The Villa

trouble, then I'll help fix it, and she'll see."
    "And you'd get paid from both ends," Sophia finished. "It didn't work with Signore Baptista. He didn't get sick, he died. And they buried him believing his heart had just given out at last. How frustrating for you. How annoying. Then almost immediately Nonna reorganized the company."
    "Yes, yes, and does she reward me for my years of service? No." Sincerely outraged, he thumped a fist on the counter. "She brings in an outsider, she promotes an American woman who then can question me."
    "So you killed Margaret and tried to kill David."
    "No, no. Margaret. An accident. I was desperate. She was looking at the accounts, at the invoices. I needed—wanted—only to delay her, a short time. How was I to know she would drink so much of the wine? A glass, even two, would only have made her ill."
    "It was inconsiderate of her to spoil things. You sent bottles, poisoned wine, out on the market. You risked lives."
    "I had no choice. No choice. You must believe me."
    "Did my father know? About the wine? The tampering?"
    "No. No, it was just a game to Tony. The business was his game. He didn't know about the dummy account because he never took time to look. He didn't know Baptista because he knew no one who worked in the fields. It wasn't his life. Sophia, it was my life."
    She sat back briefly. Her father had been weak, a sad excuse for a husband, even for a man. But he'd had no part in murder, or in sabotage. It was, at least, some small comfort.
    "You brought DeMorney to the castello , to the winery.
    You took money from him, didn't you? He paid you to betray your own blood."
    "Listen to me." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Stay away from DeMorney. He's a dangerous man. You have to believe me. Whatever I've done, you have to believe I'd never want to hurt you. He'll stop at nothing."
    "Murder? My father?"
    "I don't know. I swear to you on my life, Sophia. I don't know. He wants to ruin the family. He used me for that. Listen to me," he repeated, laying his palm on the glass again. "I took money, I stole. I did what he told me to do to the wine. I was misled. Now he'll let me hang for it. I'm begging you to help me. I'm begging you to stay away from him. When I knew Cutter would expose me, I ran. I only ran, Sophia, I swear it to you. They're saying I hired someone, some thug from the streets to shoot him and steal the papers. It's a lie. Why would I? It was over already for me. It was done."
    The twists of lies and truths had to be unknotted. It would take a cold and steady hand to do so, she thought. Even now, after all she knew of him, part of her wanted to reach out. She couldn't allow it. "You want my help, Don? Tell me everything you know about Jerry DeMorney. Everything. If I'm satisfied, I'll see to it Giambelli arranges for your legal needs, and that your children are cared for and protected."
    When Sophia came back, Tyler thought she looked exhausted. Wilted. Before he could speak, she touched a hand to his. "Don't ask me yet. I'm going to arrange a conference call on the flight so I only have to say it all once."
    "Okay. Let's try this instead." He pulled her in, held her.
    "Thanks. Can you do without the things you took to the castello for a few days? I'll have them packed up and sent. We need to go home, Ty. I need to be home."
    "Best news I've had in days." He kissed the top of her head. "Let's go."
     
    " Do you believe him?"
    Tyler waited until she'd completed the call, until all had been said. She was up now, pacing the cabin, sipping her third cup of coffee since takeoff.
    "I believe he's a stupid man with a weak and selfish core. I believe he's convinced himself that Signore Baptista and Margaret were unfortunate accidents. He let himself be used for money, and for ego, by someone a great deal more clever. Now he's sorry, but sorriest for being caught. But I believe, absolutely, that he's afraid of Jerry. I don't think Don killed my father. I don't think he tried to kill David."
    "You're looking at DeMorney."
    "Who else? Proving it won't be so easy. Tying Jerry to any of this and making it hold won't be so easy."
    Tyler rose, took the coffee from her hand. "You're revving yourself too high. Turn it off awhile."
    "Can't. Who else, Ty? I could see you didn't agree when we were on the call. I can see it now."
    "I'm not sure what I think just yet. I take longer than you to process things. But I can't figure out why your father'd have just met in your apartment