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have saved your life.”
    How was she so careless? Jess cursed at herself. The alcohol did it, added to her nerves at seeing the police. “Thank you, Nico and Leone,” she mumbled.
    Her head throbbed, but it wasn’t just the fall. A midday hangover from four glasses of sparkling wine at brunch contributed, she was sure. “Thank you,” Jess repeated, “but we can’t stay.”
    She had to find a phone and call the lawyer. Looking out the nearest window, she scanned the courtyard for any sign of police.
    Giovanni caught her looking outside. “That’s L’Olio,” he said, thinking she was looking at the tree in the middle of the courtyard, “our matriarch, the old olive tree. Had you visited her yet?”
    It was mentioned in the castle tour brochure. Jess shook her head, but took a closer look—the tree’s roots dug their way into the ground like old arthritic fingers, gnarled and misshapen, an equally tortured knot of branches spreading out above the roots in a half-dead tangle.
    “Over three thousand years old, our L’Olio,” Giovanni added. “She was here when the Etruscans dug their caves into the hills below us.”
    “It’s beautiful,” Jess lied. Old. Twisted. The tree looked in pain, hanging on to a bitter end. She’d never be like that. She would never hang on past her time.
    “You didn’t finish the tour?” Giovanni looked at Jess, then Celeste. “Then I insist. Please make use of these rooms, and I will take you on a proper tour of the castle myself.” He smiled and nodded. “When you are feeling better, of course.”
    Jess smiled thinly. “We can’t—”
    “I do have a confession.” Giovanni smiled awkwardly.
    This completely threw Jess off. She blinked. “A confession?”
    “When I arrived, we passed in the courtyard, do you remember?”
    Jess did. The deep scar above his eye. It wasn’t a face she would forget. Jess nodded.
    “I recognized you. Sorry if I stared. Jessica Rollins, yes? I’m a fan of extreme sports, and I’ve seen your YouTube videos, your ascent and mid-climb BASE jump from El Capitan. It was the reason I joined the tour group, to say hello to you.”
    Flustered, Jess didn’t know what to say. “Well, I—”
    “It would be an honor if you’d allow me to show you and your mother around the castle myself. Please.”
    Jess was about to say no again, but Celeste interjected. “We’d love to. That is very generous.” She glanced at Jess, frowned, then returned to smiling at the Baron.
    Giovanni’s smile broadened. “Perfect, then it’s settled. I’ll go out and see when the doctor will arrive.” Nodding curtly, he excused himself and exited the room, trailing Hector, who kept staring and smiling at Jess.
    Nico stepped forward from the back of the room, extending one hand to Celeste. She took his hand, and he bowed and kissed it. Her mother blushed. “A pleasure, Madame Tosetti, a real pleasure.” Straightening up, he took a step toward Jess, but she edged away. “And Jessica, I look forward to seeing more of you as well,” he said, leaving Jess her distance.
    “You two, you could be brother and sister,” growled a voice from behind Nico. It was the old man, holding his pipe in one hand, glowering at Nico and Jess.
    Celeste reached to hold Jess’s hand. She smiled at the old man Leone. “Our family was from the valley below here, many generations ago.” She glanced at Nico. “Are you from here?”
    “No,” Nico replied. “I am from Napoli. I came here looking for work, years ago, and Giovanni’s father took me in.”
    Leone grunted and narrowed his eyes. “I have work that needs attending.” He nodded. “Madame Tosetti, Jessica.”
    “Thank you again, Leone,” Celeste said to the old man as he disappeared out the doorway, just as another man came in, suitcases under both arms.
    “Old Leone is just a little grumpy,” explained Nico, turning to the doorway. “Ah, and this is Enzo,” he added, introducing the small man that deposited their