AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shake my head.
Rafe moves into my line of sight. “Is calling the cops on me being a nice guest?”
“Can you blame me for trying?” I manage to respond, setting down the bowl. I’ve lost my appetite again.
He looks at me with what might be a tiny glimmer of sympathy. “All you have to do is produce the Morelli, then you’re free to go.”
“Believe me, if I could, I would! I texted my brother that I’d try him again at five o’clock. Honestly, if something went wrong, it was probably on Alessandro’s end.”
“Throwing Alessandro under the bus, are we?”
My shoulder’s sag. Now I feel like a heel.
“Alessandro’s a proven fence,” Rafe continues. “He’s moved a good amount of art. And he knows better than to double-cross me.”
“But maybe he made a mistake?”
“Or your brother did, and it’s in his best interest to correct it as soon as possible.”
“There was another guy on the job: Jack. Maybe he knows something? Or did something?”
“Alessandro mentioned him. Jack’s in a coma in a hospital in Bakersfield.”
“What?!”
“He was driving down the ‘5’ the morning after you lifted the Morelli. His car flipped over when he tried to swerve around a car that was changing lanes. He was going over ninety miles an hour.”
“Oh my god.”
The news crushes me.
“Now I have to take care of some things,” Rafe says, “but I’m willing to let you wander free—ifyou behave.”
When I look down, feeling dejected, Rafe cups my jaw and lifts my gaze to his.
“Promise you’ll behave, Priscilla.”
“I promise,” I reply. What else can I say?
“You won’t break that promise, will you?”
I shake my head, ready for him to release me, but he doesn’t.
“Good. It won’t be pleasant if you do.”
I shiver even though the sun feels warm on my bare skin.
He finally releases me. “You can use the hot tub if you’re cold.”
“Thank you.”
I watch him walk away. I didn’t shiver because I’m cold, but I go into the hot tub anyway, hoping it’ll relax me. Poor Jack. This heist is proving to be bad luck for everyone involved.
I know I just promised Rafe that I’d be a good guest, but I can’t just sit around and let my fate be decided by others. What would he do if I tried to escape? If he kills me, then my brother has no incentive to find the Morelli for him. I guess Rafe could threaten to take out Peter, too, if he doesn’t come up with the painting. The thought fills me with dread.
But Peter’s got to be worth more alive than dead to Rafe. He wants the Morelli as a bargaining chip with the FBI, so I’m guessing it’s pretty important to him.
I want so badly to be able to talk to my brother or to help in the search for the missing painting. What if Alessandro is lying? What if he’s pretending the Morelli is missing in the hopes that he can get more money out of Rafe?
