Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
She slams the door behind her.
Raking my fingers through my hair, I take a deep breath. “Tell me you have answers.”
“I sure do,” my forensics expert says in a southern drawl.
Armand is as little French as his name. He’s originally from Louisiana. Maybe his mother had a crush on some old European dude.
“I found traces of gunpowder and hydrogen peroxide, which confirms that your wife had been in an explosion.”
“Is there anything particular about the components, maybe an ingredient that’s rare?”
“I’m afraid not. You can buy that stuff at any hardware and ammunitions store.”
“What else?”
“The clothes only contained DNA of Mrs. Morici, but there’s a fingerprint on the pearls that doesn’t match hers.”
I still. “Have you sent it to me?”
“I’m doing so as we speak.”
“Anything else?”
“Nothing useful. Do you want the clothes back?”
“Destroy everything.”
“As you wish. I’ll send you the bill. You can use the usual account number.”
The line goes dead.
A notification announces the arrival of a message in the encryption app on my laptop. I open it to confirm that it’s from Armand before I send the fingerprint to our hacker to see what he can find in the public and police records.
Someone knocks on the door.
Reino opens it without waiting for my invitation, which means whatever business brought him to my study is urgent.
I give him my full attention.
He only speaks when he’s entered and closed the door behind him. “I found a body.”
“Where?”
“Colorado. A private helicopter is waiting at the landing bay on the quay.”
“Go with the pilot. Make sure our tracks are clean.” I give him a meaningful look. “No matter how you have to do it.”
“Got it.”
He leaves fast, knowing what he must do.
After sending another message to my hacker, warning him to be on standby, I get to my feet and grab my jacket from the back of the chair.
In a couple of hours, Stacia Delacy will be dead, and so will the bank employees. I check my watch. The catamaran the PR agency rented for their team building session has just left the harbor for the open sea.
Chapter
Nineteen
Tatiana
* * *
Noah and I say goodbye to Jazz outside on the porch while Ulysses carries her suitcase to the car.
I tear up when I hug her. “I’m going to miss you.”
She sniffs as she hugs me back. “Me too.”
“You’ll be busy,” I say when she lets me go. “You have rehearsals for your audition.”
“Will you come? You’ll bring me luck.”
“To the audition? Of course.” I hold her at arm’s length. “Oh, Jazz, where do I even start to say thank you for everything you’ve done for us?”
She shakes her head as she blinks back tears, managing only a wobbly, “Don’t.”
Ulysses closes the trunk. “Ready?”
Concern flickers in her soft, blue eyes. “Tatiana…” She bites her lip.
“What is it?” I ask with a coaxing smile.
“If you need me…”
“I know where to find you.”
She waves a hand. “Just call me.”
I wrap my arms around Noah from behind and pull him against my knees. “You can count on that.”
“For anything.”
“You too.”
“Just…” She gives me a pained look. “Take some time out and relax with your family.”
“I promise.”
Turning on her heel, she rushes to the car and gets in without looking back. Ulysses gets behind the wheel. When he pulls off, Noah waves. Jazz lifts her hand in a quick greeting before ducking her head.
A car with guards follows. I’m glad Dante decided to send a few men with her for protection. Jazz doesn’t belong to any of the families involved in Dante’s organization, but the mere fact that we’re close could put her in danger. If people tried to harm me, they may also try to harm my friend to get back at us.
The worry gnaws at me, but I keep up a smile for Noah’s sake. We wave until the cars clear the gate, and then a hollow emptiness descends on me. I got used to having Jazz around. I’m going to miss her presence, but she has her own life to lead.
“Come on.” I bend down and kiss the top of Noah’s head. “Let’s go back inside.”
He turns around and looks up at me. “I’m going to miss Jazz.”
“Me too, sweetheart.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a bit fresh for swimming. How about we finish building your Lego plane?”
His face lights up. “Can Daddy help?”
I steer him inside. “Daddy has left for a meeting, but when he gets back, you can ask him if he’ll have time later.”
“Okay.” He skips ahead of me. “I’ll finish the yellow part. You do the white.”
“That’s not fair.” I chase after him and tickle his sides when I catch him in the playroom. “The white part is the most difficult.”
He giggles. “We’ll leave it for Daddy. He’s clever. He can do it faster than anyone else.”
“In that case, I’ll do the red.”