hands.
“ Did you shoot Rock? ”
The man laughed softly. “ I don't need to. Rock Weldon is hated by many, Ms. Pate. You just don't know that yet, obviously. He's not a good man. ”
The words coiled inside me like a snake, ready to strike.
“ I don't believe you. ”
He shrugged. “ Your choice. ” He paused. “ Call me Lucifer if you please. ”
I gaped at him.
“ I insist. ” The words were harsh.
“ Okay. Lucifer. ” I closed my eyes, wishing the nightmare would end.
“ I do see what he likes about you, Ms. Pate. ” His voice wound around me, sinuous and ugly.
I said nothing as he came closer. I knew he was raking me with his gaze.
“ I'll come back and spend some more time with you later...if you force the issue. ”
“ Leave now. ”
“ As you wish. Don't forget our chat. ”
Before I could say anything else, the man who called himself Lucifer bolted toward the window and shimmied out.
I sat for a beat, stunned and unsure what to do. Recovering my senses, I grabbed my purse from the floor and rifled through it. When I found my cell phone, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I growled at my stupidity. Rock wouldn't be picking this up now. I dialed the number anyway that he'd included in the folder I'd reviewed last night.
“ This is Mr. Weldon's answering service. ”
I hung up without another word. That would be no help.
Who was the man who had climbed into my window, and how had he gotten inside?
A quick check of the window made sure it was secure before I slid between the silken sheets. I'd have to deal with it tomorrow, and at least alert the servants to be on their guard.
Oh, Rock. Why can't you let the police deal with this?
* * * *
Loud knocking on the door woke me up too early. I rubbed my eyes and groaned, wanting to dive back under the covers as I thought of Rock in the hospital and Lucifer in my room the night before.
“ Who is it? ” But I knew very well who it was. The police.
Alphonse, Rock's trusted servant, spoke. “ The police are here to question you, Signorina. ”
I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment, wishing Rock was there.
But he's in the hospital, recovering from the bullet some lunatic put in his shoulder.
“ Please give me a moment. I just woke up. ” I stood, tension crackling through me. Then I sprang into action, throwing on a demure sundress with cap sleeves. I perched in a chair at the table where Rock and I had sat a couple nights ago. A lump rose in my throat. “ All right. I'm dressed now. ”
The same two officers I'd seen in Rock's room the night before strode in, their mouths in firm lines. I motioned for them to sit down at the table or in a chair nearby.
“ Hello, Ms. Pate. ” The tall officer flashed a fake smile in my direction. “ I'm Officer Lioni, and this is my partner, Officer Castrono. ”
“ Nice to meet you. ”
What a joke.
“ We just have a few questions. We don't want to inconvenience you, but it's very important to us to uncover the perpetrator of the crime against Mr. Weldon. We have very few shootings in our country, let alone in Venice. ” Officer Lioni's frown deepened.
“ Of course. I'll help in any way I can. ” I tried not to show my nervousness and put on a fake smile.
“ What happened yesterday? ”
I took a deep breath and recounted the brief story. “ And then, I heard something, like a quiet ping. When I looked at Rock, blood was blossoming on his shirt. ” I stopped, my stomach fluttering at the horrible memory.
“ All right. Did you see anyone suspicious in the crowd? ” Officer Castrono leaned forward, his stare intent. Unlike the stereotypical version of the handsome Italian guy, Castrono's blond hair curled around the nape of his neck, and wide, hazel eyes seemed to miss nothing.
I shrugged. “ Honestly, no. People were running and shouting once it happened.” I wrung my hands, feeling helpless to give him anything he could use.
“ I see. Ms. Pate, how long have you been, er,
“ Did you shoot Rock? ”
The man laughed softly. “ I don't need to. Rock Weldon is hated by many, Ms. Pate. You just don't know that yet, obviously. He's not a good man. ”
The words coiled inside me like a snake, ready to strike.
“ I don't believe you. ”
He shrugged. “ Your choice. ” He paused. “ Call me Lucifer if you please. ”
I gaped at him.
“ I insist. ” The words were harsh.
“ Okay. Lucifer. ” I closed my eyes, wishing the nightmare would end.
“ I do see what he likes about you, Ms. Pate. ” His voice wound around me, sinuous and ugly.
I said nothing as he came closer. I knew he was raking me with his gaze.
“ I'll come back and spend some more time with you later...if you force the issue. ”
“ Leave now. ”
“ As you wish. Don't forget our chat. ”
Before I could say anything else, the man who called himself Lucifer bolted toward the window and shimmied out.
I sat for a beat, stunned and unsure what to do. Recovering my senses, I grabbed my purse from the floor and rifled through it. When I found my cell phone, I breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I growled at my stupidity. Rock wouldn't be picking this up now. I dialed the number anyway that he'd included in the folder I'd reviewed last night.
“ This is Mr. Weldon's answering service. ”
I hung up without another word. That would be no help.
Who was the man who had climbed into my window, and how had he gotten inside?
A quick check of the window made sure it was secure before I slid between the silken sheets. I'd have to deal with it tomorrow, and at least alert the servants to be on their guard.
Oh, Rock. Why can't you let the police deal with this?
* * * *
Loud knocking on the door woke me up too early. I rubbed my eyes and groaned, wanting to dive back under the covers as I thought of Rock in the hospital and Lucifer in my room the night before.
“ Who is it? ” But I knew very well who it was. The police.
Alphonse, Rock's trusted servant, spoke. “ The police are here to question you, Signorina. ”
I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment, wishing Rock was there.
But he's in the hospital, recovering from the bullet some lunatic put in his shoulder.
“ Please give me a moment. I just woke up. ” I stood, tension crackling through me. Then I sprang into action, throwing on a demure sundress with cap sleeves. I perched in a chair at the table where Rock and I had sat a couple nights ago. A lump rose in my throat. “ All right. I'm dressed now. ”
The same two officers I'd seen in Rock's room the night before strode in, their mouths in firm lines. I motioned for them to sit down at the table or in a chair nearby.
“ Hello, Ms. Pate. ” The tall officer flashed a fake smile in my direction. “ I'm Officer Lioni, and this is my partner, Officer Castrono. ”
“ Nice to meet you. ”
What a joke.
“ We just have a few questions. We don't want to inconvenience you, but it's very important to us to uncover the perpetrator of the crime against Mr. Weldon. We have very few shootings in our country, let alone in Venice. ” Officer Lioni's frown deepened.
“ Of course. I'll help in any way I can. ” I tried not to show my nervousness and put on a fake smile.
“ What happened yesterday? ”
I took a deep breath and recounted the brief story. “ And then, I heard something, like a quiet ping. When I looked at Rock, blood was blossoming on his shirt. ” I stopped, my stomach fluttering at the horrible memory.
“ All right. Did you see anyone suspicious in the crowd? ” Officer Castrono leaned forward, his stare intent. Unlike the stereotypical version of the handsome Italian guy, Castrono's blond hair curled around the nape of his neck, and wide, hazel eyes seemed to miss nothing.
I shrugged. “ Honestly, no. People were running and shouting once it happened.” I wrung my hands, feeling helpless to give him anything he could use.
“ I see. Ms. Pate, how long have you been, er,
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