"Mm-hmm." I did a 360-degree turn for him while he whistled appreciatively. I was pleased that my mission to seduce him was being accomplished. Not that it ever took much anyway. "I was saving it for our honeymoon, but thought I'd give you a preview tonight."
He drew me onto his lap, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed me deeply. "I like the sound of that. Hope it's an all-night preview."
I laughed and got to my feet, reaching for his hand. "Come on. Let's go to bed."
Mike rubbed his eyes again. "Okay. You go ahead, and get comfortable, baby. I need to take Spike for a quick walk, and then I'm all yours."
I leaned over Mike and kissed him, gripping his thick, dark hair between my fingers. "Don't be long."
I started to walk down the hallway and felt his eyes still on me. I turned around to see him watching me with a devilish smile. "What?"
His eyes shone, and he winked. "Nothing. I'm just enjoying the show."
I grinned and went into the bedroom, lit a candle on my nightstand, turned out the light, and then got under the covers to wait for Mike. I would have set the alarm clock, but he was up at dawn these days and would wake me before he left the house. I had told Josie I'd meet her at my parents' at seven o'clock sharp. Sarah was scheduled to come in at eight. She had to drop Julie off at camp first, and that didn't open up until seven thirty. All I needed was to get a little ahead moneywise so that I could put the money back in Mike's account and then hopefully start saving toward another location for the bakery.
Five minutes passed then Spike ran into the room and jumped onto the bed. Bewildered, I petted the dog and wondered why I hadn't heard the front door open. What the heck? "Mike?"
There was no answer. I stepped out of bed and padded down the hallway in my bare feet. Mike was still sitting upright on the couch, fast asleep again.
I sighed with disappointment and reached for the afghan on the back of the couch to cover him. He'd wake up eventually and come to bed. I knew he was worn out but had really been looking forward to some alone time with him. Well, we'd make up for it on our honeymoon. I smiled to myself. Josie's earlier comment had been right on the money. Cape Cod would probably work out just fine.
As I walked back into the bedroom and blew out the candle, my mind started wandering again. Was there something else going on with him? What about this new job? Could he be working for some voluptuous blonde and afraid to tell me? There you go again, Sal. There was no reason for me not to trust him. I was inventing problems. If it hadn't been for Colin's cheating, I doubted I'd even be having these thoughts.
I got into bed and pulled the covers up to my nose, thinking of the fortune cookie message again. Mrs. Gavelli or no Mrs. Gavelli, those pieces of dough had to go. Weariness won over, and I closed my eyes.
"Princess."
"Hmm."
Someone shook my arm. "Hey." I opened my eyes to see Mike bending over me, dressed in jeans and a dark blue Adidas T-shirt. His hair was still damp from the shower, and he smelled wonderful—of that spicy aftershave I loved.
He sat down next to me on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss me tenderly on the lips. "It's six o'clock, baby. Time to get moving."
"Oh," I groaned. "It feels like I just went to bed." I raised myself into a sitting position and yawned noisily.
Mike grinned and pushed the covers off me. "Damn. I'm sorry about last night. I can't believe I missed out on this." He fingered the lace on my nightie.
I placed my arms around his neck "It's all right. We have plenty more nights ahead of us. A lifetime of them, actually."
"I'm counting on that." He crushed his mouth against mine, causing a flurry of passion and longing to erupt from deep within me.
When we finally broke apart, I uttered a low moan. "Nothing's coming between us tonight—I don't care how tired you are."
He laughed, but I could have sworn I saw a flicker of guilt reflected in his eyes. No, I must have imagined it.
"As soon as I get home, I'm all yours," Mike promised. "But I'm going to be pretty late again."
Ugh. I knew he was trying to clear his schedule, but selfishly, I wanted him here with me. However, we did need the money, especially since the fiasco with my bakery. "What's the other job?"
Mike hesitated for a moment then planted a kiss on my neck. "I'm putting in new flooring at Webster's Restaurant. They want it finished by the end of the week, so that's going to mean some more late nights until then."
