by Tia Louise
All complaining thoughts are gone. Our tiny nation-state is renowned for our low crime rates. Hell, the entire place is like one big exclusive club. I throw the blankets aside and quickly step into my clothes. Something very wrong is going on in my kingdom.
Buttoning my shirt quickly, I keep my eyes on my queen. She’s sleeping soundly, and I don’t want to wake her. I need Cal with me on this, and I know if he’s up, Zelda will be up.
“They have a toddler,” I remind myself, scooping up my phone and stepping out into the sitting area.
Cal is on the other end of my line in seconds. “Jesus, does anyone ever sleep around here anymore?” he groans loudly.
“Isn’t Belle awake?” I return, confused.
“She’s not a newborn,” he gripes. “We have fucking nannies for her early wakeups now. What is going on? Don’t tell me it’s more of this Vega asshole.”
“Another rape-murder victim. Something is wrong, Cal.”
His voice is immediately serious. “We don’t have crimes like this in Monagasco. What’s going on?”
I knew he would be invested. My brother and I grew up here, and maintaining the integrity of our haven by the sea is a family priority. “I don’t know, but we have to get to the bottom of whatever it is.”
“I’ll meet you in the war room.”
* * *
André places the two photographs on the table in front of us. In both, the victims are brunette women. They are slim and appear to be tall. Their hair is short, cut so the ends curl at their ears. Both have bruises around their necks.
I stand and walk to the tall window. It’s the one my father used to stand before when he was facing a difficult situation, and now I understand why. Looking down from this height, I can see two things. I see the nation-state of Monagasco to the left, but I see the courtyard of the palace and farther down the ocean rolling onto the shore. It’s a visual reminder of the three things I’m concerned about most in my position here.
“Who are they?” I ask, studying the scene before me.
Freddie gives their names, but quickly notes, “Neither of them were from Monagasco. One was a resident of Gorbio. The other was Italian.”
“What were they doing here?” Cal asks, and the guard makes a few clicks.
“The latest victim is believed to have been a prostitute. The first was simply a tourist.”
“Is there anything linking them to each other?” I glance over my shoulder, and Freddie shakes his head.
“As far as police know, they’re random strangers. The only thing they have in common is their appearance.”
Cal walks to the table again and asks, “Did they determine the time of death for the first victim?”
Freddie is in front of his laptop as always. I hear his fingers clicking across the keys as he hacks into the police database to find the answer. If anything, it will tell us whether the murderer is still in the city or if it was something that happened days ago.
He clears his throat and stares at the screen.
“Tell me,” I say, mentally preparing myself for what I know is coming.
“Two nights ago. The victim was strangled here in Monagasco.”
“That’s it,” I say, looking from my brother to André to Freddie. “He’s attacking women who look like the queen.”
Cal pulls out the chair and sits across from me. “What do you want to do?”
Staring at my hands, I think about where we are and what we’re facing. “I thought I would be dealing with a different kind of threat.”
“You’ve known from the start we were going to have to deal with this guy.” My brother watches my face, and I glance up.
Our eyes meet, and I concede he’s right. “If we catch him in the act, we can take him out entirely. The police will be able to establish a connection, and that will be the end of it.”
Cal nods. “You and I are too visible for something like this, but Freddie and André should be able to handle it.”
He looks over at the two men, but I interrupt him before he can give the order. “I will handle this.”
“Ro—” My brother starts to argue, but my mind is made up.
“You’ve been in this position. You’ve faced someone threatening your family. Did you allow Logan to handle it or did you?”
“That was completely different,” he argues. “That was thousands of miles away, not on the streets of Monagasco where everyone knows me on sight.”
“Then I’ll wear a disguise.”
For a little while, he is quiet, searching for an argument. Freddie and André only watch, waiting to see how this will play out. Freddie probably already knows.
“Zelda will never forgive you if something happens, and I’m forced to take your place as king.”
A rueful smile crosses my face. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re going to be my backup.”
“I figured as much.”
Freddie is on his computer typing and reading. “The first thing we have to do is establish a pattern. We won’t catch anyone if we don’t know where he’s going or what his time of attack seems to be.”
“Can you detect a pattern after only two incidents?” André is leaning over Freddie’s shoulder.
“Not in this case,” Freddie quickly replies. “The first victim appears to have been killed sometime in the early afternoon… just based on the coroner’s guess. The second woman was killed sometime after ten p.m. Possibly a little earlier, but it’s hard to pinpoint time of death that close.”
Again, my brother and I exchange a glance. “I think I see his pattern,” I say quietly.
Freddie frowns, and Cal explains. “On both of those days, around those same times, he had just met with Rowan and me. He must have gone straight from us to the scene or shortly after.”
“So you can provoke an attack,” André says slowly. “That seems dangerous.”
“We can’t do anything like that unless we’re tracking him,” I say. “I would never endanger the life of one of our citizens unless we know we could stop him before he strikes.”
Cal drums his fingers on top of the table. “So how can we get a tracker on this guy without setting him off?”
“It’s the million-dollar question,” Freddie says.
