Riddle Me This (Detective Kate Rosetti Mystery Book 2)

by Gina LaManna

  Jane all but shoved me through the door, leaving my side only when Gem’s eyes landed on me. He locked his gaze on mine, untwisted himself from his current conversation, and made his way across the room while Jane slipped quietly into the background.

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d make it.” Gem gave me a small smile. “I’m glad you did. You look beautiful.”

  I scoffed and ran a hand self-consciously down my side. I had bruises on my wrists from where the ropes had tied me down, a cut on my face from one of my tussles with Wilkes. My side still ached, but it had been treated by the proper professionals and would heal in time.

  “You’re gorgeous, I promise.” Gem reached for my hand. “Can I ask you to dance?”

  “You can.”

  His lips twitched. “Will you say yes?”

  I hesitated, but eventually took his hand. He spiraled me out onto the dance floor and pulled me against him. My palm rested on his chest as his arm slid around my waist. This time, I kept my lips far away from his.

  Gem moved in time to the music, watching my face. “I’d ask if you are okay, but that seems like a stupid question. I’ll be honest, detective. I don’t know what to say to you.”

  “I’m fine. It’s all part of the job.”

  “Is it over? Wilkes and the girl?”

  “Wilkes is in prison. I’m sure he won’t be getting out this time.” I paused, the scene replaying in my mind, as it had continuously over the last few days. “Jennifer survived the gunshot wound. They just upgraded her from critical condition this morning. She’ll have a trial and all, but she’ll be put away, too. Far away from Wilkes.”

  Gem’s jaw tensed. “A small miracle.”

  “Sarah Parcel—the kidnapped woman—survived, thankfully,” I added. “Jennifer had been keeping her in the house across the street from me. She was dehydrated and terrified, but otherwise unharmed.”

  “A second small miracle.”

  “Maybe,” I agreed. “But now she’s got to come to terms with the fact that the man she loved is dead.”

  “That is awful.”

  “Thank you so much,” I murmured. “We couldn’t have done it without you. The trip to Texas especially. The department would like to thank you somehow.”

  “I don’t care what the department thinks.”

  “I’d like to thank you,” I corrected. “Personally.”

  “Now that, I would like to see.”

  “I intend to repay you. I haven’t forgotten about our conversation the other day.” I looked up, caught his gaze locked on my face. “I’ve been meaning to look into your situation, but I’ve been a little preoccupied. I’m sorry.”

  Gem’s lips fell into a thin line.

  I continued, flustered. “It’s not that you aren’t important—”

  “Of course you’ve been preoccupied.” His jaw twitched with anger. “You caught not one killer, but two. Witnessed an explosion. Got stabbed.”

  “That about sums it up.”

  “You don’t owe me anything, Kate.”

  “I know a tiny bit of my help won’t possibly repay everything, but it’s all I have to offer a man like you.”

  “You have a lot to offer any man.”

  Gem twirled me gently in a circle and, before I ducked under his arm, a flicker of surprise crossed his face. When I came back to his arms, his face was decidedly stony.

  “Look, Gem, I’m sorry, but...” My eyes were drawn toward the door where another figure had appeared. “I have to take care of something. I’m afraid it can’t wait.”

  Gem’s gaze followed mine. “Of course. And about the other issue we discussed—it’s probably better if you let it go.”

  “It’s not like that, Gem. I want to help.”

  He gave a quick smile. “I know. Enjoy the party, detective.”

  Gem disentangled himself from me. As I watched him expertly sidestep several guests attempting to corner him, I felt another set of eyes on my back. I spun around and found myself locked in a gaze with Russo.

  He stood in the doorway looking extremely uncomfortable. His mouth wasn’t quite formed in a smile, and his hand twitched nervously around his tie. A nice-looking suit draped over his body, not as stylish or as fitted as Gem’s, but perfectly handsome. When a server offered him a glass of champagne, he waved it off.

  I forced my feet to carry me toward him. Only two steps in, and I was interrupted by a flurry of blonde excitement.

