Page 25 of Amore
“Why are you upset?” I asked.
“I don’t know, Luke.” She flailed her arm that wasn’t holding the phone. “I see my brother and our old friend holding hands and looking like they’re in love and dating.”
“First, we aren’t dating. Second, I told you I was meeting Frankie for coffee.” I looked across the island at Frankie. She was downing her fresh glass of wine.
“It looked like more than coffee.”
“And what if it was?” I challenged. “Why do you care?”
Lucy opened her mouth to say something but then stopped.
“Well?” I urged.
“Is she there?”
I looked at Frankie again and said, “Yes.”
“Let me talk to her.”
I had to look into changing Frankie’s alarm code, so I said, “I’ll let you two figure your shit out. Frankie and I are cool now. You two should be as well.” I handed Frankie my phone. “Can I use your laptop?”
“Sure.” She swallowed and nodded. “Password is That’s underscore Amore.”
I shook my head. “We have a lot to change around here, Franks.”
Leaving the two women to hash things out, I took Frankie’s laptop out to the backyard and sat at her patio table. I was able to find how to change her code, and then, since the two women were still working things out, I walked around the outside of the house looking for spots to put cameras. Cameras would hopefully discourage a burglar or stalker from trying to break in again. While walking with the other cops earlier, we’d noticed Frankie’s lock on her backdoor had more than likely been picked. The scratches and scuff marks around the keyhole were a telltale sign.
Also, it surprised me she didn’t live in a gated community because I assumed all celebrities did for the added security. If she didn’t want to move, I would need to make sure she was more secure than she currently was. Keyless locks were safer than standard key locks, and hardwired cameras would be less hackable.
A while later, as the late June sun set, Frankie came outside with Amore and handed me my phone. “She had to go. She was tired and has to get up early to go to the bakery, but she said to tell you bye, and she’ll call you in a few days.”
“All right. Are you two cool?”
She lifted a shoulder and sat in the chair next to me. “For the most part.”
“Want to talk about it?”
“Maybe over dinner. Groceries were delivered, and I’m starving.”
“All right.” I closed the laptop. “We can also change your security code, and I want to order you cameras and keyless locks.”
“Keyless locks?”
“Your lock was picked.” I pointed to the backdoor that led into the house. “Keyless locks are safer.”
“Can’t they be hacked or something?”
“One’s that are on Wi-Fi, yes. But we’ll figure something out.”
“I can’t believe this is happening.”
“Hey”—I grabbed her hand—“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“What about when you’re at work? You can’t be with me twenty-four seven, Luke.”
“I’ll get buddies of mine to be here when I’m not.”
“And what about your girlfriend? She’s going to be okay with you being here at night?”
