Page 120 of The Unraveling of Julia

“It would revitalize the town, even the region.” Julia thought of her visit to the police station with Gianluca. “People go to Savernella for jobs, remember? It’s the sister town, where the cops and administration are for Croce. Maybe that’s what’s been going on, all this time.”

“Croce could be bidding for Bucci’s project. If that’s true, then other players get involved. Not just private developers but local government.”

“It’s in Savernella, that’s why Torti and his thugs are in the conspiracy.” Julia put it together, and the realization horrified her. “They wantmy land. They want me to sell. That’s why Franco was bugging me with offers. That’s why they’re trying to drive me out.”

Courtney’s eyes glittered. “I bet they’re under a deadline, if other towns are in the running.”

“So I guess even Franco’s in the conspiracy.” Julia glanced out the window, trying to process what was going on. Rolling vineyards flew past without her seeing them. “Franco knew that Gianluca was telling me not to sell.”

“Sothat’swhy they wanted to kill Gianluca.”

Julia felt her heart wrench. She struggled to stay composed. She couldn’t speak for a moment, and everything made horrifying sense.

“And that’s why they put cameras in the villa. They want to know what you’re thinking about selling.”

Julia tried to get it together. “But why’d they drug me?”

“They wanted to scare you away, gaslight you, make you think the house was haunted and you were going crazy—” Courtney stopped abruptly, her lips parting. “I just had a scary thought. They need the land because the site is being chosen now, right?”

“Right.”

“I wonder what happens if you die.”

“Yikes!” Julia recoiled, aghast.

“Do you have a will?”

“No. The lawyer in Milan said if I die without a will, the estate goes to the government. It loses money, and probate takes forever.”

“Probate causes delay, and delay would put Croce out of contention for the Bucci project. That’s why their Plan A was to get you to sell, fast.”

“Holy shit.” Julia felt stricken. “And Plan B? Theykillme?”

Courtney nodded, grim.

Julia shuddered. “But what about the delay in probate? They don’t care then?”

“Ifthismuch money is involved and there’sthismuch benefit to the region, I bet probate gets fast-tracked. They can bribe government officials.”

“So, money talks.”

“And it speaks Italian.”

Julia’s thoughts raced ahead, her gut wrenching. Something told her she was on the right track. “I’m thinking about Mike’s murder. Gianluca and I thought the guy in the hoodie was really coming after me. But what if he was coming afterMike?”

“Why would he?”

“Let me think out loud.” Julia tried to recall what Lombardi had told her about a will. “If I died without a will, and Mike was alive when I inherited Rossi’s property, thenhewould inherit the property. What if they wanted to eliminate Mike so the property was clear,beforeI was told about the inheritance?”

Courtney moaned. “Oh, man.”

Julia felt a stab of grief, and bitterness. She thought of Mike and the night he was killed, then Gianluca and the night of his crash. There had been so much violence, death, and pain. Now she knew why. Money.

“Jules, are you okay?”

“Hell, yes.” Julia felt her teeth clench with anger, with resolve, withpower. “We have to get these bastards. We’re going to the Florence police. We’ll tell them what the Savernella cops did to us. We’ll show them the photo of Franco and Bucci together. We’ll lay the whole thing out. We’llmakethem investigate.”

“Right, agree.” Courtney pursed her lips.