"This honeymoon can't come soon enough." I stroked the stubble on his chin and forced him to look at me. "Hey, is there any chance you can break away today?"
He wove his fingers through my hair. "I'll be lucky if I find time to eat lunch. Why? What's going on?"
He was going to be upset, so I skimmed over the truth a bit. "Josie and I want to run by the bakery and grab some things."
Mike stared at me, unconvinced. "I thought you got everything out of there already."
"Not quite." If I told him it was to snoop, he'd really be upset. "We won't be long."
His jaw set in a determined lock. "I don't want you in the building, Sal. I'd rather you wait until Dave can get out there to inspect the place. He's supposed to go over tomorrow or the next day when he gets back in town. I'll double-check with him."
A lightbulb clicked on in my head. "Maybe I could meet him when he goes over?"
He toyed with my hair and gave me a shrewd look. "I guess that would be all right. Get what you have to, and then leave immediately. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
Mike's smile returned, and he kissed me again. "Good luck today, sweetheart. I'll text you later."
Mike got off the bed and walked toward the bedroom door with Spike trailing after him. He turned around, and I stared at his rugged, handsome face. His mouth curved into a seductive smile. "One more thing."
"Yes, my love?"
The pupils in his midnight blue eyes grew dark and increased in size as he pinned me with his gaze. Another rush of heat swept over me. "Make sure you wear that nightie again tonight."
With that, he was gone.
I jumped out of bed and rushed to take a quick shower, all the while marveling about how lucky I was. How foolish I'd been last night to think that maybe something else was going on with him.
I arrived at my parents' just minutes after seven o'clock. Josie's minivan was already there. When I went into the kitchen, she had the mixer going and was making genettis. The Italian glazed cookies sprinkled with nonpareils were one of my father's favorites. No doubt he'd be in there before long, pestering her. I hadn't seen his car outside and wondered if he'd made a trip to Denny's on the sly for a Grand Slam breakfast, complete with extra cholesterol.
Grandma Rosa was sitting in the dining room, coffee in hand, reading the morning paper. It was weird to see her relaxing because even at the age of seventy-five, that was not her style. However, I knew she wanted to stay out of Josie's way. I leaned down to hug her.
She patted my cheek. "Good morning, cara mia. Are you ready for a busy day?"
I poured myself a cup of coffee from the carafe in front of her. "I hope we get customers, Grandma."
"They will come. It is too bad we could not tie your father up in the basement, though. That man and his pazzo hobby may frighten people away. If I did not live here, I would be frightened too." Grandma Rosa studied my face carefully. "Your sister. You have found her?"
I went on to tell her what had transpired last night and that Josie and I had plans to return to the bakery to look around. She nodded in approval.
"Dear heart, I know how much you love your sister," she said. "But this is not good for you either. There is to be a happy wedding in a few weeks. You should not be putting yourself or Josie in any danger right now."
"Did I hear my name?" Josie joined us, wearing a spotless white apron, her long auburn hair pinned into a tidy bun on the top of her head. In the bakery we'd had pink ball caps to wear, but I'd forgotten to bring them over. If they were
even still useable after the fire, which I doubted.
I poured my best friend a cup of coffee, and she sat down. "Sorry. We haven't even opened yet, and I'm already slacking when I should be out there helping you. I was telling Grandma about going back to the bakery. Mike said this morning it should be fine as long as the engineer is there. I hope he can meet us today."
Grandma Rosa pressed her lips together, unconvinced. "You two need to be careful."
Josie kissed her on the cheek. "We will, Rosa. You can count on it. Gianna needs to stay where she is for now. You saw those Napoli pigs last night. They're convinced Gianna's part of Bernardo's scheme. They won't listen to reason. We've got to find out who's responsible for Bernardo's death and burning down the bakery."
My phone pinged, and I stared down at a text from Sarah. Julie's sick. Need to find someone to watch her today. Can't send her to camp like this. Will be late. So sorry.
I blew out a sigh and showed the message to Josie and my grandmother.
Josie shook her head. "Every week. Man, she has more issues with one kid than I have with four."
