Aha, a missing jewel! Now we have all the elements of a classic noir story. Love it, and I like this alternate possible characterization of Maryanne as a woman wronged…though she could be telling a fib.

Something up Vincenzo’s sleeve? A twist?? Of course. Is she going to confront Otellio and trade the cash she stole for the Diamond? Wow fun!!

A nice fat slab of plot! Just what was needed to impose some order on the rather fuzzy morass of motivations and narrative threads that have made up the story so far. Good call, August!