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"Yes.Why?"
"There was a painting stolen from Dario's gallery in Florence six months ago.It was by an artist named David Leoni.David was a student of Tomas and Lucinda.The robbery was similar to the one that happened at the museum, where only one piece by an unknown artist was taken.I know Dario is talking to Captain Lavezzo from the Carabinieri, who's apparently here at the party, but I don't know what they're talking about."
"And you want me to ask Colin to find out," Joelle said, quickly catching on.
"Yes, but in a not-so-obvious way."
A sly smile crossed her lips."I understand.I'll ask him if he knows if there's been any progress on that investigation, and then I'll share it with you.Because we're family."
"Thank you.I have to tell you that this concept of family helping each other is rather a foreign one to me."
"Well, you're in Italy, and you know me now, so get used to it.So, I really have to use the restroom.You don't have to wait for me.I'll call you later if we don't get a chance to talk again tonight."
"Okay, I'll see you soon."
As Joelle went into the attached bathroom, Isabella walked out of the bedroom.The noise in the hallway was deafening, with the burgeoning crowd spilling out of the nearby gallery, so she went in the other direction.Seeing an open door, she stepped onto a small patio.It wasn't the main patio with the pool but a smaller garden area with a trickling rock waterfall on one side and a trio of chairs surrounding a fire pit that was thankfully not turned on, because she was already hot.
She stood for a few moments, enjoying the cool breeze and the sound of water rushing over the rocks.It was very calming, and she would just take a minute and then look for Nick.She was about to go back into the party when she heard voices coming from beyond a thicket of bushes.Someone sounded angry.She moved closer to the bushes and peeked through the branches to see who was so upset.She was stunned to see Captain Lavezzo talking to Catherine Vigonas, the museum curator.
Lavezzo wore a black suit with a maroon tie while Catherine had on a black gown, a stark contrast to her blonde hair, which was in a sophisticated updo, a few loose tendrils falling over one ear.They were speaking in Italian, and she could only make out a few words here and there, but it was impossible not to notice the body language.
Catherine waved her hand in the air, clearly upset about something.Lavezzo put a calming hand on her shoulder, and she knocked it away.He said something else, anger simmering in his tone.Catherine stiffened and took a step backward, her body language hostile.Isabella could feel the tension between them.
Catherine said something about him helping her, but Isabella didn't understand the rest or his rapid reply.Whatever he'd told her seemed to comfort her a little.She let out a sigh, but then stiffened as Matthew Pierre and Dario Micheli approached them.
The four of them exchanged polite greetings.Which seemed odd.Hadn't Matthew and Dario just been speaking to Captain Lavezzo in the study?
Catherine didn't seem interested in talking to the other men.She muttered something and quickly excused herself.The three men conversed in low tones for a moment, and then Dario and Matthew went in one direction while Captain Lavezzo went in another.
She cursed herself for not knowing more Italian.She really wished she could have understood what they were saying.And, of course, this conversation had to happen the one time that she and Nick were not together.He might have been able to understand more of it.
A few things were clear, however.Catherine Vigonas and Captain Lavezzo knew each other.They'd been arguing and then appeared to be on the same page.It was possible they were talking about the robbery at the museum.Maybe Catherine had been angry at the lack of progress Lavezzo was making.But it had seemed more personal than professional, especially when Lavezzo had put his hand on Catherine's shoulder, and she'd jumped.
And then there were the men.She didn't know why Dario and Matthew were suddenly in this private part of the yard, where they had come from or where they were going, but they seemed to know Catherine.That wasn't surprising.They were all in the art world.And when Catherine left, the men had spoken only a few sentences to Lavezzo.So, they had undoubtedly had a longer conversation within before this meet-up.Not that the meet-up was probably even planned.They'd all just run into each other.
But that didn't seem quite right, either.There was a huge party going on.Why were any of them in this seemingly private part of the yard?
Frustrated, she headed back into the house.Maybe she could catch up to Catherine and talk to her, get a clue as to why she was upset with Lavezzo.But first, she needed to find Nick.As much as she hated to admit it, they were better when they worked together.
Nick wandered around the pool area, wondering where Isabella had gone.He hadn't seen her anywhere in the house and when Joelle returned to the gallery, she'd been alone.That made him nervous.Isabella was fine, he told himself, wanting to believe that.He just needed to make sure.
He moved toward the pool house.The door was locked, and the lights were off, with no sign of anyone inside, so he turned back toward the main house.The floor-to-ceiling windows revealed throngs of people in every brightly lit room on the first floor of the villa, while the balconies above on the second and third floors were completely dark.
"You won't find your answers out here," he heard someone say, a British accent in his voice.
He turned to see an older man smoking a cigarette a few feet away.His hair was blond, his eyes a sparkling blue, and he had a familiar expression on his face.
"What are you doing here, Sam?Casing the party?"he asked.
"Just like the good old days," Sam said with a laugh."I look too much like my son, don't I?"
"There is a resemblance.And you didn't answer my question."
"I couldn't let you have all the fun, Nick."
"You insisted on meeting in a church confessional last night so I wouldn't see you, and now you're here as if you're an invited guest.Are you on the guest list?"
"Guest lists are tiresome," he replied.
