A Fall of Water
Page 20

“Yes, Angela said she had prepared a room just for you.”
“Sweet.” Ben grinned and settled back into his seat as he watched the lights speed by. “Dude, I need a Vespa.”
“I do, too!” Dez said.
“No, you don’t,” Giovanni and Matt said together, while Beatrice laughed.
“There’s really no need for a scooter.” Giovanni tried to reason with them. You will be within easy walking distance of most of the sites. My home is very centrally located.”
“And, Honey,” Matt protested, “the baby—”
“Likes going fast. He told me.” Dez patted her still-flat belly and grinned at her husband. “Just like he told me that he hopes there’s food at Gio’s house ‘cause he’s starving.”
Giovanni chuckled and turned back to watch the streets. They zipped through Rome, drawing closer to the neighborhood where he had kept a home for almost as long as he had been immortal. The area around the Pantheon was in the oldest part of Rome, and his unassuming home there took up half a small block. He kept it deliberately plain from the outside, but it was an excellent defensive position with many passageways and access points he had built over hundreds of years. He kept two staff members in residence, his housekeeper, Angela, and a butler, Bruno, who he saw waiting as they turned up the small, twisting street that bordered the house.
“Here we are.”
Matt, who had visited before while on business for Giovanni, nodded at Bruno as he hopped out of the car and opened the back door for Dez and Ben to climb out. Bruno and the driver grabbed their bags and carried them through the green door that led to a small open courtyard paved by marble mosaics. A fountain almost identical to the one at the Houston house bubbled there, and he saw Beatrice walk in front of him, strangely nervous for her to see his oldest home.
“Gio, this is so beautiful,” she murmured as she took in the arches that lined the lush courtyard and the climbing plants that Angela lovingly tended.
“Welcome home.” He leaned over and brushed a kiss along her cheek before he spotted his housekeeper waiting in a corner by the front door. A smaller door leading to the kitchen and the servants’ quarters was on the other side of the courtyard. Angela was wearing a simple blue dress and a warm smile, her dark eyes and silver hair shining.
“Giovanni!” She walked over, pulling him down with wrinkled hands to kiss him in greeting.
“Ciao, Angela,” he said with a smile. Angela had grown up in his home. Her parents had been his housekeeper and butler, though Angela had never married. He had hired Bruno fifteen years before.
“And this is your beautiful bride,” she said as she walked over to fuss over Beatrice. His wife squirmed in discomfort, but returned the friendly kisses Angela gave her in greeting. “I never thought I would see you married! My prayers finally are answered.”
“Angela...” He didn’t want to make Beatrice uncomfortable, but he knew that Angela had been thrilled when he’d sent her the letter that they were coming for a visit.
“And this is your boy,” Angela said as she greeted Ben and introduced herself to his other guests. Soon, Dez and Angela were chattering away, his housekeeper thrilled to have so many people to look after. Giovanni spotted Bruno paying the driver and sorting their luggage. He was a stocky man, happily sliding into middle age, but he was efficient and an excellent handyman, which was vital when you owned a five-hundred-year-old building.
“Bruno,” he called, and the man walked over. Giovanni shook his hand and patted his shoulder in greeting. “How is the house?”
They spent a few minutes going over details, Bruno describing the leaking in the first floor bathroom that had been repaired the week before while Giovanni held onto his hand.
“Bruno, I want you to take the rest of the month off. I will call you if necessary.”
He could see the man’s eyes swim under his influence. “But, the guests—”
“I will call you if you are needed, but my wife is American and not accustomed to so much domestic help. You understand, I am sure.”
Bruno blinked rapidly. “Of course.”
“And there will be no interruption in your salary.”
“Yes, Signore Vecchio.”
“Gather your things and take a holiday. Use the house outside of Florence. I’ll let them know you are coming.”
“Thank you, Signore.”
“Think nothing of it,” he said. By the time Giovanni turned around, Matt was the only one left in the courtyard.
“Did you get rid of him?”
Giovanni nodded. “As soon as he has left, we’ll check the house.”
Matt chuckled and the two men walked inside, both keeping quiet until they heard the courtyard door close as Bruno left. He caught Angela’s eye and the old woman nodded before she herded Beatrice, Dez, and Ben into the large kitchen.
“I’ll take the top two floors,” Giovanni said. “And the south passageway.”
Matt frowned. “Does Bruno know about the passageways?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “It is better to be cautious. He always seems to plant a few in places I haven’t thought of before. He’s surprisingly resourceful.”
The human and the vampire scoured the house for electronic bugs, cameras, and any other surveillance equipment. They found a few, but it was a half-hearted effort. Bruno had worked for Livia the entire time he had been in Giovanni’s employ, but he knew that the butler had gathered little intelligence for his mistress. It was an expected game; one Giovanni and Livia would both pretend to be shocked over if they ever spoke about it. Which they wouldn’t.