by Misty Evans
“Did Elizabeth tell you that?” Roberto’s lips twisted into a sneer. “That woman never was anything but trouble. I rue the day she came into our household.”
Cooper leaned on a chair back. “I take it she and Ana were close?”
Roberto snorted. “She was always causing trouble. The woman never knew how to mind her own business. She filled their heads with poisonous lies that tore our family apart long before Ana disappeared. And it would appear she is still spreading her vicious lies.”
His story seemed opposite to the tale Elizabeth had told them, which took Celina aback. Were they barking up the wrong tree?
Unfortunately, until they could talk to Ronni and get the full details of the background check on all the players, there was little they could do but take notes and compare later.
“How long did this…Elizabeth, was it? How long did she work for you?” Cooper hedged, neither confirming or denying that they already knew who Elizabeth was. Probably a smart move, considering Roberto’s apparent dislike of the woman.
“It’s Elizabeth Waters, and she was Ana’s tutor for her high school years. Ana had a brilliant mind and was at a higher level academically than the other children of her age. We home schooled her and I hired Elizabeth to tutor her in advanced subjects.”
“And Ana was okay with that?” Celina asked.
“Ana did as she was told.” Roberto snapped. “She was a good girl, never got into trouble. Until Elizabeth started tutoring her. Then I caught her sneaking out of the house, dressed in clothing that was far too revealing for a young lady of her status. Elizabeth claimed a true education involved getting out to experience the real world.” He snorted, nostrils flaring. “She had a world already waiting for her. It was not Elizabeth’s place.”
A young lady of her status. Good grief, he made Northern California sound like Victorian England.
But it was beginning to sound like both Roberto and Elizabeth had an axe to grind. The real question was, did either have anything to do with Ana?
“Ana had a world already waiting for her?” Cooper asked. “What do you mean?”
“My daughter was to join the Sisters of St. Mary’s convent after her eighteenth birthday. She was to become a nun.”
Celina remained quiet, waiting to see if Roberto volunteered anything else. Cooper did the same.
Ah, teamwork. Sometimes Celina missed their combined talents being put to work like it had when she’d been on the taskforce.
When silence suffocated the room, Roberto stood and stalked to the opposite wall where a side table sat. He poured himself a drink from an expensive looking crystal decanter. “I’m sure you think that’s old fashioned but it’s tradition in my family for the first born daughter to become a nun. This honor has been passed down through our family for generations. Ana knew this. My wife, Meredith, knew this. Elizabeth damn well knew this.” He took a swig of his liquor. “She should have known her place and kept her nose out of where it didn’t belong.”
A vein bulged on the side of Cooper’s neck, a telltale sign his patience level was wearing thin. Past experience told her it was time to wrap things up. Besides, they had all they were going to get from Roberto.
Lucky for her, she was saved from having to run interference by Cooper’s cell phone ringing.
Glancing at caller ID, his countenance shifted. Had to be Ronni. “Excuse me,” he said, giving Celina the slightest nod. “I need to take this.”
Avoiding Celina’s burning gaze, Cooper stepped into the foyer, pressing the phone to his ear. “Harris.”
“Got some news for you, boss.” Ronni said cheerfully in his ear. “The dad is dirty for sure, has his hands in a few shady business ventures, but he wasn’t anywhere near Paso Vallejo the night Ana disappeared. According to police reports, Daddy Verdoni was on a plane to Vegas that night. Apparently he owns a casino there. Video surveillance picked him up going through security and boarding the plane, then later leaving the plane and catching a cab to the strip. He’s clean. Well, dirty, but clean where the daughter is concerned.”
Cooper gritted his teeth. Damn it. Not what he wanted to hear. “How about this Waters woman? Anything more on her?”
“Nope, other than a parking ticket in 1994 the woman is clean as a whistle. Sorry, boss. I couldn’t dig up anything unusual on the two monks you told me about either. Both are clean.”
