Rendezvous in Rome

  Looking behind him to see where Nancy was, the thief took a turn too tightly. The Vespa hit the corner of a building and smashed its taillight. He wavered for a minute, then regained his balance in time to make another quick turn, to the left.

  Nancy followed him and found herself in a tiny piazza. Roads ran off to her right and left, but the dark Vespa was nowhere in sight. She could hear the engine, but the sound bounced around the piazza, and she couldn’t tell where it was coming from. She had lost him.

  Nancy’s knee ached. Sighing in frustration, she drove back slowly to the Belvedere. Bess and Signor Andreotti were gone, but there was a message from Bess saying she’d gone back to their pensione. When Nancy got back, Bess was waiting up for her.

  “From the look on your face, your news is as bad as mine,” Bess said.

  Nancy sank into the overstuffed chair. “You didn’t see him, then?” she asked.

  Bess shook her head. “I took a few families up to the top floor, and several couples came down. But I didn’t see any guy on his own. And Signor Andreotti didn’t get a look at him, either. The guy totally bowled him over.”

  “I feel awful about losing that necklace,” Nancy said, resting her chin in her hands. “The thief must have taken the other elevator and walked up the last two flights. I guess I should have called the police. I was just sure that one of us would see his face!”

  “So we don’t know any more now than we did before,” Bess mused.

  “Well, we know the thief is a young man,” Nancy said. “And he has a dark-colored Vespa, with a silver decal on the side. He busted his taillight trying to get away from me, too.”

  “Not to mention that he was at the party tonight,” Bess added. “That narrows it down.”

  “To Massimo, Sandro, and a few others,” Nancy said. “I guess we know what we’re doing in the morning—trying to match dark Vespas with people who were at the party.”

  “Not first thing,” Bess said, shooting Nancy a secretive smile. “I have a little surprise first.”

  Nancy looked at Bess questioningly. “What?”

  “You have to wait until morning,” Bess said mysteriously. “I promise you it’s a good surprise.”

  • • •

  “Okay, Bess,” Nancy said the next morning, casting one last glance in the mirror at the sleeveless white blouse and flowered shorts she wore. “What’s the big secret? I can’t wait anymore.”

  Bess only said, “All in good time.” Nancy was dying of curiosity as Bess led her to the outdoor café down the block. Bess murmured something to the waiter, and Nancy was surprised when he showed them to a table where someone else was already sitting. A blond guy was there, turned away from them so that Nancy could see only his profile and dark glasses.

  Then he turned his head and slipped the glasses off his nose. It was Mick Devlin!

  A smile spread slowly across his handsome face as he watched Nancy come toward him. Then he stood up, opened his arms, and scooped her into them, hugging her tightly.

  “Mick,” Nancy gasped, pulling away. Her heart was pounding wildly. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to do this,” he said. His eyes held her as he curled one hand around the back of her neck and covered her mouth in a kiss that seemed to go on forever.

  Bess noisily cleared her throat. “If I had known you’d get so lost in each other, I wouldn’t have come along!” she teased.

  Nancy blushed and untangled herself. She smoothed her hair, then took the chair next to Mick, while Bess sat on his other side.

  “So really,” she said, composing herself, “what are you doing here?”

  Just then their waiter came over to take their order. Mick waited until he was gone before answering Nancy’s question. “Really, I came to see you.” He couldn’t seem to stop smiling. “I was tired of Geneva, and I missed you guys.”

  Nancy was still feeling stunned. “But how did you find us?”

  “I remembered Claudia’s name, so I called her up. Don’t worry, no strings attached,” Mick added quickly. “But we had a good time in Geneva, right? And we made a good team while you were solving your mystery.”

  “Well, we’ve stumbled into another one,” Bess told him. “Funny how that happens when Nancy’s around. Maybe you can help us with this one, too.”

  Over pastries and fruit Nancy and Bess filled Mick in on the events of the past week. Nancy could hardly keep her mind on what she was saying—her heart skipped a beat every time Mick smiled.

