by Geri Krotow
“How the hell did he get elected?”
“Your guess is as good as mine. But no matter how much we believe the money that got him elected may have come from the cult, or even that they might have rigged the election, we don’t have any evidence.” Colt’s phone rang and he picked it up. “Todd here.” Rio watched his expression. The man was a rock, and his rarely ruffled exterior didn’t give Rio any insight into who the superintendent was talking to, or about what.
“Send her in.” He hung up the phone and looked at Rio. “It’s Claudia.”
Rio knew Claudia as the Trail Hikers CEO. Rio admired her tenacity. She put safety first but always solved whatever crime the Trail Hikers had been brought in to help with.
A quick knock was followed by the appearance of the petite woman with knockout looks, silver hair included. She was old enough to be his mother but he never thought of her as remotely matronly. Her steady gaze skimmed over Rio before it settled on Colt.
“Superintendent. How are you, Colt?”
“Fine, fine. Nice to see you, Claudia. Please, have a seat.”
Rio had stood and offered his hand to Claudia.
“Ma’am.”
She shook it firmly while smiling at him. “It’s Claudia, Rio. We’ve been through this.”
“Yes, Claudia.” He’d had a conversation with his closest buddy on the force, Bryce Campbell. They both found calling the former flag officer by her first name a bit uncomfortable as she’d probably seen more action in her career with the marines than either of them would ever see. She sat in the chair next to Rio and looked at him. “What’s happening with the murder case?”
“I don’t have anything concrete yet, but I do have some circumstantial evidence.” He relayed what Kayla had told him.
“She’s the florist from the Christmas delivery, from the Female Preacher Killer case.” Claudia had the mind of someone half her age and her memory had never failed her while in Rio’s presence.
“Yes.”
Claudia nodded at his response, then turned toward Colt. “She’d be perfect to help with this. I can get some of my people inserted into the activity surrounding the wedding planning and ceremony, but as the florist she’ll have the best opportunities to collect intelligence for us.”
Rio didn’t expect the sudden sense of his case spinning out of control that hit him. He felt as if he was in a kayak on the Susquehanna and hit with a surprise squall. “Kayla’s one-hundred-percent civilian. She’s already feeding us whatever she witnesses in the course of providing the floral services.
“How well do you know her, Rio?” Claudia’s gaze didn’t waver and his stomach did a double somersault. Shit. Claudia knew. That was the problem when you worked with government shadow agencies. They had the means to dig up the smallest details on people. People you cared about.
Like Kayla.
“I, uh, we dated. Very briefly.” No way was he going to mention last night. “I had to end it when I was assigned to the SVFD case. She’s the sister of the fire department superintendent. I was just telling Superintendent Todd that I haven’t been able to prove any of the allegations against the fire chief.”
“They’re unfounded. I had two of my analysts examine the phone communications between him and the alleged persons he’d misdirected during the fire at the church. Fire Chief Paruso acted in the most exemplary manner and the charges need to be dropped. We can’t help you with the civil suit against him, unfortunately.”
A curl of excitement started in Rio’s chest and went straight for his crotch. If the case was dropped, he could see Kayla again. If she’d agree to it. Judging by her defensive posturing after their lovemaking, he couldn’t count on it.
But still.
“We have to make sure the press is informed and that any appearance of impropriety on his part is cleared.” He looked at Claudia. “Can I see what your analysts came up with?”
Claudia nodded. “As part of the Trail Hikers, yes, you may. But you can’t use our data publicly.” He already knew that, but he’d be able to use their data to find something that could be released at an unclassified level.
“I won’t. All I’ll have to tell the press and the DA is that Paruso has been cleared. Remove all doubt, prove that he acted in the public’s best interest before, during and after the Silver Valley Community Church’s fire.”
“Hold on, Rio. Claudia’s right—you’ve got to make sure your testimony, and evidence, is rock-solid. The press will rip you apart if you have to say your source is classified.”
