“I just meant, since you’re family, and you’re going to inherit...”
“Yes, but that is in the future,” Jean-Paul said, spreading the embers in the hearth to be sure the fire was safe to leave. “I think we’ve trespassed enough for one night, don’t you?”
“Of course. Sorry. I was a bad seed as a kid.”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, I have boundary issues. As in it’s hard for me to recognize the proper ones.”
“We can try again in a day or two, if you’re still in town,” he said as he put the iron poker back in its stand. “For now, we should go.”
As they made their way back down the narrow stone corridor, Jean-Paul asked, “Do you have a place to stay?”
“Yes, I rented a room in a house on rue des Frênes. I’ll be there for a few days.”
“That’s not far. You know how to get there? I could lead you there.”
“No need. Honestly. I have the directions in the car. Go on, I’ll be right behind you.”
Jean-Paul opened the door, but lingered in the threshold. The rain had turned into a downpour, fat drops falling from a slate gray sky.
“You don’t know the area,” Jean-Paul pointed out.
“I’m a grown-up, Jean-Paul. I made it all the way to Paris by myself, and now here,” she said, feeling suddenly tired, her lids growing heavy. “I’ll be fine.”
“All right, then, if you’re sure.” He hesitated another moment, then said, “I imagine our paths will cross again. This is a very small town, and there’s only oneboulangerie.”
“Good night. Thanks for everything.”
“I didn’t do anything. Thank you for the drink.”
He dashed through the rain to his car and drove off.
Cady ran to her rental. Only when she got closer did she realize the tires had been slashed.
All four of them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
PRESENT DAY
CHÂTEAU CLEMENT
Cady
Now, that’sOakland,Cady thought.Dammit.
Now what?
Jean-Paul’s taillights had long since disappeared down the drive. Climbing behind the wheel to escape the rain for a moment, Cady checked her cell phone, but it had spent so much time diligently searching for a signal that the battery had died. She hadn’t expected to be driving in France and didn’t have a car charger with her.
There wasn’t much of a choice. Cady climbed out of her car, ran back through the rain, and banged on the door. Could Fabrice even hear her, wherever he had disappeared to in this huge mansion? The only sound was the far-off noise of a dog barking.
She waited a couple of minutes. No one came.
Finally, remembering they hadn’t locked the door, she eased it open. And yelled:“Fabrice?”
More barking. At long last, Fabrice yelled back:“Casse-toi!”
