Widow - Anne Stuart [100]
“But why didn’t he turn her in?”
“The master would never do that!” Lauretta protested, shocked. “And he knew I would never let him. He told her she had a choice. She could take pills that would calm her, or she would be put away. She chose to take the pills, and she never came near you. But when we took her to sign the papers even the pills didn’t work. She got away from us. And we found her in Pompasse’s apartment, crooning over his dead body.”
“This is too macabre for words,” Olivia said sharply. “I’m going for help.” She started past Lauretta, only to have the woman backhand her across the face, knocking her against the crumbling wall.
There was an ominous rumbling, as rocks and plaster spilled down into the dimly lit tomb. “You’re not going anywhere, Contessa,” Lauretta said firmly. “Tomaso is bringing madame, and there will be an end to this. I’m sorry for your sake that you came back. It is sad to lose a child. I have borne the pain myself, but at least I didn’t know until it was too late.”
“You sick bitch,” Olivia hissed.
“Olivia,” Maguire said in a warning voice. “She’s got a G-U-N. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“They’re coming,” Lauretta said sharply. “Show some respect for the widow.”
They made a stately procession into the mouth of the old crypt. The mad old lady was dressed in her finest, though she had food dribbled on her black satin. She was wearing diamonds, the diamonds that Pompasse had given Charlie, the ones she’d left behind when she’d run. They were far better suited to the old lady than to a young girl.
Tomaso was supporting her, a miserable expression on his face. He was part and parcel of it all, Charlie thought, but not happy about it.
“Get the hell away from my daughter, you old hag,” Olivia snarled, starting to get up.
“Lauretta, kill her,” Antonella said promptly, and before Charlie could even scream Lauretta fired the gun.
In the dim light she couldn’t make out her target, and Charlie could only hope she’d missed. The explosion was deafening, and the wall behind her began to crumble, a slow rumble of noise and rubble and dust. Maguire grabbed Charlie and dragged her backward, into the darkness, away from the plumes of dust. As it began to settle, Charlie could see that some of the roof had given in, and the faint light of stars were overhead.
“Not with the gun, you stupid whore,” Antonella said icily. “You’ll bring the whole place down around us. Give it to your stupid husband and then snap her neck.”
Lauretta was looking abashed. She handed the gun to Tomaso, who held it as if it were something unclean. “Mama,” she said, “I cannot…”
“It’s easy,” the old lady said. “You’ve killed chickens and sheep—you can certainly kill a worthless creature like this one. You just give the neck one sharp twist and it’s over.”
“Madame Antonella,” Tomaso said miserably. “You cannot want us to do this. Signora Charlie has never harmed us. She’s a good girl….”
“Send your foolish husband away, Lauretta,” Antonella said sternly. “He will only interfere.”
Tomaso retreated, but just to the doorway. He looked guilty, miserable, and totally incapable of stopping anything.
Ignoring Olivia, Madame Antonella advanced on Charlie. She smiled, exposing her impressive new dentures, and combined with the smell of the place, Charlie felt her stomach start to roil.
“Thought he loved you, didn’t you?” she said. “Thought he’d marry you, leave you everything. But you were never married. Pompasse had only one wife, and that was me. He will only have one widow.”
“Of course, madame,” Charlie said softly. “You know I have always had the greatest respect for you….”
“Silence!” the old woman hissed. “You thought you’d tricked me. Like all the others. But I took