"It happened so fast." I tried to explain our being such poor witnesses.

  "We were in shock. That's the only excuse I can think of. We even managed to convince ourselves that it was an accident, or a drunk driver. But I'm sure, now, that it wasn't an accident! Someone wanted to stop Bert investigating or to stop her from repeating something she'd uncovered."

  Franco became very serious. He stood and went to the fireplace. "Your reactions were normal, especially the way Italians drive, but I'm glad you've told me about this. Bert, is there anything about this case you've uncovered that you've not told me about?"

  "No, not that I know of. I've told you everything that I thought was important."

  "That's the problem with a case like this. We can't be sure what's important and what's not. Is Graziella the only person who's threatened you?"

  "Yes, but that was a threat to stop Laura's wedding, not to hurt me, personally."

  "I'll talk to her about it." Franco went to the study door. "If there's nothing else, I should go. I'd feel better if both of you stayed in today."

  Laura followed Franco into the study. It did not sound like they were talking about the case, so I went into the kitchen to give them some privacy.

  *****

  "Hello!" Tomaso called out as he came through the front door. As I passed through the door below the stairs, I saw Tomaso go into the study. I crept to the study door and peeked in. I saw Franco and Laura standing close together in front of one of the bookshelves. Tomaso went to them and took a book out of Franco's hands. "I'd like to speak to my fiancé, Marshal. Do you mind?"

  "Your fiancé?" Franco said with surprise. "I'm just picking up a book for my daughter."

  Tomaso read the title of the book he had taken from Franco: Roman Architecture in Tuscany. He said sarcastically, "How old is your daughter?"

  Laura took the book from Tomaso and handed it back to Franco. "This one is for the marshal. This book is for his daughter." She handed Franco another book. "Franco is a guest in my home, Tomaso. Please, treat him with courtesy. He was just leaving because he has some important work to attend to."

  Reluctantly Franco turned to leave, pausing to say, "I'll be in touch, soon."

  He came through the front hall and almost tripped over me as I crouched outside the study door. Franco signaled for me to follow him out of the house. Once outside, he said, "I thought that was settled yesterday after I left the club!"

  "Laura didn't have the heart to break off the engagement, yet. It's the only thing keeping Giovanna going!"

  "She's not engaged to marry Giovanna!" His words were harsh, but I saw the sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said contritely.

  I felt sorry for Franco. He had been on an emotional roller coaster for days. "Tomaso left the club right after you did. Laura didn't have a chance to say a word. She doesn't want to see him! I don't know what he's doing here! Laura hasn't wanted him to even touch her since long before I arrived in Italy!"

  Franco looked relieved.

  "There was never going to be a wedding. Laura would have come to her senses before that. This thing with him"—I pointed towards Tomaso in the study—"was some kind of mid-life crisis that's all but over."

  Franco laughed despite his frustration. "I hope she doesn't end it now, not while she's alone with him. Call me if you need any help." After a worried glance in the direction of the study, Franco left.

  As I entered the house, I could hear Tomaso and Laura talking in the study. I, too, was concerned Laura would end her engagement while alone with Tomaso, despite her promise to Franco. I moved quietly to my hiding place just outside the study door, and listened.

  Tomaso said, "Mamma has moved Ernesto's children into our house. Mamma wants to get the money back that Ernesto and Graziella took, and then retire, leaving everything to me to run. I expect to take over the company soon after our marriage."

  I realized that if Laura ended the relationship now, Tomaso would probably lose the chance to run the company, which would only anger him more. I prayed Laura would not end the relationship then and there. I kicked myself for not asking Franco to stay a few minutes longer.

  Laura's voice sounded controlled but friendly. "Congratulations, Tomaso. That's what you've always wanted."

  "Laura, with your work before, and now with your mother visiting, and with all the problems lately, we've not had much time together. I want to make that up to you. Let's go to dinner tonight, just the two of us, and I can stay overnight. I've not done that in a long time. It's been too long."

  After a slight pause, Laura said, "We could go to one of those places that Donatella recommends, in Florence. What do you think, Tomaso?"