“I’ll make sure, boss. Claudia, can I head over to headquarters today or tomorrow?” Mentally he tried to see how he’d fit it in. He still had to interview the mayor and his daughter.
“I don’t see why not. When you do, why don’t you see if you can bring Kayla Paruso with you?”
Her words were as effective as a knife through Kevlar, cutting down the growing confidence he’d been feeling about Keith’s case and his chance at a relationship with Kayla.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to bring her in, Claudia. She’s a florist, an artist. Her parents have worked for the State Department her entire life and she wanted something different than government service.”
The silence after he stopped speaking unnerved him and he shot a quick glance at Colt, who was in the midst of exchanging a telling glance with Claudia.
“I’m not trying to protect her, for heaven’s sake. She’s an adult and can make up her own mind, of course.” He felt like he did every time his mother had caught him sneaking a cookie out of the pantry. As if his hand held something that would get him in a lot of trouble. Falling for Kayla would cause problems he didn’t have time for.
“Bring her in like Claudia asked, Rio. You can wait until you finish your interviews surrounding the murder and clear up Keith Paruso’s issues, but then I want to hear from Claudia that Kayla has been read into the program.”
“Colt’s right, I’m sorry, Rio. I forgot that you have a lot on your plate. At any rate, have Kayla come in to the Trail Hikers office before next week. We’ll need at least two solid days to make sure she’s trained with a weapon and understands some basic self-defense.”
“Will do.” Hell, they were going to put a weapon in Kayla’s hands? The hands that were adept at making art out of flowers and stems? The hands that had been on his...
“You’re on your own until you find out more information about the Houseman case.” Claudia gave him his last order for the time being. Rio nodded at each of his bosses and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Claudia only ever had conversations behind closed doors at SVPD.
* * *
“I don’t have much time to be out here with you.” Cynthia stood on the gazebo platform, appearing impatient and a bit bored. She’d made the twenty-minute drive from school specifically to see her stepmother and Kayla for the wedding planning. She’d told Kayla three times so far. Kayla had worked in the appointment even though it was the day before Good Friday and dozens of Easter orders loomed. Jenny was taking the load of the deliveries and shop business today.
Kayla kept taking photos of the gazebo from every angle with her phone, using a ruler to help her judge the scale when she was back in her studio. The flowers she needed were going to cost a small fortune, but with a virtually unlimited budget she’d make it happen.
“What are you measuring for, exactly? Didn’t Gloria give you a copy of the gazebo’s blueprint?”
“No, and it wouldn’t help. I need to know how thick the railings are, what the light’s like.”
“That’s brilliant. I would have never thought about the light.”
“Hmm.”
While talking to Cynthia might eventually yield a morsel of information, what Kayla really wanted to do was to get into Gloria’s personal office, unseen. It wasn’t going to be easy with Cynthia here, along with Sylvia and Gloria.
Rio had made it clear that she wasn’t to do any snooping, but would simply obser
ve things as they happened. Thinking of him only made her think of last night, of how carnal they’d been on the stairs and how she wished it could happen again. What happened to the intentions she’d had to stay away from him?
Being the good girl had never been her modus operandi.
“Are you going to be able to have it done in time?” Cynthia’s voice grated across her nerves like sandpaper, dissolving her pleasant fantasy. Kayla was grateful that she was on her knees measuring the gazebo’s railing, with both hands busy, or she’d have jumped at the sound. What was it about Cynthia’s voice?
“Yes, no problem.” She eased back to her feet, keeping a steady awareness of Cynthia’s location.
“Gloria isn’t so sure.” Cynthia ran her long fingers over the wooden balustrade, her nails short and blunt, her long-sleeved blouse more fitting for a courtroom than this backyard. Gloria had meticulously designed it to look like the Borghese gardens in Rome. At least, that was what Kayla assumed she was doing with the tacky faux-marble statues dotting what had been a more natural landscape only a few months ago.
