Page 23 of Enduring Caine

How deep did the smuggling investigation go? How many people were on it?

Nathan Miller, one of my best friends—and Antonio’s nemesis—was involved in the investigation, too. I’d tried getting information out of him, but only found out a few minor facts. Everything else came from Elliot, whether or not he was supposed to tell me.

And if I wanted the full details, I’d have to join Elliot’s team.

He’d dangled a very large carrot in front of me last week. Giovanni had some role in a smuggling ring that was going to move the most expensive painting ever stolen,The Concert, by Johannes Vermeer. At least, that’s what the chatter was pointing to. Maybe the FBI was reading too much into it, maybe they were misinterpreting the codes the smugglers were using, or maybe it was a red herring.

Much of me wanted to quit my job, rejoin the FBI, and go chasing after it. But that would take me away from my sister before she finished her radiation treatments and from Antonio. And from Foster Mutual, where my ex-husband, the acting president, was offering me a full-time job to save the company after I’d discovered the former president was taking bribes.

I ran a palm over my forehead.Quit thinking about it and focus.

Johann came to a stop at the top of the hill and turned around, waving a hand in front of him. We faced away from the Mediterranean, looking back at the entire garden. “Most people like the water view, but I prefer this one. Roses, lilies, poppies, narcissi, peonies, and a dozen other flowers. In summer, it’s the most peaceful place I’ve ever visited.”

Unless there were hidden cameras in the plants or the fountain, we were all alone. Cautiousness won over curiosity. Instead of asking if he was the undercover agent, I asked, “How did you end up here when you’re from so far away?”

“My sister got sick and I was her entire support system. I needed some extra money, so I…” He scratched under the cat’s ear and looked up toward the tower. “I made some poor choices, got in with some people I shouldn’t have, and wound up here.”

I understood the toll of serious illness too well. My own sister had been diagnosed with breast cancer in June, and I moved home to help her. She was lucky for the support she had, particularly my brother-in-law. She was even planning to return to work in a few months. “How is she?”

His eyes trailed down the tower, sweeping across the buildings that made up Giovanni’s estate. “She’ll be fine, but I still send her money regularly.”

“Any plans to go home?”

He shook his head. “Things are improving. My job has changed over the last couple of years and with the decrease in staff, my pay’s gone up.”

Another comment about changes two years ago. I had to talk to Antonio about that and find out the details. “It’s surprising to need so many guards when the place has so many cameras.”

“True.” His gaze returned to me, a warning flashing in his eyes. “They record everything across the grounds and inside the main buildings, including here. There’s little privacy.”

The hairs prickled at the back of my neck. Johann was a tall, broad, overwhelming German who looked like he could snap someone’s neck without a thought. But he cradled stray cats and seemed to be warning me about the security. He had to be the agent.

And if he was, did he know who I was? Were the warnings general or specific? I angled my body so my back was to the buildings and whispered, “Why did you bring me out here?”

Another cat appeared from behind a bush, and Johann exchanged the one he was carrying for the new one. He scratched the new cat, gray with flashes of white, which purred in his arms. He didn’t lower his voice at all. “Cristian’s spoken of Antonio many times. He sounds like a good man, which means you’re probably a good woman. I didn’t think it was fair for you to be locked in the tower all morning.”

Was that an honest answer or a cover? “Do you have guests often?”

“Regularly in the warmer months. Not so much this time of—”

“Samantha!” Cesca appeared at the far edge of the garden, from under the arch, hurrying in our direction—spoiling any chance of getting more information out of Johann. “Henri said you bought cannoli!”

I called back, “Leonardo said the ones with chocolate are your favorite.”

“She’s a good kid.” Johann leaned over to let the cat jump out of his arms and whispered, “Talented, but lonely.”

What must it be like to grow up surrounded by armed guards and spies? I smiled at her. “Do you want to come up to my room, Cesca? I got a whole box full of sweets. We’ll eat at least the cannoli.”

Chapter 11

Samantha

“It’ssogood!”saidCesca as she licked the chocolate crème off her fingers. “Thanks for thinking of me.”

Antonio was still picking out clothes with Cristian, so Johann had escorted Cesca and I upstairs. She and I sat on my bed, eating too many of the treats I’d brought from the café.

Must have been nice to have free rein of the estate like they did.

“When do you go back to school?” I asked before popping the last zeppola into my mouth.

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