Free Midnight in Venice by Meadow Taylor Page B

headquarters of the Guardia di Finanza. Now get up!” Alessandro stood up, and the man scrambled to his feet.
    â€œWhat do you want us to do with him?” one of the cops asked.
    â€œBook him. Attempted robbery. Throw in an assault charge. See if he has any drugs on him, but I suspect he doesn’t or he wouldn’t have been looking for money.”
    â€œAre you the victim?” the same cop asked Olivia as he took out his notebook.
    She nodded.
    â€œWe’ll need a statement from you.”
    She looked at Alessandro, and he smiled his encouragement while she briefly described the events. “Is that enough?”
    â€œThat should do it,” the cop said, snapping his notebook closed. “We’ll lock him up for a while. Let him stew a bit. See if he has a record.” They led the mugger away, and the priest went back into the church.
    Alone once again, Alessandro put his arm around Olivia’s shoulder. “No mark, thank God,” he said, looking closely at her neck. He ran his fingers over the spot gently as if to erase the memory of the knife. “I’m so sorry. This sort of violence is very rare in Venice. Are you sure you’re okay?”
    She was, but now the tears were threatening to well up. She nodded and let her cheek rest against his jacket in a replay of their first meeting in the airport. Like then, she felt safe.
    â€œWe can put off the boat ride if you’d like. I can take you back to your apartment. We usually suggest speaking with a counselor. I can call one for you.”
    â€œNo, I’d like to have that lunch,” she said. “And if that’s wine I see, I’d really like a glass. Maybe two.”
    He laughed. “Of course. I could use some myself. Good work there, by the way, stepping on his foot.”
    â€œIt was the only thing I could think of.”
    â€œIt was perfect. We make a good team.”
    He offered his hand and helped her into the boat. She sat in the bow while he settled next to the outboard motor. He opened the wine and poured them both a glass, then held his up. “To your angel, Raphael. Guardian angel of fishermen and, it would seem, of . . . you.” He started the outboard motor, and it came to life with a roar and a puff of blue smoke.
    He guided the boat out into the canal. She smiled up at the church dedicated to the angel Raphael.
    â€œWhat was that smile for?” Alessandro said as the boat glided down the canal.
    â€œI was just thinking Raphael has competition.”
    â€œIn the guardian angel department or the sexy department?” he asked mischievously, his smile definitely favoring the latter. But before she could think of a way to stammer her way out of it, he added, “Don’t worry—I won’t make you answer that. Yet.” A single word that promised so much.
    He guided the boat out into the wide Giudecca Canal, and the wind became colder over the more open water. A giant cruise ship, almost as big as the city itself, glided by. Seagulls let out their raucous cries as they swooped down on the water in search of fish, and overhead, heavy gray clouds hung in the winter sky. She fastened the top button of her coat, her fingers touching her neck, the memory of the knife already overshadowed by Alessandro’s soothing touch.
    â€œOkay?” he asked as they crossed the canal toward the island of Giudecca.
    â€œAbsolutely,” she said.
    As they cruised alongside the island, Alessandro seemed to grow a little more distracted, but not so much that he missed pointing out the campanile of San Giorgio. “There’s a beautiful view from the top. And a much shorter lineup than for the one in San Marco.”
    She recognized the Hotel Cipriani, where she’d had dinner with Marco and Silvio on her first night in Venice. She remembered how she’d seen a man at the window in a leather jacket looking out on the tower lit up against the night sky. She’d