Two uniformed officers arrived at the studio door, pointing their weapons at my forehead and shouting. With the gunshots still ringing in my ears, I couldn’t understand the commands, but I assumed by their stances they wanted my arms in the air. I did as instructed and didn’t move a muscle as they inched forward. One of them slid the gun out of reach, while the other checked for a pulse on each of my victims.
Before I could tell my story, Detective Sparks appeared. He gaped, then glanced at the bodies on the floor as he marched toward the couch. He moved close enough that I could hear. “Are you injured?” His words were muffled, but clear enough that I understood.
I indicated no and repositioned so I could clap my hands over my ears. The act helped to lessen the ringing and provided the added benefit of making me appear addled. “I need Elena.”
Sparks cast another glance at the bodies, then brought his attention back. “Your family’s outside. The sergeant stationed in front won’t let them in, but I think we’re safe to clear the kitchen for use. From the looks of the front door, your assailants entered the house by bashing it in.”
He reached for my arm and helped me from the couch. “Let’s get an officer to swab your hands and I’ll need your clothes, then you can meet your girlfriend in the kitchen.”
I had no choice but to allow the officer to do his job. When he finished, Sparks escorted me back to my room where I changed my clothes.
He bagged the clothes I’d worn. “I’ll give you a minute with your family, but I want a statement. The emergency operator has the recording, but you need to supply the details of what happened before you made the call.” He led me downstairs to the kitchen.
Elena waited with Luca and Lennox. She hauled me into her arms and squeezed until my lungs protested. “You scared me. I thought they’d killed you.”
I disengaged from her. “They didn’t touch me.” She opened her mouth to speak, but I silenced her with a finger against her lips. “I need you to drive my vehicle to meet my friend, the art historian.” I rummaged around the junk drawer in the cabinets and came out with a pen and paper. I scribbled an address and gave her the note. “Meet him here.”
She blinked at my hurried command, but didn’t protest.
Luca couldn’t contain himself. “If you’re doing what I think, I’m going, too.” He put his hand on Elena’s back and guided her toward the garage.
Sparks returned and demanded I ride with him to the police station. When we arrived, Warren Bailey and Deloris were waiting. I grinned at the mama bear expression she wore.
Bailey sat with me during the interview, but he didn’t say much. I gave a straightforward accounting of what had occurred, careful to follow the script the emergency operator had overheard. With no legal means to detain me, Sparks released me after a couple of hours.
The attorney asked if I’d meet him at his office, but Deloris insisted I go home. I waited until we were on the interstate before I spoke. “The painting is with someone who can return it to the rightful owners.” The late afternoon traffic whizzed by on either side of the car.
“I’m so happy, Dante. That painting has caused nothing but heartache. I’m glad it’s out of our lives.”
I squirmed in my seat. The next item I needed to discuss wouldn’t make her as happy. “There’s something else I discovered today.”
She whipped around. “About Elena?”
“No.” The question disturbed me, but I shelved my unease. “About Jimmy. He’s been feeding information to the Cuccia family. He told them I had the painting, and I suspect he’s the one who ratted on Dad. Vincent needs to know.”
She tapped the steering wheel. “I’ll handle it.”
I studied her. “What about Elena?”
She shot me a glance before drawing a deep breath. “I discovered she has family ties to the Cuccias.”
I leaned back. “You think I was set up?” She nodded, and I continued. “Does Lennox know?”
“The relationship to the Cuccias is distant, so I can’t imagine he does. Maybe even Elena isn’t aware.” She had a death grip on the steering wheel.
“You think she was a plant who was purposely put in my path in the same way Sera was put in Dad’s.” I closed my eyes. “Dad probably felt having Sera in his life was worth the trouble of dealing with the Cuccias.”
Deloris sighed and swung her attention from the road to me. “I believe he did, but ultimately, that’s what got him killed.”
“Duly noted, Aunt Deloris.” I turned away and watched the cars whip by. My decision regarding Elena wouldn’t be easy. I hoped she had no inkling she’d been used, but how would I ever know?
