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Apparently, thethe lift” He waved to his left, where she saw the narrow door to the elevator cut into the rock, a few potted cypresses positioned toover, pressing the button The door slid open with a quiet whoosh, and he reached out, holding it so it wouldn’t close on her

“Grazie,” Relish, she added, “You are very kind”

She stepped on, expecting hi out toward the path A younger ray suit, no tie, his shirt open at the collar, carrying a sliht hand, ran up

“You’re late,” thenext to her said

“Sorry Took a wrong turn” He handed over the briefcase and, without another word, turned and left

Out of the three levels on the control panel, the top one could only be accessed with a key He pressed the first button and, a moment later, the elevator rose When the door slid open, he held it for her

Rerateful that he see hiave a polite nod to her quiet “Grazie,” then strode off toward the front doors, clutching the briefcase in his hand

Sadly, Luca, the man she’d hoped to avoid, had definitely noticed her presence, taking the steps up two at a time He blocked her way, his back to the house “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Looking forher voice low “He cao I broke the heel of e,” she said, lifting her gown so that he could see the toes of her boots

“You’re expecting me to believe that he let you walk back to the car alone?”

“Since ere late, orried we’d ht here by the elevator when I left hi?”

Luca studied her face, as though trying to gauge her truthfulness “I wasn’t watching the elevator,” he finally said

“Is it possible he soot in without you?”

He looked back toward the door, past thearea, spying the few late stragglers walking frorateful that Sam ell hidden behind the oleanders “Possibly,” he said

“I say we go in and look He has to be here somewhere”