Page 70 of The Unraveling of Julia

“I’m not! Offers are coming in on their own, now that the word is out.”

“But I’m keeping the villa.”

“Don’t you want to hear the offer?” Franco raised a palm. “It’s for one million, nine hundred euro, cash. It’s lower because they wish to restore the villa. The wife is an artist who works in mosaics, and the husband teaches poetry at Sapienza and is preparing for retirement. They have family money, too.”

“I’m not ready to sell yet.”

“But they’re flexible on the settlement date. You could stay three months, if you want, maybe longer.” Franco made praying hands. “Please, can we sit down and talk about it?”

“No, thank you. I’m researching my birth family, and things have been going on.”

“Like what? It’s a miracle that we got this offer and—”

“Come inside, you’ll see what I mean.” Julia went to the front door and unlocked it with Franco on her heels. She led him into the living room, where the door to the tunnel stood partway ajar. Anna Mattia had cleaned up the plaster chunks and debris.

Franco frowned, scanning the mess. “Whathappened?”

Julia told him, omitting the Caterina part, but Franco only shrugged, regaining his sales mojo.

“So, it’s an underground tunnel and a room. Many villas have them.”

“This is acrime scene.”

“Did the police say that?”

“No, but—”

“So, a tunnel is a selling point to a couple like this. They want authenticity.”

“Franco, enough, I don’t want to sell yet. I have to find Anna Mattia.” Julia left the living room and entered the kitchen, but it was empty. Anna Mattia wasn’t there and oddly, on the table lay Piero’s gun, a box of bullets, and a small white note.

Julia crossed to the table and picked up the note. It was in English, written in Anna Mattia’s jittery cursive:

Sorry we go Abruzzo. The villa have evil spirit. You are crazy like Signora.

“Oh no,” Julia said, hurt. She remembered how spooked Anna Mattia had been by the underground cell. “I can’t believe this. Theyleft?”

Franco read the note over her shoulder. “Good riddance. I’ll ask around in town and get you some help. The villa does not have an evil spirit. If it did, I’d raise the asking. There are buyers who love haunted houses, for the novelty.”

Julia ignored him, eyeing the note. “But I liked Anna Mattia and Piero. I’m going to miss them. They were lovely to me.” She felt a pang, then realized with a start that maybe they’d found something outside that had made them want to leave, like human bones. She set down the note and headed for the back door. “Hold on a sec.”

“What?” Franco followed her, joining Julia as she stepped outside and surveyed the vineyard, her hands on her hips. There were no new holes, no dirt mounded anywhere. It looked as if Piero hadn’t even filled in the hole he’d been digging to the tunnel. His shovel lay on the ground, and Bianco was sleeping nearby.

Julia still couldn’t believe they were gone. They must have decidedto go immediately after she’d left for Florence. She realized she was the only one on the property now. She wondered if that was why Piero left her his gun.

She turned to Franco. “Do you know how to shoot?”

Back in the kitchen, Franco showed her how to load cartridges into Piero’s gun, explained how it worked, and handed it to her. “Never point it at anyone, even if it’s unloaded.”

“Okay.” Julia accepted the gun, which was heavier than she’d thought. Or maybe a lethal weapon had a gravity of its own. “Do you have a gun?”

“I have a hunting rifle, but my father has a gun. People in the country keep them to shoot rats and wild boar. You want to go outside and practice?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to kill anything.”

“Of course not, but practice is very important. You should make time every day.” Franco arranged the gun in her hands. “Hold it like this while you walk. Point at the ground, not your foot.”

“Got it.” Julia headed for the door, armed for the first time in her life. They went outside and walked down to the vineyard together. Bianco raised his head as they approached, blinking against the sun. He started to get up, looking around, and she wondered if he was looking for Piero.

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