Never Coming Home (12 page)

Devlin reached to take her hand. ‘If you’re not ready we don’t have to do this today. We have the whole weekend.’

‘I don’t want to wait.’ Her eyes were dark with intent. ‘If Jeff is going to be at that restaurant, then I’m going to be there, too.’

Kaz sat at the counter, sipping
acqua minerale
, watching the traffic of customers in and out of the restaurant. There’d been no sign of Giuliana waiting tables. Kaz’s tentative enquiry to the bar tender about her had been answered with an indifferent shrug. She chewed her lower lip. The clock over the bar showed it was quarter-to-three. The lunch trade was all but over and she was going to have to admit defeat in the next few moments.

There had been a few men eating alone. Once her heart had started to pump when she spotted the back of a dark head but when the man turned it wasn’t Jeff. The disappointment had been like a punch in the face. She hadn’t realised how much she was depending on this.

She shifted uneasily. Devlin had done a walk by about fifteen minutes ago and the men he’d recruited were somewhere around, though she didn’t know who they were. Or where. They were doing all this on the say-so of a woman who had probably quarrelled with Jeff. Who knew what game she was playing? Or Jeff himself? Maybe he
 
–

‘’
Scusi
?’ Kaz looked down. A small boy had come up to the bar, from somewhere in the back. He had dark floppy hair, falling over one eye, and an envelope clutched in a small hand. ‘You are Katarina Elmore.’ He pronounced the words carefully, as if he’d been coached.

He looked up anxiously, breaking into the widest smile when Kaz responded. ‘
Si. Di dove sei?
Did someone tell you to look for me? How
 
–’

‘This is for you.’ The boy thrust the envelope at her and turned quickly.

‘Wait!
Ferma
!’ Kaz slid off the stool, reaching out, but he evaded her. ‘Please! Wait a moment. I need to know who gave you this
 
…’

The child dodged a waiter and two exiting diners, weaving around a high chair with a mewling baby, towards the door.

As Kaz started after him, the strap on her bag caught on the edge of the bar and she dropped the envelope.

By the time she’d retrieved it, the child was gone.

Chapter Thirteen

‘Nothing.’ Devlin opened the car door and slid behind the wheel. Kaz was sitting in the passenger seat, clutching the crumpled note. ‘No one at the restaurant remembers seeing the kid before. He doesn’t belong there, or in any of the streets around, as far as I can tell. And Giuliana does not work in this  restaurant. You okay?’

‘Mmm.’ She’d been trembling when she darted out of the restaurant. She was calmer now. ‘It’s Jeff’s writing.’

‘You sure about that? It’s not much to go on.’ Devlin tweaked the paper out of her hand. ‘Santissima Annunziata. Ten o’clock tomorrow. Come alone,’ he read aloud. ‘Not even a bloody signature!’ If the note was from Elmore the arrogant prick still thought his ex-wife should recognise his handwriting, and come when he called. ‘Melodramatic crap!’ Frustration bubbled. The steering wheel was there, in his face. He thumped it. Kaz flinched. The impact juddered up his arm. His knuckles stung.
Great move, Devlin. Very adult, very productive.
He slumped down into the seat, disgusted. ‘Why pull a stunt like this?’

‘Because it’s the kind of thing Jeff gets off on. We’ve been stirring things, showing his picture around, which pissed him off. This is him pissing back.’

Kaz’s fingers, kneading his rigid shoulder, were small balm to his wounded ego. ‘C’mon, Devlin. This is not a screw up. We’ve got what we wanted. We found Jeff.’

Kaz’s eyes narrowed as she stared through the windscreen. They watched a fat black cat trying to decide whether to jump on the bonnet of the car. It squinted at Devlin. When he scowled it decided against, slinking off instead to a sunny door step. Kaz exhaled gustily. ‘We’ve been played. Giuliana, last night. She was told what to do and say. Jeff wants to turn the tables. Now he’s the one calling the shots.’

‘You think?’

‘Why else?’

Devlin buried a hand in his hair. ‘I suppose it figures. You think he’ll show, or is this just a windup?’

‘I don’t know.’ Out of the corner of his eye, Devlin saw her mouth sag as he reached for the ignition. ‘I’ll find out tomorrow.’