“He wants to meet with Ava.” Cal raises his eyes to mine.
My reply is quick and decisive. “Absolutely not.”
“She might not set him off, and she has shown in the past that she can keep cool under pressure.”
“I will not ask her to face this guy. He’s hurt her enough.” Not to mention, she’s pregnant. If he hurt her now, he could potentially do more damage than she could stand. “Ava has dealt with enough.”
Placing both hands on the table, I stand. “That’s as much as we can do at this point. Freddie, monitor the police reports and let me know if anything changes. We can reconvene after lunch. In the meantime, I’ll be thinking about a plan. I suggest you do likewise.”
The two guards bow, and I head for the door. Cal is right beside me as we walk down the long hall to the main courtyard. Neither of us have had breakfast. We were in the war room before dawn, and now it’s nearly eleven.
“She’s stronger than you allow her to be,” my brother says. “When everything went down with Zelda, she took the news and even offered suggestions. From what I understand when the incident happened with Kass—”
Anger twists hard in my stomach. “The incident with Kass is something I never intend to repeat again.” My voice is hoarse, and I remember the agony of that entire situation, and my inability to intervene.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you,” he says quietly. “I know firsthand how gut-wrenching such situations can be.”
“Then you know why I won’t even consider it.”
He doesn’t answer, and we’re quiet the rest of the walk back to the east wing of the castle. When we arrive, the sisters have left word that they’re visiting the orphanage then heading to Occitan. Glancing at the clock, I s
ee we don’t have time to make the trip to the estate and back before we reconvene with the guards.
When we enter the dining area, a servant girl comes out and does a low bow. “Your majesty. We still have some breakfast if your majesties would like the egg soufflé, or lunch will be ready in twenty minutes.”
“Soufflé works for me,” Cal says, and I agree.
The young woman bows again and walks quickly from the room. We sit, and waiters place before us coffee and halves of grapefruit on china. I lift the small, triangular shaped spoon and cut out a wedge.
“Has mother returned from the spa?” Cal asks in that teasing voice.
“The servants are jumping around,” I agree, lifting my coffee cup. “I’m going to have to make a statement to the people about what’s happening.”
Cal nods, sliding his grapefruit half to the side. “It’s unheard of. Young women have always been safe to walk alone on our streets. I won’t have this bastard making our people afraid.”
“So many things are cause for fear these days,” I muse as the waiters appear with two plates of the tall soufflé, buttered toast, jam, and mixed fruits.
Another man refills our coffee cups, and after removing the grapefruit plates, they leave the room. We’re again alone.
“One was from France and the other Italian,” I say, thinking.
“If the one was a prostitute, that explains that,” Cal says, taking a bite of the buttery egg confection. “Tourists don’t always use precautions when they’re traveling.”
I still don’t like it. “I agree with your observation. We’ve worked hard to lure the right kind of visitors to our beaches, and this tarnishes our reputation as a safe travel destination.”
“So you’ll make a statement. Reassure everyone this is an isolated incident and you already have a suspect. That’s that.”
Nodding, I take a bite of toast with jam. The rich, bittersweet tang of raspberry mixed with butter fills my mouth, momentarily halting my speech.
“So many of our counterparts have been making similar statements in the last several months,” I continue. “I was determined not to make one myself.”
“At the same time, we are actually pretty confident we know who is behind this. It’s quite a different situation.”
“We’ll talk to the police and tell them what we know.” I’m drinking my coffee again as I think about this course of action. “I’d still like to try and catch him in the act. Be sure he’s taken care of for good.”
“Being a father changes everything,” Cal says with a wink.
“I’m pretty sure I would feel this way if it were just Ava.”
“Being in love also changes everything.”
Chapter 20
Ava
Sitting on the edge of the beach in my bikini, I spread my hands over my flat stomach. Rising on my knees, I turn to the side. “See anything yet?”
Zelda is playing with Belle in the soft breakers, but she glances up long enough to roll her eyes. “See your aunt Ava, Bee? She’s turning into a crazy pregnant lady.”
“You’re not supposed to call pregnant ladies crazy,” I shout back. “I’m hormonal.”
She waves her hand at me. “Either way, you won’t be showing for at least three months. It’s your first pregnancy.”
Running my fingers through the sand, I circle them around a shell, thinking about our visit to the orphanage this morning. Clare hasn’t heard any more from Suad’s aunt, and I haven’t gotten a reply email from the German ambassador. Everyone is preoccupied with the two crimes committed so close in succession. It’s unprecedented, and nervous politicians are bending over backwards attempting to establish a terrorism link. I was asleep when Rowan came to bed last night, and he was gone so early this morning, I haven’t had a chance to ask him what he thinks is happening. I’m certain I already know. I have the email to prove it… which reminds me why we’re here.
I stand and take my cover-up off the towel. “I need more water. Can I bring you anything from the house?”
Zelda scans the area where our towels are situated and shakes her head. “I’m good. Belle probably needs a banana or apple slices if you have any handy.”
“I bet the chef can make something for her,” I say, starting for the boardwalk.
