Tuesday, March 9th
Rosary, Our Lady Catholic church, 9:40 a.m.
Father George was sitting in the front pew in his church with his breviary in his hands. He cherished these solitary minutes , because he could reflect and pray for the many people who needed the help of God. In the last three weeks, he had frequently asked the Lord the same question: “Why? Why did you take Luca? He did so much good here in the parish and also in the orphanage with the children. I know we must accept Your design in our life, even when we don’t understand, but, oh... It is so difficult... He was so young and such a good, compassionate person!” Father George had always been able to comfort his parishioners when they lost a dear one, but he recognized that this time he was really sad, and he had difficulty accepting the death of his young priest.
Unaware of the silent entry of a person into the church, he remained engrossed in his small book. As he looked up, he saw the troubled face of Stacey Lewis, one of the richest old ladies in town.
In a tentative voice, she said: “Father, I hope I’m not interrupting, but I wanted to talk to you about something.” Stacey went to church on Sunday, she had always attended the morning Mass with her husband. After his death, she had kept on coming with her chauffeur and her grandson almost every week. Her two children seldom accompanied her. She actively supported many charitable projects of the church, making generous contributions to the orphanage managed by the Parish. Father George knew that Stacey often went to talk to Luca, and he had seen her at his funeral, weeping in one of the back pews.
Father George stood up, and led Mrs. Lewis to the large room at the back of the church, which served as sacristy and office. Around the walls, there were large wardrobes for the liturgical vestments. In one corner there was a small desk with a laptop on it, in another corner a small sofa with two armchairs. Stacey sat down in one of the armchairs and put her purse on her lap, while Father George sat in front of her and looked at the frail old woman. He said kindly: “Stacey, I can see that you are not well. Can I offer you something?”
Stacey shook her head and said sadly: “No thanks, George. I wanted to speak to you...” She waited for a few moments before resuming, as if to collect her thoughts and to gather the courage. “You know that I often came to speak to Luca”, Father George nodded and smiled, reflecting that many people confided their problems to the young priest, and he had seen them frequently leave comforted and relieved.
Stacey went on: “In the last period, I had asked him to help me get in contact with a person, a very important person for me. He had done some research, and he had found out where that person lived. He had told me they had got in touch. We had to plan where and when to meet and then ...” Stacey looked at George with tears in her eyes. “Oh, George, I am ashamed because you have lost your priest, and I am looking for a thing that is nothing compared to the gravity of what happened but ... Did Luca maybe leave a note or an address or something about a person who should live in Fredericton?”
Father George smiled affably and said: “You don’t have to apologize, Stacey. I know that Luca always helped if he could. Unfortunately, I know nothing about his search. But we could go to his apartment now and see if, among his papers, you can find something useful. What do you think?”
The face of Stacey brightened up, and she immediately stood, almost forgetting the permanent sense of weakness that she had been feeling for some time. She said excitedly: “Thanks, George!”
Father George took a key from a rack on the wall. They went to a building beside the church where there were two apartments: on the first floor there was Father George’s home, and on the second floor a smaller flat that had been Luca’s home since he had become a priest. They slowly climbed the stairs. George was aware of how difficult it was for Stacey walking up the steps. When they arrived at Luca’s door, she was pale and almost out of breath, but she didn’t complain.
Father George opened the door, and they entered a small but pristine apartment: there was no foyer, because the front door led directly to the sitting room that served also as study and dining room. A door led to the tiny kitchen and another door to a corridor connecting a bedroom and a bathroom.
Father George had a lump in his throat because everything was still exactly as Luca had left it that night. With a hoarse, unnatural voice, he said: “In his bedroom, Luca had just a bed and a wardrobe. Anna and I emptied his closet, because we donated his clothes to the homeless shelter in Fredericton. I am sure there were no documents. I think he kept documents and papers in his desk drawers.” He approached the desk and opened the drawers. Stacey remained behind him, and didn’t dare to touch anything. She just looked over his shoulder to see if there was anything interesting for her. On the desk there were some papers concerning the orphanage, and some drawings made by the children. In the drawers there were no folders, but just some handwritten papers with the notes for his homilies, some photocopied poems taken from books and some bills. Stacey was clearly disappointed, but she smiled at Father George and said: “I am sorry, I remember him saying that he had a file with everything he had found... But maybe his mobile phone...” She looked around but the priest said immediately: “All the things that he had in the car were given to his family. I don’t know if he had his mobile, but it is not here.”
She said: “Thanks, George, for your kindness. I will ask Anna. I just didn’t want to disturb her.”
