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“You married a billionaire. Don’t you have a beach house?”
“Several, but whenever we try to take a holiday, something goes wrong.”
“Such as?”
“Dead bodies in awkward places, for example.”
Nico raised an eyebrow. “I got the impression you might be used to that.”
Instead of answering, I ducked underwater and swam to the other end of the pool, then headed for the cabana. I’d left a white-noise generator underneath the double lounger, and now I flipped it on.
Nico followed suit when I shrugged into a fluffy white robe, then settled next to me, his head propped up on one hand.
“Your impression isn’t wrong. Why am I here, Nico? I already told you I don’t get out of bed for less than twenty-five thousand bucks, so if you just wanted to stare at a pair of tits, there were far cheaper options.”
“I’ll always pay more for quality, but in this instance, it’s your professional services I’m interested in rather than your physical attributes.”
“You’re worried about Kaylin La Rocca.”
“I am. In truth, I didn’t think you’d find her, but now that you have, my concerns for her well-being have only grown. I guess I thought she’d have tucked herself into the shadows. Taken an under-the-table job in a quiet town in Buttfuck, Nowhere, to stay off the cops’ radar. We could have worked quietly to clear her name, and then I’d have set her up for a fresh start. Bought her an apartment, found her a job, that kind of thing.”
“But now you’ve found out she’s shacked up with a Mob boss, and there’s a child involved.”
“It does add a layer of complication I hadn’t anticipated.”
The bartender was hovering in my peripheral vision, and I motioned him forward. He knew better than to interrupt our conversation. Good man. Nico downed his shot in one and asked for another. On the surface, he was smooth as fuck, but there was uneasiness simmering beneath the calm exterior.
“Lighting a fire under a cold case could ruin her new life, and I doubt her hubby would be too happy either.”
“Hallie sent me a video,” he said. “Did you see it?”
“Yeah.”
“What are your thoughts?”
“About Kaylin? She wasn’t exactly brimming with joy, and I don’t think it was because the sprinkler system failed.”
“That was my impression too, but it’s hard to make a solid assessment based on such a brief conversation. I wish I could just call her. Ask if she’s okay.”
“If she has a phone, it isn’t registered in her name.”
“You checked?”
“All part of the service.”
Why had I held this meeting on the fucking roof? The outdoor heater was working overtime, but my feet were still bloody freezing. I wasn’t about to admit that, though.
“I have tickets for her show tonight,” Nico admitted. “But I still haven’t decided whether or not to go. What if my presence upsets her?”
“That could happen, but it’s also possible she sees you as a white knight. Don’t forget who she called for help after she ran to Manassas.”
“She never called me again, and it’s been over three years.”
“Last time she reached out, someone died. Maybe she’s trying to avoid a repeat?”
“Do you think Cesare Cavallaro knows who I am?”
“I’d say no. You were one of Kaylin’s allies, and she would have wanted to protect you. If I had to guess what went down that night? I’d say Kaylin called for help, but Cavallaro and/or his men arrived before you did. Either she panicked and ran the cop over while she was trying to escape, or she was incapacitated and the driver wasn’t looking where he was going. And don’t forget the timing—her kid’s a toddler, and I’d put money on the fact that she ran because she found out she was pregnant.”
