Gabe

An announcement was made, and the large double doors opened, welcoming the crowd into the convention center. My heartbeat quickened as I made my way through all of the people streaming through the art show entrance.

“Out of my way, coming through,” I said as Violet followed in my wake. She had been able to secure a sign from Patrick and was scheduled to pick it up within the hour. It would be a little tight getting it here before our section of the convention center opened, but the woman was determined to make it. After securing the sign, she helped me sweet-talk Bridget into spilling the details of her sales tactics. I could see why Scarlett liked Violet so much. Her assistant was not only loyal, she knew what she was talking about. She also didn’t trust me, which was wise. If I were her, I wouldn’t trust me, either. While I wasn’t out to hurt Scarlett, they couldn’t possibly know that. To them, I was a gigolo, and she didn’t want me breaking her friend’s heart.

“What happened?” I asked as I made my way to the center of the crowd and knelt down next to Scarlett.

“Oh my God, Scarlett!” Violet shoved me aside and took her friend’s hand. “What happened?”

Scarlett winced and tightened her grip on her friend. “I fell over the potted plant there.”

I frowned at the palm on the floor, its dirt spilled over onto the plush, gray carpeting.

“I guess I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” She cast me a wary glance. “It was stupid, really.”

It was then I noticed the red marks on her cheek. If she tripped over into the plant, she wouldn’t have those red lines on her skin. It looked as if someone had tried to suffocate her.

As if sensing my gaze, she turned her head away from me and cleared her throat. “I just want to get out of here.” She motioned to the crowd around her. “I need to gather my pride a little before our section of the convention center opens.”

“Sure thing.” Violet glanced at her watch. “Oh damn, I need to pick up that sign.” She flashed Scarlett a worried look. “Patrick is a good twenty minutes away without traffic.”

“You go,” Scarlett said. “I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t know.” Violet bit her lower lip, considering.

I glanced at Scarlett. More was going on here than she was letting on. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to get the entire story as long as we sat here in front of an audience. “I’ll take Scarlett to get some coffee while you get the sign,” I offered. “We can meet back here before the show starts.”

Violet nibbled her lower lip. “I’m not sure. Perhaps I should stay.”

“No, that sounds like a good idea.” Scarlett flashed me a grateful look before focusing on Violet. “We need that sign, and there’s no one I trust more than you.” She patted Violet on the arm. “You go.”

“At least, let me help you to stand.”

Violet took one arm as I took the other and we helped Scarlett into an upright position.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Violet asked.

“I’ll be fine.” She tightened her grip on my arm. “I have Gabe.”

Violet frowned and stepped back. “Okay. If you need anything, just text.”

“I will.”

I waited until she started toward the door before I turned to Scarlett. “Can you walk?”

“Yes. I think my pride is hurt more than anything else.”

I nodded and turned toward the crowd. “Okay, show’s over.” As the people started to disperse, she tugged on my arm. “Gabe—”

“Not here.” I tightened my grip and steered her toward the door. “Let’s get you some coffee first.”

We navigated the sea of people and made our way to the sidewalk. I knew of a small coffee shop a short distance away from the convention center and hoped that it would be open. As we walked, Scarlett became eerily silent.

“You have some marks on your cheek,” I said in as casual a tone as I could manage. The angry lines were already fading, but just seeing them there made me angry. The sooner I found out what really happened, the sooner I could focus my rising frustration on something useful.

She raised her hand to her face. “I’m not surprised. Someone pulled me from behind and tried to suffocate me behind the plant.”

I stopped walking and stared. “What?” It was what I had guessed, but part of me had hoped that I was off, that it was a lie. Now, hearing the words from her lips caused my brain to freeze up with hatred and thoughts of revenge.

She blinked up at me, and I could see the tears forming in her eyes. “None of this makes any sense.”

“Someone tried to kill you?” My head was starting to work again, but it still felt as if I was in a fog. Turning back toward the convention center, I briefly considered searching the place for the intruder, but too much time had passed. The person had probably slipped into the crowd outside and was long gone. No, running around wasn’t going to help Scarlett, and leaving her alone could quite possibly put her in more danger. I flexed my fingers as I turned back to her and told myself I needed to get the whole story out of her before I started running around and punching things like a lunatic.

She nodded. “When that didn’t work, he tried to feed me a pill.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “He almost succeeded.”

“He?”

“A man, yes, but I’m afraid I didn’t get a good look at him. His voice sounded familiar, though.” She nibbled her lower lip in thought. “I think . . . I think he was at the party the other night.”