  I risked a peek in the study and saw Laura had turned her back on Tomaso and was walking to her desk. When Laura turned around to face him, her eye caught mine. She pretended not to see me and continued speaking to Tomaso. "Or we could go to lunch together, for a change."

  Tomaso answered quickly. "Oh, lunch is bad! I have an appointment with that consultant, the one doing the audits. Dinner would be better, and I know a special place not far from here. Driving to Florence and back takes so much time away from us."

  I saw Tomaso move to Laura as if he were going to take her in his arms. Just as he got near Laura, she turned and went to sit behind her desk.

  "I forgot! What am I saying! I'm so silly, Tomaso. My mind is elsewhere with all this confusion. My publisher called to say I'm behind with the corrections to the draft of my new book. I need some time to work on them in peace and quiet. She made me promise to send everything tomorrow morning, so I can't see you tonight. I'm locking myself in from this moment, and I'm not leaving here until it's sent off!"

  "Okay. I see. I guess I should go. I'll see you tomorrow."

  "Call me, tomorrow," Laura corrected him.

  "Right, I'll call you." Tomaso left the study and walked past without noticing me. He hurried out the front door.

  "Did he see you?" Laura called out.

  "No!" I joined her in the study.

  "What were you doing there?" Laura laughed. "Eavesdropping or investigating?"

  "What were you doing, young lady? Taunting him, or just playing with him. 'How about lunch in Florence, Tomaso? How about one of those restaurants Donatella recommends?'"

  "Turnabout isn't always fair play, but this time it felt great! Look!" Laura pointed out the study window to the driveway beyond.

  I saw Tomaso running to avoid the rain. Franco met him as he approached his car. I explained to Laura, "Franco must have waited for him to leave. He was worried about you, Laura. I was, too. We thought you might end it with Tomaso, right now."

  "I thought about it, especially when he suggested he spend the night." A look of revulsion spread over Laura's face. "But the more Tomaso spoke, the more I started to look forward to catching him red-handed."

  We watched as Franco did a wonderful job intimidating Tomaso with his authority, his striking uniform, and his build that was the same height but twice the strength of Tomaso's. When Tomaso finally got in his car and started it up, he nervously gave the engine too much gas, gunning it like a novice, causing Laura and I to laugh with delight.

  *****

  "We should have told Franco where we were going," I said, as I struggled to keep up with Laura as we made our way through the noonday crowds in Florence. The rain had stopped, but the paving stones were wet and slippery.

  "This shouldn't take long. We'll go straight back to the house when this is over. I still can't believe it! The moment Tomaso left my place, thinking I was locked up with my book for the day, he called Donatella's favorite restaurant and made a lunch date for two! All that talk of missing me and wanting to spend time with me! I want to end this farce, now!"

  "Try to stay calm, dear. They're they are in the flower shop." I pointed to Donatella and Colin. "They're hardly discrete."

  Colin stood before the cut flowers holding a folded newspaper under his arm and struggling to keep a raincoat hanging from his shoulders, looking like a character out of an old spy film. Donatella paced nervously near the shop register, dressed in one of her usual brightly colored tailored suits with matching high heels, carrying an oversized designer handbag, looking like a character out of a Fellini film.

  "Finally!" Donatella rushed into the street to meet us.

  "Not here!" Colin pushed us into an alley, while glancing over his shoulder. "Everything is going to plan!" Colin looked around the corner to the entrance of the Oenotra Restaurant. "They're still inside."

  "Of course, they're still inside! They only just arrived!" Donatella struggled to release the heel of her shoe from between two damp cobblestones. "Why are we in this alley? Let's go get 'em!"

  "I can't go in alone." Laura insisted, "You'll have to come with me!"

  "We wouldn't have it any other way!"

  Donatella took Laura's arm in hers and led her friend to the restaurant. Colin waved us on, indicating the coast was clear.

