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ALEX WAS ENJOYING AN excellent glass of wine recommended by the owner Franco, who brought it to his table and informed him Dr. Donati will be with him presently he was delayed at his surgery. Alex chuckled, wondering if the hypochondriac Signora Marino was back for more treatments. He would find out soon; Tommy just walked in waved at Alex before having a conversation with Franco, who looked worried Alex thought.“Sorry to keep you waiting, you should have ordered, but I see you have the wine.” He said reaching for the decanter.
“Did you have another visit by Signora Marino?”
“No, it was her husband he is at home now and hopefully sleeping after the sedative I gave him. The other two men weren't as lucky; the explosion killed them.”
“Explosion, please explain old son, what happened,” Alex asked in his faked Irish?
“Sorry, I thought you knew. The explosion was on the grain millers property in one of the old buildings. During the war, the Germans were losing and buried S-mines on the roads into town, and all the bridges. They also included the harbor to detain the advancement of the American and allied troops. We are still finding the deadly things around the village. I remember the Americans on the hospital ship, referring them as Bouncing Betty’s!”
Alex knew that when detonated, they flew three feet in the air exploding a lethal spray of shrapnel in all directions. “Was this up at that farm you told me about?”
“Yes, but at the far end of the property. Alfonso was showing it to the men who were renting his farm. I have never seen that area and didn't know there was a building there. Tommy paused while Franco set the two bowls of soup and a loaf of bread in front of them. Sorry, there is no menu to choose from, everything is family style. I do hope you like Minestrone Soup?”
“Ah, Tommy, this smells delicious, and this bread must be fresh from the oven?” Alex said as Franco smiled and walked back to the kitchen. Alex's switched from his Irish brogue and asked Tommy if he got to see the bodies of the two men who were killed?
“Yes, I signed the death certificates, why do you ask?”
Alex took two photographs from his pocket and showed one to Tommy. “Is this one of the men?” It was a picture of the Russian he knew only as Kolya.
“Yes, do you know him, if so I'm sorry.”
"No, I do not know him personally. Is this the other man Tommy?” He turned over the second photo that showed the German priest he had been chasing across Europe.
“Yes, what is this all about Alex, sorry, Charlie,” he whispered?
“Let's set that question aside for now until we can talk privately. Do you know why Alfonso wasn't killed?”
“He said the only thing that saved him is that they went inside the building alone. They insisted he waited outside.”
A small middle-aged woman who came in with her husband excused herself for interrupting them but wanted to know how Alfonso was feeling.
Tommy introduced Alex as his friend Charlie. It turned out the talkative women lived on the farm next to the flour mill. Alex asked her when the explosion happened.
“It was midday we were having our lunch outside, and the ground shook!” She said, wiggling for effect since everyone in the restaurant was listening. She continued standing by their table loudly telling about her adventure.
They both politely listened, while Alex wondered why the Russian and the German Priest were buddies? His previous thoughts were that the Russian was going to kill the priest for whatever the priest offered for transporting him out of the country.
“Yet, now they're dead because they went into a building together, for what reason?” He then heard someone in the bar say they closed off the area until the military could do a mine sweep. Perfect, It would be weeks before the Italian army got around to checking the farm. He could look around in the morning without being seen. Franco removed their soup bowls and brought out the dinners causing the chatty women to move down the bar looking for a new audience.