Joe parked outside Vito’s. He turned off the engine but left the keys in the ignition. A group of men were sitting beneath the awning at the harbour-front tables, drinking. There was no sign of Vito or his truck.

‘Wait here,’ Joe said. ‘I’ll take the bag.’

I sat in the car and watched as he went inside, disappearing into the light. I could hear the men’s voices, the sound of a television; the distant rumble of thunder. Sitting in the open-topped car made me feel vulnerable so I climbed out. I walked along the harbourside a short distance, looked back. I could see Joe inside the pizzeria’s kitchen. His face was lit by the glow from the oven. Valentina was there too. It looked as if he was remonstrating with her.

‘Come on,’ I murmured. ‘Hurry up.’

A breeze blew in from the sea. The waves were dancing erratically, white horses whipped up by the wind. I crossed the road, came closer to the pizzeria entrance, stepping slowly, cautiously. I couldn’t hear what Joe was saying but now Valentina was holding the hem of her apron to her face, wiping her eyes.

‘Come on,’ I whispered. ‘Come on!’

I stood, waiting restlessly, moving from foot to foot. The storm clouds bloomed larger. In the distance, thunder boomed. I kept putting my hand in my pocket but the phone wasn’t there: I’d left it at the villa. I couldn’t check the time but Joe had been inside the pizzeria for ages; at least ten minutes. The bulbs in the streetlights flickered. Someone turned up the volume on the TV.

‘Come on!’ I said again, but it was too late. I heard the sound of a truck approaching and I knew it must be Vito. Shit!

I went into the pizzeria, through the bar, and stood beside the counter that separated it from the kitchen. On the other side, Joe was comforting Valentina, his arms around her. She was sobbing.

‘Joe,’ I hissed, ‘ we need to get out of here!’

‘I can’t leave her like this!’

‘Vito’s coming! I heard his truck!’

‘Valentina,’ Joe said, straightening, holding her shoulders so that she had to look at his face, ‘come with us. We’ll take care of you.’

She shook her head. ‘I’m not going anywhere without Francesco.’

‘Vito will be here any minute,’ I said. ‘You have to come now.’

‘You go,’ Valentina said. ‘Get out of here. I’ll wait for Francesco.’

‘Where is he?’ I asked.

‘I don’t know. He got in between me and Vito earlier and Vito hit him. He went off on his bike. He… God! He took a bottle of grappa.’

'We'll find him,' said Joe. His face was flushed with the heat. His T-shirt was dark with sweat. ‘Come with us.’

‘I can’t go without him,’ said Valentina.

‘Please, Valentina!’

‘I can’t.’