The house was ablaze with lights when we drove up. Deloris and I went in through the battered front door. Lab techs milled around the stairway and voices came from the upper level. We went into the kitchen and found Elena and Luca drinking coffee at the breakfast bar.
Elena moved from the counter and ambled my way. She hugged me and whispered, “The package has been delivered.”
I removed her arms from around my neck. “Thanks. I’m going to shower.” I’d yet to decide if I wanted to let my head or my heart rule. My thoughts were dire as I climbed the stairs to my suite. When I reached the upper level, I had to request permission from a uniformed officer to proceed to my room.
After my shower, I felt drained, and I laid on my bed to mull over my choices. If I pretended I didn’t know about Elena’s connection to the Cuccia family, I’d likely find myself locked in the same predicament that had afflicted my father during his life with Sera, but if I sent her away, I might never know the joy of true love.
Elena slipped in during my contemplations and crawled in beside me. With her wrapped in my arms, all thoughts of letting her go fled. Unwilling to discuss Deloris’s revelation, I flipped on the TV and muted the sound. A picture of a black man with graying hair popped onto the screen with the caption, “Local art historian found murdered.”
I turned up the volume, but the piece was over. “That was my friend. The guy you delivered the painting to was murdered.”
Worry lines appeared on her forehead. “That wasn’t the man who picked up the painting.” She sat up in the bed. “He was a young, white guy with bleached hair.”
I rubbed my neck and tried to think. Other than my friend, Elena and Luca were the only two people who knew about the transfer of the canvas. I stared at her, trying to read her expression. I saw nothing to make me believe she’d betrayed me. And Luca. How could my cousin betray me?
“Did you or Luca tell anyone you were meeting him?” I paced in front of the bed, waiting for her to respond.
She drew herself up onto her knees and reached for me. “Of course not, Dante.” Tears began to spill. “You can’t believe I’d be so heartless.”
The time for my decision was now. If I said yes, I’d lose the best thing that had ever happened to me. If I said no, I risked becoming a puppet like my father.
“Of course not. I believe you.” I had no illusions of what my life would be like if I got in bed with the Cuccias. I’d willingly dive headlong into the other side of the mirror—the side that was always dark—to be with her.
Author Bio
T.C. owned a small business in the real estate industry for decades before deciding a change was required to preserve her sense of humor. She joined the Indiana chapter of the Romance Writers of America and the Speed City Sisters in Crime where she spent years studying the writing craft, specializing in humor and suspense.
She and her husband are residents of central Indiana where they enjoy volunteering for the various sporting events held in Indianapolis. T.C. is an NFL, NBA, and WNBA fan, spending many unrecoverable hours tailgating. Other talents include cooking and entertaining.
Connect
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/[email protected]
Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/Tiacatalinaauthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tiacatalina@CatalinaWinter6
Website: https://www.tiacatalina.com
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/author/tiacatalina
Buy Links to T.C. Winters novels
Blue Falcon http://amzn.to/1Zo4y0P
Sweet And Savage http://amzn.to/1VwQUZ2
The second book in the Savage Series due in Summer 2017
Infidelity World
I would love for all of you to check out my fellow authors’ novellas in Infidelity World. Here are their links:
A.D. Ellis - DEVOTED - https://www.facebook.com/adellisauthor/
DeeDee Lorenzo - INDISCRETION - https://www.facebook.com/ddlorenzobooks/
Donya Lynne - SUSPICION - https://www.facebook.com/DonyaLynne/
Jillian Jacobs - INSIDER- https://www.facebook.com/GreenMooseProd/
Lulu Astor - ILLEGITIMATE - https://www.facebook.com/LuluAstorBooks/
Pam Godwin - INCENTIVE - https://www.facebook.com/pamgodwinbooks/
Ted Persinger - MANOR - https://www.facebook.com/tedpersinger1/
Rae Riley - SACRIFICE - https://www.facebook.com/rae.riley.books/
Aleatha Romig - The Infidelity Series - https://www.facebook.com/AleathaRomig/
Infidelity: Inheritance (Kindle Worlds Novella) Page 11