  “Thank you so much for getting me an invitation!” Lassie spun in a circle, showing off a royal blue dress that matched sapphire earrings and a necklace, along with a set of sky-high heels. In a sea of red and pink dresses, she stuck out like a rare jewel. “I can’t believe I’m actually at one of Alastair Gem’s parties. What do you think of my dress?”

  “I love it.”

  “You didn’t even look at it. Oh, and I was meaning to tell you, these are my new shoes from Nordstrom’s.” Lassie watched my blank stare. When I obviously didn’t get it, she sighed and continued. “Come on, you know the ones. When I was talking to Cassandra, the sales lady, who thought she might know Harry Brine’s girlfriend—these are the shoes I got. The shoes that other woman got, too.”

  “Er—right.”

  “Maybe I have the same shoes as a killer!” Lassie put a finger on her lips. “I can’t tell if that’s wicked cool or a little creepy.”

  I squinted at the shoes. They looked blue and pointed. “We don’t know that the other woman, assuming she was Brine’s girlfriend, was a killer.”

  “Speaking of killers and shoes,” Lassie asked, “did my information help solve your little case?”

  I had yet to look at Lassie’s compiled history on Alastair Gem’s love life. “I’ve been a little busy.”

  “Yeah...” Lassie looked at my bruises with a frown. “I suppose that’s a valid excuse.”

  That wasn’t the full truth, however. The truth was that something had changed. After my talk with Gem in the car, he’d become real. He’d gone from a rich, handsome celebrity to a person with feelings and parents and a history. Snooping on him felt suddenly invasive, and I had to think there was a better way to find Gem’s little stalker.

  “Well, it looks like there’s a line to talk to you.” Lassie nodded with her chin over her shoulder. “I’ll let you get to it while I get to mingling.”

  With a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows, Lassie disappeared toward the center of the party. I found myself drawn to meet Russo.

  “This is...” Russo looked around. “It’s some party.”

  “I thought you’d have guessed by Gem’s taste in cars that he doesn’t do anything halfheartedly.”

  “No, he most certainly doesn’t. Care for a breath of fresh air?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Russo led the way through the party to a patio off one side of the ballroom. He pushed open a hefty glass door and waited for me to pass through. The courtyard looked as if we’d emerged into an enchanted garden. Fairy lights draped over meticulously pruned hedges. Cocktail tables were adorned with fragrant bunches of white roses. Servers buzzed about carrying glasses of sparkling pink wines.

  We found an abandoned table under an arch of twinkling lights. The wind was chilly, but there were enough space heaters artistically placed to battle the breeze. The resulting mix was a nice push and pull of hot and cold that sent goosebumps rising on my arms.

  “I’m surprised you came tonight,” I said. “I thought you’d have gone back to DC.”

  “I considered it.” Russo rubbed his chin. “You know, I’ve got a weird feeling of déjà vu.”

  “The last time you were here for a party, you were waiting out front with a car and a pizza.” I smiled. “I’m not sure if being inside is an upgrade or a downgrade.”

  Russo grinned. “If you’re looking for pizza, I can make that happen.”

  A server swung by, dropped off two flutes of the sparkling wine. Russo fingered his for a moment, then looked up at me.

  “W
hat the hell, I suppose the least we can do is toast to getting Sarah back alive. And to locking up Wilkes and Jennifer for good.”

  I raised my glass. “That’s an easy toast to make.”

  We clinked glasses, the smile fading from Russo’s lips. “Not that easy.”

  “Oh, this?” I gestured toward my marks. “It’s nothing. Temporary. I can barely feel it.”

  “I know,” he said. “But there’s more.”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  “I talked to Jimmy about the last time you faced off with Wilkes. I heard what happened.”

  Heat flared on the back of my neck. I bit back a retort and swallowed another sip of wine. “I wish you wouldn’t have asked around. If you’d have asked me, I would have told you the truth.”

  “Would you have?” Russo murmured. He raised a hand to stem my argument. “Forget it. Maybe it was wrong to pry, but I needed some context.”

  “Okay.”