Grandma Rosa took a sip of her coffee. "That one, she has many problems. It is not good."
"Well, I hope this new job works out for her." I put the phone back in my pocket. "But she won't be able to bring Julie there, I wouldn't think. And what are we supposed to do for help in the meantime? I guess we should place an ad in the paper. She's leaving at the end of the week."
"Nice of her to give you two weeks' notice," Josie quipped.
Grandma Rosa got to her feet. "I will help today if you need me. I am going to visit Nicoletta for a while, but call if you need anything."
"What would we ever do without you?" I asked. My grandmother was always there whenever Gianna or I needed her.
She chuckled. "You would be lost."
Josie pushed her chair in. "By the way, Father Grenaldi just called, and he wants one hundred cookies today. Jelly-filled, shortbread, spice, and oatmeal crème pie cookies. Twenty-five of each for the Altar Rosary Society meeting being held at the church tonight. He wants to pick them up at noon. Since I already have the dough on hand for everything except the spice ones, it's not going to be a problem."
I sniffed at the air, loving it. "It smells like my bakery again." Despite my dread over the location, the thought cheered me to no end. We could do this, and hopefully it would only be for a few weeks. Maybe after the honeymoon we'd be able to start off fresh someplace else. I kept trying to convince myself everything would be fine. With my parents, you never knew what they'd throw at you next. Their house was like a crazy carnival ride most days.
For the next two hours, Josie and I baked and filled the display case. My father arrived, sporting a gigantic grease spot on the front of his shirt, and my previous suspicions were confirmed. He grabbed a couple of cookies out of the case and went outside to water Grandma Rosa's garden. Josie growled as he walked away but said nothing. I had to give her credit—she was trying.
Sarah texted again, saying she would arrive within the hour. She kept apologizing, and I sympathized with her. How awful it must be to have no support system in your life.
I filled the jelly cookies and prepared them for baking while Josie rang up an order for a customer. Suddenly, I heard a noise from the vicinity of the living room and grimaced. My mother was out and Grandma Rosa in the kitchen, so I knew it had to be a customer who had lost their way. I hurried out there, anxious to avoid questions about the coffin.
A woman, dressed in a black designer suit and white silk blouse, was standing on the staircase, her arm extended on the wooden rail. She was tall and slender, hair the same shade of ebony as mine, but while mine curled, hers was long and sleek. Her eyes, dark and inquisitive, observed me thoughtfully.
"The bakery is out this way." I pointed in the direction of the kitchen.
"Sorry. I must have gotten mixed up. I'm looking for Sally Muccio," she said in a deep ethereal voice.
"Hi, I'm Sally. Can I help you with something?"
Her dark eyes glowered. "Let's start with your sister."
Something told me this wasn't a social call. "I'm sorry?"
The woman's snow queen smile created a cold chill to the very core of my being. "Suppose you cut to the chase, and tell me where your sister is hiding."
"Who the hell are you?" Josie was standing behind me.
The woman wrinkled her delicate nose at Josie. "Excuse me. This doesn't concern you, honey."
Josie stepped forward angrily, but I grabbed her by the arm. I forced myself to remain calm, but dread descended over me anyway. "Well, how about you tell us something, then? Who are you, and what do you want with Gianna?"
The woman gave me an apprising look. "I'm Victoria."
A warning the size of a church bell clanged inside my head as the next question fell out of my mouth. "Victoria who?"
"Victoria Napoli. I'm Bernardo's grieving widow."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Josie's eyes went wide with alarm, and I had no doubt that they mirrored my own. Keep calm, Sal. Great. More members of the delightful Napoli family. This was just what we needed.
"Where is the little hussy?" Victoria demanded. "I'm guessing that she's living here now that her place went up in flames."
Grandma Rosa stepped into the room, a stern look upon her face. "Do not speak about my granddaughter this way. When you come into this house, you show respect."
Victoria looked my grandmother up and down, and I half expected a nasty retort, but instead, her face went crimson. "I'm sorry." She covered her eyes with her hand. "I just don't know what to do anymore."