“I’ve promised her I’ll deliver, and I’m promising you that, too. Don’t worry about anything but enjoying your big day. I haven’t backed out on a client yet.” She tapped more notes into her smartphone, reminding herself to be generous with the green ivy. It was far too early in the season to be able to depend on the local nurseries; she’d have to order in from Virginia or even the Carolinas.
“It doesn’t matter to me. Charles and I could just as well elope to Vegas or Mexico. But my father, he’s old-fashioned.”
“Hmm.” Kayla couldn’t look at Cynthia without risking her feelings being stamped on by her expression. If the mayor was so “old-fashioned,” then why was he encouraging such an obviously strategic marriage?
“You don’t approve, do you, Kayla?” Cynthia could have said Who the hell do you think you are? with the chill her tone blasted over Kayla.
“It’s none of my business, Cynthia. My job is to provide you with the most beautiful flowers for your special day. I honestly don’t have time to think past that.”
“I wouldn’t blame you.” Cynthia tossed her hair. “If you didn’t approve, that is. It is rather odd for someone like me to marry a man so much older and set in his ways. He doesn’t want any more children, which most women my age wouldn’t go for. But I don’t need kids. I’ll be too busy with my career.”
“Practicing law can be all-consuming.”
“Oh, I don’t plan to stay in law for too long. My degree is a means to an end. I want to run for office.”
“Locally, like your dad?”
A smile stretched over Cynthia’s gaunt features, making her appear more like the Grinch than a young bride-to-be. “Who’s to say? But I don’t do anything without going for the top. You know, go big or go home.”
“Yes, I heard you’re the top of your class at law school.”
Cynthia sniffed. “That’s not important to me. My future, our future—” she smiled as she looked around the gazebo, presumably picturing the wedding ceremony “—that’s what matters.”
For the second time in as many days, Kayla was struck with a deep dislike for a woman she barely knew.
What was it about Cynthia Charbonneau?
* * *
“Are you absolutely sure she has no idea?”
Gloria could tell Mickey Ippolito was worried again. Familiar annoyance curled in her gut as Mickey questioned her for the umpteenth time.
“Honey buns, I’m sure,” she said. “That girl only has eyes for her father and has no clue what’s going on with us. Hell, her daddy doesn’t suspect, why should she?” She watched him stare at the ceiling and ran her fingers over his nose, his lips. “You worry too much. You need to trust me on this, Mickey. And we need to start our life together. Why don’t you let me leave him now?”
“I want to start our life together, too, Gloria. But it’s not time yet.”
“It’s never time, Mickey.”
“I told you it might take a while. He had to get settled and secure in this new job before you leave him. Before we both leave him. It’s going to come as a huge shock to him.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Oh, yeah.” His calm demeanor masked a sneer.
“You’re getting all tense again. Why don’t you let me calm you down?” She tried to inflect a purr into her voice with no luck. She missed how their lovemaking used to be so endless and enjoyable. Recently it’d been perfunctory, which was a total bummer considering how much work it took to sneak around Silver Valley in order to be together. “Sometimes you make me think he doesn’t want to be with me. Has he said something to you, Mickey?”
“No, no. He’s been the same at work.”
“What has he had you do lately?” She hated to ask because she was concerned the answer might be her biggest fear: that Mickey had been the one to kill Meredith Houseman. Tony swore it was some kind of fluke that Meredith had been out at the barn where Gloria had booked the original reception at the same time as some crazy killer, and that of course he’d had nothing to do with Meredith’s demise. He’d simply sent Meredith out to get information for the wedding. At least, that was what Tony told her.
Gloria believed Tony—he didn’t have the balls to fire anyone on his staff, much less murder her. But if he’d thought Meredith had any dirt on him, he might have persuaded someone else to take care of her. But did he? And was it Mickey who’d done the dirty work?
