Free Rendezvous in Rome by Carolyn Keene Page B

get rid of that bag.”
    Speeding past Signor Andreotti, they parked their Vespas near his office. They made a dash for the lobby. A few minutes later the art dealer sauntered into the building.
    â€œClaudia! And your charming friends,” he greeted them easily in his good English. “Have you brought your necklace to sell?”
    â€œWe’re actually here for some advice,” Nancy said, making up her story as she went along. “We wanted to talk to you over lunch.”
    Signor Andreotti smiled. “It would have been a pleasure, but I’ve eaten. Why don’t you come up to my office instead?”
    The girls exchanged silent glances as they got into the elevator with him. Once they were all seated in his office, the art dealer said, “Four pretty young women in one day is a treat for me.” He put the sack he was carrying into a desk drawer.
    â€œWho is the fourth?” Claudia asked coyly. “There are only three of us here.”
    â€œPaola Rinzini,” the art dealer replied. “Do you know her?”
    Well, Nancy thought with surprise, he wasn’t trying to hide his association with Paola. “Claudia works at Paola’s store,” she put in.
    â€œYou two are friends?” Claudia asked.
    Signor Andreotti smiled. “Just friends,” he said. “She comes to me for advice, too.”
    â€œShe has Etruscan necklaces to sell?” Nancy asked, trying to keep her tone light.
    Signor Andreotti gave Nancy a look of mild surprise and shook his head. “No, but she is veryinterested in them. She wants to open a gallery, so I’m teaching her about antiquities.”
    â€œReally,” Claudia said, leaning forward. “But she would be your competition then, wouldn’t she?”
    Signor Andreotti gave a confident wave of his hand. “I have lifelong customers,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about Paola Rinzini at all.”
    Nancy’s mind was going in another direction. If Preziosi was barely breaking even, she thought, Paola would have to have another source of income to open her gallery—such as selling stolen Etruscan jewelry, for example.
    Of course, there was still the possibility that Andreotti was lying and was really helping Paola traffic her stolen goods. She still hadn’t seen what was in the sack Paola had given him.
    â€œI noticed you came in with a Preziosi bag,” Nancy said casually. “Claudia, do you think it could be the pin?”
    Claudia looked at Nancy in alarm, obviously not knowing how to respond.
    Turning back to Signor Andreotti, Nancy quickly improvised. “This morning a customer’s package was switched by accident. She bought a fake Etruscan pin, but when she got home she had a scarf instead,” she said smoothly. “Claudia turned the store upside down looking for that pin. Finally we figured it must have been put into another bag by mistake.”
    She gave the dealer a shy smile. “Perhaps Paola gave you that bag. She could have taken the pin by accident.”
    â€œI haven’t even looked in it,” Signor Andreotti said. “It’s a gift, for my advice on her gallery. I told her it wasn’t necessary.”
    â€œWell, would you mind checking for us? Just to be sure?” Bess asked, picking up on Nancy’s ruse.
    Signor Andreotti pulled the fabric sack out of his drawer. Taking a small, flat package from it, he carefully split the tape holding the lid closed, then pulled it off.
    Nestled inside the box was a beautiful leather belt.
    Claudia gave a deep sigh, making Nancy realize she had also been holding her breath. It looked as if Signor Andreotti was telling the truth.
    â€œI guess someone else has the pin,” Claudia said slowly. She looked even more dejected than Nancy felt.
    â€œI hope you find it,” Signor Andreotti said, putting the belt back in the drawer. “Now, how can I help you girls?”
    The vague