“Dammit.”
Ronni echoed his frustration. “Lacey, my friend, couldn’t tell me anything helpful about the bones from those photos, except it looks like the skull had some minor cracks in one spot, like from a blow. Could be the killer knocked the girl out, but without Lacey examining the skull itself, she had no way of knowing if that blow happened the night the girl died or possibly sometime before that. It could have been an old injury, like falling off a swing at the play ground, Lacey said, or from falling down stairs. That type of thing.”
“Alright. Thanks, anyway. We’ll have to wait for the locals to do their thing and see what they come up with.”
“Let me know if you guys need anything else. Say the word and Thomas and I will haul up there.”
“You just want some wine.”
“Well, if you want to show your appreciation, I’d love a bottle of that shiraz they make at the vineyard there. Dyer got me hooked on it.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“So when are you going to pop the question?”
Cooper’s heart did a funny jig in his chest. “What?”
“You know, ask Celina to marry you?”
“How did you… Did Dyer tell you?”
“Nope.” Ronni laughed. “I was just fishing, but apparently, I was right! You are going to ask her to marry you. That’s so cool. Think she’ll say yes?”
His heart stuttered. “You’re her best friend. What do you think? Be honest.”
“Jeez, boss, lighten up. Of course, she’ll say yes. She’s freakin’ nuts about you. You know that.”
“It’s just…she’s been acting weird lately.”
“She’s probably wondering what the hell is wrong with you, why you haven’t asked her to marry you yet.”
Was that it? “You really think that’s what she wants?”
“Hell, yes. Now stop being an idiot and get back to your romantic weekend. Forget this cold case and go ask my bestie to marry you, you big lug.”
“Thanks, Ronni. I appreciate the…help.” Tucking his phone back in his pocket, Cooper drew in a deep, calming breath before heading back into the library…
…and immediately felt his blood pressure rise at the site of Verdoni’s hand on Celina’s arm. “Everything okay?”
They both jumped, and Verdoni immediately released Celina, but not before Cooper saw a look of relief pass over her face. Whatever had just happened was enough to make her extremely uneasy, which pissed Cooper off all the more. Flexing his fists, he drew up beside her, fixing Verdoni with a hard stare.
“It was an accident,” the man said, taking a step back. “Miss Davenport’s foot caught on the Persian rug and she tripped. I was merely helping her regain her footing. It is not what you think, Agent Harris.”
Accident my ass. The son of a bitch had been looking for an opportunity to put his hands on Celina from the moment he’d seen her. His fists flexed.
Laying the asshole out flat on his own Persian rug would definitely give him some satisfaction.
Celina grabbed one of his balled hands. “I’m good, Cooper. No worries. Are we done here?”
Her voice was neutral, but he easily caught the anger simmering in her gaze. As much as he wanted to lay Verdoni out and ask questions later, he knew she wouldn’t appreciate that. Celina was a big girl who was more than capable of handling things on her own. She always had been.
Jesus, he really needed to get a grip. If this is how overprotective he acted while they were dating, how the hell was he going to survive marriage?
Reining in his anger, he still kept his glare directed at Verdon
i. “Yeah, we’re good. Let’s get out of here.”
She headed for the library door, dragging him behind her. “Thank you for meeting with us, Mr. Verdoni. We’ll be in touch if we have further questions.”
He followed them, drink in hand. “Maria will show you out. Next time you decide to pay a visit, do me the courtesy of calling first.”
He looked like he wanted to say something more, but changed his mind when Cooper whirled on him. At the mention of her name, the housekeeper popped into the doorway staring at them expectantly.
“Of course.” Celina said without missing a beat. Once more, she tugged on Cooper. Without waiting for another word, she spun on her heel and stalked out of the room, expecting him to follow.
Damn he loved this woman. Why he even worried about her was beyond him. Still, he shot Verdoni another sneer. “You better hope we don’t find a need to come back.”
