Page 91 of Winter
“Well, well, well.” Edgar was almost giddy with glee. “My boys have gotten themselves a whore.”
His security head grinned. “Looker, too.”
Yes, she was. Edgar studied the photograph; her body was curvy and full, her skin beautiful, her long dark hair tumbling down her back. He looked at his guard. “I think it’s time I reconnected with my boys—and their lovely companion. Make the arrangements, would you?”
Washington State…
Belinda Clements hesitatedbefore she pushed open the door to the police station. It had been years since she had spoken to Oliver Rosenbaum—years since she’d gotten him drunk and fucked him. He’d been so angry at himself the next morning and had warned her not to tell Inca. She had laughed in his face, but inside … she hadn’t told Inca. Why? \
Because she hadn’t wanted to burn her bridges with Olly. She’d been crazy about him since they were kids, only to see him with her mortal enemy, Inca Sardee. Belinda had always hated her for her beauty, her warmth and intelligence, and the way she was popular with everybody. It was sickening. When she heard that Inca had been shot, she cheered at the television. When she’d heard who the shooter was … God, the smile disappeared.
So she was here now, a couple of months after Luna’s death. A decent interval. Inca had recovered, but had been spirited away by her Italian billionaires (God, that rankled), which left Olly all alone. She’d heard, via town gossips, that he was focusing entirely on work and was pushing everyone else away.
Knox Westerwick was on the telephone, and didn’t even look up as she went in. Olly was pouring himself a coffee, but stopped when he saw her. Belinda smiled at him.
“Hi, Olly.”
“Hey.” His voice showed his surprise. “How long have you been back in town?”
“A while.”
There was an awkward silence, then Olly nodded towards the coffee pot. “Want some?”
“Yes, please.”
She took the coffee from him, then asked if she could talk to him for a while. He looked surprised. “Sure.”
“How are you?” Belinda blew on her coffee to cool it and looked up at him. Olly shifted a little uncomfortably.
“You know. Getting there. Keeping busy.”
“I’m so sorry, Olly. I would have come before, but I thought you might want to be alone.”
Olly gave her a strange smile. “And we haven’t seen each other in what? Ten years?”
“Tenyears? Really? God, time goes so quickly.”
Olly studied her. “What have you been up to?”
Belinda smiled sheepishly. “Married twice, divorced twice. Could never stick at it. You? I heard you and Inca split.”
Olly’s eyes took on a guarded look and he glanced away. “That didn’t stick either … but that was my fault, not Inca’s.”
He was obviously waiting for her to say something bitchy about his ex, but Belinda shook her head. “I feel bad for the way I used to treat her. Put it this way … I know better now. I wouldn’t say we’d ever be friends but … is she still away?”
Olly nodded, seeming to be relieved that Belinda was being pleasant. “Yes. After … what happened, she didn’t want to be around this place anymore. Can’t say I blame her.”
Belinda put her hand on his. “No one would judge you if … well, never mind. Look, I wanted to say hi … maybe we could grab a drink one evening?”
Olly hesitated, glancing over at Knox, who was studiously ignoring them, then nodded. “Sure. Why not?”
Belinda smiled. “I’ll call you. Soon, though, okay?”
“Sure.”
Olly sat backin his chair, not knowing what to make of Belinda Clement’s visit. She certainly seemed … changed? Was that the right word? But he remembered all the times she and Inca had clashed, right from childhood, and he’d always had Inca’s back. So why was Belinda reaching out to him now? Did she sense that he was still raw from Luna’s suicide and see it as an opportunity to stick the knife in Inca’s back? He winced at that. Way wrong expression, dude. Knox had disappeared from the office, called out to an incident, and suddenly Olly wanted to talk to his oldest friend, his old love. He glanced at the clock. It would be early evening in Italy.
Only hesitating for a second, he pulled out his cellphone and dialed. When he heard her warm voice, he knew he had made the right decision.
