“They say it takes one day per one hour time difference to get over jet-lag,” she said from the hallway as he quickly put his clothes on.
“Yeah, I’m definitely still feeling the effects.” Visions from the night before came to him like distant childhood memories.
“So, they have all the paperwork done to release your brother down at the morgue.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s go for coffee in the piazza before we leave.”
He felt as if he’d taken a handful of sleeping pills after just running a marathon. “Heck of an idea there.”
The piazza was bustling once again. His brother was onto something coming over here for inspiration. Too many people for Wolf’s taste. But, had he been here for any other reason, he could see himself enjoying the atmosphere. Throngs of people milled about in a murmur of words Wolf couldn’t understand.
The bar was bustling, people lined up two-deep against the counter, baristas behind the bar clacking, and smacking, and twisting, and frothing.
“Due,” Wolf held up two fingers to Lia.
“You want a double?”
“Yes,” he said. “It was a difficult night.”
Wolf looked in the mirror behind the shuffling baristas and saw Lia’s face turn red.
They had a croissant, or a ‘brioche’ as they called it, and slammed their coffee without eye contact or a word said.
Walking out, Wolf said, “Look, about last night. I didn’t mean it was a difficult night because of you…or because of us.”
“I’m sorry about that…”
“No, I don’t care. I mean, don’t worry about it,” he shook his head. “Look, there’s more to last night. I went to the observatory, and I found out something big.”
Driving to the morgue, Wolf detailed the night before to Lia. He told her about the load of stolen looking electronics and bags of white substance in the Albastru Shipping truck, how Cezar shot at him, and the ensuing chase. He left out the part where he spent a full hour sitting motionless in the cornfield after Cezar left the scene, only to get hopelessly lost on the way back to his brother’s.
“Okay, that connects the Romanian bar owner and Vlad to the cocaine. I’m not sure what that means. Was Matthew dealing the drugs for them? Why the baggies found at your brother’s and his apartment?”
“I don’t know. But Cezar was really roughing up Vlad. I’ve been thinking, and I would bet if we found out where these two were from in Romania, they would be one in the same place.
“What did Dr. Wembly at the observatory say about Vlad? He was kind of kissing his ass, like he was surprised Dr. Vlad
“Anyways, it’s obvious that Cezar is running some sort of electronics fencing and drug operation, and Vlad’s complete reign of a respectable, European agency’s shipping and logistics operation is a perfect means to transport the stuff wherever they want. The
“So how does your brother fit in?”
“I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out, today.” He jabbed his finger into his knee. “I want to talk to these guys. I think it might be best if I go about this alone.”
She laughed, and looked over at Wolf who was staring out the window.
She turned back to the road. “I will help you.”
“I don’t want you getting in trouble, Lia. I plan on getting the truth today. I don’t have any time left.”
They drove in silence the rest of the way.
At the morgue, his brother was packed and ready to go in a heavy duty plywood box with metal latches and handles. A large gray and black stenciling saying “Handle With Extreme Care” in English was scrolled along the side diagonally.
They pointed where he needed to sign, and he signed. He took his brother’s bag of belongings, and they wheeled him away to the truck waiting out back. Wasting no time. That was good. He was on his way. Wolf had accomplished half of what he came to do.
They left the morgue and drove to the Caribinieri station. The underbelly ground floor was devoid of people, the faint odor of sweat still thick in the stagnant air.
Lia turned the corner at the top of the stairs and almost slammed into an officer jogging out of Colonello Marino’s office. “Che cazzo!” She twisted, coming to a stop.
A silence fell over the room as Wolf and Lia entered.
“What the hell’s happening?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Let’s go talk to Paulo.”
They walked on and everyone resumed their talking, looking towards Wolf and Lia. Lia led them to the computer geniuses desk in the back room.
“What the hell is happening Paulo?”
“Oh, good morning.” He didn’t smile, looking between Lia and Wolf. “I couldn’t trace Dr. Rosenwald’s phone. I found that his latest credit card transactions were normal enough. Groceries and then a payment to the Albastru Pub on Friday night at 10:43 pm. His car is missing at his apartment building. We are looking for it.”
Wolf and Lia looked at each other.
Paulo shifted uncomfortably, now speaking at a million miles an hour. “His passport had no activity on it. Rosenwald doesn’t seem to spend much time online. Anyways, we don’t need to worry about it anymore.”
Lia folded her arms. “And why is that.”
“Because they just found him?”
Wolf’s eyes widened. “Where?”
“Near the lago by the Osservatorio di Merate. Lying in some long weeds.”
Chapter 30
Lago Sartirana was a good sized lake to the eyes of a Coloradan — described as a retention pond by Lia. It was surrounded by dense vegetation and hills on the north side, where a bright yellow villa stood shining brightly in the morning sun. A trail circumnavigated the oval lake, the main access point being at a straight outflow canal that was fifty feet wide.
To the left of the straight canal stood some locals — some curious onlookers, some un-curious fisherman throwing in their lines. To the right, local Poliziotti stood. Lia and Wolf walked by them without receiving a single glance.
The path was well worn. Fisherman’s trash was strewn about, hooks, weights, old brightly colored lures, brittle knotted line, and lots of cigarette butts.
The lake shore itself didn’t look much cleaner. Plastic and galss bottles bobbed above the water line. A thick film of green algae had blown up against the rocks and mud, piling on itself in small waves. The smell was that of stagnant lake water with a whiff of raw sewage thrown in every ten breaths. It wasn’t a swimming lake.
After two hundred yards they came around a bend. The main trail veered to the right, away from shoreline.