George closed the door of Luca’s apartment behind them, and led the old lady back downstairs, where her chauffeur was waiting. He saw her leave, and he felt pity for that woman, so rich and so lonely.
***
Rosary, Anna’s Trattoria, 12:30 p.m.
Anna’s trattoria was open from Tuesday to Friday at lunch time: Anna and Silvia had agreed on a special price for lunch for people who worked in offices and banks around the little restaurant. The trattoria was almost always fully booked. On Friday and Saturday, it was open in the evening and on Sunday at lunch. This allowed Silvia to have time for her children during the week when they went home from school, and Anna could have some free time as well.
The trattoria was almost full when the door opened, and John Steele entered, followed by five policemen, all dressed in civilian clothes, but all with a badge and a gun on their belt. John smiled at his wife, who came to meet them and lead them to their table. In the trattoria, many people turned their heads and watched the group sit down. They had heard that a new Chief Inspector had arrived, and that some new policemen would be added to the local police station. Many of the customers recognized the policeman they had seen on television when he had been given the medal by the governor. They couldn’t help watching him with curiosity. In a little town like Rosary, they had rarely seen a sniper belonging to the Emergency Unit who had appeared on TV and in every magazine and newspaper because of his bravery and his attractiveness.
Before taking their seats at the round table, John turned to his wife and said: “Jennifer, this is the new Chief Inspector, Neil. Neil, my wife Jennifer!” Neil shook Jennifer’s hand with a kind smile. Jennifer noticed he was really a handsome man, even more attractive in person than in the media.Then John introduced her to the other policemen. Jennifer gave each of them a menu and left them for a few minutes.
Neil looked around and saw that what John had told him was true: it was a pleasant place with a family atmosphere. After a while, he saw a woman in her late fifties come out of the kitchen: she had a smiling face, even if Neil detected sadness in her gaze. Neil noticed that everyone turned to greet her. Moving from table to table, she asked if everything was in order. Clearly, she knew most of the people who were eating in her trattoria. When she arrived at their table, John put a hand on her arm and asked her affectionately: “Anna, how are you? You should have a rest, I can see you are tired...” Anna answered immediately: “Thanks, John, that’s what my daughter keeps on telling me, but I prefer to keep busy, it is so hard when I stop and start thinking.” Her voice trailed off because she had to fight back tears and to force herself not to look at the photo on the wall.
John realized that the other officers didn’t understand what they were talking about. After introducing the policemen to Anna, he said in a lighter tone: “Has Father George found another volleyball coach for the children?” Neil looked at him questioningly, and he was clearly interested. John had heard that, in Vancouver, Neil had trained a volleyball team similar to the one started by Father Luca, and he had raised the subject with Anna on purpose. Anna answered quickly: “No, John. I am sorry for the children because next month they should have taken part in a tournament. They were all excited.” She sighed and left the table because she didn’t want to let her emotions overwhelm her in front of strangers. During the conversation, she had been impressed by the kind and sad face of Neil McKinley, the new Chief Inspector. She had read in the magazines the story of this solitary man, who had grown up in an orphanage in Vancouver. Evidently, he was accustomed to suffering or, as Father George described it, carrying his cross. However, she believed she detected a gentleness in his eyes, a kindness that contradicted the media’s portrayal of him. She was eager to get to know him better.
While they were eating, John said: “Anna has been living in Rosary since she was young. She comes from Chioggia, a small town south of Venice. She told me that both she and her husband were certified cooks in Italy. They worked in a restaurant in their hometown, when an uncle of Mario’s, Anna’s husband, called from Canada to offer them his trattoria. He wanted to retire and go back to Italy. Mario was not convinced, but Anna persuaded him to accept the offer. They never regretted their decision, because, as Anna often says, they felt immediately at home. The community welcomed them warmly. Their Trattoria, appreciated for the delicious dishes and the cozy atmosphere, became more and more popular. Anna is very reserved and many people stop to talk to her. She is one of the pillars of our community, but…”John turned to the picture on the wall and sighed. “Three weeks ago, her son Luca, a priest in our parish, was killed in an accident just outside the town.”
Neil looked at him and said: “I saw she was sad and kept looking at the photo on the wall!”
