Page 9 of Third Crime's A Charm
“Let’s get something cold to drink and I’ll give you a tour,” he announced before waving at a tall, older woman waiting inside the front door. Her silver hair was pulled into a tidy bun and shewas wearing a loose floral dress, immediately reminding Matteo of his grandmother and her sisters. Matteo took Truman’s hand and followed him across a lush, green lawn.
“What a wonderful surprise!” she said as she kissed Truman’s cheek. “Who do we have here?”
A hand slid around Matteo’s hip and he was pulled against Truman’s side. “Donna, this is Prince Matteo von Hessen. His older brother is the Margrave of Hessen,” he informed her and her eyes were huge as she shook Matteo’s hand.
“Oh! Should I curtsy?” she asked and made an attempt but Matteo stopped her.
“Please don’t!” he insisted and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. “My family is not that important and the title is a gimmick for tourism.”
“Still! A prince!” She gave Truman an impressed look. “But what happened to his face?”
“This?” Matteo laughed and swatted dismissively. “I was jumped by some petty thugs but I got the better of them,” he said, smirking at Neville as he came in with the bags. “It hadnothingto do with Truman.” Because it didn’t and Matteo would remind Truman every chance he could.
“You poor thing! Come through to the kitchen and I’ll get you a glass of iced tea and we’ll put a cold compress on it.”
“It’s fine now,” Matteo reassured her but allowed Donna to steal him from Truman. “He didn’t tell me you were an angel.”
“We’re hiding here until it heals,” Truman called after them. “Because he doesn’t want everyone making a fuss.”
Matteo hushed him, then smiled at Donna. “I don’t mind ifyoufuss a little. He keeps telling me it doesn’t look that bad but I feel like a clown when I go out.”
“It doesn’t look bad. You’re still as handsome as sin but now you look like youcould betrouble,” she said, making Matteo laugh.
“That’s why I got myself an attorney.”
They were practically best friends by the time she poured him that glass of tea and Matteo understood why the beach house was Truman’s first choice for a getaway. Donna was nosy and overbearing but she loved Truman like a son and was probably the sole source of warmth and affection in his world. She was also a pleasure to behold because she wasn’t in awe of Truman or afraid of him but Matteo was anxious to learn who his target was and to begin planning.
“You promised me a walk on the beach,” Matteo said to Truman and gestured at the patio doors. “It’s been ages since I’ve felt the sand between my toes.”
As expected, Truman’s gaze flicked to Matteo’s feet and he nodded. “Okay. If you’re sure you’re ready.” He was probably referring to the heist but a red rash spread up his neck.
“Oh, I’m ready,” Matteo purred as he offered his arm.
Once outside, Truman led Matteo down the deck’s steps and past the pool.
“Is this heated?” Matteo asked, turning and walking backwards to scout for other safe places to conspire.
“It is.”
“That looks cozy!” Matteo nodded at the double hammock on the other side of the pool.
There was plenty of shade and they wouldn’t be overheard unless they shouted. The property sat on almost two perfectly manicured acres, surrounded by tall cypress and pine trees. They wandered down a grassy path and past another palatial “cottage,” then came out on a pristine, abandoned beach. Matteo could see two more houses in the distance, but they had the beach to themselves at the moment.
Matteo left his flip flops in the grass and gasped happily as his feet sank into the cool sand. “You were right: this is much better than hiding in the city.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Truman took Matteo’s hand again as he set off.
That would take some getting used to and Matteo wondered if they were also there to practice away from far more perceptive eyes. “Donna is a complication but I can work around her.” Matteo wasn’t as upset about their arrangements and would put up with Truman’s presence to keep her happy. “Who’s the target and how long do I have to prepare?” he asked, cutting to the chase.
“You have to be sure you’re in.” Truman halted them and reached for Matteo’s cheek. He flinched and started to pull back but Truman clicked his teeth. “A lot of people would kill for this information and I can’t let you back out once I tell you. I’ve kept this secret to myself for weeks. Neville knows who we’re hitting but I haven’t told him what we’re taking and I tell Neville everything.” He held Matteo’s gaze, waiting to make sure he understood.
“You don’t trust him with this?”
“I trust Neville with my life but I could put him in a lot of danger if anyone even suspected that I know where that star is. I wouldn’t have brought you here and gone to this much trouble if the stakes weren’t so high. There’s a million euro reward and you can get away with damn near anything if you’ve got that star in your pocket.”
“Fine. I’m in,” Matteo said, then stepped into Truman. “A handshake would look strange, ja?”
Truman nodded, lowering his head so Matteo could press their lips together. He didn’t open his mouth and kept the contact brief but remained close so Truman could reveal the name. “Martin Lonsdale has it.” Truman’s head tilted as his hand curved around Matteo’s neck. “I can take you home to Chicago to meet my mother and we can hit him at his place. Or we can wait and do it here in three weeks. He rarely leaves hishouse but he’s coming to New York—to Manhattan—to negotiate a plea deal. There’s going to be a birthday party for him at the St. Regis the Saturday before we meet with the Justice Department. He’s turning seventy-five and wants a big send off.”
