Foreign Deceit

looking towards the mountains.

“He killed himself.”

Shock and confusion overwhelmed him. He sat down right there on the muddy road.

Chapter 5 — Tuesday

Wolf stirred his fourth cup of strong coffee. He glanced at his watch. Almost one in the morning. The computer screen was the only light in the darkened study besides the sliver of moonlight entering the open blinds. An owl hoo’d on the roof as he stared at the email once again.

On Mon, Sep 10 at 8:20 PM, John S. Wolf wrote:

Hey Bro, what’s happening? How are you doing man? How’s Points? How’s Jack doing?

I just wanted to catch up. I know it’s been a long time that we’ve connected, but…eh, you know how it is.

Lately things have been going well for me (about time!). The blog is doing very well, and I’ve finally got everything squared away with my third book — it was picked up by Nordberg Publishing, and they are going to release it in mid October. In other words, this one will actually be in real book stores. Can you believe that shit?

I was in New York a month ago meeting with them, and they are projecting some numbers that I don’t even want to talk about…at least until I see it happen. No sense jinxing it. But I’m excited.

Italy is going very good. I’m finding the life here really pleasant and great for productivity, as I’ve been writing non-stop since I got here. Let’s see, what else? I’ve been hanging out with the girl who lives right above me, and have met a few people around town. It’s fun, but I miss Colorado. I’ll definitely be coming back at the beginning of the year, then who knows.

So how about you man? I hear from Mom that you are a shoe-in for the Sheriff job. Although I didn’t need to hear that from her to know that. Because you are. I can’t wait to come home and tell everybody my bro is the Sheriff…plus I’ll pretty much be above the law. Maybe I’ll start growing some weed (again).

We’ll have to have a serious talk about the ranch too. If this book deal goes like they are saying, well, again, I don’t want to jinx it.

Talk soon brotha.

— John

Wolf shook his head and stood up. There’s no way he killed himself.

Looking at his watch, he was hit by a wave of dizziness. He exhaled and thumbed the phone number he’d received from his mother earlier. Italy was eight hours ahead, and nine am seemed a respectable time to call.

“Pronto?” The voice sounded distant, like an old vinyl recording.

“Hello, my name is David Wolf. Do you speak English?”

“David Wolf?” Dahveed Vowlf. “Un momento…”

The phone rustled and he waited for five full minutes. He heard bustling activity in the background. After a while, he wondered if he had communicated anything at all to the person who answered the phone.

“Hello? Mister Wolf?” It was a young male voice with a thick Italian accent.

“Yes, this is David Wolf. We received a call earlier today, I mean, yesterday, with the news of my brother’s death. His name was John Wolf.”

“Oh yes. I am a-so sorry for you.”

“Can you tell me what happened exactly?”

“I don’t know too much. I was a not-a part of the team who found him. But I know he killed heemself.”

“Okay.” David squeezed the phone. “Can I speak to someone who found him? Someone who was on the team that found him?”

“I am-a sorry, everyone is gone.”

Wolf raised his watch and studied it carefully. “Okay. Is there a specific time I can call back?”

“Uhh, yes. I would try back tomorrow in the morning.”

Wolf blinked, looking again at his watch, “In the morning? Tomorrow? Isn’t it the nine in the morning there now? They won’t be back later in the day?”

“I think so, yes.”

Wolf inhaled deeply and switched phone hands, “You think they will not be back?”

“Yes.”

Wolf’s blood pressure climbed. “Do you have a direct phone number for someone that was on the team?”

“I don’t think I am allowed to give-a those numbers.”

David clinched his teeth, holding back a tirade he desperately wanted to unleash. “Okay. What is your name?”

“My name uh-eez Tito.”

“Tito, I am in desperate need to talk to someone in the next few minutes. I cannot wait any longer. There is no way I can wait until tomorrow. You guys have told us that my brother has killed himself. He is dead. My mother and I need to get answers as soon as possible, or we are going to go crazy. Do you understand what I am saying, Tito? Can you please, please help me out with a phone number of someone who was on the team that found him? Or is there something else you can do for me?”

A beat. “Okay, I will give you the cell phone number of detective Rossi.”

Wolf closed his eyes. “Thank you so much Tito. My mother and I very much appreciate it.”

Chapter 6

David got the number and gave it a call, immediately getting a recording of a pleasant sounding Italian female voice, sounding like a long-winded reason why the cell phone company couldn’t put the call through. After thirty minutes and six tries later, he got a ring — a two second high pitch single tone followed by a pause, then another single tone.

“Rossi,” a husky male voice answered.

“Detective Rossi?”

“Yes?”

“Hello, my name is David Wolf. I received news of my brother’s death today from someone there. His name was John Wolf? Was that you who called us?”

“Yes. That was me.” He exhaled. “I also found your brother in his apartment.”

“Okay, as I just got done telling Tito at your station, my mother and I are desperate for some information, and we are going crazy. Can you help me?”

“Uh, yes. Of course Mr. Wolf. How can I help you? Please, you can call me Valerio.”

“Okay, thanks Valerio. Well, I guess, what happened? I’m a police man here in the States, so you don’t need to sugar coat details with me because it is my brother. I just need to know what happened.”

“Uhh, we were called by a person who lives at a-di apartamento…So we went to there and found him, where he had killed himself.”

“Okay, I’ve got that much. How did he kill himself? ” Wolf tried to restrain any frustration from seeping into his voice.

“He was found hanged. It looks like the time of death was Friday night.”

“Okay. Thanks. Can you tell me anything more about the scene? Did he leave a note?”