  When she was done, Mick took her hand in his and fixed her with his deep green eyes. “Looks like I have a lot of lost time to make up for,” he said. “And a few bumps on the head that someone needs to pay for. What’s your next step? Are you going to see this Massimo character?”

  Nancy nodded. “And call Signor Andreotti to make sure he’s okay.”

  “Well, we might be wrapping up this mystery any second,” Bess pointed out. “Maybe we should wait until we have some news for him.”

  “Massimo first, then,” Mick said, signaling for the waiter. “And I hope you won’t mind if I come along for the ride.”

  Nancy returned Mick’s grin and caught Bess looking at her. Romance was the best part of life to Bess, Nancy knew, regardless of whose romance it was. And right now, Nancy had to agree!

  The teenagers unlocked their Vespas and set off for Piazza Navona, with Mick riding behind Nancy. Feeling Mick’s arms wrapped loosely around her, Nancy resisted the urge to lean her head back into his shoulder. Get a grip on yourself, Drew, she told herself sternly. Yesterday you had written this guy off. Today the least you can do is keep your head long enough to catch the jewelry thief.

  The two Vespas buzzed down to Piazza Navona. Nancy spotted Massimo right away. He was sitting on his stool, watching the tourists.

  “I’ll take Mick over and introduce him,” Bess offered after the girls had parked their Vespas. “Kind of a diversion, you know. That way you can look around for Massimo’s Vespa.”

  Mick gave Nancy a thumbs-up sign. “She’s separating us already,” he joked, heading toward the jewelry stand.

  Nancy nosed around in the rack of motor scooters, looking for Massimo’s. She had no trouble identifying the black Vespa by the license plate, which read Bianco 1. The Vespa was dirty, but even as she rubbed the dirt from the body she couldn’t find any trace of a decal. Then she checked the taillight. It was intact and very dirty, Nancy saw. This definitely wasn’t the Vespa she had chased the night before.

  The sound of another Vespa motor made Nancy look up. Claudia was just pulling up on her moped. Bluish circles under her eyes clearly showed her lack of sleep. She looked upset.

  “I have to talk to you,” she told Nancy, not even bothering to say hello. “I have some news.”

  “If you tracked us here, it must be important.”

  “Actually, you were gone, so I was coming to see Massimo.” Claudia paused and gazed at the jewelry stand. She didn’t seem to know how to begin.

  “I have some news, too,” Nancy said. “We set a trap for the thief last night, but he got away.”

  Claudia didn’t look surprised. “What happened?” she asked.

  Briefly Nancy told her about the trap and the chase through the streets. “I thought it was Massimo, but his Vespa isn’t the one that the thief was riding,” she concluded.

  Claudia gave a half nod. “Is that Mick Devlin with Bess?” she asked, changing the subject. Nancy turned and saw Bess and Mick heading back their way.

  “Yes,” Nancy replied. “I heard he called you to find us. Thanks for keeping his call a secret. I was really surprised.”

  A cloud crossed Claudia’s face as Nancy said the word secret. She greeted Bess and gave Mick two air kisses, then turned back to Nancy. “I want to show you something,” she said, getting back on her Vespa. “Follow me.”

  Nancy exchanged puzzled looks with Bess and Mick. They all got on their bikes and rode away from the square, with Claudia out in front. Soon Na
ncy recognized the route Claudia was taking. Within minutes they rode up the ramp of the Theater of Marcellus and pulled into the parking lot.

  The first thing Nancy saw was a midnight blue Vespa next to where Claudia had parked. The taillight was broken. Nancy ran her hand over the seat as she walked around it. A shiny decal on the body proclaimed Roma in silver letters.

  “This is it!” she said excitedly, digging in her purse to write down the license plate number. “Claudia, you’re brilliant!”

  Nancy pulled out a piece of paper and started to write, but Claudia stopped her.

  “There is no need for that,” Claudia said.

  “What do you mean?” Nancy asked, looking up.

  A tear trickled down Claudia’s cheek, and she spoke so softly that Nancy could hardly hear her. “The bike belongs to Sandro.”