“You don’t think Tony had anything to do with Meredith, do you, Mickey?”
“I don’t know, Gloria. The man seems clueless, but then he surprises me sometimes. I’m his assistant whenever he needs some dirty work done, but the rest of the time he treats me like garbage. He’d never expect I’d be the one to take away his gorgeous wife.”
“Oh, Mickey, you make me feel so beautiful.”
“You are beautiful, Gloria. And you deserve more than what that guy and his daughter are giving you. They treat you like their slave.”
“Not for much longer.”
“No.”
They kissed slowly and Gloria couldn’t help but smile against his mouth. She knew that Mickey would do whatever she wanted.
* * *
Kayla thought Cynthia would never leave. She could outwait the best of them but it was getting tiring as she pretended to keep measuring outside for the wedding flowers. She needed to get inside the house on her own and take a look around.
After Cynthia ended a brief phone call, she shot Kayla a satisfied smile. “That was my future husband. We’re meeting for lunch. Are you almost finished out here?”
“I’m fine. I would like to use the restroom on my way out and then do a few measurements in the foyer.”
Cynthia’s forehead wrinkled with consternation, but it smoothed so quickly Kayla wondered if the woman ever let her emotions show.
“Okay, then. Do you mind letting yourself out when you’re done?”
“No, not at all.” Besides, wouldn’t Gloria or her assistant be around? She tried to not act too eager. It would be a nice stroke of luck if she had a chance to look around the entire house on her own.
“I’ll let Sylvia know you’re still here on my way out.”
Damn it.
“Thank you so much.” She waited a five full minutes for Cynthia’s departure before she reentered the house, her measuring tape held in front of her as a convenient alibi if anyone found her.
They probably have security cameras.
To cover her tracks, she took measurements of the entire foyer before she walked into Gloria’s empty office. The house was still, as if everyone had left for the afternoon or had lunch dates. Gloria’s desk was neat and orderly and her drawers locked. Kayla found nothing unusual, which wasn’t surprising since she didn’t even know what she was looking for. There was no sign of Sylvia, much to her relief.
Disappointment threatened to shorten her snooping, but before it did she left the of
fice and measured the staircase. She only needed the balustrade’s length, but took her time, climbing each step as quietly as possible. Fortunately the old house had been expertly renovated and the stair treads were solid and polished under her canvas flats.
At the landing she ventured a look outside and saw a view of the street. She sucked in a quick breath when she saw Cynthia standing next to a luxury sedan, her hand on the door handle as if to get into the car. She was speaking to a man Kayla didn’t recognize. He appeared shorter than Cynthia and much wider. Kayla let out the breath she’d sucked in when Cynthia got into her car and drove away. The man walked toward the house.
When the front door opened without a knock, Kayla froze. Who was that man?
She looked up the short flight of remaining stairs to the second floor and saw a bathroom directly in front of her. Without hesitating she silently took the stairs and went into the small powder room, closing the door behind her.
This is silly. The man was probably a friend of the family’s or one of the mayor’s assistants.
Sure steps sounded on the stairs and Kayla had no doubt the man was on his way up here. What if he was a plumber and needed to look in the bathroom? She’d tell him she’d needed to use it while doing her job, that was all. Still, the pen in her hand slipped as her palms perspired. Hadn’t the other night taught her that she was a florist, not a hero?
She got on her knees and peered under the crack between the door and deco-era tiled floor. Footsteps sounded on the hall runner and she watched his feet pass in front of the door. She held her breath until his feet disappeared.
“I wondered what took you so long.” Gloria’s voice carried from a nearby room with a sexy pout that didn’t match her words. Kayla looked for the source of her voice and found a vent under the pedestal sink. She got on her knees and discovered it allowed her to look into the room on the other side of the wall, where Gloria had to be. Sure enough, the feet that had walked by the bathroom door were in view. The man kicked off his shoes and she made out a set of very hairy legs and quite ugly feet.