Page 347 of Valentino

“This is my fiancée, Anna,” Val introduces me,

“Hello, I’m Detective Sakco and this is Detective Armes.”

“Hi.” I smile.

“How can I help you?” Valentino asks them.

“If you don’t mind we have a few further questions to ask you about your father’s passing.”

“His murder,” Val corrects them.

“Yes, his murder.”

Valentino gestures to the dining table. “Please, take a seat. Anna has some work to do. You can leave, sweetheart, this won’t take long,” he tells me before turning his attention back to the detectives.

“We need to speak to Miss Russo too, if possible.”

They know my name.

“Of course.” Val nods without missing a beat, he gestures to the chair.

Fuck.

We all sit down and they take out their notepads.

“We understand that you found Franco, Anna. Is that correct?”

“Yes.” I nod.

“That must have been terrible for you?” Their calculating eyes hold mine.

“Yes.”

“What is your relationship with Carlo Bernetti?”

“He is a friend.” I correct myself. “Was a friend before he turned into a psychopath.”

“How long did you date him?”

“I don’t see the relevance of that question,” Valentino interrupts.

The female detective glances over at him. “We would like to speak to Anna on her own, please, so we….”

“No.” I cut her off. “Valentino stays. I have no secrets from him.”

“Alright.” Her attention turns back to me. “Do you remember the last time we met, Anna?”

I frown, oh…. It’s the woman who interviewed me after Carlo was shot in my bathroom.”

“No. I’m sorry,” I lie. “I don’t.”

“You had recently left Carlo for his best friend, Valentino.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“It wasn’t?” She frowns. “Explain to me what it was like.”

“I went out with Carlo a few times, but it was very different to what I have with Valentino.”