“Luca was just thirty-two. He was a good priest and a wonderful person. It is a loss for the entire community. He was the volleyball coach with the children at the orphanage.” He looked at Neil, afraid of hurting the Inspector’s feelings, since it was common knowledge that Neil was an orphan, too. Neil, however, smiled, and John went on: “My son and Anna’s grandson are on the team, too. The team included children of the community and the orphans living in the Parish institution. Unfortunately, they are feeling sad as we haven’t been able to find a dedicated coach to train them. Without a coach, they won’t be able to take part in local tournaments.” Neil was listening with interest, but he said nothing. They continued eating and chatting pleasantly. John began to appreciate even Billy Nigel, who rarely spoke but clearly admired and respected his superior.
Shortly before they left, a medium-built man with black curly hair and dark eyes framed by rimless round glasses, approached John. He said: ”Ciao, John!” The policemen couldn’t help noticing the funny accent but also the jovial expression of this man whose smiling face made him look almost a boy.
“Hello, Bruno!” John turned to his colleagues, he introduced them to him and said: “This is Anna’s precious help in the kitchen. He comes from Italy, too! You are from Tuscany, aren’t you, Bruno?”
The man smiled happily and answered: “I am from Livorno, meravigliosa città, a wonderful town in bella Toscana!” Even Billy was forced to smile at the spontaneous congeniality of the cook!
Neil told him: “Congratulations, Bruno! Congratulazioni! The food is excellent here!” John noticed the perfect pronunciation of the Italian word. That was something he didn’t know about Neil. The newspapers and magazines had mentioned nothing about Italian origins. Or maybe he had lived in Italy.
Bruno blushed and said simply: “I have learnt so much from Anna! She is a cook straordinaria, extraordinary, really!” And he went back to the kitchen, stopping at every table to ask if the food was good.
John explained: “I have never met Mario, Anna’s husband, because, when I moved here, he had just died of a heart attack. After his death, Anna needed an assistant cook, at least until her daughter Silvia had finished her studies. She hired Bruno, who had come from Italy to study English. He accepted, and he eventually decided to remain in Canada. He is a wonderful man, always enthusiastic, and he is a terrific cook.” Neil nodded with a smile while he was watching Bruno disappear into the kitchen.
Before they left, Neil asked Jennifer if he could talk to Anna for a minute. Jennifer went into the kitchen and, after a few moments, Anna came towards them. Neil approached her and said simply: “Madam, John has just told me about your son. I can only imagine what you are going through. I just wanted to tell you I am ...“. He stopped and looked at the other agents who were silently listening, and he corrected himself: “We are sorry for your loss!” Anna was moved by the kindness of a man she had just met. She needed a moment to be able to speak because she had a lump in her throat: “Thank you, Mr. McKinley... But I am Anna for everyone around here. Please don’t call me Madam! ”
“And I am Neil, Anna. And,” he added with a smile, “I think you will see me here quite often, because the food is excellent!” Anna blushed, and she mumbled her thanks, trying to hide her embarrassment and her instinctive desire to embrace this man, more or less the age of Luca, who had been immediately so kind. She knew he had not just said something polite, as many people do, that he really meant what he said, that he really felt sympathy for her and her grief. One of the traits in the personality she preferred was undoubtedly sincerity. Why was she so eager to get to know Neil better? Why did she have the feeling that she could gain the confidence of that tough, reserved man? Why did she have the impression that there was something else that made him suffer, apart from the fact of not having a family? She slowly went back to the kitchen.
***
Rosary, Anna’s Trattoria, 4:00 p.m.
Anna was checking if everything was in order in the dining room, after she had tidied up and cleaned, when she noticed a slim figure approaching the frosted glass door of the Trattoria that was now closed. There was a tentative knock on the door, and Anna went to open it. To her surprise, she saw Stacey Lewis in front of her.
She said immediately: “Come in, Stacey. I was just going upstairs.”
Stacey was looking at her shyly, and she said: “I am sorry to disturb you, Anna, but I need to ask you something.”
Anna put a hand under the old lady’s arm and led her gently to a table for two. Stacey sat down and sighed. Anna noticed that she was not only weak, she was also very sad.
“What’s the matter, Stacey?”
Stacey was going to answer when Silvia came out of the kitchen. She had her coat on and she was carrying her handbag.
“Mum,” she stopped when she saw Mrs. Lewis. “Oh, hello, Mrs. Lewis. How are you today?”
Stacey smiled at the young woman and answered: “I am not very well, Silvia. You are going to pick up your children from school, aren’t you?”
“Yes, shall I get Robin and take him here to you? It’s not a problem, you know!”
Stacey looked at her gratefully and answered: “I had told Tony we would go together to pick him up, but if it doesn’t bother you, can you tell him you are going to get Robin? He is always so happy when he spends time with your children and your family …Thanks, you are so kind... Barbara sometimes picks him up from school, but I haven’t seen her today.”
