Page 56 of Forgiving Paris
Cole stared out the windshield. “He said my father knew about my flight. Then he told me I’d make it there just fine. And he said something else. He told me to keep my eyes open. Because there was more going on around me than I’d ever know.”
Grandpa John was quiet for a long time. “Your dad didn’t call that man, Cole.”
“I know.” It took Cole a few minutes, but eventually he turned to his papa. “Do you think… maybe the man was…?”
For a while his grandfather didn’t say anything, either. Then he shot a quick look at Cole. “Who else?”
“So you think he was—”
“An angel?” His papa raised his brow. “I guess there’s just one way to know for sure. Contact Blue Sky Towing.” He laughed, but it was more the sound of sheer amazement. “I’ll say one thing for sure. Someone wants you to make that flight to Paris.”
“Definitely.” Cole grabbed his phone and did a search for the tow truck companies in the area of the interstate where he’d broken down. There was A-1 Towing and Impound Towing and half a dozen others. But one was very plainly missing. The one Jag worked for.
Blue Sky Towing.
20
Albert had figured it out.
Each of his original plans had flaws.
He had thought that in the hour before Ashley Baxter’s show he might walk past the catering van at the back of the gallery and slide a bag with the poisoned cheesecake inside with the other pastries and drinks. The bag would be marked with the artist’s name. But the caterer might know that cheesecake wasn’t on the list of items being delivered to the gallery. He couldn’t afford a missed opportunity.
Not this time.
Another option also fell flat—planting an incendiary device in the American artist’s car, so that when she left the show, she wouldn’t make it back to her hotel. But that sort of hit worked best if the victim had a longer drive, ideally through the countryside. It was too risky in the city, too many ways of being caught.
Now, though, he had the perfect plan.
Thallium, of course. The tasteless, odorless poison wouldn’t kill Ashley tonight. But a week from now, when she was back in the States, she would fall sick. Food poisoning, it would seem. Her demise would follow soon after and no one would suspect foul play.
They never did.
Albert was in his Jean-Claude room again, pacing the floor, going over the details for tonight. In his hand was a vial of thallium with the finest possible needle at one end. Albert would mix in with the people awaiting her arrival at the red carpet and in the happy chaos, he would appear to be jostled by the crowd straight into Ashley Baxter.
He would apologize, but the damage would be done.
She wouldn’t feel a thing.
SINCE HER SHOWwasn’t until that evening, Ashley had plans with Landon for the day, more of his surprises in honor of their anniversary. After breakfast at the café across the street, they took a ride to eastern Paris and Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the nineteenth district.
Landon brought a bag of hot sweet beignets. The smell took Ashley back to that first day, hours after she’d gotten off the plane when she was twenty. This time she was getting to do more than smell them. She and Landon shared them in the car, and they were delicious.
Everything about this time in Paris was better. Even the food.
When they got out of the car, Jessie and Gabe were waiting at a picnic table twenty yards away. Ashley spotted them and waved. Then she turned to Landon. “What’s this?”
Landon grinned at her. “Gabriel turns out to be a very smart young man.”
“Oh, really?” Ashley had no idea where this was going. “How so?”
“Well…” Landon stood a little straighter. “Gabriel wants to talk to me about Jessie. About how to do things right. You know.” He chuckled. “Seriously. He’s asking me.”
“That’s so nice.” Ashley was touched by the young man’s request, proud that Landon was the sort of man young guys wanted to be like. “So… you and Gabe are going to talk?”
“Yes.” He pointed to the distant lake. “And you and Jessie are going to walk around the water. Pretty views, hilly paths, and enough scenery to keep you busy at your easel for a year. What could be better?”
Ashley hadn’t seen this coming, but she could hardly wait for her walk with Jessie. She hadn’t had a long talk with her niece in forever. Not since she graduated from high school.