‘We,’ Devlin corrected. ‘You’re not going into that church tomorrow alone.’ He rammed the car into gear. ‘I’m coming with you.’

‘Jamie is my child,’ Kaz’s pronounced through gritted teeth. ‘Which means I do exactly as it says in that note.’ She stabbed a finger at Devlin. ‘What happens if you come with me? You beat the truth out of Jeff, on the altar steps?’

‘It’s an idea.’ Devlin was prowling the room, like something caged in a zoo.

‘You don’t think I’m not tempted?’ Kaz sat down heavily on the bed. ‘But I have to try talking to him. First,’ she added as Devlin turned towards her. He was being unusually pigheaded. Arrogant. She should have left him and gone to her own room, not followed him in here, trying to convince him.

‘Assuming the guy shows tomorrow, you think he’s going to give you your daughter, just because you ask him?’ Devlin bounced round as he reached a wall. Kaz shut down the splinter of her mind that wanted to admire the way he moved. She was getting nowhere, trying to argue. Time to go.

She stood. Looking round for her bag, she located it on the window ledge. She padded across.

‘Kaz!’

‘All right.’ She held up a hand. ‘No, I don’t think he’s going to hand Jamie back to me. It’s just a matter of getting his confidence.
Then
maybe you come in. Maybe!’ she cautioned, as Devlin growled. ‘I’m still going with the story about needing his signature. No mention of Jamie at all.’ She exhaled, exasperated, as she saw Devlin’s face. ‘What the hell is going to happen to me, in a church, in the centre of Florence?’

All she got in response was another growl. Looked like Devlin was turning tiger on her. Or cave man.

She shut her eyes. She wasn’t changing her mind about going alone. She’d hired Devlin as an investigator, not as a bodyguard. His instinct to protect her, to take charge, was as ingrained as breathing. And as seductive as silk. To sink into it would be so easy.
And when Devlin is gone, where will you be? Still dependent, needy, hollow. Looking for a man to structure your life.

She opened her eyes. Devlin was scowling, with something in his glance she couldn’t read. Frustration was coming off him in waves.

‘This whole thing
 
–
 
’ he began, as soon as he had her attention. ‘It’s just so much crap. Creeping about in churches
 
–’

‘Jeff is getting back at me. He’s mad because we embarrassed him with the photo thing. Maybe we worried him a little, too. I hope so. That doesn’t make him dangerous.’ She reached for her handbag. ‘Actually, I don’t know why we’re even having this conversation. We both know he probably won’t be there.’

‘So it really doesn’t matter if I’m with you,’ Devlin put in smoothly. ‘Come on, Kaz. I’ll be at the back of the church. Jeff won’t even know I’m there.’

Kaz felt her chest constrict as Devlin’s face softened. Nerveless fingers let go of the strap of her bag. He was reeling her in, pulling her close, cupping her cheek. His knuckle was treacherously warm on her skin, tracing her cheekbone with a feather touch that ran through her like hot liquid. His hips were close against hers, nudging her towards the bed. As his hand dropped to the vee of her sweater, her breasts began to tingle.

‘Your ex thinks he’s smart.’ Devlin’s voice was soft, close to her ear. ‘He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with. I can
 
–’

Deep in Kaz’s brain, something connected.

‘Whoa!’ She jumped back, pushing Devlin’s hand away from her. ‘Is that what this is? Some macho thing, between you and him? Just because I went to bed with you!’ She spun away, shoulders rigid, evading as he tried to pull her back.

‘Kaz, just listen
 
–’

‘No,
you
listen.’ She stood her ground. ‘I’m going to that church tomorrow,
alone
. If you think you’re going to seduce me into changing my mind
 
–’ her eyes flicked to his groin – ‘you’re going to have a long,
hard
wait.’

Grabbing her bag, she swooped on the door and slammed it behind her.

Devlin stood, staring blankly after her. He put his hands up to the back of his neck, stunned. The air in the room was still vibrating from the impact of door on frame. Slowly he dropped his hands, shaking his head.

‘Christ.’
Well you handled that well.

