A Fashion Felon in Rome by Anisa Claire West

something in your car that you could use to break the window open?”
    “Probably,” Massimo huffed, rushing back to the car as I followed.
    “I should never have asked to stop for that stupid ice cream.  We might have given Leonard just enough time to…”
    “Don’t say it,” Massimo begged, examining an umbrella and deeming it too weak to shatter the glass.
    “Kill her!” I finished with a lump in my throat.  “They probably had a huge fight and he lost his temper and…”
    “Okay, don’t get carried away.  We don’t know what happened yet.  But we’re going to.” Massimo lifted a heavy metal wrench out of the car, running towards the window and hurling it at the glass.  “Duck down!” He ordered as the glass shards flew everywhere.
    Protecting his hands with a pair of gloves, Massimo wiped away the remaining glass from the windowsill.  “Okay, it’s safe now.  Let’s slip inside.  I’ll go first and make sure everything is safe…no, on second thought, wait for me out here.  I don’t want you to be traumatized by what might be in there.”
    “There’s no way I’m waiting out here! Don’t worry about me.  Just hurry so we can get to her!” I screamed as Massimo hoisted himself through the window.
    Feeling like a curvier version of Catwoman, I slinked inside right behind him, my rump centimeters away from getting stuck.  “Evelyn! Evelyn, are you okay? It’s Gianna and Massimo!” I called hopefully, holding my breath waiting for a response.
    To my enormous relief, a cowering Evelyn emerged from the kitchen, wielding a large wooden spoon in an apparent effort to defend herself.  “Gianna!” She gasped.  “That was you knocking on the door like a psychopath? I thought Leonard had forgotten his keys and came back to hurt me!”
    “You’re alive,” I whispered, gazing at Massimo who exhaled in unison with me.
    “How did you know that I needed help?” She asked shakily.
    “So Leonard was trying to harm you?” I prodded, taking a step closer as she laid the wooden spoon on an armchair.
    “Yes, I guess you probably figured out that he’s my fiancé…and I don’t think I should tell you the rest.” She looked guiltily down at the floor.
    “Yes, you should,” I coaxed.  “Because I have a confession too.  Massimo is not my boyfriend.  He and I have been investigating Tomaso’s death together.”
    “ Gianna ,” Massimo grated, furious that I had leaked the information.
    “No, it’s okay.  I want to work with you guys,” Evelyn said softly, sweeping a teardrop off her cheek.
    “Leonard murdered Tomaso, didn’t he? Leonard was the one who cut the brakes on Tomaso’s boat, right?” I deduced.
    She sighed heavily, crossing her arms over her chest.  “I know what I did was wrong.”
    “You mean getting involved with Tomaso?” I conjectured.
    “Yes. How did you know that?” Evelyn asked, taken aback.
    “I didn’t know it for sure.  But I thought it was pretty likely. You and Denise both flirted with him quite a bit,” I pointed out candidly.
    “I know.  And I shouldn’t have cheated on Leonard. It’s all my fault! I’m the reason that Tomaso is dead!” Evelyn sobbed.
    “No, Leonard is the reason that Tomaso is dead,” I corrected.
    “Did Leonard actually confess to you?” Massimo inquired.
    “No, but he didn’t deny it either when I accused him.  I had suspected all along that Leonard was the murderer.  He saw me kissing Tomaso on the beach…oh, I was so stupid!” She raved.  “But tonight at the dock, I felt certain for the first time that Leonard was the killer.  And the way he treated me when we got home only made me even more sure.”
    “How so?” Massimo probed.
    “He had never been violent before, but tonight he shoved me against the wall.  He shoved me so hard.  So I told him to leave.  Just to get out.  But I should have gotten a confession from him before I let him walk out.  Oh, I’m a horrible person.  Tomaso only