Chapter 40 Rosie – Day 9
Rosie needs time alone to process things.
It’s like she’s on a train that won’t slow down.
Marianne’s confession about her health plays on a loop.
Another thing she has to keep from Theo.
All the secrets are adding up and she’s struggling to cope.
She’s still not had a chance to speak to Fenna to see if she’s going to help her or not.
She watches from the side of the dining room as Luke shows Gerry all the things they bought at the market that morning, laying items out on the table. How can they be shopping right now? Acting like everything is fine?
‘This smells amazing, doesn’t it?’ Marianne wafts a scented candle under Rosie’s nose. A strong burst of lemongrass and herbal plants makes her want to sneeze. She is like a different woman from the one crying in the kitchen last night. ‘I couldn’t resist.’
Rosie looks around the room. It’s the picture-perfect image of a happy family holiday.
Alba whizzes around, pulling a hand-painted wooden car by a red ribbon, the others share crunchy biscotti fingers and thinly sliced pecorino Toscano cheese.
She can’t stand here and watch them act like everything is fine.
‘Just going to get a glass of water,’ she says to no one in particular.
Rosie plods to the kitchen, surprised to see Julietta in there, washing up. Her spirits lift.
‘I’ve been trying to find you,’ Rosie says, keeping her voice low.
‘Signora Fraser says I’m not organised enough, but I know this kitchen. I know this house. She forgets I’ve worked here for twenty years.’ She slams a soapy saucepan on the drying rack and says something in Italian that sounds like a swear word. ‘I know when things go missing.’
This is the first time she’s seen Julietta without a cheery smile.
‘Missing? What’s missing?’
‘Food. Tins, fruit, and some snacks that I had put aside. I know they’re not being eaten because there is no rubbish.’ She mutters something unintelligible.
Rosie stands still, clasping her hands. Clearly now is not a good time for a chat.
Julietta lets out a breath. Her plump cheeks are pink and her eyes look watery. ‘Sorry, Rosie. You caught me at a bad time.’ She glances at the closed kitchen door. ‘Please do not say anything to the family. I am not complaining, I am frustrated. I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘I won’t. It’s fine to have a moan now and again. I’m sure it will all turn up.’ Rosie flashes a smile. She thinks of Gerry’s clandestine snacking in the car; he must be the culprit. Another secret she’s been bound to keep. ‘Listen, I need to talk to you about Danielle Dixon. You said to me that—’
Julietta roughly wipes her red-rimmed eyes. ‘It is a good idea that you don’t say that name.’
‘What? But—’
‘Please, Signorina. Enjoy your holiday and then go home.’ There is a sternness to Julietta’s voice that wasn’t there before.
Rosie’s skin prickles. ‘But . . .’
‘Promise me.’
Why does she look so scared?
Rosie stutters. ‘I don’t understand. You told me someone was lying. You said I should stay away from the Frasers. What’s going on, Julietta? If I’m in danger, you need to tell me.’
‘The Frasers are very kind people,’ Julietta replies, avoiding her eyes. Her voice robotic.
A trickle of panic runs across Rosie. Who is this woman? It’s like she’s been drugged or something. Julietta closes her mouth and smiles again. It doesn’t reach her darting eyes.
The doorbell rings. The sound of it makes them both jump.
‘Please, I don’t understand . . .’ Rosie shakes her head, needing to gather her thoughts. ‘You were working here when Dani – I mean, Danielle – went missing, now Carla has vanished, too, so if there’s something you know then you need to tell the police.’
Julietta’s name is called. She wipes her soapy hands on her apron. ‘Scusa. I need to get to work.’
‘Wait, please,’ Rosie begs.
The chime of the bell rings once more. A door slams.
Gerry yells down the stairs. ‘Can someone answer that? It’s the bloody police.’
The police?
Julietta steps away.
Rosie reaches an arm out to stop her from leaving. ‘I know you know more than you’re telling me.’
Julietta flinches. She opens and closes her mouth. Uncertainty and fear are etched on her flushed face. After a second’s hesitation she flies out of the kitchen before Rosie can say another word.
***
Rosie gets herself a glass of water, needing to calm down and bring her heart rate back to normal. She rinses out the empty glass, takes a deep breath, and hurries to join the others in the dining room as Giovanni walks in. The mood immediately shifts.
Marianne asks Julietta to take the children outside.
‘Buonasera,’ he says without smiling. His intense brown eyes scrutinise their faces.
Theo pulls a chair out for Rosie. Everyone else takes a seat around the table. The produce from the market sits in the centre. Smells of nutty, salty cheese and the herbal scented candle hang in the stuffy air.
‘What’s going on?’ Luke asks. The vein in his forehead is prominent.
Giovanni explains that a known thief in Pisa was caught using Carla’s bank cards.
It had been one of their leads. The man alleged that he’d found her purse tossed near a bin in Laprezia when he was travelling through and took the opportunity.
‘We now believe that Carla never left the town. Her bag was discovered in a farmer’s field down the road.
At first we thought she may have been sleeping rough. ’
Rosie sits forward, her heart racing once more. She steals a look at Luke. He has a poker face, listening intently to Giovanni. Is she imagining it or are his knuckles turning whiter as he grips the back of Fenna’s chair? She darts her eyes away when he catches her staring.
‘Is she ok?’ Marianne asks.
He shakes his head. ‘We don’t know. There were signs of a struggle.’ Giovanni lowers his voice to add, ‘And a lot of blood.’
There is a collective gasp from the women.
‘We will be conducting more thorough searches in the area,’ he adds.
‘She’s not here if that’s what you think,’ Luke snaps.
‘Now, now, Luke,’ Gerry warns. ‘He’s only doing his job. It’s nothing personal.’
‘Really?’ Luke folds his arms, glaring at Giovanni.
‘Do you have something to say, Signore Fraser?’ Giovanni’s nostrils flare.
The air crackles with tension. Rosie frowns. Surely Fenna can see how obstructive her husband is being? The question is why.
‘Luke.’ Marianne reaches out an arm to her eldest son. ‘Sorry, officer. We all want Carla home safe and sound, so if there is anything we can do to help we will. Won’t we, Luke?’
Luke pulls away and says nothing.
Rosie tries to catch Fenna’s eye. Surely this reaction is causing alarm bells?
‘What about the boyfriend? Julietta mentioned Carla had one. Have you searched her boyfriend’s place?’ Gerry suggests. ‘It might be worth looking at those closest to her.’
‘Oh yes, good idea,’ Marianne enthuses. ‘Surely, he needs to be investigated fully. I thought he was your main suspect?’
‘At this stage, we’re not ruling anything out.’ Giovanni notes something down on his pad. ‘We will be making sure to look everywhere.’ He takes a breath. ‘Time is not on our side.’
‘What do you mean?’ Theo asks.
Dread lurches in the pit of Rosie’s stomach at the look on the police officer’s face. The only sound is the slow tick-tock of the antique clock on the wall.
‘Officer?’ Gerry pushes.
Giovanni takes a deep breath. ‘Did Carla tell you about the medication she takes for a heart condition?’
‘What? No. I didn’t know she was ill,’ Marianne says, blinking. ‘She didn’t tell us this, did she, Gerry?’
‘No,’ Gerry says as the colour drains from his face. ‘Julietta didn’t mention it either.’
‘Julietta may not have known about it. Carla’s parents say she was embarrassed and didn’t tell many people. However, due to the urgent situation, we will be making this news public. The longer she goes without taking it, the more chance there is that her heart could fail.’
Rosie and Fenna lock eyes.
Another girl is missing and in grave danger.
Surely, Fenna will help her now?