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Chelsea Handler Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang (epub
Brit Brinson [Dia of the Dead Dia of the Dead (epub)
Cody Goodfellow [Radiant Dawn Radiant Dawn (epub)
Cate Tiernan [Immortal Belove Immortal Beloved (epub)
C J Busby [Deep Amber 01] Deep Amber (retail) (epub)
Carl Ashmore [Time Hunters 01 The Time Hunters (epub)
Drew Hayes [Super Powereds 02 Super Powereds Year 2 (epub) i
Beth Harbison [Shoe Addict 02 Secrets of a Shoe Addict (epub)
Cara Lynn Shultz [Dark World The Dark World (retail) (epub)
boundless dean vivien

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.How perfect, she thought.This scene might even be more beautiful than Montriano.And the smell… The leafy trees are so sweet and fresh.Hearing footsteps behind her, she turned to see Belmonte with their coffees.“This one is for you, Sister.There’s a table a few hundred meters up the highway.I can carry it for you, if you would like.”“I was just admiring the beautiful view.”“The monastery is just a few kilometers farther along this road.”“Then my visit should provide me with a good rest.”The two strolled up the hill where more stores appeared.They sat at a picnic table and enjoyed their coffees.“I see that there’s a store with terracotta tiles just across the street,” said Sister Angela.“Maybe you should visit now.It might be closed after you drop me off.”“Oh, but I mustn’t take too long.I have to have you at Santo Velo by dinnertime.”She tossed her paper cup into a nearby trashcan.“Then let’s go shopping now.”Belmonte caressed the bag on the seat beside him as he turned right at a small wooden sign and followed the narrow road that snaked up the side of the mountain.Not a kilometer farther, the trees opened up to reveal an unimposing building.“Is this it?The yellow plaster was framed in brown.The building in front of them was not as old as she imagined.It was rustic.“It looks smaller than I envisioned,” she said.“The building goes back a ways.”“You have been here before, Mr.Belmonte?”“Yes, a few times.The bishop visits on occasion.”He slowed the car.“The monastery sits on the edge of a plateau.From there, the slope becomes steep, but it won’t fall.There are beautiful gardens where you can sit and contemplate inside the front doors.“I’d get out, but it looks like someone has come to the front door to greet us.”Belmonte drove forward until they could look up a few steps to a wide portico in front of the entry.A small fountain sat in the center.“Ah, Sister Angela, we’re so glad to see you.I’m Father Rafaello.I am afraid we’re sitting down to dinner in about fifteen minutes.If you let me show you to your room, you may have a few moments to freshen up.”Belmonte handed her suitcase to the abbot.“Thank you for keeping me company, Sister.I’ll pick you up in a couple of weeks.Enjoy your stay.”“Thank you, Mr.Belmonte.I’ll keep Father Sergio informed about when to send you.”The entry hall of the main building was grand.It circled a courtyard of bright flowers and bronze statues.Mosaics and paintings decorated the walls opposite the garden.She gazed up the through the roof and watched a few clouds dot the bright blue sky.The abbot set the suitcase on the walkway.“I must tell you, Sister, that none of us has seen the eremo since the accident.The brothers will probably try to wheedle information from you about what happened up there.We know nothing.”“In an era of mobiles, pcs, and smart thingamajigs, I’m surprised you haven’t heard anything.”“Although we do have one phone—mine, the rest of the brothers don’t have any.The computer in the office doesn’t connect to the Internet.People who come in here to work must pledge not to mention news from the outside.It interferes with prayers and contemplation.”“But I’m expected to communicate with Father Sergio.How do I do that if I cannot access the outside world?”“I thought of that.There’s a connection in some of the guestrooms.I’ll put you in one of those.I only ask that when you come downstairs to eat, please don’t inform them about outside news.” He raised his eyes to the ceiling in thought.“And one other rule—no guests in the rooms.”“What about the hermitage? Have the investigators already cleared the scene?”“No.It was difficult, but we asked them to wait until you were here.”“And they agreed? That doesn’t sound at all like the police where I live.”“The chief is a childhood friend, Sister Angela.You’ll be working with Chief Inspector Monte Morena.He will indeed be raring to go in the morning.Someone will pick you up right after breakfast, which is at seven, and drive you up to the top of the hill.”“I realize they’re hermits, Father, but how does one talk to them if one needs to?”“We all hike up.It’s about an hour up the mountain.There’s a path if you ever want to try it.The people who tend to their needs telephone us for supplies.They’re delivered, or the attendants walk down here to pick them up.“They have telephones, then?”“Members of the staff have them.The eremiti and the brothers here do not.”So entranced by the story about how the hermits lived, Sister Angela barely noticed that they had gone inside the building.The stairs were just across from the door.They did not wait for an elevator because there was none.“The brothers and canons live on the ground floor.The entrance to the cells is through a set of doors beyond the stairway.Next up is the VIP floor, if you want to call it that.Not only do we have church officials, but Italian businessmen often have retreats for their executives.They stay on this floor.The rooms are en suite and modern.”“It’s difficult to stay away from the world beyond,” the nun said.“Why have this kind of room at all?”“Businessmen help keep the monastery standing, and they need to communicate while they’re here.”Once off the stairs, the prior guided the nun down the hallway.“Sorry it’s so far.There’s no one using this floor right now.”“So it’ll be quiet.”The abbot punched the keycard into the lock, but the door would not open.“I cannot stand these new-fangled things,” he said.“This is the only floor that uses these because most young businessmen don’t know how to use a key.” He turned the card over and tried again.The door swung open to a bright and cheery room that was still light.The windows across the room were open.“I had them open these windows to air out the room.”“Is that Avalle in the distance?”“Yes.It’s between the two mountains.You can barely see it in the haze during the day, but at night, the lights are glorious.“It looks so far away.”“It’s about a half-hour drive—a lot of switchbacks for the chief inspector to navigate.We don’t visit Avalle often.We get most of our supplies in Collinaterra.”“I saw the shops in Collinaterra.What’s that noise I hear?”“This room is at the back of the building.You can look straight down from the window and see a brook.Can you hear it? It can be very relaxing.”“Yes.” She inhaled the sweet-smelling air.“You crossed over several little bridges driving up to Collinaterra.”“I didn’t notice.This is a glorious view indeed.I’ll spend all my time in here gazing out the window.” She turned back to the room.To her right was the bedroom.The luxurious fabrics covering a canopied bed made her feel like she was in one of her childhood dreams.Where’s the horse and handsome knight?“A small fold—out desk in the corner is for your laptop, and of course, there is a TV, but I’m not sure how many stations it gets because we don’t watch it here.”“Oh, but I don’t need all this.”“Sorry.These are the only rooms with internet connections.After dinner, I’ll send Brother Bruno to make sure you can get onto the Internet.”“One of the brothers has technical experience?”“He joined us after working for a tech company [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]