“I’m sorry, it must have been a double shock for you to understand she preferred to die, rather than to wait for her release, which would have happened eventually,” Maurizio replied, having the clear impression there was something hidden in his story. He didn’t dare to spell it out, but he was sure Luciano was going to answer his final doubts.
Searching his pockets, Luciano slipped a handkerchief and wiped the tears from his eyes. “Yes, I can guess what you thought, and you’re completely correct; we planned a way to get rid of those people who would have kept hurting us for the rest of our lives; our fathers. We weren’t supposed to suffer for their sins, and if you’re wondering why I haven’t thought about killing Irina’s mother is because it wasn’t her fault the reason why my father ignored me. If it wasn’t her, it would have been someone else, or something else. Irina could provide the weapon for the murder and the easiest scapegoat; then we would have been free from them and we could have lived our lives together in peace. Her mistake was that of trusting other people to eliminate her father.”
“So, it was you who killed your father?” Maurizio couldn’t say he was surprised. There had always been that little voice in the back of his head telling him that Irina was just one of the players in the murder. What surprised him the most was that there weren’t any clues leading to Luciano’s involvement— no proofs, no DNA traces, no fingerprints, nothing. Claudio Calvani’s murder was almost to be considered the perfect crime, and what churned his stomach was that without a single proof or clue, as Luciano also had an alibi on his side, he couldn’t arrest him. With a grimace, he narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t take it so badly, detective. You did a great job, and I think I owed you this information, even if it’s destined to remain only between us. You can’t arrest me without any solid proof. Moreover, I can assure you there won’t be any other murders coming from these hands,” he raised his palms upward. “It still hurts, and I won’t stop regretting it for a single second in my life.”
It was true, he had no grounds to arrest him; it would be his word against that of Luciano, and it wasn’t enough to reopen a case accusing a person who wasn’t possible to locate at the crime scene. His expression toughened, trying to keep the beast that wanted to kill that young criminal right in front of the grave of the father he’d murdered.
Luciano glanced at his wristwatch, “I need to hurry, I’m leaving the country. I can’t risk you will find any sort of clues to frame me. Besides, I need a change in the air and think about the way I’ll rebuild my life.” He turned his shoulder at Maurizio, “See you in 25 years, detective, and perhaps I will also tell you how I did it.”
Maurizio watched him walk away. “See you when the crime will fall into prescription... some son of a bitch!”
He turned to look at the picture of Claudio on the headstone. “You weren’t a perfect father, but who is? The only hope is that he will find his karma, and maybe justice can still reach him even at the end of the world... who knows? I also have a daughter, and I know your struggles with raising a child, taking care of business, and trying to enjoy your time in this life. I will try to learn a lesson out of this story, so at least I won’t risk being killed by a neglected daughter.”
Shivering at a gust of wind that suddenly blew in, Maurizio plunged his hands in his pockets and walked to his car. That was the beginning of his holiday and the end of the year— the year of the Mantis.
the end…
I hope you enjoyed following the investigation of Commissario Scala. The next appointment with another thrilling mystery is scheduled for 08.30.2021.
In the next book, a serial killer is threatening the life of people who devoted their lives to charity causes. Yet, according to the messages left, there are dark secrets hidden in the past of those people. But what is the red wire connecting the victims to each other and to the serial killer, who signs his message as ‘The Shadows’?
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about the author
Paula J. Mann lives a double life. She is a geologist by day and a novelist by night. She's best known for writing psychological thrillers and dramas, like her debut novel 'A Tale of a Rough Diamond.'
She also writes historical fiction, like Aquila et Noctua, and paranormal suspense like ‘Thou Shalt Never Tell.’
Traveling is another passion, and she shares her experiences on her blog together with whatever topic raises her attention: http://paperpenandinkwell.blogspot.com.
