Valpolicella Violet by Traci Andrighetti

Author:Traci Andrighetti
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Limoncello Press

12

The boat began to rock, but thanks to the giant looming on the lagoon, my stomach was already in full swing. “What the hell is that?”

Shona’s laugh blasted like an air horn. “Funny you’d say ‘hell,’ because it’s a bronze sculpture of Dante and Virgil in a gondola, journeying through inferno in The Divine Comedy. A solar panel lights it at night.”

“And you knew about this?”

“I do my research before visiting a city.” Her tone implied that anyone who vacationed without prior study was a slacker. “But I needed to see it to be sure that it was Dante’s Barge.”

“Well, I would’ve appreciated a heads-up.” It was unsettling to come upon the flashing sculpture after my conversation with Commissario Lucifero about Dante and the Empyrean, especially given my fears about a light cult. I took the flashlight from her hand and aimed it at the cloaked figures, one of which was pointing at the San Michele cemetery. “What does it mean?”

Shona resumed rowing. “Virgil represents reason, and he’s leading Dante across the Acheron River, while its water heaves with tortured souls.” She grinned. “Kind of like me and you.”

I didn’t realize I’d asked my question out loud, but if one of us represented reason, it was me. Otherwise, the only similarity Shona and I shared with Dante and Virgil was that we were traveling through an inferno. Although, after being trapped on the quad scull with her, I definitely identified with the tortured souls in the water.

She pulled on the oars and leaned back to give me a searching look. “You sure got spooked. What did you think the statue was?”

“The bell ringer.” I switched off the flashlight, embarrassed by my admission. “I mean, whoever is posing as the bell ringer. The guy I saw was clearly in costume because his bones were screwed together.”

“A walking skeleton would have screws.”

My head snapped back. “Uh, no, it wouldn’t.”

“Without muscle or cartilage, it would need something to hold it together.”

“Not if it was supernatural.” My hand flew to my irrational mouth. What had Venice done to me?

Shona shot me an over-the-shoulder side-eye. “I’m a librarian. We believe in facts.”

I didn’t call her out on the walking skeleton remark. Instead, I grabbed the oars and rowed. It was time to get off the boat.

We neared the island, and Shona turned the quad scull away from the entrance. “We’re going around the back so we won’t be seen from the mainland.”

My arms and I were sorely disappointed to hear that.

As we rowed along the east side of San Michele, I eyed the terracotta brick wall. “The whole island is enclosed?”

“Yeah, the wall’s an ossuary.”

The cemetery is surrounded by skeletons? Can’t wait to go in.

We rowed for another ten minutes and pulled up to a dock where the Mavens had moored their batela. Shona leaped out and tied the quad scull.

I stepped off the boat. There was nothing but brick wall. “Where are Midge and Madge?”

She shrugged. “There’s no gate back here, but they must’ve found a way inside.

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