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"I told you Roberto had no children and Bruno's daughter died, and that was true, but there was someone else in the family, a sister.Her name was Juliette."
Nick sucked in a breath."Juliette Sabatini?"
"Yes.But her maiden name was Falconeri.Juliette was the much younger sister of Roberto and Bruno, by about twelve years.She was an artist herself, but nowhere near as good as Roberto.She married a man who worked for her brothers."
"Why didn't you tell me this last night?"
"I had forgotten about her," Sam said.
He didn't believe that for a second."I found a copy of Juliette's driver's license, long since expired, in my grandfather's things.But I don't know why he had it.Do you?Is Juliette still alive?"
"She died last year."
He blew out a breath of frustration."Great.Another dead Falconeri that I can't talk to.How about giving me someone who is alive?"
Sam smiled."I was getting to that.Juliette had a daughter.That woman is at this party."
His heart skipped a beat."Who is her daughter?"
"She was born Katerina Sabatini, but Juliette changed her and her daughter's names when she ran away from her husband and her family years ago.Katerina became Catherine, and when she got married, her last name became Vigonas."
His heart dropped into his stomach."The museum curator?Catherine is running a new version ofLa Mano Nera?Is that why the museum security cameras were turned off?Why would she want those paintings?"
"I don't have the answers.I don't even know if she's in charge, but she's definitely involved."
"I need to speak to her."
"Tread carefully.I suspect she has a partner, maybe someone at this party.You'll want to get her alone."He dropped his cigarette to the ground and stubbed it out."I think your beautiful friend is looking for you."
As Sam tipped his head toward the doors leading out of the living room and onto the patio, he saw Isabella in the crowd, her gaze swinging from one person to the next, clearly searching for him.
He turned back to Sam, but the man was gone.Damn!He really was a ghost.
Walking forward, he met Isabella by the side of the pool."There you are," he said with relief."I've been looking for you."
"I've been looking for you."She grabbed his arm, a light of excitement in her eyes."I overheard a conversation between Catherine Vigonas and Captain Lavezzo in one of the side gardens."
"What were they saying?"
"I don't know.They were speaking fast and in Italian, but Lavezzo put his hand on her shoulder like this," she said, demonstrating the gesture."And then she pushed him away.It felt like there was something personal between them.The body language went back and forth between comforting and angry.I wish you had been there.I'm sure you would have understood more than I did."
"I wish I'd been there, too."His brain spun with this latest piece of information."I just ran into Sam Beringer."
"He's here?At this glittering party?I thought he stayed in the shadows."
"Well, he was in the shadows, but he was dressed like a guest.I don't believe he was invited, but that doesn't matter.He told me that Catherine Vigonas is Roberto Falconeri's niece.Her mother was Juliette Sabatini.Juliette was the younger sister of Roberto and Bruno."
Isabella's gaze widened."Wow.That's not what I expected you to say."
"Apparently, Juliette's husband worked for her brothers, and she may have been involved as well.At some point, she ran away from her husband and her family with her young daughter and changed their names."He put up a hand as he saw the question about to hit her lips."Juliette died a year ago."
"No," she breathed in disappointment.
"Yes.Which is about the same time my grandfather died.I can't help wondering if those two deaths are connected.He had her information in his personal papers.There has to be a link."
"It sounds like it.But Juliette might not matter anymore.If Catherine is a Falconeri, does that mean she orchestrated the robbery at her museum?Why would she do that?She could have just handed the paintings over to someone without the guard getting shot or our grandmothers witnessing anything."
Her question made him frown."Maybe the guard wasn't supposed to get shot, and she needed the cover of a robbery."
