Page 99 of When Fashion Turns Deadly

“I love you,” he whispered.

The look in her eyes softened. “I love you too.”

“This is what spending time in Paris with your girlfriend is supposed to be like, you know.” He glanced around. “Walking arm in arm through historic districts filled with quaint cafés and flower markets.”

She laughed softly. “We didn’t do it right last week, did we?”

“Not even remotely.”

“Since the police have wrapped up their questioning, all the fashion shows are over, and the Coster diamonds are safely on their way back to Amsterdam, I think today’s going to be much better.”

Lars really hoped Marit was right. “Pretty sure we’re all overdue for ‘much better,’” he said.

“Yeah.” Marit’s gaze shifted to Cole and Isabelle, who were walking hand in hand a couple of meters ahead of them. “We are.”

As if he’d sensed their attention on him, Cole turned. “Are you guys up for going as far as SacréCœur?”

Lars fingered the camera slung around his neck. He’d already taken some great photos of the Montmartre neighborhoods, but he’d love to take some of the famous basilica. “How far is it?” he asked.

“About half a mile, I think.”

“If Isabelle can manage it with her healing blisters, we can too,” Marit said.

“Especially if we stop at a pâtisserie on the way back,” Lars added.

“Deal,” Cole said. He didn’t appear to need much persuading. They’d passed several pâtisseries already, and it seemed to Lars that Cole’s feet had slowed outside each one.

Isabelle pointed to the right. “The sign on the wall over there says that SacréCœur is this way.”

“Okay,” Cole said. “Let’s go. I’ve heard about the stained-glass windows inside, but I’ve never actually seen them.”

They turned the corner. The road ahead rose steeply, bending to the left at the base of a steep set of stairs. They kept walking, and the closer they drew to the stairs, the steeper they appeared.

“Where do those go?” Lars asked.

“If the signs are to be believed,” Isabelle said, “they lead to SacréCœur.”

“Seriously?”

“Yep.” Cole confirmed.

Lars didn’t know what it was about stairs. He just knew that he hated them. “It’s too early in the day for that many stairs,” he said.

With a laugh, Marit took his hand. “Come on, we’ve got this.”

Lars sighed. Marit and Isabelle both had enough stairs leading to their respective flats that they were completely unfazed by these. Cole was just crazy enough to take them two at a time.

Even though Cole climbed the stairs slower than usual, he reached the top a couple of steps ahead of Lars. “Uh-oh,” Cole said.

Joining him on the pavement, Lars eyed him warily. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

Cole gestured across the street. “You’re not going to like the look of that either.”

Lars swung around. Directly in front of him and across the road was another set of steep staircases. And immediately above that was yet another set. “Are you kidding me?” Lars asked.

Cole raised an eyebrow. “You did want to visit SacréCœur.”

“Not at the risk of being unable to use my legs for the rest of the day.”

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