I glanced around at the people passing us on the sidewalk to make sure no one was paying attention. After confirming no one was watching, I took her arm. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To the hospital.”

“No.” She pulled her arm away. “I don’t want to go there. Not yet.”

“Scarlett.” I inched closer and lowered my voice. “Someone attacked you.” My cover didn’t matter anymore. The case didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was making sure Scarlett was healthy and finding the bastard who did this.

“I know. It’s just . . . I’ll have to tell them what happened and then they’ll want me to talk to the police. There has already been so much negative publicity surrounding my gallery. I don’t want to draw any more attention to myself. At least until after the show.”

“You’re insane.” And I was in over my head. If this guy was the same person who had killed Henri, then Scarlett was in a lot of trouble. I needed backup, and she needed around-the-clock protection.

“Gabe, please.” She touched my arm. “I could really use that cup of coffee.”

I steeled my jaw and considered my options. At the very least, I needed to make contact with Sal at the station. They needed to be informed of this new development. If the killer was attempting another hit so soon, then that meant that he was getting nervous. That, in turn, meant that we were on the right track. Now, more than ever, I was sure that the key to solving this case laid with Scarlett.

“Okay, we’ll get a cup of coffee, then we’ll go from there.” I wasn’t going to commit to not going to the police just yet. God, there was so much to think about, so many puzzle pieces that weren’t fitting together. I needed time to sort things out.

Perhaps Scarlett was right. Perhaps a cup of coffee was what we both needed right now.

Taking her arm, I steered her toward the coffee shop, settled her by the window, and went up to the counter to order two large cups of coffee. As I poured in the cream, I caught her hugging her middle as she looked out the window at the people outside. She looked so fragile and delicate. Part of me wanted to swoop her up and take her somewhere safe, somewhere far away from this place and these people. Now that she was a target, she was in constant danger, and it was up to me to keep her out of harm’s way until the killer could be brought to justice.

Which meant that it was more important than ever that I focused on this case. After I got Scarlett settled, I’d need to check in with Sal and set up a meeting with Jake. As much as I hated working with Haussler, it was time to call him in on this. I needed his help if we were going to catch this guy in the act.

But first, Scarlett. I needed to make sure she was okay before I did anything.

Tossing the stirrers into the trash, I covered the to-go cups and brought them over to the table.

“Here.” I placed the coffee on the table and slid into the seat across from her. “I hope you still like it the same way you did in high school.”

“Cream and lots of sugar.” She smiled down at her cup. Grasping it with both hands, she took a long sip of the warm liquid and closed her eyes. Satisfaction spread over her features, making me smile.

“It’s that good?” I asked as I opened the top of my paper cup. Despite passing this place hundreds of times, I had never stopped here. I took a sip, and, while it was good, I didn’t find it anything to write home about.

“You have no idea.” She opened her eyes and looked down at her drink. “Bridget taught me to drink coffee black.”

I frowned. “Why?”

She shrugged. “Cream and sugar are empty calories.”

I leaned over the table and winked. “But delicious calories.”

She smiled. “Yes. Very delicious.” She took another sip as I leaned back in my chair and studied her curvy frame. I couldn’t believe that Bridget would force her to drink something she didn’t like, or would make Scarlett self-conscious about her weight. The more Scarlett drank from her cup, the happier she became. Wasn’t personal happiness better than pleasing others?

I paused with the cup to my lips as an image of my father in a hospital bed crossed my mind. I thought about how for the better part of my life, I had been fulfilling a dream of a dead man rather than live a life of my own. I supposed we had that in common, Scarlett and I. We both had given up personal happiness to please others.

She caught me looking at her and averted her gaze. Pink stained her cheeks as she smiled to herself. I decided to try to make her do that more often.

“I don’t know how you do it,” she said.

“Do what?”

She waved her hand in my direction. “Act like nothing happened.”

“What do you mean?” I leaned my elbows on the table.

She glanced at me, then nibbled her lower lip. “First you take charge at Henri’s death. Now, I’ve been attacked, and you’re acting all calm and collected again. It’s as if . . . as if none of this bothers you.”

I blinked at her in shock. “You think none of this bothers me?”

She nodded.

I moved my drink aside and placed my hands on the table. “Trust me, I care. I care a whole hell of a lot.” I just had a different way of showing it. As a cop, I was trained to look at things objectively and logically, without emotion. Just because I suppressed my feelings, didn’t mean that I didn’t care.

She glanced over at me and slid her hands into her lap. “Frightened, then. I mean, a killer is on the loose. Aren’t you, at least, a little bit scared?”