  Chapter

  Thirteen

  HOW LONG HAVE you known?” Nancy asked.

  Claudia wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. “I have suspected it since the night at the disco. Massimo was so offended when we suggested the necklace had come from him,” she said slowly. “We have been friends since we were children, and I knew he would not lie about something like that. Then there was the part about Sandro forgetting to bring the package to the store for over a week. That is not like him at all. Especially since when he dropped off the package, he said it was very important.”

  So that was why Claudia had been so upset. She was afraid of finding out her boyfriend was a jewelry thief! “Why didn’t you tell us that Sandro’s story seemed strange to you?” Nancy asked.

  “Well, I was uncertain. So when Massimo and I were dancing, I asked him point-blank. ‘Did you give a package to Sandro?’ I asked. ‘How many necklaces were in it?’ ”

  “How many?” Bess breathed.

  “Two,” Claudia said.

  “But Sandro gave you a package with three necklaces,” Nancy said. “I still don’t understand why you didn’t say something right away.”

  Claudia fingered the seat of her Vespa as she answered. “It was Sandro against Massimo. I did not know who was lying. And they are both so dear to me, I could not risk making a mistake.”

  “So when were you sure?” Bess prodded.

  “Last night,” Claudia replied. “Sandro and I planned to go out after the party, but he canceled. He just said he had something else to do. He even left his mother at the opening. I took her home and waited at his house for a while, but he never showed up. When I finally left, I ran into him pulling into the parking lot. He was dressed all in black, and he was very tense and upset.”

  There was no doubt in Nancy’s mind. Sandro was their thief. But something else still bothered her. “Why would he do it?” she asked.

  “Steal from his mother?” Claudia asked bitterly. “Attack my friends? We will have to ask him.”

  Nancy’s mind was working furiously as the foursome went upstairs. Thinking back, she was pretty sure she knew why Sandro had stolen the necklaces, but there were still a few blanks.

  “Claudia, what are you doing here?” Sandro asked, bending to kiss her as he invited the four teens inside.

  Stiffly, Claudia introduced Mick and Sandro, then looked around. “Is your mother here?” she asked.

  “She’s out shopping,” he said, following the group into the living room. “What’s going on?”

  “Why did you do it, Sandro?” Claudia stared him straight in the eyes. “Why did you steal your own mother’s necklace? And her friends’ jewelry?”

  Sandro looked innocently from Claudia to Nancy, opening his palms in front of him. “Is this a joke?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “Those women trusted you!” Claudia continued. “You probably stole their jewelry from their homes when you were an invited guest!”

  “Claudia”—Sandro gave an uneasy laugh— “you’re acting crazy. I’m not a thief.”

  “If you lie to me again, I will never speak to you as long as I live.” Claudia’s voice shook. “I saw you last night, and so did Nancy!”

  Sandro’s face crumpled. He sat down heavily on the sofa.

  “Let me see if I have the story right,” Nancy said, sitting down next to him. “You steal the jewelry and send it to Preziosi. Paola sells it.”

  “But why?” Claudia asked, her lips tight. She sat down on Sandro’s other side while Mick and Bess settled into two chairs.

  “Because he wants to start his own computer company and his mother wouldn’t lend him the money,” Nancy guessed. Sandro’s astonished expression told her she was right. “But then why haven’t you started the company?”

  Bess grabbed Nancy’s arm. “Wait, I’m completely lost!” she exclaimed. “Could you guys please back up and explain this to me?”

  “Nancy’s right,” Sandro said miserably, raking a hand through his hair. “I took my mother’s necklace so I could start my own company. But I only wanted to borrow it,” he added earnestly. “I thought I could pawn it, but I needed to be sure I would be able to get it back as soon as the company made some money. I was hoping my mother wouldn’t miss it. She almost never wears it.”

  Sandro let out a sigh before continuing. “One day I was at Preziosi, waiting for Claudia to come back from an errand, and I asked Paola to recommend a pawnshop. She got the story out of me and offered to lend me the money herself—in exchange for the necklace.”

