by Gina Conroy
Susan hesitated. Should she mention the incident on the rooftop? She took a deep breath. “Not at the house, but something happened a few nights ago, when I was at dinner with an old friend.”
He straightened, his eyes alert. “What happened?”
“I almost hate to mention it.” Once again she hesitated before going on. “We were seated in the rooftop dining room when a bullet barely missed me.”
“What?” He reached for her hand, jostling his glass. He steadied it then took her hand. “Were they shooting at you?”
“Well, if I hadn’t leaned forward to say something to Uncle Ollie, it would have hit me. It was so close to my ear, I heard and felt it.”
“You did call the police?” Concern filled his eyes.
“Yes, they found nothing and it seems no one saw anything, including Uncle Ollie. So…” She sighed.
“They didn’t believe you.” He pressed his lips together.
“They think I ‘imagined’ it.” She tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it. “The police officer was the same one who came to the mansion when I fell, so he just had a field day being condescending to me. Said it was probably a bee. Rotten luck, huh?”
“I think it’s time I had a talk with Nick. Now that he’s back on the force, maybe he can do something.”
She withdrew her hand. “No, I’d rather you didn’t. But thanks for the offer.”
Frustration passed over his face. “Susan, can’t you think of anyone who might hold some sort of grudge against you?”
She shook her head. “Not to the extent of wanting me dead. Besides, I’m not even sure the two incidents are connected.”
“Why not?”
“I still suspect Mary’s nephew of pushing me. He seems shady. He stole money from Mary a few days ago and then yelled at me as he left. He may have been looking for something to sell when I walked through the mansion that day.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’ll be starting some preliminary work at the mansion next week. How about I talk to him?”
“Oh, but Vince, I couldn’t ask you to do that. It’s not your responsibility.”
“I’ll make it my responsibility.” He touched her hand then drew back. “I don’t want anything happening to you, Susan.”
“All right. Thanks. It would ease my mind to know for sure.” She took a relieved breath. “But please be careful. We know little about him.”
“I will.” He smiled. “I promise.”
She nodded. “Good. And now let’s talk about something else. You didn’t ask me to dinner to hear about my woes.”
“Your woes are my woes,” he said. His gaze grabbed and held her. “And I’m not kidding.”
She wasn’t sure what he meant, but suddenly she felt safe. “Thanks again. It’s nice to know I’m not alone in this.”
Their salads arrived, and Susan broke contact with his mesmerizing eyes. Time to move on to safer territory.
“How many are in your family, Vince? I know Nick is your nephew, but I assume, since you have different last names, that he must be your sister’s son. If you don’t mind my asking.”
“I don’t mind at all. I have a great family. And a great big family.” He chuckled. “There are six of us kids, four boys and two girls, Anna and Victoria. Anna is the eldest of the bunch and Nick’s mother. My grandmother was still alive back then and had a ‘fine Italian boy’ picked out for her. She was crushed when Anna married someone else.” He grinned. “She didn’t get over it until little Nicky came along. And then, of course, there’s our mama and papa.”
“Goodness. That’s wonderful,” she said with a wistful sigh.
“I’m an only child.”
He smiled. “Well, at least you didn’t have to share everything. That’s one advantage. Do your parents live around here?”
She shook her head. “They’ve both been gone for several years. Mom of cancer and Dad had a bad heart.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Susan.” His voice was kind and sympathetic. “Do you have other family?”
“No, not since Uncle Albert died.”
“No cousins or anything?”
“Uncle Albert had one daughter, JoAnne. We called her JoJo. She and I were the same age and very close. When we were ten, she and my aunt were in a car accident. Neither survived. I still miss her.” She’d better change the subject. No sense in turning their first real date into something they’d look back on in sadness. What in the world was she thinking? Look back on? As though they had a future together.
“You’ll have to meet the family sometime. You’ll feel like one of them in no time.”
She looked at him in surprise. “You’re not teasing me, are you?”