  “Don’t pull away from me.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You’ve been ignoring my calls.”

  “I don’t have anything to say.”

  “I wanted to see you,” Russo said. “You don’t have to recover from this alone.”

  “Recover,” I scoffed. “I’m fine. It’s a few scrapes.”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

  I looked into Russo’s eyes, saw my own pain reflected there. He knew, in a way that only someone who had truly experienced such pain before could know—things weren’t okay. They wouldn’t be okay for a long while, maybe ever.

  “There’s no recovering from it,” I whispered. “There’s just living with it.”

  Russo leaned forward, his hand coming to rest on mine. “I know.”

  “It’s just...” I hesitated, blinked. Looked into the distance. “He’s taken so much from me already. I hate that he’s done it again.”

  “He hasn’t,” Russo said firmly. “He hasn’t taken anything from you. In fact, he’s given you something.”

  I looked up curiously.

  “Me,” Russo said. “If you’ll have me.”

  “We’re friends, Russo—sometimes partners.”

  “I think there’s more,” he said. “Or there could be.”

  “You live so far away.”

  A wry smile tilted Russo’s lips upward. “Is that all you can come up with?”

  I stared blankly at him. My mind had stopped functioning.

  “Let me give you a reason we might work, then.”

  Russo moved his hand from mine, graduated it up to my chin. He tilted my face closer, leaned in. Waited for me to pull back. I didn’t.

  He looked into my eyes, ran a thumb over my cheek. “Wilkes didn’t weaken you, Kate. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Of course you’re beautiful, and even though we argue more than we get along, you make me feel happy. You make me laugh. And I’d really like to kiss you.”

  Russo leaned in, and I felt my eyes close. We met in the middle, his lips against mine. His hand slid back behind my head and cradled just above my neck. His touch was soft and tender, warm and safe. It made my heart hopeful and my mind wonder about the what-ifs.

  What if I let myself go? What if we tried this? What if...

  Gem’s voice pierced the kiss. My eyes flew open. He was across the room, speaking with someone else, but I could feel his gaze on me. On us.

  Russo felt my twitch of surprise and pulled back. He glanced up, his eyes flicking toward Gem as the hopeful expression on his face faded to one of dismay.

  I no longer cared about Gem, however. My attention was directed solely at a pair of blue shoes that were not on the feet of Lassie. They could have been, however, because even a shoe-idiot like me could tell they were identical.

  “I’m sorry,” I gasped to Russo. “I have to take care of something.”

  “Is it him?”

  “Who?”

  “Gem,” Russo said crossly. “Is there something going on between the two of you that I should’ve known about before I kissed you?”

  “What?” I glanced over my shoulder, saw Gem’s gaze fixed on me. “Oh, no. It’s not like that. I’ll explain later—I’m sorry.”

  I took off, leaving Russo holding a champagne glass alone and Gem staring after us with a curious expression. The woman who I’d spotted with Lassie’s shoes was quickly making her way into the building—alone.

  I had no idea what I was going to say to her, but my gut told me this was no coincidence. The woman in the blue shoes made her way with a purpose through the doors back into the party. She walked with a quick clip, glanced over her shoulder. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she didn’t want to be followed.

  I’d nearly caught up with her when my beeline was interrupted by another familiar face. As Brandy Lee sideswiped the woman into a conversation, I ducked behind a tower of sweets and peered between a set of colorful macarons toward the conversation.

  Unfortunately, the music was a touch too loud for me to be able to make out a word they were saying. From the look on the other woman’s face, she wanted to make a quick exit. Brandy, however, seemed to be bouncing on her toes, eager to get in a few more words.

  The other woman won. Weaseling her way from the conversation, she left Brandy staring after her. I made my move before Brandy had a chance to breathe.

  “Hey there,” I said to Brandy. “Just wanted to say—this is a great party.”

  Brandy turned to face me. “Oh, hey. Thanks.”

  “Say, I was hoping to chat with that woman you were just talking to—my friend really wants to know where she got her shoes. But I didn’t catch her name.”

  “Oh, Rita?”

