As tears go by

Day 2 // 18 Aereoporto di Venezia

One of the SpN soldier was waiting for him at arrivals. A crew cut white hair nondescript guy with a wife-beater under his sport jacket. They traded looks. Without a word or a sign of acknowledge the SpN turned away and started to walk. Dibernardo followed him to the parking lot. The SpN walked over to a small FIAT 500. Sat in the driver place, started the engine. Sergei sat in the passenger place. Without speaking, they drove back to the flophouse near the sea.

It took an hour drive. The streets were almost deserted. Just a couple of trucks and vans. It was a sunny and merry day. Not a snow flake around. It looked like the blizzard had been an illusion. The small 500 pulled in front of the hotel without the "h". There were a couple of cars stationary.

"Stand watch." Dibernardo told his driver, stepped into the lobby and climbed the stairs by pairs. He walked into the bedroom. The Italian, still on the bed, was trussed up and pale as a corpse. The smell in the bedroom was a stale mixture of alcohol, cigarette smoke, sweat, urine, and vomit. Sergei made a beeline for Vanni and showed the picture on his phone without looking at the two black masked men.

"So this is the woman you banged. You sure? Take all the time you want. You don't need to speak, just nod." He asked in a non-committal way.

Vanni stared at the picture for a long moment, and nodded. He looked tired, with wide open and swollen eyes.

Sergei slapped him in the face. "You're lying! This woman was killed six months ago. Why are you lying?"

Vanni shook his head, fear in his eyes. "I am not lying, what reason do I have to do so?"

"You tell me, fuckface. I'll ask you another time. Why are you lying?"

The man was confused and scared. Sergei could see it in his eyes, but had to be sure. An oversight now would be a disaster later.

"So you confirm me this is the woman you slept with. I won't ask again. So please, think over another time before answering."

Vanni swallowed and stared at Dibernardo and at the SpN propped against the wall.

"Yes, I am dead sure the woman you showed me the picture is the woman I slept with. You believe me or not." He sighed. He closed his eyes and propped his head against the headboard.

Sergei stepped back and nodded. "Thank you."

Sergei beckoned at the SpN Patrol Leader. The Patrol Leader followed him into the corridor.

"Stab him to death with a shiv, but not to hard. It has to look like a woman stabbed him. A frenzied woman. I'll wait for you downstairs. You will go to the airport. Wait, there as regular passengers. I'll call you as soon as I need you." Sergei said in Russian to the SpN.

The patrol leader nodded, took off the balaclava. The SpN in charge was a chubby woman with very short hair and a scar under her left eye. Sergei snorted. The woman returned to the bedroom. While walking downstairs, Sergei made a phone call and started to speak in Italian.

Outside, in the parking lot his driver leaned against the 500. Sergei stopped in the shadow of the building, put his phone in the pocket, lighted a fag, and waited. The other two SpN exited and headed for the car. They settle in, and the 500 sped off, making the tires squeal on the worn out macadam.

Sergei did not look at them. It was like they never met. He waited, looking at the street. A few cars drove by. Not a lot, but quite a few, and being such a rundown area they were a crowd.

Half an hour later an Italian sedan signalled and pulled in. It stopped by him. Inside there was a woman about forties. She had blue steel eyes and wore no make-up. No lipstick, no smoky eyes. She was not a streaking beauty, but she was cute in a cool way. "Benvenuta, Commissario capo Ferro."

"Ciao Dibernardo, I lie if I said I am happy to see you. On the phone you said there is a corpse. Has he been killed or committed suicide?"

"I have no idea, you have to call the Polizia Scientifica. They'll find the answer."

The woman smiled at him and popped open the car door. Exited the car and walked over. He faced him.

"Let me guess. You don't know if your victim was offed, but you have already a suspect of murder?"

"I have, but there is a problem, because in Moscow, they said my person of interest had been killed six months ago. In Chicago. So I am confused."

She chuckled. "What a mess. Always your stories of cloak and dagger, Dibernardo. Do you have a photo of your perp?"

"Yes."

"Send it to me, now. I'll show it around."

Sergei complied and pointed to the night club entrance. "My guess is she had a drink there with the victim... You might ask the bartender. Perhaps he could ID her."

Commissario Ferro checked her phone. "Got it." She studied the image as long as she needed. "Pretty girl. Doesn't look like a killer, but what a killer does? Our job would be a child's game. Let's go to work."

Sergei nodded. "By the way, thank you for your help."

Ferro's smile disappeared also if she didn't stood in the shadow of the building as Sergei. "Tell your boss I want more money for this extra job. I was on my way to board a nice ship for a cruise in the Mediterranean, when you called me. I had a booking for a First class starboard cabin..."

Sergei nodded. "Usually first class offer a refund or an easy change of dates, Ferro."

Ferro looked him in the eyes and scoffed. "Last time it was difficult to hide your mistakes. My boss didn't like it and made me rewrite my report twice."

Sergei smiled deadpan. "Make nice with him."

"I don't do blow jobs."

"Well, sometime could be useful."

"He is not that kind of man."

"Everybody has a price."

She shook her head. "He is a total prick."

"So is he honest?"

She did not answer.

"I'll also need a couple of journalists with lots of connections in the right places."

"How much money do you have? Proficiency has a cost."

"Unlimited."

The face of the woman changed. "In that case, I can arrange that. With a good amount of money, you get all you want in Italy."

"Everywhere."

"You are too pessimistic, amico mio."

"Go to work, now. We don't have time."

"How many men do you have?"

"Three. Now they are at the airport waiting for my phone call."

"Good place to hide. She could be there too."

"I don't think so, but if she is spotted somewhere, they will run after her swiftly. Airports have good egress points to many directions."