“Of course not. I’m very serious.”
Susan blinked back tears. “I don’t believe anyone’s ever offered to share their family with me before.”
“Plenty to go around. They’ll love you at first sight.” He smiled. “How about splitting a hot fudge cake with ice cream?”
Mentally, Susan began to calculate calories and fat grams. She really needed to lose five pounds. Oh why not? “That sounds delicious.”
Vince took Carl through the house and gave him a quick summary of what they’d be doing for the next few weeks. “I’d like you to double-check the work. I want everything in top shape before we turn it over to Miss Holland. So make sure no one tries to slipshod over something.”
Carl rocked back on his heels and looked at him. “What are you talking about, Vince? You know this crew isn’t like that. For one thing, they know you wouldn’t stand for it.”
“I know, but everything has to be perfect on this job.”
Carl grinned. “Okay, boss. I think I understand.”
Vince stared at Carl through narrowed eyes. “What exactly do you think you understand?”
“Don’t squint those eyes at me. I know when I see a man falling for a woman.”
“We’re not talking about this.” Vince stalked off. Carl was getting too all-fired cocky. He thought just because they’d been friends for fifteen years, he could read Vince’s mind. He chuckled. Okay, so he came pretty close sometimes. And this time, he’d hit the truth straight-on.
For days he’d replayed the evening he spent with Susan. When he got home that night, he realized he hadn’t been so relaxed in years. She was some lady, all right. Too bad about her family. But he could fix that. The Martinelli family would welcome her with open arms. Especially if they got an inkling about his feelings for her. Mama had been after him for years to find himself a good woman and get married. Whoa! Hold on there. Where’d that come from? Was he really thinking in terms of a long-term relationship?
Susan seemed to like him, but she might not be interested in anything but friendship.
The sound of a revving motor drew his attention. He walked to the front window and saw a low-slung car pull into the driveway and head on back toward the guest house. Must be Tim.
Vince walked down the hall and through the sunroom to the back door. He stepped outside just as Tim got out of his car and slammed the door.
“Hi there.” Vince walked over and ran his hand along the silver hood. “Nice car.”
“Yeah, my pride and joy. Doin’ some work on the place, huh?” He looked toward the house.
“That’s right. My name’s Vince Martinelli.” He held out his hand, and Tim gave it a halfhearted shake. “You Mary’s nephew?”
A guarded look crossed Tim’s face. “Yeah. What’s it to you?”
“Oh, I’d like to talk to you for a moment, Tim.”
“What about, man?” He took a step backward. “I don’t even know you.”
“That’s right. But I believe you know my friend Miss Holland?” Vince took a step forward.
Something like panic swept across Tim’s face. “Oh yeah. Listen, I left in a hurry one day and almost knocked her over. Tell her I’m sorry, okay?”
“You should probably tell her yourself. That wasn’t very nice, now was it?�
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“Hey, man, I said I’m sorry.” He eyed the door of the cottage.
“So you did. But that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m more interested in who pushed Miss Holland down the stairs a few weeks ago.”
Tim straightened from his slouch, and fury stormed across his face. “I knew it. I knew I’d get blamed for that. Well, you can’t pin it on me because I wasn’t anywhere near here. I was at a bar with some friends that day with plenty of witnesses.” He whirled, stomped up the stairs, and shoved through the door.
Vince stayed planted where he was until he was sure Tim wasn’t roughing up Mary. He didn’t hear anything, so he turned and headed back inside.
He leaned against the sunroom door and dialed the number of Susan’s shop.
“Coffee, Tea, and Sweets. Susan Holland speaking.” Susan’s voice rippled with laughter.
Vince grinned at the sound. “Hi there. What’s so funny?”
“Vince, hello.” Susan laughed. “One of my customers just told a joke as he was leaving. But don’t worry. His joke wasn’t near as funny as yours are.”
