Under an English Heaven: An Ellie Kent Mystery by Boatwright Alice K

Author:Boatwright, Alice K.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Firefly Ink Books
Published: 2023-12-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Monday, November 7

Any day that starts off with a call from your ex-husband is not likely to turn out to be a good day. Graham had left early to visit the Hennings before going with another vicar to a daylong meeting in London, and Ellie was in the kitchen finishing her breakfast, when the phone rang. Assuming the call was for Graham, she didn’t get up, but when she heard the voice on the answering machine, she overturned her chair, lunging to pick up the receiver.

“Hello?” she said, hoping she was wrong and that the person she’d heard saying, “I am trying to reach Ellie, uh, Kent,” was not in fact Vito Ruggieri.

Unfortunately, his next words left her no doubt.

“Ellie? Is that really you?” he said, and then he began to laugh merrily.

“Hello, Vito,” said Ellie flatly. “What do you want? How did you get this number?”

“I thought we should be in touch. I really like that expression, don’t you? In touch?” Vito had a way of making this sound like a sexual experience. Which for him, in most cases, it very likely was.

“I don’t think you’re calling to discuss language with me, are you, Vito? I mean, isn’t it the middle of the night where you are?”

“Nearly three a.m. But I wanted to catch you at home.”

“How did you even know where I am?”

“Well, I’ll give you a hint. The police didn’t tell me, but your mother did. You really ought to call your parents more often, you know. They’re very worried about you.”

“What do you mean the police didn’t tell you?”

“When they gave me the third degree. Don’t worry, though, I said that during our marriage you’d become violent only once or twice. Of course, it was a short marriage. And I couldn’t tell them what you’ve been up to since. Really, Ellie, it has been too long. We should get together. I want to hear all about your life. It sounds exciting.”

“Vito, you already know more than I want you to. Are you saying the police in New York interviewed you about this death in Little Beecham?”

“Little Beecham, yes,” and he laughed again. “It all sounds so kinky and quaint. I never thought of you as attracted to quaintness before. But then I can’t say I ever would have cast you in the role of vicar’s wife either.” This witty remark made him laugh as if he couldn’t stop.

“So what did they ask you?”

“They wanted to know all about our romantic summer in Tuscany and what your relationship with my family was like. I told them no one in my family has vanished lately, but I don’t think they believed me, because they called on my mother too.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No. And she gave them the full-bore, immigrant Italian I-don-speaka-Eng-lish treatment.”

“She didn’t.” Her ex-mother-in-law spoke four languages, including perfect English. “That must have been a scene worth recording. So what did she say?”

“Nothing, really. They showed her a photo of the dead man, and she swore she’d never seen him before.

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