“Welcome to Carrera’s home, Slash,” the computer replied. “The house is secure.”
He couldn’t hide his surprise. “Are you staying?”
“Hell, no,” she said. “I was testing the computer. Computer, unlock the front door for me.”
“Unlocked,” the computer replied.
“I have a self-adhesive white board to track our clues,” she said. “It’s not permanent?—”
“Permanent’s okay too,” he said.
He’s lost it.
There was no other rationale for his behavior.
“I’m working on the case tomorrow,” she said. “I can set up at my house if you’re busy.”
“I just gave you access to my home. Come over whenever you want.”
“What if you have, you know, someone over?”
He looked confused. “You mean, like a woman?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m off the market.”
“Clearly, you don’t know how odds work.”
“I heard one percent and I’m running with that.”
“Your call,” she said, “but if the right man comes along?—”
“I am that right man.”
Words are shit if he doesn’t show me.
“I’m taking the fam on a brunch cruise tomorrow,” he said. “Come with us. You’re family.”
She shook her head. “No way. They hate me.”
“G-ma says you’re her number one,” Carrera pushed back. “Luciano adores you.”
“I’ll work here in the afternoon, then I’m having an old friend over for dinner.”
“Should I be jealous?”
She placed her palm on his forehead. “No fever, but you’re delirious. There’s a dancer at Blue Suit. Her name is Jilly. We were in foster care together. I tried to find her, but never could. Anyway, she’s coming over.”
His brows knitted together. “You were in foster care?”
She opened the front door, turned back. “There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Carrera Santini.”
When she drove away, a car parked at the curb a few houses down pulled onto the quiet residential street. At three in the morning, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was being tailed. She extracted her switchblade from her bag.
Into the garage she went, but instead of heading inside, she walked into her driveway.
She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t. There had been a time in her life when her only friend in the world had been this switchblade.
