Thin Lives (Donati Bloodlines #3) by Bethany-Kris Read Free Book Online

know what it was.
    She quickly made her way to Affonso’s office, noting from down the hall that the door had been left open. The hissed voices coming from inside didn’t slow her down a bit. She could have stayed out in the hall and kept hidden from view, but as it was, she had already been on her feet for longer than the doctor would approve.
    Walking right inside the office, she found Affonso and Calisto glaring at one another. Affonso stood behind his desk, palms down on the top as he leaned over it slightly. Calisto stood only a couple of feet away from his uncle, sneering and not backing down.
    From what, though?
    “Leave,” Affonso barked at Emma.
    She sat down on the couch instead.
    “Did you?” Calisto asked, ignoring Emma’s presence and Affonso’s demand for her to go away. “I want to know, zio , and I want to know why.”
    “I have been here all day,” Affonso snarled, his gaze cutting back to Calisto in a blink. “Ask Emma or the cook, for God’s sake.”
    Calisto’s stance didn’t soften a bit. “We both know you rarely dirty your hands. Why must you dirty yourself when you have plenty of others who would do it for you?”
    “Calisto!”
    “You were the only one who knew I was going to the church and why—”
    “What does that have anything to do with the priest?” Affonso asked, throwing his hands wide. “And why do you think I had anything to do with it, my boy?”
    Calisto’s straight back relaxed a little. “They questioned me for hours. Even having the lawyer in there did nothing for me.”
    “I tried all day to get you out, Cal. I did.”
    “They treated me like shit. I was the one who found him, zio .”
    Affonso frowned.
    Emma was shocked to see how honestly sad Affonso looked.
    “It’s because of who you are, not what happened to the priest,” Affonso replied quietly. “You know that, Cal. You won’t be blamed for this—your last name just causes the police to get into an uproar.”
    The priest?
    Something happened to the priest?
    The only priest Emma knew that Calisto would make any effort to spend time with was Father Day. She was aware he had been Calisto’s counselor and confessor for years. He had been at the church the day of the accident, too.  
    A heaviness settled in Emma’s stomach.
    “What happened to Father Day?” she asked before she could stop herself.
    Calisto tensed, but didn’t turn around.
    Affonso passed her a look, but stayed quiet.
    “Someone could answer me,” Emma said, frustrated and tired.
    “He was murdered in his office this morning,” Calisto replied, his tone barely above a whisper.
    Emma had strained to hear his words, but she couldn’t possibly miss the pain coating each one when he said them. Her heart hurt for him, and for Father Day.
    Who would have done that?
    And why?
    Her gaze drifted past Calisto to Affonso. What was it that he said? Calisto had come in accusing Affonso …
    Oh, God.
    She didn’t want to think Affonso was capable of doing something like that, but the better question on her mind was why he would have to do it.
    The two men went back to staring at one another again, silent but warier than before.
    Finally, Affonso spoke first, breaking the tension. “Why would you have that sort of suspicion about me, Calisto? Because you called me this morning and then you found him? It was coincidence, nothing more. I don’t understand what would make you think I did this. I cared for that man—he’s been my priest for years.”
    “I just thought—”
    “Thought what?” Affonso shouted.
    Calisto turned his head to the side, giving Emma a view of his pained profile. “I spoke to you about the dream, and like you always do when I’m trying to remember something, you were unhappy and irritated. Snapping at me like I was doing something wrong. I want to remember, zio . Why don’t you want me to remember?”
    Affonso stood straight, his stare flicking quickly to Emma and then back to Calisto. “Of course I want you