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“But you would have heard something, surely,” Ryland pressed. “You don’t miss anything, and you know everything.”
Lucia chuckled. “You think that your flattery will get you the information you seek, but I cannot give you what I do not have.”
“Does the name Laurent La Forest mean anything to you?” Caroline tried.
“The Frenchman who died? No. His name isn’t familiar to me, sorry.”
“Then how did he end up with one of the vases?”
Lucia winced. “Well, that might actually be a question only Isadora can answer.”
“From what her family told me, she is in no state to talk to anyone.”
“Let me see what I can dig up with my big talons,” she wiggled her dainty hands, but Ryland understood what she meant.
“You’ve given us a lot to think about,” Caroline said. “We should go. Get some work done.”
“No. I won’t allow it! You’re here, and you will enjoy your evening. I won’t have you come all this way for work. You’re going to have some drinks. Dance.” She grinned knowingly at Ryland. “Maybe your night will end on a better tone than what you think right now.”
Ryland doubted it.
TWENTY-ONE
CAROLINE
Caroline wanted to blame it all on the champagne. Shereallywanted to blame everything on the champagne.
The way Ryland made her feel.
The desperate need to kiss him again.
The shiver of desire that ran up her spine every time he looked at her.
But it was no use. Blaming the champagne would only be a cop-out because she knew the truth, and she was pretty sure Ryland was catching on too.
Caroline couldn’t blame her attraction to Ryland on anything except herself.
She wanted him, and no matter how hard she tried to deny it, she always found herself kissing him. If it happened again, Ryland would know she wantedhim.
He probably already knew.
He wasn’t an idiot, after all. He was a smart man who ran around the world, helping solve mysteries for important clients. Ryland could see right through her.
If only he was as transparent with her withhisfeelings.
Caroline couldn’t figure out what he was hiding from her, but she suspected the secretive phone calls and the unspoken words Ryland exchanged with Lucia. He was keeping something … important information … from her.
She had to ignore her feelings for Ryland and try to get to the bottom of all this. They were in Italy to solve the mystery of the vases, and she needed that story to save her brother. For right now,thatmattered more.
It was hard to enjoy her evening at Lucia’s party. Between ignoring her attraction to Ryland and her concern for her predicament with Joan, Caroline was exhausted.
“Did you enjoy yourself?” Ryland asked as he unlocked the suite door a few hours later. She’d been quiet on the ride home. It was harder to make conversation in the car. There weren’t guests and passing waitstaff to keep her distracted.
They were alone.
Ryland motioned for her to enter first. Of course, he did. He was a gentleman in many ways.
“I did enjoy myself,” she finally answered. “I didn’t know that people still had parties like that. It’s the kind of stuff you see in old Hollywood movies ….”