“She’s a handful, that one.” Verdoni mused aloud, completely missing Cooper’s implication that he was going to kick the man’s ass. “I can imagine how much work it takes to keep her under control.”
Cooper rolled his eyes. “When a woman knows how to incapacitate a person twenty different ways using only her bare hands, you don’t keep her under control, you jackass. You stand back and cheer her on.”
Cooper caught up with Celina at the truck, catching the last line of a few colorful words being muttered under her breath. “Arrogant snake,” she hissed.
He opened her door and ushered her into the truck. “What happened in there?”
She huffed out an angry breath, tugging the seatbelt over her shoulder with a jerk. “While you were gone, he didn’t waste any time crowding me against the couch, which is how I tripped. I guess he thought it was his chance to cop a feel.”
White laced anger shot through him. “He did what?”
Celina cringed at his bellowed words. “I blocked his hand and was about to put him on the floor when you returned, so drop it. Tell me about the phone call.”
Cooper pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to force air into his tight lungs. This woman was going to be the death of him. So she didn’t want him fighting her fights. Fine, he got that loud and clear. That didn’t mean he had to like it.
Climbing into the truck, he glared at the house. “Ronni had intel,” he said when he finally had his anger tamped down.
He quickly relayed the information Ronni had given him over the phone, watching as Celina’s face fell with the news.
“So, Verdoni’s not our guy.” Her voice was filled with disappointment. No surprise she’d been gunning for the bastard too. Cooper could relate, though being an asshole wasn’t exactly a punishable crime.
“It appears not. Which means our bad guy is still out there and it’s time for us to look into our favorite monks.”
Chapter Nine
The ride back to the Abbey was quiet, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Celina was still trying to wipe out the memory of Verdoni’s slimy hand on her elbow, while Cooper sat in brooding silence. She figured he was talking himself out of turning around and pummeling Verdoni’s face in. Not that she blamed him. If the situation were reversed, she’d probably be pissed off too.
Sliding a hand over the center console dividing their seats, she traced a fingernail down his arm, smiling serenely when he peered at her out of the corner of his eye. “Have I told you how much I love it when you turn all alpha male on me?”
He grunted in response.
Not to be deterred, she loosened her seatbelt, leaning over to press a kiss to his arm before moving upwards.
“Or how much I love knowing you’ve got my back.” She nipped his ear, pressing a kiss to the lobe. “And my front.”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. “I might have an idea.”
“Have I told you it’s kind of a turn on,” she breathed in his ear, moving her hand to rest on his inner thigh, giving it a squeeze, “when you interrogate bad guys? You’re so…good at it.”
“Shit, Celina.” He groaned, the chords in his neck straining. “Keep it up and I’ll have to pull over.”
“Is that supposed to make me want to stop?”
Cooper nailed her with a look so intense, her nipples pebbled. Oh God, what this man could do to her with just one look.
With a jerk of the wheel Cooper turned off the highway and onto a dirt road. Game for whatever he had in mind, Celina’s hand moved to the front of his straining zipper. As she cupped him through his jeans, he groaned.
Oh yeah, she knew just what he wanted.
When they were far enough away from the highway, he threw the truck into park before grabbing the back of her head, dragging her face to his. The seatbelt caught on her shoulder before their lips could meet and he swore softly. Celina’s muffled laughter filled the cabin as he fumbled with the release button of the seatbelt.
“Need some help?” she teased.
“Nah, I’m a pro.” Releasing the seatbelt, he tossed it aside. Celina squealed when his hands gripped either side of her hips, dragging her over the center console and onto his lap. Her butt hit the steering wheel, honking the horn. They both burst out laughing at the precarious position they were in. Even on her knees Celina didn’t quite fit on his lap, wedged between his massive chest and the steering wheel that was climbing up her ass.
Still chuckling, Cooper brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, his eyes soft and warm. “Probably not the most romantic place ever, huh?”
