Chapter 149.

"Bev is Bertoli's daughter." I didn't bother to bring up my patient, since Johnny didn't know or care about her. "She's been doing her own investigation of Molino."

Bev smirked. "What Dr. House means is that I've been in Palermo, getting close to Carlo, and trying to find out what he's up to."

"Unfortunately, she hasn't learned why he's targeting my family." Marcello took her hand. "But we're taking precautions to protect ourselves."

Johnny nodded. "That's good."

The waiter appeared with their drinks and took their dinner orders and ours for dessert, then slipped away.

"You're Jess and Nina's uncle?" Marcello asked. "And this is your restaurant." He looked around. "Very nice."

Johnny shrugged. "I try."

"Don't be so modest. It's one of the best Italian restaurants in town. That's why we asked you to supply food for our catering company, not because you're family." Jess beamed.

"Is that what you do?" Bev asked. "Run a catering operation?"

"Yes, with my sister, Nina. Actually, our first party is this coming Saturday, but we already have half a dozen events lined up."

Johnny was called away again, but promised to return and check on us later. The waiter brought Bev and Marcello's soups.

"So, you were going to tell us how you know each other," I said to fill the silence that followed his departure.

Marcello swallowed a spoonful of vegetables. "We were? It's not a secret. My father introduced us. He thought we'd make a good match, but we each had other ideas. At least then."

"Maybe he was right after all." Bev squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

I could see my plan to have him fall for Cuddy disappear before my eyes. Oh, well, best laid plans and all that. "That alone could give Carlo a reason to despise the Locarnos."

Bev shook her head. "He doesn't know, and doesn't have to."

"We plan to keep our relationship under wraps for a while." He gave Bev a half smile.

"Yet here you both are, out in public together, where anyone can see." I didn't roll my eyes, but I was tempted.

They exchanged looks. It was Bev who replied. "We didn't think anyone we knew would be here."

"And look who you ran into!"

"House, you won't say anything to anyone, will you?" Marcello pleaded.

I worked my mouth. Of course, I wouldn't, but what could I demand to keep my mouth shut? "You still didn't tell me what happened when you two met."

Jess snickered, although I could tell it wasn't what she expected me to say.

"That's it? Why do you want to know that?" Marcello must have expected something else too.

Bev didn't hesitate. "As we said, we didn't hit it off when his father introduced us, but then we met at his sister-in-law's funeral."

"What were you doing there?" Now I was the surprised one. "You didn't know any of the other Locarnos, did you?"

"No, I was there to deliver flowers. I had a part-time job at a florists, and was going to school part-time, too."

"I offered to help her carry the arrangements from her truck. Some of them were rather large and heavy." Marcello smiled at her, probably picturing the scene.

Bev nodded. "There were lots of flowers. I don't think I ever saw so many then or since. Marcello and I struck up a conversation. I could tell how much Lucy's death affected him."

"Bev was very understanding."

"It wasn't long after my father died. My step-dad. So I knew what grief felt like. I could see it in Marcello's eyes." She focused on those eyes now.

"She gave me her phone number, told me to call anytime to talk." He looked at her with a mixture of gratitude and affection. "She let me cry on her shoulder a number of times. But eventually we each had other demands on our time, and we lost touch again."

"So it wasn't anything romantic at the time?" Jess asked.

"Well, no, not really." Bev twisted her napkin. "I wished it would have been, but we were being pulled in different directions. Marcello's father was turning more and more of the real estate business over to him, and I finally escaped my mother for Europe where I could study art history without her interference. My biological father paid my way." She shrugged. "Maybe he felt the need to compete with the trust fund my step-dad set up for me."

"If he's been paying your way, why do you have to request your trust fund money from your mother?"

She shrugged. "There've been times when Johnny hasn't had it to give me, and lately we didn't want anyone to know the connection between us."

"But now that you're both here in New Jersey..." Jess let it dangle.

Marcello grinned. "With Ricky doing his share at the agency, I'm not under the same pressure I once was. I'm hoping Bev and I can make up for some lost time." His gaze shifted to her. "Third time might be the charm."

They were saved from going into any detail by the arrival of our food. The aroma of their dinners wafting across the table made me want to order another portion, but instead contented myself with my dessert. And a few forkfuls of Jess'.

I ate slowly to prolong the time we spent with them, not that I expected to learn any more, and frankly, I didn't care all that much about their relationship except for the impact it would have on Cuddy.

Bev finally dropped her fork on her plate with a clatter and wiped her mouth, then patted her stomach. "That was a better meal than I had the entire time I was in Italy." She hadn't left much.

"I told you the food was great here." Marcello chuckled, stabbing the last bit of chicken from her plate.

