by Ginger Ring
The first guy whistled and spoke before getting down to the business of getting the body onto the gurney. “Poor thing. I’ve got a daughter this age.”
“You ever seen anything like this before?” Ryan asked from the doorway.
“In Genoa? The answer is no. When I lived in the big city, yes.” The man shared a few stories of bizarre crime scenes he’d been to. The urge to get to Valentina’s side was stronger than ever. He was thankful for her around-the-clock protection, but that wouldn’t necessarily stop someone intent on killing.
He spied Danny scrolling through her phone again and her face lit up.
“Got something?” Ryan stepped to her side.
“I found one of those day of the week towels under the desk. I also did a search and you can buy towels like that at a place here in town.” She held up the phone.
“No shit? Where?” He was eager to find this killer.
“Lakeside Commons. That new antique store. They sell both new and old stuff. You know, reproductions and such.”
His stomach dropped. “That’s where Valentina Caponelli just opened her new office.”
“Do you want me to go check it out for you?” she offered.
“I think we both should. You go in normal clothes as a customer and I will go in my uniform. See what you can find out. Why did they just open here, where did the owners come from? We’ll see if we each get the same answer.”
“Will do. I’ll go back to the station and change. See if I can find a towel in the list of Tracy’s belongings that we might have missed.”
“Thanks. Let me know what you find out.”
“You got it.” She started down the row of washers and then stopped and turned around. “You should probably go make sure Valentina is okay. You know, with a potential killer possibly next door.”
“We don’t know that.” He tried to brush it off but she was all he could think about.
“She doesn’t know that either. Might score some points for you.”
“I have a feeling you’re trying to fix me up with her.”
“No, just trying to protect the citizens of the town from your bad disposition.” She winked. Was he really turning into a grumpy old man?
“I do have to pick up Tyler.”
“Ry, just a suggestion. Women like flowers and candy.” She shook her head, as if realizing he was a hopeless case. “Dropping off a juvenile delinquent never got anyone laid.”
“Are you saying my skills with women are off? Why, I’m crushed.” He placed a hand on his heart.
“It would take a lot more than words to crush you. You know you like her, I know you like her. Ask her out.”
“No, I don’t think so.” He didn’t do well in relationships. It was already becoming apparent that he was married to the job. Still, his heart wanted her.
“Scared she’ll say no?” Danny taunted.
“No, afraid she’ll say yes.” The conflicts of interest alone were a mess. The town cop dating a mob princess.
“I never figured you for a chicken.” She was not giving up.
“I’m not chicken, just smart enough to stay far from that family.”
“From what I’ve seen, she wants to stay far from the family business as well.” She flapped her arms a couple times like she was a chicken and then rushed out the door.
The last thing he’d ever be considered would be a coward, but he wanted to be smart. One needed to be careful about getting involved with the Caponelli family. Being a cop meant he had to be careful every day, but maybe it was time his personal life wasn’t.
That was easier said than done. It was late afternoon by the time Ryan finally returned to the office of Valentina Caponelli. The new shiny gold sign glimmered on the wall next to the door. He tried the door but it was locked. Spying through the window, he noticed the place was empty. Even Tyler was nowhere to be found. Where was everyone?
Ryan turned to leave and take a look around back, but a scream from inside the building stopped him in his tracks.
Chapter Twelve
Valentina
The place was empty and way too quiet. Roman had picked up Madison and Dominic took Tyler home. She strolled from room to room. Her new office looked great but something was missing. Her lips tightened as studied the area.
The waiting room was perfect. Her private office was where things were lacking. Yes, it had the professional look, that was for sure, but it needed something. Her law books lined the shelves. A few green plants and ferns sat by the window. Valentina’s gaze darted back to the bookcase. There were no personal effects. Having photos of her infamous family members would not be a good idea. Her clients would spend more time asking questions about them than telling her about their cases.
She needed a hobby or something. Maybe earn a few trophies to put on her desk. But when would she have time for that? Valentina shook her head. There was no time to do anything fun. A mental list of all the things she needed to do tomorrow floated through her mind. There were ads to be put in the paper, a website to design, flyers to put up around town, and so much more.
Val glanced at her watch. What was taking Dom so long? She arched her sore back and stretched her neck. It had been a long day. Her gaze landed on her framed diploma that still sat on the floor.
“I might as well get that hung up before he returns.” Leaning against the wall, she slipped her feet out of the four-inch high stilettoes. With the frame in one hand, Valentina wheeled her new desk chair over to the wall. When she stepped up on the chair, she paused. Was that a knock at the door? She waited a moment but didn’t hear the noise again. After a few minutes of struggling to find the nail with the wire on the back of the frame, her degree was finally on the wall.
Her head titled and then straightened. It appeared to be lined up right. With a hand on each side of the frame, she pushed the chair back to get a better look. Unfortunately, she pushed too hard and the wheels kept going.