“That’s good to know. I always want to be able to make you laugh.”
“Are you still at the house?” Her voice still held laughter.
“Yes. I’ve been explaining your plans to my foreman. But that’s not why I called. I talked to Tim.”
An indrawn breath, then, “What do you think? What did he say?”
Vince related most of the details of his talk with Tim.
“Do you think he did it?” Her voice held anxiety.
“No, I really don’t. Not that he’s not capable of it. He definitely has character flaws, but he seemed confident about his alibi.”
Her sigh tickled his ear. “I’d almost hoped it was him. Because it would have explained things.”
“What do you mean?”
“If it wasn’t him, then both incidents must be connected. And I can’t imagine anyone wanting to get rid of me unless it has something to do with the house.” Her voice trembled.
Vince closed his eyes tight against the fear in her voice.
“Listen, Susan. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. All right? Just be careful.”
“I will,” she whispered.
“Say, how about we grab a hamburger or something later?”
“Oh Vince. I’m so tired. I think I’ll just go home and take a casserole out of the freezer to heat up.” She paused. “But I wouldn’t mind sharing my casserole with a friend. How about it?”
“Are you sure?” Vince felt like dancing a jig or something.
“Very sure. Six o’clock too early?”
“Six is perfect. Can I bring dessert?”
“I have fresh fruit for a salad. But if you want something richer, then feel free to bring it.”
“Fresh fruit salad sounds great. See you at six, then.”
As soon as he disconnected the call, Carl’s voice broke into his happy thoughts. “Hey, Vince. Get that silly grin off your face and explain how this coffee shop is going to be set up,” Carl said. “That is, if you can come down to earth long enough.”
Vince laughed. “You’re just jealous because no one will look twice at your ugly mug.”
Carl howled and slapped him on the back. “Do you think Miss Holland has an unattached friend?”
Chapter 7
The upbeat new worship song she’d learned in church on Sunday kept running through Susan’s head as she polished the furniture and ran the vacuum cleaner over the living room carpet. All things are possible, believe it, all things are possible, through Jesus Christ, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
That was the only line she could remember, so she sang the words over and over. She wondered if Vince went to church anywhere. Maybe she’d invite him to go with her next Sunday.
She shook her head and smiled at the way the big, handsome Italian intruded on her every thought.
She glanced at the clock on her mantel and stowed the vacuum in the hall closet. She washed her hands then headed for the kitchen, where she popped a chicken casserole into the oven and began chopping veggies for a salad. The fruit salad was already chilling in the refrigerator with a delicious strawberry cream cheese dressing ready to dab on the individual portions.
Once the salad was made, she changed into a pair of designer jeans and a soft, long-sleeved sweater. The table was set and flames were leaping in the gas fireplace when the doorbell rang.
She opened the door to Vince’s grin and a bouquet of long-stemmed red roses.
“Am I too early?” He handed her the roses as he stepped through the door.
“No, just in time.” She inhaled the aroma wafting from the flowers. “Thanks, Vince. I love red roses.”
“I hoped you did.” He sniffed the air. “Something sure smells good.”
“Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you sit in the living room while I get a vase for the roses and finish up?”
“Or I could help.”
Oh, she loved a man who wasn’t afraid of a kitchen. This she could get used to. “Come with me, then. I never turn down offers to help.”
They carried the food to the table together; then Susan went back for the frosty pitcher of iced tea.
“Would you like to ask the blessing, Vince?”
“Sure.” He bowed his head and spoke a brief prayer of thanks and blessing.
Susan flashed him a smile as she poured the tea. “It’s nice to see a man who is comfortable praying. That means a lot to me.”
“My mother insisted we take turns asking the blessings, as well as evening prayers.” He helped himself to a scoop of the steaming casserole. “Ah. I can already tell you’re a great cook.”
Susan laughed. “Well, thanks, but maybe you’d better reserve judgment until you taste it.”
He winked and took a bite, then held up his fingers in the okay sign.
