that they go back to the museum, where they belong—”
“Not so fast.” An armed man stepped onto the boat and aimed his gun at Talia and the paintings. “I’ll take those off your hands now.”
* * *
Joe quickly moved between Talia and the gunman. “What do you want?”
“Those paintings Ms. Morello’s holding, for starters.”
“Why? Who are you?” Joe stood his ground.
“Captain Blythe,” Talia said, standing up behind him. “I’m guessing you were in on this cover-up with Anna all along. Stealing evidence from the raids...my husband’s murder.”
“I had nothing to do with the death of your husband.”
“But you knew Anna killed him, and I’m assuming you were also happy to keep your take of the spoils while keeping your mouth shut. Is that how it worked? It’s the only explanation that makes sense to me as to why you’re here wanting these paintings.”
“Which must mean that Anna double-crossed you,” Joe added.
The tension in the air was palpable. The boat bobbed beneath them. Joe steadied himself in front of the other man.
“She came to Italy to ensure you didn’t start asking another slew of questions now that the case has been reopened,” Blythe finally answered. “The last thing we needed was for you and now Mr. FBI here to start poking around and discover the holes in your husband’s case. Anything that could point to me. I couldn’t exactly let you get a hold of that type of evidence.”
“Looks like you trusted the wrong person when it came to Anna. Especially since she’s probably telling the local police all about you.”
“It doesn’t matter now. I’ll take those paintings and be the one to live out the rest of my life on some tropical island. Beats prison.” Blythe shook his head. “I knew I should have taken you out back then. I was always worried you’d find out the truth.”
“Which she has,” Joe said. “We both have.”
“So what happens now?” Talia asked.
“Start the motor. We’ll be going for a bit of a ride. You’ll be the driver, Talia. I’m assuming you learned something about boats from all your time here in Venice, and don’t try anything or your boyfriend here will be the first one overboard.”
“You really think this plan will work?” Joe asked.
“We’re pretty isolated here, and I don’t see anyone stopping us. Talia, hand me the paintings. Just in case you get any bright ideas.”
She tossed them toward the captain and they landed on the deck a foot from his feet.
Joe took the distraction to grab the man’s wrist with his good arm, then spun the barrel away from them in one fluid motion. With the gun out of play, he quickly flipped the man onto the deck. Blythe came down hard against a metal post.
“He’s out cold. For now,” Joe said, feeling a jolt of pain shoot through his injured arm. “Why don’t you give the police a call while I tie him up with that rope?”
She nodded, then grabbed her phone.
“I trusted him,” she said, once she’d finished the call.
“You okay?”
She nodded, but he could tell she was trembling. He wanted to pull her into his arms, but he had no idea how she would react. No idea where things stood between the two of them.
“You had no way of knowing he was dirty.”
“I should have known that Anna couldn’t have buried the case on her own. She needed someone higher up to bury the evidence and ensure Thomas was framed.”
“It’s over now, Talia.”
“I hope so. I keep waiting for the next crisis to hit.”
“And there will be another crisis at some point, because this is life. But I meant what I said on the boat. I think there’s a chance for something between you and me and I’d like to find out. But it’s up to you.”
Sirens sounded in the background. In a few minutes, they’d arrest Blythe and it really would be over.
“I just need some time,” she said, standing in the middle of the boat, clutching the paintings against her. “Not forever, but some time.”
“I can give all the time you need.” When she didn’t respond, he asked another question. “What are your plans after this? Going back to Rome?”
“For now. First I’ve got to figure out everything that happened this week and how it affects me.”
“Okay.” He wanted to say he understood, but he didn’t. Not completely. He wanted to say that they could find a way to sort out living in two continents and figure out ways to get to know each other, but he knew that for the moment, the past still lay between them. “I’m leaving tonight unless you need me to stay.”
The police boat turned into the narrow waterway behind them as Blythe started to stir. The loneliness he hadn’t even realized he’d been feeling before he met her began to seep in.
She pressed her lips together. “Thank you. For everything.”
“You’re welcome. Just promise me one thing. That you’ll keep in touch.”
She smiled up at him, but he didn’t miss the tears pooling in her eyes. “I will. I promise.”