I nudged Jess. "See, I'm not the only guy who finishes his date's food for her."

Jess giggled. "Bev, are you planning on staying in town, then?"

She stared at Marcello as if the answer was written on his face.

"I hope she does," he answered for her. "Bev, there's no reason for you to return to Palermo, is there?"

"No, but..." She compressed her lips. "You know Carlo's a very jealous man, and even though we had a fight before I left, I don't know what he'll do about it."

"Relax. Remember, I have bodyguards protecting me from him. They'll protect you, too."

"But won't that tell him that you and I are..., well, you know?" She frowned. "That'll give him more reason to be jealous and to come after your family."

"I don't think he needs a reason." I shook my head. "At least, I haven't come up with one yet."

Marcello grimaced. "Even my father seems to be at a loss about that. Bev, are you sure he never mentioned us or even his animosity toward our family?"

"No, never." She looked down, then back up into his eyes. "He was too obsessed with a deal he was working on. But it didn't involve any of his operations in the States. Something about grapes and wine, and a wine-making family in France, the Fouchards."

"That name means nothing to me."

"My dad said the same thing when I told him." She put her hand on Marcello's. "Guess I didn't do so well as a spy." She smiled slightly and sighed. "I won't go back there, but I think we should stay away from each other for a while, until we see whether Carlo tries to contact me."

"Yes, that may be best. I can arrange protection for you, separate from the guys shadowing me."

"I can testify that they're very good. Stealthy." I told them how I hadn't spotted the two men guarding Ricky.

"And speaking of your nephew, I think it's time I left to see my sister." Bev wiped nonexistent sauce off her mouth.

"We can take you," Jess offered. "That way no one will see you with Marcello."

She looked at him with one eyebrow raised. When he nodded, she turned back to Jess. "Thank you."

I wondered what Jess was up to, but thought she might just want to spend more time getting to know Bev. It wasn't until the three of us were in the car that I found out.

"I hope this is not a plan of Carlo's to find out what we all know of his operations."

Bev was silent for a full minute. "Jess, Carlo Molino is a despicable man with no respect for anyone else. Every minute I spent with him, I felt like throwing up. I'm so glad to be back here with my sister and my father, yes, and with Marcello."

Jess' face softened. "I'm sorry, but I had to know whether we could trust you. Molino's done some awful things, including having me and my sister kidnapped."

"It's alright. I understand. I'm glad you weren't hurt. Tell me a little more about your catering operation."

Jess turned in her seat to face Bev. "Our first party is this coming weekend. We're getting the food from a French restaurant in Princeton, and we're pretty much set, although some of the planning has been a hassle."

"I wish you well with it."

"Thanks." Jess smiled. "That was how we met Marcello, actually. Nina and I went to his agency to find a base of operations. His nephew found us the perfect property."

I pulled up in front of the hospital. Before Bev got out, she said, "I hope I'll see you both again soon. Thanks for the ride."

"See you soon," Jess repeated. I just nodded.

As Bev entered PPTH, we drove away. "So, what did you think of her?" I asked Jess.

"I like her, and I can see why you do. She doesn't pull her punches, does she? And yet..."

"And yet what?"

"She seemed to give me an honest answer when I asked her about working for Molino. Maybe being around you has made me skeptical." She shook her head. "I don't know. She's holding something back."

I'd accepted everything Bev had said. Was I losing my edge? Did Jess have a point? Or was she jealous of Bev for some reason? "If she is, we'll find out what she's withholding in time. Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye on her."

Jess gave me a strange look including an open mouth frown, then she shrugged. "I suppose I'm imagining things, tired as I am."

"Too tired for some dessert?"

"A third one?" She laughed. "I suppose I can summon up enough energy for a little something something." She showed me exactly what she meant when we got home.

When we finally went to sleep, I fell into a deep slumber for a few hours, but woke in the very early morning with some new ideas to pursue. I thought about the best approach. Knowing what I did, as the pieces fell into place, there were only a few logical routes to take to get to the final piece of the puzzle and the answers I'd been seeking.

I slipped out of bed, doing my best not to wake Jess. I walked barefoot to the bathroom, equipped with the pad and pen from the bedside table. Sitting on the throne, I listed the sequence of what I had to do, as well as what I'd ask others to help me with. Task one was to find Mike Morgan. I cringed realizing I might have forced him into hiding, making that much harder than it could have been. Once we had him where we could question him, we'd know which of two steps would be next. Then again, finding him might have to wait.

By the time I was through jotting down my plan, I had a list that looked more like a decision tree with too many branches, but if we followed it, we'd come to the conclusion we needed.