“Nothing too complicated,” my sister calls after me.
She’s used to being in Tortola, where she’s not waited on nonstop. I’ll be lucky if I’m able to slip away and do what I’m planning to do while my sister is preoccupied with the baby.
Inside the estate, I trot through the living room to the kitchen area where Nesbit sits at a table with a menu chart in front of her. Another woman stands behind the stainless-steel island, and they appear to be discussing something.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I say, and they both turn and do little bows. “My sister asked if we had snacks for the princess? She mentioned banana slices or even apple wedges?”
“I’ll prepare something for the princess,” the woman at the island says.
Nesbit smiles. “It’s so fun to have a baby in the house.” She gives me a lingering glance, and I exhale a little laugh.
“I’ll be right back then,” I say skipping out of the room.
We’ve still decided to keep the pregnancy a secret a little longer—just until my first ultrasound. Not that we have anything to worry about. I’ve had the full battery of tests and the “all clear” from Dr. Klein since shortly after my positive pregnancy test. Heck, I’ve had it since we said we were trying to get pregnant. It’s all so clinical, it would have totally killed the fun if I weren’t so in love with my husband. Just thinking about our time together heats my skin.
Passing through the living area again, I head to Rowan’s small study in the far corner. It’s where I go to Skype with Zelda when we’re here and I want to use something larger than my phone.
The room is dark when I enter with the only light being dim stripes from the vertical blinds. I flick on the lamp, and papers are spread across the oak desk. Behind the chair are bookcases with assorted legal volumes and the occasional fiction. A hardcover edition of Shakespeare’s history plays sits in the center of the shelf, and it’s all very masculine and boring. All except for one thing.
I sit in the leather chair and spin around to face the shelves practically hidden by the chunky desk. I move the fake spines of books aside to reveal a safe. My lips twist as I try to remember the combination. It’s been so long since we talked about it, and Rowan only told it to me once. I remember he said he kept some of his father’s artifacts in it. His father’s first letter to the queen mother, a racing award he’d won years ago, and an antique gun. Another thing I know is Rowan very rarely even looks at these items. He only knows they’re here.
Now I can’t remember the combination.
A scratchy voice from behind sends me jumping out of the chair. “Anything I can help you with, your highness?”
Turning around, I see James the old butler standing in the entrance to the study. “You startled me,” I say, attempting to act casual.
“I’m so sorry, your highness. I thought you looked a little lost.” I’m pretty sure he suspects I’m up to something.
Still, I do my best to act cool. “Actually, I was remembering the king told me something about a book he kept in here. I was just scanning the titles.”
“I’m sure you’ve realized those are not actual books.” He nods toward the fake spines I’m holding that were used to cover the small safe.
“Of course,” I laugh, but it’s a little too breathy. “I was just thinking how funny to use these to cover that little safe.”
“It’s a very effective camouflage. They hide anything… unless one knows something is there.”
With a tight smile, I lean down to restore the fake row of books. Then I step from around the desk and start for the door. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll check with my husband later about the book.”
I can’t tell if my tone is snappish,
but I mentally add Old Grandma to the end of my sentence. Now what am I going to do? Walking to the kitchen, I remember our early wakeup call. That new guard André hasn’t spent much time around me. We need to go back to the palace so I can see what weapons he might be concealing… and not thinking about when I’m in the room.
* * *
It’s after lunch when we arrive at the palace. I assume Rowan and his team are in the war room, but when we enter the sitting area, the television is on. My husband is on the screen standing behind a police chief, and it appears they’re giving a press conference about the two recent murders.
I start to walk toward it when Zelda and I both take three steps back. A short old woman rises like a phantom from the Edwardian armchair behind an indoor ficus tree. She’s dressed in a lavender suit that has a small fringe around the cuffs and the lapels, and on top of her grey helmet of hair is a matching pillbox hat. Around her neck is her signature double strand of pearls, and as usual, she is not smiling.
“Your majesty!” I do a bow.
Zelda exhales a loud sigh of annoyance and bows along with me. Belle starts kicking and struggling until my sister lets her down, and she runs straight into her grandmother’s arms.
“Mee!” Belle cries as the old woman sits down again, lifting the toddler in her arms.
Zee and I straighten, and while my sister frowns, I can’t deny a hint of warmth in my chest as the usually crabby old lady softens for my golden angel-niece.
“Belle,” she says in her high, creaky voice. “You look more like your daddy every day.”
My niece looks exactly like her mother as a baby, and when I glance at Zelda, she rolls her eyes.
“When did you get back, ma’am?” I say walking toward my mother-in-law.
“Early this morning,” she says, not looking at us. “I heard Cal came for a visit, and I wanted to see our little princess.”
“It’s nice to see you again, your majesty,” Zelda says, doing a little curtsey.
“Miss Wilder, you’re looking well.”
Belle is patting the old woman’s little hat, and I almost laugh. It’s amazing what that little girl can get away with around her grumpy grandmother. I can’t help but wonder if the queen mother will be the same way with our baby. Rowan has always said his mother spoils Cal, not that he seems to care.