He flopped onto the bed, grimacing. Kaz was right on the money. He was tight, heavy and hard. And she’d just cursed him with staying that way. What started as a groan turned into a reluctant laugh. He gazed thoughtfully at the door, his mouth twisting. If he knew anything about women, and he was beginning to wonder, he was the one who was going to have to make the moves here. If he ever wanted to get laid again. And Kaz was one hell of
 
–

He jerked his mind away from the thought. This whole thing
was in danger of getting out of hand. If the woman wanted to
see her ex alone, what did he care? That crack about macho bullshit stung. He’d never been possessive around a woman. He didn’t really know why he’d come on so strong about the meeting in the church. It was just an
 
… unease, griping in his gut. Something that didn’t sit right. He didn’t know what the hell it was, but he was pretty damn sure he wasn’t going to rationalise it away. And Kaz wasn’t about to change her mind, even if
he
was about to tell her about this
 
… feeling. Which meant he had to do this thing some other way.

He sat up and reached for the phone.

In her own room, on her own bed, Kaz couldn’t stop the tears. Tension, disappointment and pent-up grief for Phil all spilled out in a hot, angry wave that she couldn’t control.

When it was over she scrubbed her eyes, blew her nose and stared at the ceiling. She felt drained but still rebellious. Somehow she had to get to that church tomorrow, without Devlin.

After an hour, she was still no nearer a plan to shake him off.

The knock on the door was so soft she barely heard it. The second one was louder. Irritation blossomed in her chest.

‘If that’s you, Devlin, you can just clear off.’

Next thing she knew, the door was opening. She’d stormed in and thrown herself on the bed, without locking it. She glanced round frantically, looking for a missile. One of her shoes was the closest thing. When the white flag appeared around the edge of the door, she had to stuff her fingers into her mouth to keep from laughing.

‘Truce?’ Devlin’s head followed the flag.

‘No!’ But she put the shoe down. Devlin slid the rest of him into the room. ‘A closed door is meant to be a signal, Devlin. That people outside the room should stay outside,’ she grumbled. ‘What’s that?’

He was setting a carrier bag down on the end of the bed.

‘That is what is known as a compromise.’

Kaz prodded the parcel. ‘It looks more like a lot of electrical stuff.’ She prodded some more. ‘Hey! Is this – what d’you call it? A wire?’

‘Uh-huh. You wear
that
when you go in the church. I get to hear what goes down. From outside.’ He lifted one of her hands, kissed the knuckles and gave her a grin that was pure evil. ‘
Now
can I seduce you?’

But it wasn’t like that. It was soft and slow and bone-meltingly sweet. And when he finally slid inside her, they were closer than each other’s heartbeat.

Chapter Fourteen

Kaz slipped into the church, closing the heavy door behind her.

She paused, to let her eyes adjust after the brightness of the square. As far as she could tell, the church was empty. The walls were heavily decorated, but the frescoes here, by lesser-known artists, didn’t draw the crowds. Which was probably why Jeff had chosen it. She took a few cautious steps. Candles flickered. The funereal scent of dying flowers drifted towards her. Bridal bouquets, heaped in offering around an image of the Virgin.

A muffled clanging noise, from somewhere at the back of the church, made her start. She glided towards a niche in the wall, where a light was burning. Eyes down, she might be studying a tablet set low in the wall. Or praying.

‘Can you hear me?’ Even the whisper sounded loud.

‘Every breath you take.’ Devlin’s voice was soft in her ear. ‘It’s kind of sexy.’

She knew what Devlin was doing, but it still made her smile. ‘There’s no one here.’

‘It’s not ten yet. We’re picking you up fine, so no more talking, and don’t fiddle with the earpiece. It’s a dead giveaway.’ With a guilty start, Kaz dropped her hand. Could anyone be watching her? From behind the statues? From somewhere above? Her head tipped as she considered the painted ceiling. There was nothing to be nervous about. If Jeff turned up, they’d talk. She had her script planned. She was here about money – the sale of a painting. The hardest part would be keeping a hold on her temper. She needed to get Jeff’s confidence, arrange another meeting. If he didn’t suspect anything, they could follow him when he left the church. Devlin wanted her to get Jeff outside, into the square, where they could be seen, but she wasn’t so sure about that. What could happen, here in a church? Whereas outside – if Devlin thought he should take a hand
 
…