“Scared?” I leaned closer and lowered my voice. “Scarlett, I’m terrified, but terror isn’t going to keep you safe.”

She widened her eyes. “Do you think he’s connected to the Escort Killer?”

“It’s possible, although I have no idea why you’d be attacked. You’re not an escort.”

“Neither was Henri, although he frequently hired escorts.” She blinked at me, and I could tell where her thoughts were heading. She had hired me for the week, and doing that could have put a target on her back.

“Don’t jump to any conclusions,” I said. “There is still a lot we don’t know. Until the police figure out what’s going on, we need to focus on keeping you out of harm’s way.”

“How can you keep me safe? We don’t know who this person is, or what he’s up to.”

I leaned back in my chair and was careful to keep my expression blank. “I have my ways.”

She gave me a funny look and then rubbed her temple. “Look, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I really have to get back to the show.”

I shook my head. “No.”

“No?” She raised her brows. “You don’t understand.”

“I’ve been thinking about it. Whoever grabbed you back at the convention center is still out there, waiting for another opportunity to strike. There’s no reason to believe that he won’t try something again.”

“He wouldn’t dare. Not in front of all those people.”

“There is no better place to hide than in the middle of a crowd. Trust me.” I had used that technique more than once myself. Until I knew who we were dealing with, I didn’t want to take any chances.”

“I can’t just not show up. People are expecting me. I have clients and buyers—”

“I understand that your show is important to you, but your safety is important to me.” I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “Everyone is going to expect you to be at that show—including whomever attacked you. I say we shake up your routine and keep him on his toes.”

She took a sip of her coffee and studied my face for a moment before answering. “Even if you’re right—and I’m not saying you are—then who is going to cover for me?”

“Violet.”

“Violet?”

“I heard her talking to Bridget earlier. She knows her stuff. She could easily arrange things so that you have a presence there without being there physically.”

She shook her head. “The panels—”

“If you can’t send Violet, then just skip them.” I leaned my elbows on the table. “It’s only for one day.”

“One day?”

“You’ll still have the rest of the week to make the rounds.”

She took a sip of coffee, considering my words. “I suppose I could change some of my appearances to later in the week.” She set down her cup and sighed. “Lord knows I don’t want another run-in with that monster.”

“That’s my girl.” I leaned back and considered our options. Law enforcement needed to know about this, but I couldn’t very well go down there with her and give a statement. People would recognize me, and then things would get messy.

“So what do we do?” she asked as she raised her cup to her lips. Her gaze seemed to suggest a silent challenge. It was almost as if she knew what I was thinking.

I leaned back in my chair and thought for a moment. “First, you’re going to call Violet and arrange coverage for the rest of the day.”

“And then?”

“Then, I’ll call a friend I have down at the police station and see if we can arrange for you to give a statement.” I held up my hand before she could protest. “Privately.”

“No cameras?”

“No cameras. Or reporters. He’s a close friend from my military days. He’ll be discreet.”

Scarlett shivered and put down her cup. “I’ve had bad experiences with cops in the past.”

It was difficult to hide my surprise. “You have?”

She glanced up at me and considered me for a moment before speaking. “Before Henri, I dated this cop in New York.” She toyed with the edge of her cup. “We only went out a couple of times before Bridget put an end to the relationship.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Bridget put an end to the relationship? Why?”

Scarlett shrugged. “She was my mentor, and I had an image to maintain. I still do.”

An uneasy feeling rippled through my gut as I realized what she was hinting at. “A cop doesn’t fit your image.” I set down the cup.

“No. Well, not exactly. It’s the fact that they are too harsh. They also lack a certain . . .” She waved her hand in the air as she searched for the right word. “Polish.”

“Polish.” I couldn’t quite keep the disbelief out of my voice.

“Yes. Certain situations require a delicate touch, and cops tend to be rather . . .”

I fisted my hands under the table. “Barbaric.”

“Blunt,” she corrected. “And hard, yes. They tell it like they see it, and often in this business subtlety is key to winning people over.”

“Bridget told you this?”

“Yes.” She lifted her chin. “And it’s the truth. The guy I dated back in New York had no social graces. He stood out like a bull in a china shop.” She shook her head. “My job is made or broken on the relationships I form. If someone comes across as too abrasive, well . . .” She waved her hand in the air. “I could lose a lot of business.”

“I see.” Now I really didn’t want my coffee. Thanks to Bridget, Scarlett thought cops were caveman-like barbarians.

“Bridget thought that he’d make me look weak to art investors, and he did, so I broke up with him.”

