Storms

Once she got into the office Tania realized it was later than she'd expected - both Zen and Fischer were busy in the conference room – Tania went to her desk and noticed a small bouquet of red and white roses on her desk. She smiled -a gift from Fischer she imagined as she pulled out her compact and checked her lipstick.

Fischer explained the theory that he and La Cour had come up with, and that Petersen had inadvertently and unexpectedly touched on. This was looking like no antiquities theft or archeological vandelization. The archeological excavation was real, and it had been used as a distraction for a local drug trafficking ring. It had made a perfect cover initially - and as one of the archeological assistants might have been in on the scam - it was used by the dealers to act as a distraction. The fourth archeological assistant was the key - Gaby was looking for the whereabouts of the remaining student assistant - one Harald Lie Oskar - and Zen was beginning to see the logic of the argument.

What was troubling was the violence of the crime. The forensics reports pointed to traces of heroin stored in blocks of tightly wrapped plastics in a small hillock not far from the excavation. What would have been initially seen as a perfect cover for the dealers might have started to become a real threat once the excavation continued.

Zen was intrigued but he had some doubts – this was all still theoretical. Until they had more information about the excavation – or more evidence about this Oskar person – he wasn't sure about this premise – it was possible but not the only option.

"I want to just consider the possibility that that this might be an antiquities theft…"Zen interrupted the tall Danish detective. His amber gold eyes flashed at Aurelio, as Allan considered that notion pointless. Zen raised a hand gently – "Just consider it – if you're right then the last thing that the dealers will expect is that we've figured that point out. Anyway - we still have the academics – let's use them while we can."

Fischer looked at him both confused and intrigued. He thought very little of that fellow Izkandr. Since a particularly difficult kidnapping case about eight months prior he had developed a deep dislike for pompous Englishmen like this one - he knew it was irrational but he acknowledged it. Petersen - well she was Danish and a friend of Ingrid so he trusted her a bit more.

"Use?" The Danes voice was deep and raspy…

Aurelio stood and paced in front of the table. He paused, having collected his thoughts - and affected his coolest driest Venetian stare - full of skepticism and detachment. "I think that we should make further inquiries of them both - but separately. You take Izkander – I want to talk to Pip ummm - to Professor Petersen.

"You don't trust them?"

"I never said that…" Zen smirked and jammed his hands in his pockets as he leaned against the wall.

Fischer watched Zen and heard thunder fill the room. From outside the Questura a sudden cloudburst drove all the sun worshiping Romans into a state of utter confusion. Allan breathed in the rich heady smell of rain and felt all the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

This looked to be promising.

…..

Esbeth poured some tea into one of the mugs and turned towards the sleepy, prone E.J stretching in bed. She'd thought about a few 'hard truths' as she'd made the tea. She was a lonely, insecure and rather needy person - she knew it and she wanted to move beyond it. The sex had been great - but she knew her inclination was to cling to any affection that Izkandr might offer her – inevitably turning any light embrace into a death grip. She dreaded her neediness and she knew it would drive him away - it had driven away all the others. It wasn't healthy - she knew that but it was hard to second guess herself … it was all she knew.

Last night had been wonderful - a passionate night and maybe it should be just that.

No commitments …not yet.

E.J started to stir and gradually his fuzzy brain began to grasp where he was. He felt wonderfully sated and cozy. "Good morning" he yawned behind his fist as he watched Elsbeth curl up facing him on the other side of the bed. She passed him a cup of tea and smiled at him as she sipped from her own … "A very good morning indeed." He added - hoping he sounded seductive and sophisticated. She laughed as quietly as she could and winked at him - he was awfully sweet. "You were wonderful" she responded "thank you."

"So - what are you up to today?" Izkandr felt more than a wee bit nervous - he rarely had much luck with the ladies and he didn't know what to do at this point. For all his education and the acclaim and respect of his colleagues, he felt about 13 years old sitting there trying to chat with the woman he'd made love to the night before.

"I suppose we'll need to hear from the Questura – I doubt they'll need us." Elsbeth commented without much concern, "More tea?"

As if on cue, the phone in her suite began to ring.

….

Zen glanced out a small window in the conference room at the sudden stormburst. He was used to rain – well, he was from Venice - but it always surprised him how agitated Romans got by such a storm. They seemed quite paralyzed by it - although heavy storms were common enough.

Allan had slipped out of the room as he fancied some coffee. Tania hadn't been in when he'd arrived that morning and he rather hoped he could avoid her that day if possible. Allan wasn't certain how to broach the topic of Tania with Aurelio – he still didn't really know Zen that well - but he respected him. If those two were in a relationship it wasn't a good one. If they were just dating casually - which Allen strongly doubted – Tania's casual sexuality still left Allan feeling odd - maybe because it reminded him of his own past behavior and his awkward divorce. Looking for a kitchen or a coffee room, Allan inadvertently ran into Tania – and he tried hard not to wince as she approached him.

Tania saw Allan's tension as a sign of his attempts to control his passion for her …She glanced about and not seeing Fabri, De Angeli or Zen in the vicinity - she slid her arms around Fischer's neck … "Thank you Mr. Fizchur for the lovely flowers - I missed you this morning…" she purred provocatively in his ear. Allan did his best to extricate himself from her.

"Tania - ehh – I was just looking for some coffee… err… what flowers?"

"Those lovely roses – Some people say that you northern types have no sense of romance - but they're clearly wrong. You're a quite a lover – I was impressed. Daaaarrrrlling…" she trilled as she leaned back slightly, trying to pull him closer to her. Fischer gently but firmly slipped Tania's arms from around his neck and repeated. "Look - I'm sorry but I don't know anything about roses…"

While Tania had been oblivious in her affectionate rapture over Fischer, Zen had stepped into the hall. He'd imagined that Fischer was looking for some coffee and thought to show him the way. But suddenly he felt he'd walked in on a scene from the Commedia dell'Arte. Tania – once his Tania - was clinging rather farcically to the very uncomfortable looking Fischer and purring on about lovemaking. Some distant, remote part of Zen found this display to be pathetically amusing, if a bit sordid. He stood for a moment feeling a shocking sense of profound detachment.

"Ms. Moretti would you be so kind as to contact the front desk at the Hotel Stella - I need to speak to Professor Elsbeth Petersen, please put the call through to the conference room… also could you possibly get some coffee for us?"

Tania stood stunned and unmoving as if Zen had somehow frozen her in place with his words. Her mind and her pulse however were racing…

"Thank you." Zen's clipped response was more cutting than any sharp, bitter or accusatory retort could possibly be. He turned immediately and returned to the conference room. …...