Grandma Rosa raised a coffee cup. "Would you like some?" she asked Victoria. "Or some cheesecake perhaps? Come into the dining room."
Victoria gave Grandma Rosa a genuine, warm smile. It was impossible to be angry when you were around my grandmother. Plus, I knew firsthand the wonders her cheesecake could work. "Some coffee would be great, thank you."
We walked through the living room together, and I saw Victoria's head do a double take when she spotted the coffin, but she said nothing.
"Would you like to sit down?" I stammered, not knowing what else to say.
She nodded. Grandma Rosa handed her a cup and then set out cream and sugar. Victoria glanced at my left hand, studying my one-carat, marquis diamond engagement ring.
"Nice gem. How long have you been married?"
I twisted the ring on my finger, unable to keep the smile off my face as I thought of Mike. "The wedding's next month."
She snorted. "Do yourself a favor, honey. Head for the hills. All men are jerks."
Well, we know your husband was. "Why do you want to see Gianna? What did she ever do, except try to help your husband?"
Victoria glanced around the room. "Is she here?"
"No," I replied.
"I don't believe you," she said tightly.
I must have looked annoyed because Grandma Rosa reached over and laid her hand on top of mine in an attempt to silence me. "My granddaughter is not here. And she had nothing to do with your husband's death."
Victoria toyed with her spoon. "She was the last person to see Bernardo alive. I know he was carrying on with her, so I'm guessing she knows where the money is. My money, to be exact."
I clenched my teeth in annoyance. Everyone was staking their claim to this sum of money that was rumored to be in the million-dollar range. I was sorry the man was dead, but why did he have to die in my bakery? Gianna's life was now in danger because of it.
"I thought that was Luigi's money," Josie commented. "At least that's what he told us when he stopped by for a chat."
Victoria stared at us over the rim of her coffee cup. "My father-in-law came to see you? It figures."
"Look," I said. "I don't know what's going on with your family, but let me reassure you that Gianna was not carrying on with your husband. Her job was to represent him in court. That's all." And she didn't even want to do that.
&n
bsp; Her expression was amused. "Boy, are you naïve. Bernardo always got what he wanted as far as women were concerned. He was planning to run away with her. He even admitted it to me when I confronted him earlier that same day."
Grandma Rosa studied Victoria for a moment. "Perhaps that is what he told you, yes. But Gianna did not even like your husband."
"Grandma," I hissed in warning.
She shook her head at me. "No, Sally, Mrs. Napoli should know the truth. Gianna thought your husband was slum."
Victoria stared at my grandmother, confused. "We have a beautiful home, in a nice part of town. You must have our house mixed up with someone else's."
"She meant to say scum," I explained.
"Oh," Victoria nodded. "Well, that part's true enough." She wrung her hands together in obvious distress. "Look. He was a piece of crap, I'll admit. He screwed around on me many times. I can overlook that, though. I just want my money. Hell, I earned it from having to put up with him."
"How long were you married?" Josie asked.
"About two years." She sniffed at the air. "Smells like something's burning."
"My chocolate chips!" Josie screeched and made a beeline for the kitchen. I heard her slam the oven door and start cursing. Burned to a crisp, no doubt. The entire time we ran the bakery, Josie had never burned one cookie. Working here though was an entirely different matter.
Grandma Rosa spoke up. "Why would you stay with such a man when he was unfaithful to you?"
My thoughts exactly. True, my ex had cheated on me too, but as soon as I'd discovered his indiscretions, I'd walked out the door and never looked back.
I figured Victoria would be offended by the question, but if so, she didn't act like it. Instead, she laughed. "You're such a cute old lady. You remind me of my grandmother, rest her soul. Yeah, I've asked myself that question many times. Bernardo was handsome but a total bum. He had no interest in working for a living and loved being involved in the so-called family business. It made him feel powerful. He enjoyed seeing the look of fear in people's eyes. Sure, I could have left if I wanted to, but I chose to stay."
Burned to a Crisp (Cookies & Chance Mysteries Book 3) Page 12
