Iris Johansen - Blind Alley

“Not as hard as it would have been if Sontag hadn't made sure that the opening would accommodate large art items.”

“As far as I can see, you only did one thing wrong,” Eve said. “If those tunnels underneath this villa location are supposed to be such a big secret, won't those students talk?”

“Not if they want to keep their internship with Sontag. He'll give them their walking papers if they exchange even a passing remark with anyone. I told you he wasn't a very nice guy. But in this case, it serves us well.” He turned to Jane. “It's starting. Last chance to back out.”

“Don't be ridiculous.” She moistened her lips. Why couldn't she take her gaze from that coffin? It was a fake, a con. There was no reason to be disturbed. “What's in the coffin?”

“A skeleton.”

Her gaze flew to his face. “You're joking.”

He shook his head. “I don't know how close we're going to be observed by Aldo and I didn't want to take any chances.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I visited a small museum outside Naples and borrowed it from them. It took some pretty fast talking and I made a hell of a lot of promises in Eve's name to get it.” He turned to Eve. “The woman's skeleton was one of the bodies found in the marina.”

“You want me to do an actual reconstruction?”

He nodded. “Everything should give the appearance of being absolutely authentic. You told me once that you had to be careful not to see any photographs because you were afraid your hands and mind would betray you. This time I want that to happen. Think Cira. Or Jane. I've set up a pedestal and bought supplies for you. How about it?”

“It depends on what promises you made in my name.”

“I promised after we finished with the skeleton that you'd erase the Cira face and do a true reconstruction. The museum's poor as dirt and your name would be a great drawing card. It didn't seem too unreasonable. Will you do it?”

Eve nodded slowly, her gaze on the coffin. “What do you know about her?”

“She was young, somewhere in her teens. She had a broken shinbone. The museum thought from the lack of nutrition evidenced by her bones that she was working-class. They call her Giulia.” He smiled. “And that's all I know. It's all they know.” His glance went to Joe and Sontag, who were ushering the students from the room. “I'd better go and be sure Sontag doesn't make any major foul-ups. He takes a firm hand.”

“Then I'm sure he'll get it.” Eve was moving toward the coffin. “Where is this studio you set up for me?”

Eve's tone was absent and Jane could tell she was already absorbed in the project to come. “Can you wait until you unpack and have dinner?”

“The study,” Trevor said. “And I'll bring the skull and set it up for you after I talk to Sontag.”

“I want to look at her now.”

“Go ahead. There's no lock on the coffin.” Trevor strode toward Joe and Sontag.

Jane followed Eve across the room. “Why are you in such a hurry? She's not one of your lost ones, Eve.”

“If I do her reconstruction, she will be. Not only that, I'm going to take liberties giving her your face and I want to get to know her.” She lifted the lid of the coffin. “What did the people at the museum call her?”

“Giulia.”

She gently touched the skull. “Hello, Giulia,” she said softly. “We're going to get to know each other very well. I have nothing but respect and admiration for you and I'm eager to see who you are.” She stood for a moment looking down at the skeleton and then closed the lid. “That's enough for now.” She turned away. “I couldn't work on her without introducing myself.”

Jane nodded. “I know you couldn't. I've seen you do it with the lost ones. Do you think they hear you?”

“I've no idea. But it makes me feel better about the intrusion.” She headed for the staircase. “At least working on Giulia will keep me busy. I've been twiddling my thumbs since the day you sprang this plan on us. It's going to be a relief to get back to work. You know, she has very small, interesting facial bones. . . .” She looked back at Jane standing at the foot of the stairs. “Aren't you coming up?”

“Not now. I think I'll go out in the garden. I'm restless.” She smiled. “I don't have a Giulia to think about. I'll see you at dinner.”

“Stay close,” Eve said as she started up the stairs again. “Joe has so many guards around that I suppose the gardens are just as safe as the house, but I like the idea of four walls around you.”

“I went for walks at the lake.”

“This place is different. It seems alien.”

It didn't seem alien to her, Jane thought as she crossed the foyer and opened the French doors leading to the rose garden. Ever since she'd arrived in Herculaneum she'd felt a strong sense of familiarity. Even now the sun warming her cheeks, the scent of roses, the tinkle of the fountain as it fell on the tiles were all strangely comforting.

“You look very content. I almost hate to disturb you.”

She stiffened and turned to see Trevor coming out of the house. “Then don't do it. Unless you have a good reason.”

“I do. I wanted to lay down the house rules now that the game's in play.” His glance traveled around the garden. “This is a pretty place. It's like a garden caught in a time warp. You can almost see ladies in white gowns with bustles drifting down those paths.”

“At least you didn't say ladies in togas. I'm getting an overload on ancient history.”

He studied her expression. “You don't look stressed.”

“I'm handling it.” She looked away from him. “Did you really need to spring that skeleton on Eve? What are the chances of Aldo getting close enough to see her working on it or seeing the reconstruction itself?”

“High enough. There's no telling if he'll get a glimpse of the reconstruction in the coffin. It was safer. Beside, Eve will be happier working.”

“And that's why you did it?”

He didn't answer directly. “I like Eve. It's hard for a woman of her mind-set to sit around doing nothing.”

“Yes, it is.” And he was very perceptive to realize the need and fill it. “Okay, what are the house rules? Am I supposed to stay away from the garden?”

“No, just don't wander toward the gate. And you don't leave the villa without Quinn or me.”

“I didn't intend to leave here. There's no reason.” She paused, her gaze going to the wrought-iron gate. “He's coming to me.”

“He probably will.” Trevor's gaze followed hers. “But don't play into his hands.”

“You didn't have to tell me that. I may be a schoolgirl but I'm not stupid.”

He grimaced. “That really stung, didn't it?”

“You called it the way you saw it.” She gave him a cool glance. “I am a schoolgirl and I'm not ashamed of it. But being my age and in school doesn't mean I'm ignorant. From the time I was five years old I ran the streets and knew every prostitute and drug runner in south Atlanta. By the time I was ten I'd bet I knew more than you did when you left that orphanage. Yes, it stung, but I thought about it and decided that you didn't know beans about me and that was your loss.”

“It certainly is.” He smiled. “And I'm feeling it more every minute. Do you forgive me?”

“No.” Her gaze shifted to the fountain. “You didn't look at me as an individual. That's what I can't forgive. You lumped me in with the rest of my age group and walked away from me. That's okay with me. I don't need you. But, in a way, you're as bad as Aldo. He looked at my face and didn't see past it.”

“Tampering with a girl of your age is a big responsibility,” he said quietly. “I didn't want to hurt you.”

“No one hurts me but me. And you didn't want the responsibility. Fine. I don't even know why we're talking about this. It's over.” She stood up. “And it's not as if anything really happened.”