Page 45 of Winter
“I would have done the same thing, Oliver.” Tyler’s voice was firm now. “Don’t let your dislike of Winter get in the way of the facts. He saved my daughter’s life, and I will be forever grateful to him.” He studied the younger man’s expression and Olly looked away from his penetrating gaze. “You still love her.” A statement.
Olly cleared his throat. “Let’s get back to Harnett. We found the knife he intended to use. Look familiar?”
He tossed over a photo and Tyler blanched when he saw it. “That looks like the one that was stolen from me last year.”
“Yep.”
Tyler shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
“You think it could be your one?”
He sighed. “I don’t know. I hope it is just coincidence. Is it the murder weapon in the other killings?”
“Forgive me, but I’m not up on the forensics on all of them. When I talked to Homicide, they hadn’t identified it. All they know is that it’s not your everyday kitchen knife. The wounds are jagged, but don’t match a serrated or hunting knife.” He gave a frustrated hiss. “Man …”
Tyler was watching him carefully. “Oliver … take it easy. You did your job. Inca is safe now. We can all move on.”
Getting his subtext, Olly nodded. “Tyler, Iammoving on. You’ve met Molly?”
Tyler smiled then. “She’s a good girl, that one. You’re a lucky man.”
Olly returned his grin. “I know.”
Tyler got up. “Well, kid, if you need someone to blow off steam to, you know where I am. Try to remember why you left Homicide, though.”
Olly looked bleak. “Hard to do when it seems to be following you around.”
He watched Tyler walk across to the Sakura to chat with Nancy and Scarlett. The thought crossed his mind that he would have enjoyed working with Tyler as Chief. Curiosity piqued, he grabbed the report of Tyler’s robbery from the file. He read down the inventory of stolen items: cash, passport, war memorabilia, jewelry. Petit larceny at best.
He shoved the folder back in the drawer, frustrated again. He wondered again if he should ask if he could question Harnett again. God, when he’d stepped into the Sakura that day and had seen Inca all bloody and in pain, then watched Tommaso beat the shit out of her attacker, all Olly could think was,That should have been me saving the woman I love, whaling on her would-be killer.
He’d realized then that he was still in love with Inca.
God, you fool, Rosenbaum. You utter fool.
You should never have let her go.
Inca finally persuaded Tommaso notto cancel his trip to Paris. “It’s four days, my love. If we can’t make it four days apart, then we have bigger problems.”
After a night of passionate and definitely kinky lovemaking, she drove him to SeaTac herself and kissed him goodbye. Tommaso stroked her hair back from her face. “Ti amo, Inca Sardee.”
She felt strange leaving him at the airport. She drove into the city and went to see Mindy, her realtor. Luckily, the tension between them had dissipated; Mindy believed her when Inca told her she hadn’t been the one who was rude to the signage guys.
“Did you ever confront the witch?” Mindy asked her now, passing Inca a mug of hot coffee.
“I haven’t even seen her, which is why it was so weird. Olly tells me he’s seen her in town, but not to talk to. If it wasn’t her, then I have no idea. Still.” Inca sipped the hot coffee. “That’s all in the past. So, I’m in the market for a new place.”
Mindy gave her a sly smile. “From what I hear, you already have the best place in town.”
Inca almost spit her drink out. “Holy hell. Does everyone know about me and Tommaso Winter?”
Mindy laughed. “What do you expect? I’m surprised the nationals haven’t got a hold of it.The Billionaire and the Girl Next Door. Headlines write themselves.”
Inca sighed. “Whatever. Look, I’m still in the market for an apartment somewhere in Willowbrook so …”
Mindy patted her hand. “Of course, sweetie. I’ve got a bunch of prospects for you.”
Raffaelo Winter felt edgy. Two phone meetings with his investors had not gone well, but that was mostly because he hadn’t been engaged in them. Snapping that he’d call them back, he had hung up, then changed into his running gear and gone out into the cold Washington morning.
