I draw back from Dominic and look at him.
“I just realized why the killer sent the stanzas from the poem. The raven is in reference to the Marconi Family coming for revenge, that’s obvious, but there’s a deeper meaning behind it.”
“Like what, Amore?” Dominic raises his eyebrows.
I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts.
“Lenore is Francesca…”
Chapter thirty-two
The blistering hot passion that scorched between us seconds ago morphs into ice as the realization settles around us like dead weight.
“Francesca is Lenore.” Dominic pushes himself up, the sheets slip down his torso as he looks at me in disbelief. “Cipi, you’re trying to say that a poem published in 1845 is in reference to the Marconi Family.”
“Yes and no,” I glance at his face. If I had a dollar for everytime someone looked at me like I had three heads, I could walk away from this life tomorrow. But people like me don’t retire. “It’s not literally about her but what she represents.”
Reaching over to grab my phone off the nightstand, I pull up the photos I took of the stanzas. “The speaker is mourning the loss of his love Lenore and descending into madness over it. Just like the killer is mourning the loss of Francesca and the Marconi Family and is out for revenge over it.”
Dominic takes my phone and swipes through the photos. “It makes sense. After all, Francesca is the loss that started everything. The killer could be mocking how your father wentmad over her death and killed the whole family. Sounds like something out of a dark romance novel.”
“That’s the kind of passionate love women enjoy reading about in books.” I take my phone back. “Would you do that for me?”
“Do what?”
“Eliminate a whole family for me?” I joke.
Dominic reaches over and brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “For you there isn’t a line I wouldn’t cross.”
“Even with your uptight law enforcement background?”
“Yes. I’d burn down the world for you, baby. But that would never happen because I will protect you at all costs and anyone who tries to take you from me will be signing their own death.”
I bit my lip to hide the silly grin that’s threatening to spread across and the giggle that wants to leap from my throat. I’m a little surprised at his response, but it sends a thrill of excitement through me nonetheless.
“Careful,” I tease. “You’re starting to sound like someone in the mafia.”
“I guess you’re rubbing off on me.”
I smile. I wish I could stay here for the rest of the day and be laid up with Dominic. But this realization means we need to do some serious research if we want to stay ahead of the killer.
I pull back the covers and slide off the bed.
“What are you doing?” Dominic seems slightly offended.
“Getting dressed,” I slide my shirt over my head.
“Why?”
“We need to find out more about Francesca. Right now there are only two people I can think of who would have been around during the time she was alive. I need to go see them.” Snatching up my pants, I start putting them on. “Can you have your team do a deep dive on her please? Find out everything about her.”
Dominic nods. “I’ll get right on it. But do you have to leave now?”
“Trust me, I don’t want to. But once we figure out who this killer is, we will have lots of time to spend together.”
“Alright,” Dominic gets out of the bed. “At least let me make you a bagel before you leave.”
How I love a man that can cook.
