Another hour passes, and Shane starts relaxing.
Maybe it’s the wine, I don’t know.
Maybe it’s because Carmen’s good mood acts like a remedy with her.
Maybe it’s because, objectively, the company is good, the food is great, Alice is telling very funny jokes and our Italian guests are friendly and personable.
Maybe it’s because, even just for a minute, she has found a way to share an ounce of her dark thoughts with somebody – that would be Dante – and the distance between them seems shortened.
So when Alice starts talking about what a great DJ Carmen is – even if she doesn’t remember a thing about it, she points out smirking – and Dante asks if he can take a look at her gear in the studio, I’m not surprised to see that Shane has nothing to except.
“Sure!” Carmen exclaims, delighted.
“But I don’t feel quite comfortable in my studio right now. You know, I look at that beautiful equipment and I have no idea of how to use it. So… “. She shrugs.
“I’m going with him! I’m going with him!” Alice yells, raising her hand like a school-age girl.
Tasha shakes her head, chuckling, as Dante gets up.
“Can I come with you guys?” I ask, without even noticing it. I turn towards Carmen and smile. “I would like to borrow some of your Edith Piaf’s LPs, if you don’t mind”.
She flashes me that million dollar smile.
“Of course, Jenny”.
I brush her shoulder as Dante smirks at Alice.
“Lead the way, you effusive lady”.

Day 50 after the accident – Carmen’s studio – h. 11.48 p.m.

Alice is bent over the big yellow box Carmen uses to archive her records.
There’s no more trace of joy on her face.
She stops rummaging nervously and sighs.
“There are no guns in here. Even the case file has disappeared”.
Dante is nosing around in a very unobtrusive way. Obviously he couldn’t care less of the DJ equipment.
“Did you guys move it?” he asks, apparently distracted.
Alice frowns.
“Of course we didn’t!”.
“Shane did, then…”, he mumbles.
“I wouldn’t be surprised”, I say, crossing my arms on my stomach and glancing at the backyard.

Dante stops in the middle of the room and takes a look around.
“We won’t find any gun. It’s not here”, he murmurs.
“How do you know that?”, I ask, nodding in his direction.
He ducks his head.
“Look at the dust on the furniture. There are no prints. Nobody came here in a while… Shane got the gun five days ago and the dust in here is at least two week-old. Except for that box, where Alice and Tasha found the case file”. He pauses.
“My idea is that Shane is hiding the gun in a place only she has access to”.
“WAX, maybe?” I hint.
Dante shakes his head.
“No… If I were her, I’d keep it near at hand. I’d have it with me, but not technically with me, do you know what I mean?”.
I raise my eyebrows.
“…Her car…”, I mumble.
Dante only smiles and stares at me.
“We can’t check Shane’s jeep now” Alice says, handing me an Edith Piaf record.
“She’s right” I add.
“I know”, Dante replies. “Jenny, I need your help”.