Page 56 of Winter
Olly nodded, resigned. “Yeah. So?” His mind was still on Nancy’s words from that morning.
Knox drew in a deep breath. “Olly, they have temporarily promoted me to Chief. An investigation will be pending.”
Olly blinked, his mind shocked back into the present. “What?”
Knox felt his shoulders tense. “I’m saying, Olly … I’m suspending you. Go home; get your shit together. I’ll need your badge and gun.”
Tommaso calledInca as she worked the late shift. “Darling, I might be a few minutes late picking you up.”
Inca tried to smile at the love in his voice. “I can drive myself, Tommaso. My car is right here.”
He hesitated. “You will come home, though?” It made her chest hurt.
“Of course, my love. Of course, I’m coming home to you.”
She thought about the call, frowning. Why had he seemed so strange? She shrugged and went to serve a customer.
Olly slumped backinto his sister’s couch and raised a beer bottle to her. “Here’s to some time off.”
Luna sighed, shaking her head. “This is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.”
Olly shrugged. “Honestly, sis, I’m past caring now. Tommaso Winter is an asshole who thinks Inca is his property.”
Luna made a noise. “Seriously, what is it with you people? She’s just a normal woman. Why do you all go gaga over her?”
Olly looked surprised at the venom in his sister’s voice. “Calm down … it’s not Inca’s fault.”
“Isn’t it? Don’t you think she loves that attention, Olly?”
“You know she’s not like that.”
Luna looked away from him, her face red with anger. “She didn’t used to be.”
Olly patted his sister’s shoulder. “Sis …”
“Don’t you think everyone’s life would be easier if she wasn’t around? Take her out of the equation and problem solved.”
“Don’t talk like that,” he reprimanded his sister. “Kevin Harnett nearly killed her. Do you think she deserved that?”
But Luna did not answer him.
At ten o’clock, Inca went to lock the front door of the Sakura. Before she could, Scarlett came racing in, startling Inca.
Inca pulled her in out of the rain. “What are you doing here this late?”
“I was with Knox and he got called out.”
“That explains the lack of coat. Look, why don’t I give you a ride home? I’ll just be a minute.”
Scarlett shook her wet hair. “Can I help?”
“I just have to finish in here and take the trash out.”
Scarlett headed to the kitchen. “I’ll do the trash; I’m already wet.”
Inca called after her. “Put my red mac on; it’s behind the door.”
Scarlett tugged the raincoat on—Inca was a lot smaller than she was and it didn’t reach around Scarlett’s large chest. She shrugged, grinning. “Better than nothing.”
