Page 67 of The Unraveling of Julia

“So you think it was your purse he was after? But what if it was you?” Gianluca cocked his curly head. “What if he wanted to killyou?”

“You mean he was only making it look like a purse-snatching? Why?”

“What if it’s connected to your inheritance? Maybe he attacked you to prevent you from getting the money and—”

“What about thevilla?” Julia interrupted, as it struck her, horrified. “Maybe they didn’t want me to get the villa because I’d find the underground cell. Maybe they were trying to prevent me from finding evidence of their wrongdoing.”

“Yes, that could be it.” Gianluca nodded excitedly. “If you hadn’t come over and started digging, no one would have found the cell.”

Julia felt her stomach turn over. “And they used Rossi’s villa to imprison their victims.”

“And they don’t want to get found out. So when they find out you’re inheriting the villa, they try to stop you by killing you.”

Julia recoiled. “That’s extreme.”

“Thecrimeis extreme.”

“How would they even know about the inheritance?”

“Rossi could have told them. Maybe she was close to one of them, maybe he was even a lover.”

Julia tried to wrap her mind around it. “Do you think Rossi would be okay with killing me, if she’s my biological grandmother?”

“Or, she may not have known. Maybe they kept it from her or double-crossed her.” Gianluca shrugged. “In truth, they didn’t need to kill you. Even if they only injured you, you probably wouldn’t have come over. You’d have sold the villa, and nobody would’ve been the wiser.”

Julia shook her head. “Wait. No, the theory doesn’t work. If Rossi is part of a conspiracy, why would she leave me the villa in the first place? She’d be putting incriminating evidence in my hands.”

“Unless she didn’t think you’d find the cell.”

“And I wouldn’t have, if not for Caterina.” Julia’s imagination began to run away with her, but she let it fly. “Maybe that’s why Caterina was trying to show me. Maybe that’s why she stepped up. Maybeshe wants justice for those children, whether the girl’s my mother or not. Caterina was a devoted mother herself. She stepped up to save her children and her town.”

“Right.” Gianluca smiled, then paused. “But there are two other possibilities. The first one is Rossi wanted you to find the underground cell, so that you would call the police.”

“You mean she turned on her coconspirators?”

“Yes, and it worked. You found it and you called the police.”

“Why would she turn on them?”

“Maybe she repented as she got older.Shecould have wanted them to be brought to justice, as redemption.”

“Like she regretted what she’d done when she knew she was dying? She regretted being a total monster of a person?” Julia was still disgusted. “It’s too little, too late, if you ask me. You didn’t see that dungeon. I would have been terrified to be in there. Iwasterrified to be in there.”

“I know, and there’s one other possibility, which is sadly consistent with Rossi.” Gianluca hesitated. “By leaving you the inheritance, she gets you over here and puts you in jeopardy. What if shewantedyou dead?”

“Yikes!” Julia grimaced, shocked. “Why? She doesn’t even know me!”

“She knewsomethingabout you. She found you, didn’t she? She had your address, she left you the inheritance.”

“She wanted medead?” Julia felt the hair stand up on the back of her neck.

“I’m sorry, but it’s possible. She was paranoid, delusional, maybe even homicidal.”

Julia swallowed hard. “But why me?”

“I don’t know.”

Julia slumped on the couch, exhaling. “Oh man. This is a lot.”

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