“I see it passed the taste test.” She turned to her own plate.
“It more than passed.”
“Okay, stop with the flattery.” She grinned and shook her head. “It’s only a casserole.”
They continued the light banter throughout the meal.
Vince insisted on helping her clear away the dishes and load the dishwasher.
They’d just carried mugs of hot coffee into the living room when the doorbell rang.
Susan excused herself and went to open the door. Samantha stood in the hallway, flanked by her son and daughter. Susan grinned at the children. “Come in. Guess who’s here?”
They craned their necks and spotted Vince. “Uncle Vince.” The next minute they were all over him, while he laughed and rumpled their hair.
Samantha shook her head and came in. “We can’t stay. We’re on our way to a birthday party. I got some of your mail by mistake.” She thrust two envelopes at Susan. “Hi, Vince. Shove those two back in this direction, please. We have to go.”
With laughter and promises to get together soon, Samantha and the kids hurried away.
Susan tossed the mail on a small table by the door and joined Vince on the sofa. She laughed. “They always leave me feeling like a whirlwind went through.”
“Yeah, they’re active kids.” He took a swig of his coffee then set the mug on the coaster.
“But well behaved. They’re simply exuberant. Samantha has done a great job raising them.”
“Yeah, Anna is crazy about them already. Nick’ll be a good dad.”
Susan leaned back. “I hadn’t been around children much until I met Samantha’s two. I had so much fun the few times I watched them for her. Made me wish I had one of my own.”
“Yeah, me, too.” The minute the words were out of his mouth, surprise crossed his face and he caught his breath and glanced at her.
Heat rose in her cheeks and she sat up, clutching her mug. “So how long do you think the renovations will take?”
“Huh?” He looked confused for a moment, then shook his head and gave a little laugh. “Hard t
o tell. If everything goes according to plan, it could only take two or three months. But you never know what you’re going to run into in these old buildings.” He looked thoughtful. “I’ll be able to pinpoint it for you better after a few weeks on the job.”
“I see.” She fumbled around in her head, trying to find something impersonal to say, and found nothing.
Vince stood. “Well, I’d better be going. We both have to get up early.”
She walked him to the door where they stood looking at each other.
“Susan.” He started to take her hand, but she avoided it, pretending not to see.
“Good night, Vince. Thanks so much for coming.”
He nodded and said good night.
Susan closed the door and leaned against it for a moment. What was he going to say? Or maybe he would have kissed her good night. Why had she stopped him?
She sighed and grabbed her mail off the table, then flopped down on the sofa. She glanced at the return address on the top letter. Senator Anthony Noble? Why was she getting mail from him? It couldn’t be a campaign letter. He had retired several years ago. Besides, it looked more like an invitation.
She ripped open the envelope and her eyes scanned the card. She frowned and reread it. Why would Senator Noble invite her to an informal dinner? This must be a mistake. Well, it was too late to call now. She’d have to wait until morning.
Susan glanced around the crowded room. She still hadn’t formally met her host. But she’d been assured by his secretary that the invitation was real. She’d come more out of curiosity than anything. Dinner had been long and boring, but the food was delicious. She wondered when, if ever, she’d find out what she was doing here. Other than Uncle Albert’s infrequent mentions of the senator, Susan knew little about him. Though, by the looks of his house, he was very wealthy. It made the Holland mansion look like a shack.
“Miss Holland.” She turned at the sound and found a short man with a trim mustache standing at her elbow. “The senator would like to speak with you privately. Follow me, please.”
She did as instructed and a moment later stepped into a room with a magnificent fireplace. Bookshelves lined three walls, and sofas and overstuffed chairs in varying shades of brown stood comfortably around the room. Susan had seen Senator Noble on TV, but it had been years. She wasn’t prepared for the sight of the emaciated white-haired man who motioned her over to the high-backed paisley wing chair where he sat next to the blazing fire.