“Help!” she screamed. The chair hit the desk and down she went with a big crash onto the floor. “Oww.” Valentina carefully sat up and took a moment to catch her breath. Except for a sore forearm, she seemed to be okay.
A loud crash of breaking glass screeched from the other room.
“What the…?” She grabbed her purse, rolled behind the desk, and pulled a gun from her handbag’s side pocket. Her heart pounded. What if it was the killer they’d talked about and he’d just broken into her place?
Her fingers shook as she held the gun in one hand and quickly crawled to the doorway. There was no way she would go down without a fight. She was a Caponelli, and Caponellis didn’t run from anything. Well, except for handsome police officers who had the potential to break her heart.
The footsteps in the other room made the floor creak with every move. He, or she, was getting closer. It had to be a he—the footsteps sounded too heavy.
“Valentina?” a deep voice half whispered. It sounded familiar, but in her near panicked state it was hard to tell. Where the hell was Dominic? “Police. Come out with your hands up.” Her ears perked up. It was Ryan, it had to be. But why the broken glass?
“Ryan?” She jumped to her feet and rushed from the room. She came to a halt when she realized his gun was pointed right at her. He motioned her to the side and poked his head into the office. “What’s going on? Is the killer here?”
“You tell me. I heard you scream and had to break in.” He continued to search all areas, including closets and the bathroom, before putting his gun away. “You got a permit for that?” He motioned to the gun in her hand.
How quickly she’d forgotten she still held it. “Of course I do, and my conceal carry permit too. Do you want to see it?”
“No, just put it away.”
She found her purse on the floor where she’d left it, put the gun back in its holster, and returned to the front room.
“Hey. Wait a minute, you broke in?” Her stomach dropped when she spotted all the broken glass from her front door.
“I was hanging a picture and fell off the chair.”
He took a step closer. “You fell? Are you all right? Do you need to go see a doctor?”
“Heavens no, but I do need a doctor for this door.” Valentina grabbed a broom from the utility closet and started to sweep up the mess. It was the only noise in the room.
“I’m sorry about that. Let me clean up and I’ll pay for the damages.”
“No need. You were just trying to protect me.” Her face heated as she looked his way. “I appreciate it.”
“You know me. Officer Ryan, here to serve and protect.” He took his hat off. “And destroy windows and doors.” A mixture of emotions crossed his face. “I’m really sorry about that.”
“No need to be.” She stopped and rested her uninjured arm on the top of the broom. “I have to admit I was getting a bit apprehensive about being here by myself. Roman hasn’t had the security cameras installed yet.”
Surprise appeared on Ryan’s face as he glanced around the room again. “I came to pick up Tyler. Where is he and your long-haired guard dog?”
“If you’re talking about Dom, he took Tyler home. When we heard about the murder, he got worried about his mother. I wanted to make sure they were both home safe and sound before I left here. They might have had to wait a bit for his mom.”
“I can’t believe he left you here alone.” Ryan flexed his fists.
“I can be very persuasive.” She smiled.
“I can believe that, but still. I know Roman.” He would be furious once he found out she’d been left alone against his orders.
“I promised to keep all the doors locked and not leave until he returned. I have a gun too.”
Ryan chuckled. “I noticed.” He took a deep breath. “So, what did you hear about the murder?”
“Not much but enough to be worried. I’m getting Tyler’s mom a job at Firenza. It will be much safer for her there.” She couldn’t help but want better things for the pair after what they’d been through.
He nodded in agreement. “You’re a good person, Valentina. You have no idea how much having a job can change that young man’s life.” Ryan took a step closer and she quickly returned to sweeping. As much as she tried to deny it, the man did things to her insides that just couldn’t be explained. Her heart raced faster than just a short time ago when she’d thought a killer was about to invade her space.
“It was you who brought him here.” She raised her eyes to meet his. “I guess that makes you a good person also.” Her cheeks were flushed.
He smiled and seemed to brush the compliment off. “It’s my job.”
“I think you try to deny it but you go above and beyond what your job is.”
“I—” he started but she interrupted.
“No disagreeing with me. Just take the compliment.”
“I still insist on paying for the window.” He put his hands on his hips.
“How about you take me out to dinner instead?” The offer came out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop it. His eyes widened. “It’s okay if you don’t want to. I mean, I know you said we shouldn’t get involved. It was stupid of me. It just came out. It must have been all the excitement.” She bit her lip and swept with gusto.
Ryan smiled and held his hand out to stop her. “I would be honored to take you out to dinner.”
Valentina’s mouth dropped open. Her brain debated whether this was a good idea or not. “I…uh…really?”
“I know what I said. Sometimes I overthink things. It’s just dinner.”
Just dinner? “Well, don’t put yourself out.” Suddenly, dirt and glass were flying farther than they should. Men! Just when you think you have them figured out, they go and say something stupid. Ryan Donavan just became the last person she ever wanted to go out with.