“He didn’t fit in your little world, so you broke up with him, just like that.” It was difficult to keep the edge out of my voice. “I suppose an escort is no better.”

She looked up at me, a silent question in her gaze. “We aren’t dating,” she reminded me.

Ouch. She was right, but that didn’t stop the knife from going into my chest. I sat back in my chair and stared at her as I tried to process how the sweet girl I knew in high school had become so shallow.

“My career is important to me,” she said, as if reading my thoughts.

“More important than happiness?” When she started to respond, I shook my head, stopping her. “Forget it. It doesn’t matter.” I nodded to her purse. “You better make that phone call.”

“Oh, right.” She reached around and pulled out her phone. She started to dial, then glanced in my direction. “Could I have a little privacy?”

I blinked. She needed privacy to tell Violet to take over for the day? It seemed rather silly, but at the same time, I had my own private phone call to make.

“Sure. I’ll just step out for a moment and call my friend at the station.”

“Okay.” She returned her attention to the phone as I stood and made my way outside. When I reached outside, I glanced back into the coffee shop and watched her talk on the cell.

I was such a fool. When I had first seen Scarlett standing there in the hotel foyer, I had thought . . . well, I had thought that perhaps we could pick up where things had left off. Now I knew that falling back into our old relationship wouldn’t be so easy. Scarlett considered cops to be too uncultured and brazen, too . . . rough.

In other words, I wasn’t good enough.

Snorting, I pulled out my cell and began to dial the precinct. It was probably just as well. I needed to focus on the case anyhow. Closing cases was what I did best, just like my father before me and his father before him. It was time to start earning my pay.

* * *

Sal was surprisingly fast. We only had to wait about fifteen minutes before he arrived in civilian clothes at the coffee shop to take a statement. Jake hadn’t checked in yet today, but Sal said that he’d see if there was any new information before coming over. They’d also send some people over to the art show to look at security tapes and have a look around in case something was missed. I had already given him all of the details over the phone, so his interview of Scarlett was quick, which was a blessing. She was obviously nervous around him and my holding her hand didn’t seem to help much. Listening to her speak made me realize that she had indeed been through a lot today, and most likely needed rest. After assuring Sal that we’d keep our eyes open, he closed his notebook and declared that he’d look into everything for us. We all left the coffee shop together, and on the way out, he slipped me a piece of paper, saying to open it when I was alone.

Her hotel was only a short distance away, so we walked there in silence, each in our own thoughts. She was shaking less, which was good, but I could see that she was still looking at the people around us with apprehension.

“He probably won’t strike you here at the hotel,” I offered as we stepped off the elevator and onto her floor. “Not with me standing next to you.”

“You don’t think so?”

I shook my head. “It’s too risky. He might easily overpower one person, but two . . .”

She stopped in front of her door. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I’m always right, didn’t you know that?”

She smiled. “No, I didn’t.”

“Well, you should.” I leaned against the wall next to her. “Have I ever steered you wrong before?” I held up my hand as she opened her mouth. “Don’t answer that.”

That made her laugh harder, and we both chuckled until an awkward silence fell over us.

“Well, thanks,” she said as she leaned against the door. “Not just for being there for me today, but for yesterday, too. It helps to have someone to talk to.” My chest ached as I saw the pain and vulnerability in her features. I could tell that she was feeling a little lost after everything that had happened the past couple of days.

I knew what that felt like. After my father’s death, I had felt adrift as well. Back then, I had no one to talk to, no one to rely on. My brothers were too young, and my aunt too stricken with grief. I knew that if our family was going to survive, it was going to be up to me. So I had committed to keeping my father’s memory alive, and in doing so brought myself and my family out of the darkness and helped us reclaim our lives.

This situation was different, however. Scarlett wasn’t alone. She had friends and family. She had me.

“Scarlett.” I took a step forward and cradled her cheek in my palm. The marks had faded, and a healthy glow spread across her face. As I watched her features soften, I suddenly wanted to tell her everything. It took all of the willpower I had to swallow the words back. I couldn’t tell her the truth, not here, not now. Once this case was over, I promised myself, I’d tell her everything. We had both wasted so many years apart. I didn’t want anything in between us anymore, not my job, not my family, and certainly not her prejudice about cops. I wanted to show her that I was different, that we could be different . . .

But all of that would have to wait. Someone was out to harm her, and I needed to focus on that. Her protection had to be my top priority. Nothing else mattered.

“I will always be there for you, Scarlett.” I rubbed my thumb along her cheek. “Always.”