  When we entered the restaurant, I recognized the waiter who greeted Donatella. He was the same young man who had waited on us when we had eaten there earlier that week. He whispered conspiratorially to us in Italian, then pointed to some tables at the back of the restaurant. Donatella, still holding Laura by the arm, led us directly to a table in the far corner. We could only see the back of Tomaso's head because he was kissing his dining companion.

  "Tomaso." I heard the pain and anger in Laura's voice.

  Her fiancé turned to face us, revealing his lover, Cinzia Sanvincenti.

  "Cinzia? Laura sounded more surprised than I felt.

  "Cinzia?" Colin stepped forward and slapped his newspaper down on their table, nearly losing his raincoat from his shoulders in the process. "You were engaged to Antonio. This is quick work!" He spoke loudly enough for the other customers in the restaurant to hear his every word.

  I noticed that the customers had stopped eating and were watching and listening to everything that happened at the back of the restaurant. Even the staff had stopped serving the plates of food still in their hands. I heard a few people providing translations for the non-English speakers so they could follow the drama.

  Donatella said, "Quick and sneaky work!"

  Cinzia glared at Donatella but said nothing.

  "Making sure you don't miss out on the Bartolini money? How could you? He's like a cousin to you, or a brother!"

  Donatella nodded to Laura to encourage her to continue the attack. Laura's courage failed her. She started to back away from the table and bumped into me.

  I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Say what you feel, Laura. This will probably be your only chance. Besides, you have an audience waiting on your every word."

  Laura turned and faced the restaurant's clients. They let out a collective sigh and started speaking to each other and calling out to Tomaso. Donatella translated for me. "They're telling him he's a fool to cheat on such a beautiful woman." Donatella turned to Tomaso and yelled in English, "You are a fool! You've ruined everything with Laura. The engagement is over and she's telling your mother all about the cheating and the lies!"

  A murmur of voices could be heard repeating her words into Italian for the spectators.

  Tomaso's expression finally turned from shock to anger. He took his arm from around Cinzia and pounded the tabletop with his fist. "This is all your mother's fault!"

  Laura and I looked at each other in surprise. The crowd eyed us closely, perhaps looking for a physical similarity.

  Tomaso shouted at me, "You've never stopped watching me! You were always suspicious of me, no matter what I said to you!"

  Laura laughed in amazement. "She was right to be suspicious, you idiot! You've been cheating on me our whole relationship! And now you're with Cinzia?"

  The crowd enjoyed this.

  Tomaso lashed out at Laura. "What did you expect? You're American. Do you really think I wanted to marry you?"

  I was struck dumb by the realization that Tomaso had not grown out of his disrespect for foreign women.

  Tomaso continued. "I was a fool to get involved with a woman who only wanted to change me!" He pointed at Laura but spoke to the crowd, "She wanted to make me into someone I'm not!"

  I noticed that there was a murmur of sympathetic responses from the men in the restaurant and angry stares at Tomaso from the women.

  Tomaso's accusation prodded Laura into anger. "I never tried to change you! It's not my fault that you pretended to be what you weren't. You lied to me about who you really were! You deceived me!"

  This time, the murmur of translations was followed by shouts of sympathy from the women in the restaurant.

  Donatella joined them. "You deceived your mother, too!"

  That line produced the greatest response from the audience. Both the men and the women present condemned Tomaso liberally for lying to his mother.

  "She thought you'd grown up and become a better man."

  "I am grown up!" Tomaso shouted and pounded the table. "You want too much from me! My mother does, too. This is me and I don't want to change!"

  I noticed that by condemning his mother, Tomaso had lost the sympathy of the crowd.

  The crowd was clearly behind Laura and that appeared to give her strength. "You were going to marry me just to get your mother to give you the company! You were going to use me to deceive her! How dare you!"

  "I would have stuck it out for a few years." Tomaso sounded like he thought this would have been honorable. "You're pretty to look at, but you're always going on about stupid things!"

  "How dare you!" I shouted at Tomaso. His attacks on Laura had upset me. "The only stupid thing Laura's ever talked about is you!"

  The crowd laughed at this retort.

