“Part of it would be to ‘leak’ information regarding your future husband’s financial status along with his intention to invest a great deal of his fortune into the Valentini estate,” Rile answered.
“Remember, I told you earlier the struggles you’ve been experiencing weren’t accidents. They happened systematically in an effort to make you agree to marry Paolo or agree to sell Valentini.”
“Yes. So, if I make Paolo believe I’m going to marry you, and you have money, he will see that he has no chance to purchase Valentini.”
“That’s right.”
“At this point, I’d like to bring one of our other partners in on the conversation,” said Rile, who tapped the screen of his cell phone.
“Hello,
Pia, I’m Decker,” said the man Rile put on speaker phone.
“Hello,” I responded.
“I’d hoped you could share any additional information you may have on the antiquities investigation,” Rile prompted.
“Sure. I’ve been looking into the purchase records for the various estates located on the ancient consular route Via Cassia.”
“And?” Mylos asked.
“There’s a definite method to their madness.”
“What are you saying, Deck?”
“They know in advance which estates they want, almost as if they have a map.”
“A map?” I gasped as memories began flooding my brain.
“Hang on, Decker,” I heard Mylos say. He put his arm around my shoulders. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”
“When we were kids, Georgio, Lucia, and I used to play hide and seek in the wine caves. One day we found this old chest, like you see in the movies. It was half-buried behind a rack of ancient wine barrels. We convinced each other we’d found a secret treasure, but all we found were rolled-up old papers.” Another image flashed in my mind. Was my memory playing tricks on me, or had I just figured out how Paolo knew which estates to target? “I need to speak with Lucia.” She had been there that day too. Would she recollect the same things I did?
“Why don’t we all go back inside? Stand by, Deck,” said Mylos.
“Roger that.”
We sat back down on the sofa while Rile explained to my mother, Matteo, and Lucia that, in the midst of our conversation, I remembered something that might be significant.
“Go ahead,” Mylos said to me.
I turned toward Lucia. “Remember when we were kids, how you, Georgio, and I used to play in the wine caves?”
“Of course.”
“One time we explored a part of the caves where we’d never been before.”
“I think I remember.”
“We found an old chest and were certain we’d found a secret treasure.”
Lucia’s face turned pale, and her eyes opened wide.
“Who else was with us that day, Lucia?”
“Paolo,” she gasped.
I turned to my mother. “You remember. Papà had invited his parents to visit, and he came with them.”