She bites the top corner of her lip. Then says, “I should come with you.”
“You should. But you can’t.”
“Why not?”
“They might be calling me in.”
“What do you mean? To kill you?”
“That’s what they do, sometimes, when they’re done with us.”
“Then I
I look down and notice she’s holding my hand. She notices it too, and releases her grip.
“Sorry,” she says.
I want to say something clever, but my brain won’t work.
“I can’t believe Lou’s dead,” she says.
“Me either.”
“What happened?”
“They’re not sure.”
“What about Angie De Luca? And Frankie?”
“I’d kill them now, on the way to the car, but you know how Sal is. He’d pitch a fit.”
“Not to mention he’d have a hard time getting guests to attend his next party.”
I look at her. “Favor?”
“Stay here and kill the De Lucas tonight?”
I nod.
“Money?” she says.
I smile. “Fifty.”
“Seems light.”
“I was doing Frankie for free, remember?”
“Keep me posted,” she says.
“I will.”
“Regularly.”
“Okay.”
I wait for her to say something, but she’s staring downward, thinking it through first. So I say, “What?”
“Nothing.”
“Please. Say it.”
She looks up at me and says, “Be careful.”
I grin. “I’m always careful.”
She suddenly slaps my face. Hard. Then does something that shocks the shit out of me.
She kisses my cheek.
You don’t understand.
This is completely out of character for her. The kissing part, I mean.
Then she says, “Don’t die on me, Donovan.”
Then she adds, “Not now.”
As she turns to walk away I say, “What do you mean, ‘not now’?”
But she keeps walking.
5.
Callie
“I HATE TO intrude,” Dani says, moments later, “But Donovan seemed very upset over the loss of his friend. Shouldn’t you be with him?”
“He’s fine. And Lou Kelly wasn’t much of a friend.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Lou tried to kill Donovan. Now that he’s dead, there’s a vacancy in the agency that needs filling. They’re offering Donovan the job. It’s a huge promotion.”
Dani shakes her head. “You two lead the most exciting lives.”
Callie smiles. “We do. But in my case there’s something missing.”
“What’s that?”
“The right partner.”
Moments earlier, after walking away from Creed, Callie made her way to the stand of trees by the picnic area. She dragged two white wooden folding chairs twenty feet away from the tables.
“Are you and Sophie going back to Nashville tonight?”
“We’re going to dinner with Sal at some restaurant where we can view the fireworks. It’s supposed to be a big deal. Sophie’s spending the night with Sal and Marie.”
Callie arches an eyebrow. “Marie doesn’t trust you in the house with Sal.”
“I think it’s more of a case of this all being a foreign concept to the Bonadellos.”
“Your relationship with Sophie?”
Dani nods.
“So you’ve got to stay in a hotel by yourself.”
Dani shrugs. “I don’t mind. I’ve got plenty of work I can do.”
“Please,” Callie says, pointing to the empty chair. “Sit with me.”
Dani looks around a moment. “I don’t want to take someone’s seat.”
“It’s for you.”
“You knew I’d come?”
“I hoped you would. I moved the chairs so we could speak privately.”
Dani hesitates a moment, then sits.
“You and Donovan stared at us a lot today,” she says.
“That’s my fault. But to be honest, I was staring at you, not Sophie.”
“Why?” Dani says, showing a hint of embarrassment.
Callie pauses, then says, “I’m a woman of action. I’m better with weapons than words. I tend to be blunt in conversation.”
Dani nods slowly. “I get that.”
Callie says, “I’m happy to answer your question, but I don’t want to offend you.”
“You won’t offend me.”
“We’ll see.”
“Please,” Dani says. “Tell me. I need to get back soon.”
“I was staring because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’m incredibly attracted to you.”
Dani’s eyes grow larger than normal, if such could be possible. She starts to get to her feet.
“Please,” Callie says. “Let me finish.”
“I’m with Sophie,” Dani says.
“I know. I’m not trying to seduce you.”
“Forgive me, but it feels like you are. Big time.”
Callie smiles. “Okay, so I am. But still. Accept the compliment.”
She laughs, pats the chair.
Dani looks around again before reclaiming her seat.
“Your friend, Donovan,” Dani says, changing the subject.
“What about him?”
“I’m right about him? He’s gay?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Just curious.”