Celina melted into his touch, turning her head to press a kiss to the center of his palm. “Probably not, but I admire your ambition.”
Threading his fingers through her hair, he loosened the pins holding her bun in place, sending her hair cascading over her shoulders. “Mmm…now that’s better.”
Celina tilted her head back as his hands kneaded her scalp, a low moan escaping her lips. Lord the man had talented hands.
A knock on the window startled them both. An old farmer peered at them through the glass, eyeing them curiously. He wore a weathered baseball cap pulled low over his head and a pair of overalls that looked like they had seen better days. “You folks okay in there?”
Scrambling back to her side of the truck, Celina felt her face grow hot. Talk about embarrassing. At least they still had their clothes on.
Cooper, on the other hand, didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the interruption. Rolling down the window a crack, he flashed an amicable grin. “We’re good, thanks. Just needed to…talk.”
Celina choked back a laugh. Talk. Riiight.
The farmer made a face that was a cross between a grimace and a grin, she really couldn’t tell which. “Alrighty then, just checking. Heard your horn honking and thought perhaps you were in need of some help.”
“We’re good,” Cooper told him.
He paused, scratching his head as if he really didn’t know what to make of the situation. Or them, for that matter. “Well, then, you all have a nice day.”
With a shake of his head, he moved off down the road where Celina could see a tractor stopped alongside the gravel. “That was embarrassing.”
Cooper chuckled. “I’ve heard of honking if you’re horny, but…”
Celina swatted his arm before he could finish the sentence. “Smooth, Harris. Real smooth.”
Curling an arm around her neck, he tugged her close, giving her lips a smacking kiss. “I’ll show you just how smooth when I get you alone. For now, we’d better get back on the road before Farmer Brown comes to check on us again.”
Back at the Abbey, Celina listened to the shower running in the other room, stretching her sated body languidly on the bed. True to his word, upon reaching their room Cooper had shown her just how smooth he could be, savoring every inch of her body with his mouth and hands until he’d driven her out of her mind. And then he’d given even more by showing how much he loved her with each touch, and through each gentle caress.
Oh, baby, I have to tell your daddy a
bout you. Her hands flattened over her still-flat stomach. Cooper loved her. He would welcome a baby, wouldn’t he? She couldn’t help the nagging thought from entering her mind, putting a damper on her good mood.
God, help her, her emotions were all over the map. She needed to think. Work on her presentation about the baby. After his shower, Cooper wanted to find Father Bailey and talk to him. She couldn’t decide if she should break the news before or after.
The flat walls and unimaginative décor of their room held no answers for her. It made her brain feel flat too.
In the distance, she heard the chapel bell ring. Down past the restaurant, visitors gathered for a taste testing at the outdoor building. The deep resonance of the bell echoed over the grounds, lovely and inviting.
Maybe some fresh air would do her good. Clear her mind of young girls being buried alive.
Tossing her legs over the side of the bed, she gathered her scattered clothing, tugging everything back into place. Scribbling a quick note letting Cooper know she was going for a short walk, she left it on the end of the bed where he would see it when he came out of the bathroom.
Taking the staircase to the main floor, Celina breathed in the air coming in through one of the open doorways. From down the hall she could hear the distant laughter of couples enjoying their evening and she smiled at their merriment. Despite the hours spent at the library and meeting Roberto Verdoni, she’d enjoyed seeing Paso Vallejo. Maybe one of these days, she and Cooper could come back and visit the touristy shops.
He worked incredibly long hours with every taskforce case, and as always, the last one had taken a toll on their free time. He loved his job, like she loved hers, but she worried about him.
Celina’s flip flops echoed on the stone floor as she wandered down the hall, pausing to stare at the masterpieces along the way. Father Bailey truly had a beautiful gift; it really was a shame he no longer painted.
Had he known Ana more than he’d let on? Was he covering for one of his fellow monks who might have been Ana’s lover?