“Look, I didn’t mean it that way. Dammit, Valentina, why is it whenever I’m around you I say the stupidest things?”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault you’re an idiot.”
She said it as an insult but it made him laugh. “I didn’t say I was an idiot, just that I say stupid things sometimes.” He took a step closer. “I can’t help it. I came over here to ask you out and then, well, you know what happened.”
“You came to ask me out?”
“Yes, I did.” He took the broom from her hands. “Will you go out to dinner with me, Miss Caponelli?”
Valentina wished she still had the broom to help keep her upright. The man of her dreams just asked her out after she swore she’d never have anything to do with him again. What to do, what to do?
“Well, since you asked so nicely. The answer is yes.” It would be one of her biggest regrets if she didn’t go through with it.
“Great. Now I can get Danny off my back too.”
“Excuse me, what?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is this some kind of bet that I walked into?”
“A bet? No, no.” He placed his patrol hat back on his head. “I was coming over to ask you out, you just asked me out first.”
“I didn’t ask you out. I said you could take me out instead of paying for the window. Now tell me why that would make, who is it again, Danny, happy?”
He swore under his breath and took a seat in one of the waiting room chairs. “It’s been a long day in a long week in a long month. My coworkers think I need to take some time off and, uh, date.”
“So you picked me?” Somehow it irked her instead of having a more positive effect.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“Now you’re not so sure.”
“No. I didn’t mean it that way. I’ve wanted to ask ever since the accident.”
Loud boots sounded from the entryway and Dominic’s large frame filled the door. “What the hell happened here?” He had a hand on the gun in his side holster but let go when he saw she was safe.
Valentina gave him the abbreviated version of events that led to the broken window.
“It’s actually a good thing this happened. They gave us the wrong damn door. We ordered the one with bullet proof glass.” Dom made some calls and then addressed Valentina. “I’ll take you home, then come back and stay until it gets fixed.”
“I’ll take her home,” Ryan offered.
“It’s no trouble, I can wait,” Valentina argued. “I’m not a little kid.”
“No, but you are the daughter of a Don and the sister of Roman. He’ll take you home,” Dominic instructed.
“What?” That was the last thing she expected him to say, and she dragged Dom by the arm into her office. “You want me to go with him? What would Roman say?”
“He would trust my opinion, and despite what you think, he trusts Donavan. Tyler told me all the trouble he’s been and that the cop never gave up on him. The last thing I need is you sitting here all night watching me fix the damn door. Roman will have someone watching your house all night. I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll get out of your hair.” Her shoulders drooped. Her confidence was at an all-time low. Dom couldn’t wait to get rid of her and the man of her dreams only asked her out to please his coworkers. She felt like a dupe, and Valentina Caponelli was no one’s fool.
Chapter Thirteen
Ryan
It was a quiet drive to her home. He’d made a mess of things, that was for sure. Ryan knew all the right things to say to get a confession from a criminal, but talking to a member of the opposite sex left him feeling less than cool.
When he pulled into her driveway, the woman was out of the car faster than a bank robber fleeing the scene. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he jumped out of the car and followed her up to her door.
“Thanks for the ride but I’m good now.” Her hands shook as she fumbled for her keys and they fell to the ground.
“Here, let me help.” Ryan bent at the same time as Val and they bumped he
ads.
“Ouch.” They both came up rubbing their foreheads and starring at each other.
Ryan broke the silence first. “This is stupid.”
“What?”
“This whole situation.” He held out his hand, palm up. “Give me the keys. Let’s go inside and talk.”
“Why, is that another bet?” She tossed her keychain into his hand and he unlocked the door.
“There is no bet. Can I come in?”
“Yeah. I guess.” It was said without conviction but he’d take it. Val turned on the lights and his eyes automatically lowered to her shapely calves as she wandered over to the living room and took a seat on the couch. The room had similar colors to her office, warm burgundies and dark wood. It suited her and it gave warmth to the room, something that she was not giving him.
He took off his hat. Why didn’t he just leave the damn thing in the car? “I’m not good at this stuff, okay? I don’t like dating, and if you knew the story of my parents, you’d understand why I haven’t gotten involved with anyone for more than one night.” Ryan paused to let that sink in but it just seemed to make her more confused. “Like I said, I’ve always thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world and way out of my league, but I would like to take you out, if you’ll have me.”
Her lips parted but still she was quiet. He took that as a sign to continue.
“I don’t care what your brother thinks and I don’t care who your father is or what he’s done. I’m interested in you and only you.”
This time she bit her lip in a cute but sexy way. Her legs crossed and uncrossed. He could almost hear the gears turning in the smart brain of hers.
“Well, what’s your verdict, counselor?” Ryan swallowed as Valentina reached down to slowly remove first one and then the other shoe. Those stupid high heels made him worry that she would break her neck, yet he loved the way they made her legs look. Once the stilettoes were off, she stood up and strolled his way.
