Page 119 of The Unraveling of Julia

“Really.” Julia scrolled down to a photo of Adamo Bucci with three other men in suits and gold lapel pins, a largeRin a Gothic font. “They all have the same pin.”

“Welcome to my world. Every polo shirt I own has a dancing printer. Have you ever seen a printer dance?”

Julia eyed the picture of Adamo Bucci. “Funny, something about this guy looks kind of familiar.”

“You just saw his picture. Giovanna dropped it.”

“No, I mean he looks familiar from before, somehow.”

“Not to me. We never see people in suits here.”

“Except my realtor, Franco.” It made Julia think. “That’s it. Now I remember, from yesterday. When we were going to lunch, in Vincenza?Remember I wanted to avoid my realtor? He was sitting with men in suits.”

“Wait a minute, I might have a picture. I took some good ones yesterday, mostly flowers, but let’s see.” Courtney got out her phone, went to her photos, and started scrolling, then stopped at one. “This?”

“Yes.” Julia looked over, and it was a photo of the café at the top of the cobblestone street. There were people at the outside tables and among them was Franco with a group of men in suits. “Can you enlarge those men?”

“Hold on.” Courtney enlarged the photo.

“Look, they have something in their lapels.”

“I’ll make it bigger.” Courtney did, and Julia could see that the lapel pin was anR. All the men wore one except Franco, and the man sitting next to him was Adamo Bucci.

“That’s interesting. Bucci and the other men were with Franco. So Franco and Bucci know each other.” Julia mulled it over. “And Giovanna told us the gossip that Bucci’s going to build something in Moravia. Remember, she said Moravia was up against Croce. So, I wonder if she was talking about this hospitality complex project.”

“She could’ve been. It’s first on the upcoming list. What are you thinking?”

Julia tried to put it together. “Well, I’m a landowner in Croce, a big one, and Croce’s in the running for this project. My realtor Franco knows Bucci. We saw them at lunch.”

“I’m listening.” Courtney cocked her head, and Julia felt the conclusion just within reach, waiting for her.

“What if Franco is involved, somehow? What if Bucci is looking for a property in Croce? What if they’re thinking aboutmine?Myproperty is forty acres. That’s big enough for a hospitality complex, isn’t it?”

“Sure.”

“Maybethat’swhere Bucci wants to put this development.”

“I hear that. Your property looks like shit, but it’s a lot of land. It has value, and it’s not being used for anything else.” Courtney’s bright eyes lit up. “The fact that it’s a ruin makes it better for them. You’re the only owner so they don’t have to negotiate with a slew of owners. They’re gonnaflipit.”

“Wait, what?” Julia couldn’t follow that fast.

“They’re offering you two million, but that’s nothing compared to what your property’s worth if Bucci wants to develop a seven hundred million euro complex there.” Courtney shifted over, newly urgent. “Did Franco tell you there were buyers for your place?”

“Yes, a few.”

“Did you meet them?”

“No.”

“So what if they’re not real?” Courtney’s eyes narrowed. “What if there is a group buying your land, like a consortium, and they’re going to flip it, in other words, resell it to Bucci for a fortune.”

“So, you’re saying a consortium is the real buyer?”

“Yes.” Courtney nodded, tense. “Consortiumis corporate for ‘conspiracy.’”

“Maybethat’swhat the conspiracy wants—my land.” Julia felt her brain catch fire. “A project like that is so big, it would be a boon for Croce.”

“Of course, sure. It would bring tons of tourists, tons of jobs.”