Chapter 2 - The Pills Maria Was Never Supposed to Take

Belini’s smile disappeared.

Luca did not repeat the question.

He simply held the pill organizer between two fingers and waited.

That was worse.

Around Table Seven, the restaurant had become unnaturally quiet. Even Marco had stopped pretending to polish glasses.

Belini looked at Maria.

Then at Emma.

Finally at Luca.

“I knew because your mother uses one every evening.”

Maria’s expression changed.

“No, I don’t.”

Belini blinked.

Maria continued.

“My doctor stopped the evening dose three days ago.”

Luca’s eyes moved back to the organizer.

Emma felt her stomach tighten.

That explained the folded paper Maria had shown them.

The schedule was not old.

It was current.

Emma stepped closer.

“May I see the pills?”

Luca looked at her.

“Why?”

“Because I handled them.”

He opened the compartment and tipped one tablet into his palm.

Emma stared.

Small.

White.

Oval.

A thin blue line through the center.

Her memory returned immediately.

“That isn’t what she showed me.”

Maria frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“The tablets I gave you were round.”

Nobody moved.

Luca looked at his mother.

“You took both?”

“Yes.”

“How long ago?”

“Maybe twenty minutes.”

Luca turned toward Matteo.

“Call Dr. Harris. Now.”

Belini stood straighter.

“This is becoming ridiculous.”

Luca did not look at her.

“My mother swallowed medication she was not prescribed.”

“You don’t know that.”

Emma looked at Belini.

“You do.”

Belini’s eyes hardened.

Emma continued.

“You knew what he was holding before he showed you.”

“That proves nothing.”

“No,” Luca said quietly.

“But it proves you were thinking about it.”

Matteo returned.

“Doctor is six minutes away.”

Luca nodded.

“Lock the private room.”

Marco looked alarmed.

“Mr. Moretti, we have other guests—”

Luca turned.

Marco stopped speaking.

Maria reached for Emma’s hand.

“Sit.”

Emma hesitated.

“I’m working.”

“You are the only person here who noticed my breathing before my son arrived.”

Luca looked at her.

That was true.

Emma sat.

Belini laughed softly.

“A waitress is giving medical opinions now?”

Emma did not answer.

Maria did.

“She almost finished nursing school.”

Belini’s gaze sharpened.

Something about that information bothered her.

Luca noticed.

“Why does that interest you?”

“It doesn’t.”

“You looked at her differently.”

“You’re imagining things.”

“Possibly.”

His voice remained calm.

“But I rarely enjoy coincidences.”

The private physician arrived with a black medical case.

Ten minutes later, his conclusion changed the room.

Maria was stable.

Her blood pressure was lower than usual.

And the two tablets Emma had helped her take were not part of Maria’s current prescription.

Dr. Harris placed one remaining tablet inside a specimen envelope.

“This is a strong cardiovascular medication,” he said. “Not something I prescribed to her.”

Belini’s face lost color.

Luca saw it.

“So someone placed medication in my mother’s organizer.”

Nobody answered.

Then Matteo’s phone vibrated.

He read the message.

“Boss.”

“What?”

“The house nurse is gone.”

Maria looked up.

“Sofia?”

Matteo nodded.

“Her apartment is empty.”

Belini exhaled too quickly.

Emma heard it.

So did Luca.

He turned toward his fiancée.

“You know where she went.”

“No.”

“Then why were you relieved?”

Belini stared at him.

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And for the first time that evening, Luca stopped looking suspicious.

He looked certain.