  “Rita?” I blinked. “That sounds familiar.”

  “Of Glitterati Party Planning,” Brandy said. “You probably saw her office when you went there to find me. I used to work for her.”

  “But you don’t anymore?”

  “It’s like I said—I’m branching out on my own. Just finishing up a few things for her.”

  “Of course. Well, thanks. I should go find her. She seemed like she was on a mission, and I’d hate to miss her before she leaves.”

  “She said she was just heading upstairs,” Brandy said with a shrug. “I don’t think she has access there, but what do I know? Anyway, enjoy the party.”

  I left Brandy to reach for the macarons while I hightailed it toward the elevator. A flash of blue shoes disappeared as the woman stepped inside. I broke into a jog, skidding in unceremoniously through the opening as the doors began to close.

  “Sorry,” I said breathlessly. “These elevators are so slow.”

  Rita didn’t look amused. “Which floor?”

  I glanced forward and randomly pressed a number that was fairly high up. Rita had already selected the highest one.

  “I hear you’re Rita from Glitterati,” I said. “I’ve heard of your party planning services.”

  “My reputation precedes me then,” she said with a thin smile. “And you are?”

  “I’m Kate. A guest of Gem’s. Actually, I was wondering—where did you get your shoes? Are those from Nordstrom’s? I think I almost bought that same pair last week.”

  “They are.”

  “Interesting,” I said. “Did you know Harry Brine?”

  Rita’s hands stilled where they’d been fidgeting at her sides. “Excuse me?”

  “The news guy. The one who died. Did you know him?”

  She relaxed slightly. “Oh. I mean, I’ve heard of him. It was a big story.”

  “I heard his murderer was wearing those same exact shoes.”

  The door opened on the floor I’d pressed for me. I moved to stand in front of it, then turned to face a surprised looking Rita as the door closed behind me.

  “How would you know that?”

  I shrugged. “Insider information.”

  “Surely they haven’t shared that information publicly.”

  “You’ll have to forgive me. I
haven’t introduced myself properly,” I said. “Detective Kate Rosetti. Do you have a few minutes to chat, Rita?”

  “You can’t be up here,” she said as the doors opened behind me onto the topmost level. “These are Mr. Gem’s private quarters.”

  “I think I’m more welcome here than you are. How’d you get Gem’s keycard for the elevator?”

  “That’s none of your business. I work for Gem.”

  “I think you’re lying,” I said. “Why are you really here?”

  “This is completely unprofessional, you cornering me like this.”

  “We can talk out in the open, then.” I stepped out of the elevator. The floor was dark, abandoned. The receptionist was probably downstairs at the party, business hours long over. “Did you kill Harry Brine?”

  Rita stepped out of the elevator. She clutched her purse closer to her chest as the door slipped shut behind her. Then, with a twitch of her wrist, she threw the purse directly at my head and, screaming bloody murder, rushed me with both hands outstretched.

  I managed to bat the purse away from my face, but Rita was quicker than I gave her credit for. Her hands encircled my neck as we went down in a thump on the floor.

  I would’ve liked to think that, under normal circumstances, a fight with a high-heeled wearing party planner would’ve been a cinch, but Rita’s knee landed directly on my knife wound and sent horrendous pain slicing through my body.

  Instantly, blood appeared on my dress as the stitches tore open. Rita backed away, looking shocked as a stain darkened my dress. She gaped at me, as if wondering how she’d done such a thing.

  “That was stupid,” I said, rolling forward slowly onto my knees. “I just wanted to ask you a few questions. Now, you’re coming in on an easy charge.”

  “It’s not my fault. You made me do it!”

  I snatched Rita’s purse from the floor and briefly checked inside to make sure there was no weapon. While it was free of weapons, I did find a surprise. An envelope that had been sealed with a kiss.

  “You’re Gem’s stalker?” It was my turn to gape at her. “What am I missing?”

  “You should never have come up here.” Rita pulled out a pocketknife from somewhere. She must have grabbed it from her purse while still in the elevator. She stepped closer. “I didn’t want to have to do this all over again.”