  "You don't deserve Laura because you're not a man! You're a child! A tantrum-throwing, deceitful, run-crying-to-mamma child!"

  The crowd laughed even more at the description of the villain in our live-action soap opera. Some applauded my performance, calling out compliments to the mamma of the bella fidanzata, translated by Donatella as "the beautiful fiancé."

  "You're a hit, Bert!" Colin whispered his approval.

  I was still angry and decided to frighten the little boy. "I'm happy to tell you that you're back to being the prime suspect in Antonio's murder, so not only will you not get the family business, you'll probably be behind bars by this time tomorrow!"

  The crowd loved this turn in the plot. Those who had resumed eating their meals stopped and listened with renewed interest. A few people ordered some more wine to go with the entertainment, but the staff remained where they were, unwilling to miss a single development.

  "I found your note to Cinzia in the garden shed. The marshal has it, now. You wanted to hide your secret meeting because you didn't want anyone guessing about the two of you murdering Antonio, your own brother!"

  A gasp went up from the crowd.

  Cinzia turned angrily on Tomaso. "You said it wasn't there!"

  "I couldn't find it!"

  "You idiot!" she snapped back at him.

  I was on a roll and did not want to stop. I was enjoying the frightened rabbit look on Tomaso's face, but in the back of my mind, I wondered if I could get either of them to reveal something incriminating. I suspected that if I got Cinzia to lose her infamous temper, we might learn something new. I decided to play a hunch.

  "I agree, he's an idiot, but you must like idiots, Cinzia. You've been seeing this one for a very long time."

  The crowd laughed. Cinzia and Tomaso's reactions told me that my hunch was correct. Cinzia was the woman Tomaso had been seeing since long before his engagement to Laura. There was no married man in Cinzia's life.

  "Bert, I didn't know you had this in you." Donatella looked at me admiringly.

  I continued with my attack, "You saw each other secretly, of course, because your mothers would never have approved. Well, the joke's on you, Cinzia. Tomaso was never going to marry you! Even before he got involved with Laura, he just wanted you as his lover. He would never have risked making his mother angry. He was using you, just like he used Laura!"

  "His lover?" Cinzia looked to Tomaso for a denial, but he failed to meet her eye.

  This produced a grunt of understanding from the crowd. I noticed that some women shook their heads in pity of Cinzia, but most of the men seemed to pity Tomaso.

  Tomaso ignored Cinzia and glared at me as he said, "What's this about my being the prime suspect? They've arrested Ernesto and that wife of his!"

  "The police don't think they killed Antonio," I answered quickly.

  "The police are idiots! That marshal is an idiot! My brother was stealing money from the company. Antonio was blackmailing him. Ernesto killed Antonio! He even tried to kill me!"

  This produced a cry of interest and whispers from our audience.

  "Ernesto killed no one, but the marshal thinks he knows who did." I thought it was all right to exaggerate if it could provoke some revelation that might help the case. I noticed Laura watching me closely, but I did not risk meeting her gaze. The last thing I wanted now was to risk exposing my bluff. "You arranged to meet Antonio in the oil shed. You fought with him there. Your own mother heard you!"

  Our audience was silent, trying to catch every word. Several of the waiters stepped in closer to get a better view of the characters.

  "You arranged a fake alibi with Cinzia the day after the murder, right out there!" I pointed to the street outside the restaurant.

  Tomaso looked accusingly at Cinzia, but she shook her head and said, "I didn't say a word to her about that! Not a word!"

  Tomaso started looking for an escape from that corner of the restaurant, but by that time, his table was completely surrounded by his accusers and the many interested onlookers trying to keep track of the fast evolving story.

  I heard some laughter at the turn of events and even the sound of applause. I took it as a sign I was making progress in driving a wedge between the lovers. My mind was racing, searching for ammunition. "Your opposition to Cinzia's engagement with Antonio takes another slant, now." I thought Tomaso looked worried. "Were you jealous of your brother? He had your lover and you wanted her back." I had an idea. "I think that was her plan all along. Cinzia wanted to make you jealous. That's why she started seeing your brother."