Silvia simply nodded and left.
Stacey turned to Anna and took her hand in hers. She waited for a few moments, and then spoke tentatively: “Anna, I have to ask you something. I am sorry, I would have preferred not to disturb you because I can only imagine what you are going through, but it’s something really important for me.” Anna was trying to understand what was so difficult for Stacey to tell her.
Stacey resumed: “You know that I often went to talk to Luca.” Anna nodded and Stacey went on: “sometimes he even came to my home when I started not to feel well... Oh, he was so kind! I miss talking to him, you know?”
Anna started to feel uneasy because this conversation was bringing back so many memories of her son. She looked away and waited for Stacey to get to the point.
Stacey said: “In the last period I had asked Luca to track a person for me, a woman I wanted to get to know. A few days before ...” she couldn’t bring herself to speak about Luca’s accident, “he had told me he had been able to speak to that person, that he would put me in contact and then... I was wondering if he had left some notes somewhere in his car or maybe his mobile phone.”
Anna had finally understood what was so difficult for Stacey. The old lady was afraid of making Anna suffer even more than she had already had. Anna answered immediately: “Stacey, you should have come earlier to me. Unfortunately, John said that the only things they found in the car, in the pocket of Luca’s jacket, were his mobile phone and his driving licence. I can fetch his cell phone for you. I still have it upstairs.”
“Thanks, Anna, you are always so kind. I didn’t want to come here to talk about Luca when you are trying to go on with your life, despite your grief.”
“Don’t worry, Stacey. Luca is always in my heart and in my thoughts,” Anna said, pointing to her heart and to her head for emphasis. “I will go to take the mobile phone.”
She stood up and went upstairs, while Stacey was waiting in the dining room. After a few minutes, Anna came back with a flip phone in her hand. Smiling, she sat down at the table.
“We are lucky, Stacey. It still seems to be working, ” she said, while they watched the little screen come to life. “I was afraid the battery would be dead after over three weeks.” The battery icon showed that the level was low, so Anna scrolled immediately to the call log. There were several phone calls with registered numbers: calls to and from Anna, Father George, Silvia, Mark, Stacey... but in the last weeks before his death, there were a few phone calls to and from a number registered as A.S., and in the last few days there were several missed calls from the same number. Stacey gasped because she thought the number could belong to the person she was looking for.
She said quickly: “Anna, can you write down the number for me?”
Anna went to the small desk in a corner of the kitchen to pick up a piece of paper and a pen. She sat down next to Stacey and carefully wrote the number. Stacey put the piece of paper in an internal pocket of her purse, and she smiled for the first time since she had entered. She also seemed visibly relaxed and even less pale, because a flush of excitement was coloring her wrinkled cheeks.
Anna didn’t ask who that person was and, after a moment, Stacey said apologetically: “Anna, excuse me if I don’t tell you anything about this, but first I want to verify if that’s the person I am looking for, because even Luca was not absolutely sure.”
Anna looked at her and simply replied: “Don’t worry, Stacey. I hope that it is the right number, because I can see that it is very important to you.”
Stacey was saying something, but at that moment the door opened and Silvia came in, followed by her twin children and Robin. Robin went immediately to embrace his grandmother. He was a slim boy, tall for his age, with dark brown eyes and short brown hair.
“Grandma, are you ok? ” He asked solicitously.
She smiled, caressed his cheeks tenderly and answered: “Yes, Robin, I am alright!”
She was interrupted by Mario, Anna’s grandson, who asked excitedly: “Grandma, mum has just told us that the new chief inspector came here to have lunch. Was he as tall as he looks on TV? Did he have a gun?”
Anna smiled at the handsome slim boy in front of her, who had taken his gray eyes from her and his dark hair from his father. His twin sister, much more reserved than her brother, came to embrace her grandma. She was a sweet girl with brown eyes and shoulder-length wavy dark hair. They were twins, but they looked different, even if they shared a great sensitivity. They were the comfort of their grandmother.
“Mario,” she said reproachfully, “First of all say hello to Mrs. Lewis!”
The child obeyed immediately and smiled at the old lady.
“And then,” Anna went on, “Yes, the new Chief Inspector came today with John and some other agents. He was very kind to me and ... Yes, he had a gun on his belt and ... Yes, he is very tall. I think you will see him around one of these days.”
Stacey stood up and thanked Anna once again before leaving with Robin.
Silvia stayed with her mum for a few minutes, and then she went home with her children.
ns216.73.216.80da2
and then Add to home screen.