“Well, if you must know,” Leo said with a dramatic wave. “I had a number of very large, lucrative pieces that I sold recently, and I knew that these pieces needed to go to the right buyer.”
“Leonardo,” Captain Camarda said, without missing a beat. “I appreciate the backstory, but I don’t want to know. I don’t care. It’s Carnival. I have ten extra men working shifts for the next week.
I have three million tourists roaming the streets. The phone is ringing off the hook with noise complaints, food complaints, ‘I lost my wallet,’ ‘I lost my dog,’ ‘I lost my girlfriend’ complaints. I am getting old and I would like to be home in bed asleep with my lovely wife, but here I am, talking to you two.”
“Oh, of course,” Leo said. “You don’t need to know, sir.”
“You understand,” Captain Camarda said, taking a moment to eyeball us both. “Finally, someone understands me.”
“Thank you,” I said, my heart racing. I had been imagining a night in jail, followed by embarrassing explanations to my family, and the prying eyes of Roberto. “Thank you, Captain. I am, we are, so appreciative.”
Captain Camarda raised a hand and pointed to the door. “You can go now,” he said. “Please, go. Go now before I change my mind.”
“Thank you. Thanks.” I stood up. Leo handed me one of the enormous packages he’d carried into the office.
“And Bella,” Captain Camarda said, “please, give your family my best.”
“Of course, sir.”
Captain Camarda stood and followed us to the door of his office. He looked at Dylan sleeping with his head against the wall. “Do I know him?” he asked.
“I don’t believe so,” I said quietly. Dylan was asleep.
“Was he in the same class with you and Dante?”
“God, no,” Leo said. “I mean, no, sir.”
“Huh,” Captain Camarda said. “All right. Good night.” He walked back into his office and closed the door.
I sighed with relief and gave Leo a look. “Let’s get him out of here.”
“How did he think that gorgeous creature went to school with you, me, and sloppy lips?”
“Don’t call his son ‘sloppy lips,’” I said, unable to contain my laugh. “We are lucky we got out of here.”
“One question,” Leo said. “Worth it? Huh?” He gave me a smile, his eyebrows dancing up and down.
“Worth it,” I said.
“David was supposed to call me,” said Leo, “but he had a bad signal. At least one of us got our rocks off tonight.”
“Yes, fine,” I said. “Now let’s wake him up and get out of here.”
Leo and I stood in front of Dylan. Leo tapped him on the knee. “Get up, gorgeous,” Leo said, grinning. “We’re free.”
“We’re done?” Dylan said, snapping awake, blinking. He looked around as if just remembering where he was. “Do we need to pay a fine? I have cash.”
“No. Time to go. Just walk,” I said, and without thinking, I took his hand and helped him to his feet.
The three of us left the glaring fluorescent lights of the station and stepped outside into a parking lot that backed onto the train station. On the other side of the station was the Grand Canal. This part of Venice was where the ordinary world collided with the magic of the inner streets.
“So, does someone want to explain to me how we got out of there?” Dylan said as we walked. We passed under a street light, a ghostly layer of fog hovering over the cobblestones.
“You just bought a lot of Murano glass.” Leo held up one of the Lido Glass Factory bags. He pointed to the other bag, which I was holding.
“I did? Well, that sounds perfect. I am assuming it’s very expensive.” Dylan grinned. “Let me hold that for you, Bella.” He dropped my hand and took the bag from me.
“You don’t have to do that,” I said. “I can carry it and you don’t need to buy it.”