The Body in the Piazza - By Katherine Hall Page Page 0,65

seemed like a good idea.

They returned upstairs. Francesca took a deep breath and started to knock on the Russos’ door. Faith grabbed her hand.

“Wait! Listen,” she whispered.

The snores coming from the room were so loud it was a wonder they hadn’t woken everyone up. The two women started to giggle—nerves, plus the noise was truly comical, a human buzz saw.

“It’s the two of them,” Faith said, again softly, although there was little reason to think anything short of a bomb going off would wake the Russos. “We’ll both go in. If by some slim chance they do wake up, you can give your speech about the hot water and I’ll climb out the bathroom window onto the ledge. Is it like ours?”

Faith always liked to have a plan, an escape plan. Francesca could come around with a ladder if need be.

“Yes—and you are okay to pick up the serpe?”

“Snakes, yes; mice, no.”

They were in and out in under a minute.

And there had been another decapitated serpent in the bath.

It was a typical grass snake, very thin and long—at least three feet. With its dark rings, including the bright yellow one just behind its severed head, it looked much more dangerous than it was. Had Faith not known what it was, it would have caused her more than a moment’s consternation—she’d have run out of the room screaming. Using the gloves, she’d accomplished her task swiftly and left the oblivious Russos in the Land of Nod.

“Now Sky and Jack,” Faith said, doubting they would hear any snoring, predicting something more in the nature of panting.

Francesca put her ear to the door. “Too thick. I can’t hear anything.”

Faith stepped to the side and Francesca knocked. After a moment, Jack called out, “Yes, what is it?”

Francesca did her number, leaving the door slightly open. Faith thought it sounded convincing, and in a few minutes, Francesca was out in the hall again. “Another one?” Faith asked.

“Yes! Someone must hate us very much! What am I going to do!”

“For now, get the last ones, if there are any, and then we need to dispose of the one in our room. For the rest of the day, and what remains of the week, we’ll be keeping a very close eye on everyone until we can figure out who our Madame Defarge is.”

“How could someone get into the rooms? I keep my key in a drawer in the kitchen pantry, out of sight.”

Faith decided now was the time to tell her the Rossis had to come up with more secure room locks, although she didn’t tell her how Faith had found this out.

“You can replace them before the next group comes. Tell Gianni I suggested it. And meanwhile, carry the master key with you or put it someplace secure in the other house.”

They had arrived outside the Culvers’ door.

“Just do what you did with Sky and Jack. It will be fine,” Faith reassured Francesca, who was beginning to look pale. It wasn’t all right, but she had to get her friend in and out of this room with her grisly find plus one more, the Nashes’—and that could pose a challenge.

She knocked and Faith heard a sleepy voice say, “Come on in, y’all.” It could have been either Hattie or Sally.

Francesca went inside and Faith heard the voice say, “Speak quietly if you don’t mind. Sally has to get her eight hours or she’s as mean as a snake.”

The bag for the serpi, gloves, and other removal implements were in a larger canvas satchel slung over Francesca’s shoulder. Peeking through the door hinge, Faith watched it slip to the ground as Francesca looked startled and appeared about to say something. Faith needed to do something quick. She darted into the room.

“Sorry, but I was passing and saw the door open. Is everything all right? I was on my way downstairs to find you, Francesca. I think there’s something wrong with the hot water.”

The relief on her friend’s face was palpable.

“I was just about to tell Hattie that. I don’t think it’s every room, but I will check this one and then look at yours.”

Sally snorted and rolled over but didn’t wake. Hattie held a finger to her lips. Both women were firm believers in hairnets and liberal applications of face cream. Hattie was also wearing a chinstrap. Beauty did not come without effort. Faith smiled and went back out.

“Phew,” Francesca breathed out, closing the door behind her. “That was close. I thought she was talking about the