Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

Annalisa would be destroyed, and she saw no way to stop it.
    Trevor turned on his heels, waved at them both, and left.
    Ricciarda swallowed so hard, Carlina could see it. "You're right," she said. It came out as a croak. "He is charming."
    The ringing of Carlina's phone interrupted them. “Excuse me.” She fished her phone out of her handbag and checked the display. Uncle Teo. Now what does he want? We only talked an hour ago. Carlina pressed the green key. “Uncle Teo? Is everything all right?”
    “ Of course, my dear.” Uncle Teo sounded cheerful.
    Carlina couldn't suppress a smile, half-exasperated, half tender. He's a curious old bat.
    Uncle Teo said, “I was just wondering if you could pass on a message to Signor Garini tonight.”
    I have not told you whom I'm meeting. Carlina didn't answer.
    “ Carlina? Are you still there?” A clanging sound told Carlina that her great-uncle had started to shake the phone.
    “ Yes, I'm still here. What is your message?” There. That was a good compromise. He could get it out of his system, and she had not offered any information.
    “ Can you remind Signor Garini that he said I could work for the police some time? Do some investigations?”
    The mere thought of Uncle Teo tracking criminals caused a shiver to run down Carlina's back. “When I see him, I'll tell him.”
    “Oh, are you not going to see him tonight, then?” Uncle Teo sounded disappointed.
    “ Uncle Teo.” Carlina made sure her voice was patient. “I'm not a teenager anymore. You don't need to screen my every move.”
    “ But I'm not doing anything of the kind!”
    She could see in her mind how he drew himself up and squared his shoulders as he said that.
    “I'm just asking you to pass on a message. Will you, dear?” The question ended on an anxious note that got to her.
    “ I will.”
    “ That's great. Thank you.” He sounded his usual self again.
    “ Bye, Uncle Teo.” She hung up, shaking her head. She had to find something to make him happy, and soon.

II
    "Is that you, Garini?" Cervi poked his head out of his office door.
    Stefano Garini suppressed a sigh. He should have tiptoed past the office of his boss. "Yes?" His voice made it clear how reluctant he felt to obey the summons.
    "Come in for a moment."
    Oh, no. Garini glanced at his watch. Almost one o' clock. Seven hours before he could see Carlina. Surely Cervi wouldn't manage to destroy his plans yet again?
    The office smelled of Cervi's aftershave, something cloying and sweet. The air was spent, stifling and dry from the radiator. Stefano tried to breathe through his mouth.
    "Sit down." Cervi made a tired move with his hand toward the leather chairs around the mahogany desk in the center of his office. With a sigh, he lowered himself into one chair and fixed his subordinate with a resigned look. "A man has been found strangled in the Basilica di Santa Trìnita."
    Stefano clenched his teeth. He knew where Cervi was leading, but this time, he was going to put up a fight. "Have you told Sergio?"
    Cervi shook his head with a glum expression. "He called in sick this morning. A heavy cold."
    Again! Stefano made sure his voice sounded even. "You promised me the next case would go to him."
    Cervi shrugged. "I can't drag him out of his bed by his hair, can I?"
    Stefano narrowed his eyes. What amazing luck Sergio seemed to have. Every time a body dropped somewhere in the city, he was sick. Or maybe it was the other way round: He was sick so often, it wasn't surprising that a few murders coincided with his illnesses. “How about Paolo?”
    Cervi shook his head. “Paolo is on vacation.” His face was impassive. “A cruise in the Caribbean. It has its advantages if you have a rich wife.”
    Look who's talking . Stefano suppressed his sarcastic thought and straightened. "I have worked on the last four cases without pause. I told you I would leave tonight at six, and I'm afraid I can't cancel it again."
    "You're forgetting your vacation a short time