The Mosaic

Chapter 37 | Paradise Lost

And then it got worse. Should Alessandro ever write an autobiography, that should be the title.

When Alessandro had said he was heading out to go look for Laelia and Giacinto, Lorenzo had immediately accompanied him. "Don't think I'm doing this to spend time with you," he had said, winking at Alessandro. "They're my friends, too." He was a good man. And they had poisoned him. Alessandro shoved it aside, they had more pressing matters at hand.

Where were they?

Alessandro had convinced himself they had simply went to the market and lost track of time. The nagging voice had whispered Laelia perhaps would. This wasn't like Giacinto, he wasn't the type to stroll around admiring some flowers. Then he and Lorenzo had arrived at the cathedral -- Laelia and Giacinto had never been there.

His strides grew longer after that. He didn't even know where he was going. Lorenzo didn't call him out on it.

A hand pulled Alessandro back when he was about to blindly walk into the next street. "Inspector," Lorenzo said.

Alessandro stopped, eyes still searching the street. "I shouldn't have let them go alone."

"You couldn't have known something would happen--" Lorenzo stopped himself. "We don't know. They might just ... Maybe they went to a different church. Or they met an old friend. Or Laelia saw an abandoned puppy and had to save it!"

"No, this--"

Lorenzo's grip on his arm tightened. "No. You are not going to blame yourself for this. Whatever happened. You had no way of knowing."

"I should have been more careful. You have no idea what is going on here, I --"

Lorenzo bit his lip. "I don't. But I know this isn't helping. We're going home." His eyes bore into Alessandro's. "Maybe they've returned. And if they haven't, we go out, prepared. We'll have the servants help. I'll send out every guard I know. We'll find them."

Alessandro took a deep breath. He needed to find back to his detachment. That was what helped him solve cases."Yes."

"Good," Lorenzo nodded. He gave Alessandro's arm a reassuring squeeze, then quickly dropped his hand, looking away. "I, uh ... Let's go." He started walking.

"Signore Morosini."

Lorenzo turnt.

"Thank you." Alessandro caught up with him.

Lorenzo grinned as if he had won something. A small smile sneaked onto Alessandro's lips and he wondered if ... perhaps he had.

"You have no idea where you're going, don't you?" Lorenzo asked.

"Of course I do."

"You're walking away from the villa."

Alessandro ran a hand over his face. "... perhaps I don't."

Lorenzo made a sound suspiciously close to a stifled laugh. "Come on, inspector. It's not far."

It really wasn't -- apparently Alessandro had been walking in circles.

"You're -- look." Lorenzo suddenly stopped, nudging Alessandro.

At the end of the street, Laelia was just getting out of a carriage. Black and sleek, shining in the sun. A carriage?

But Giacinto didn't follow.

Alessandro started walking faster.

Laelia turned back, leaning back in. Moments later, she struggled to drag something out. The weight made her sway. Someone.