  “How were you going to explain where you got the money to open your business?” Bess asked, leaning forward in her chair.

  “I wasn’t sure,” Sandro admitted. “As it turned out, it didn’t matter because Paola didn’t give me any money. She kept Mamma’s necklace and blackmailed me into stealing again instead. She said if I didn’t, she’d tell my mother I stole her necklace. She said that no one would believe I really intended to get it back for her.”

  “But how did you manage to steal everyone’s jewelry?” Bess asked.

  “As Claudia said, I was invited into all those houses,” Sandro said. “You can’t believe how careless some people are with their combinations. And I have a listening device so I can hear the combination in the locks. It was pretty easy.”

  Nancy picked up the story again. “So when you met Bess on the Spanish Steps, you must have recognized the necklace she was wearing right away. When the gypsy kids grabbed her knapsack, you saw your chance to grab her necklace.”

  “But I managed to hold on to it,” Bess put in. “That’s why we didn’t suspect you then.”

  Pointing an accusing finger at Sandro, Claudia said, “You drugged Nancy at the disco and broke into their room twice.”

  Sandro nodded, looking ashamed. “I picked up Bess’s room key when the kids took her knapsack, so I knew where to go.” He smiled sheepishly. “The second time I wore a wig that was kind of like Massimo’s hair. I thought that would give you more reason to suspect him.”

  “Where did you get that awful gargoyle’s head?” Bess asked.

  “At an art supply store,” said Sandro. “I hoped that would make you think of Massimo, too.”

  Nancy shuddered as she remembered the attack in the catacombs and the musty bones crashing around her. “That was quite a daring move in the catacombs,” she told Sandro. “I don’t know if I would have had the guts to attack someone with all my friends around.”

  “I had to,” Sandro said. “Paola promised me if I could only get the necklace back, I could stop stealing for her.”

  The group fell silent for a moment until Sandro spoke. “I guess I should be happy,” he said, despair in his voice. “I’ve been trying to get out of this for months. I’m sorry I hurt you, Nancy. I was just so desperate. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t give up!”

  Tears sprang to Claudia’s eyes, and Bess went over to hug her.

  “I know you were scared,” Nancy told Sandro. “But you stole a lot of jewelry. Why didn’t you simply go to the police and report Paola?”

  “I don’t have any proof,” Sandro said
. “Paola made that very clear. She said she would put the blame on me and send me to jail!”

  Claudia’s dark eyes flashed with indignation. “There must be some way to catch her,” she said.

  “Red-handed is always the best way,” Nancy said with a smile. “All we have to do is catch Paola with the goods.”

  For the first time since they had confronted Sandro, Mick spoke up. “So you need a stolen necklace,” he said. “Do you have one?”

  “I have the necklace I took from the hotel last night,” Sandro said. “And I still have the one I took from Nancy in the catacombs. You mean I can just give them to Paola and have her arrested?” he asked, his expression brightening.

  Nancy’s mind was racing. “Not quite,” she said. “We’d have to prove she knew they were stolen and kept them anyway. The best thing would be if we could catch her trying to sell them.”

  “They are not sold in the store,” Claudia said, looking at Sandro. “Who does she sell them to?”

  Sandro shrugged, “If she told me that, she would be a real fool.”

  Nancy wasn’t about to give up, though. She was sure they were on the right track. “But if she has them to sell, I’ll bet we could find out who her contact is,” she pointed out.

  “Let’s track her!” Mick suggested.

  Sandro looked at Nancy, his eyes wide. “You mean, you’re letting me off the hook? You’re not going to turn me over to the police?”

  “Not at the moment,” Nancy said. “We need you to get to Paola. But you’ll have to talk to the police once we’ve caught her.”

  “Claudia, I’m so terribly sorry,” Sandro said, hugging her tightly. “If I get out of this, I promise I’ll never be so stupid again.”

  Nancy waited for the couple to separate, then said, “Claudia, maybe you should go to Preziosi to see if Paola is there. Sandro can take the necklaces over in a little while.”