Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“Yes.” He looked around the house. “Are you ready to go?”
Molly nodded. “It’s late. I’ve always hated going into my house after it’s dark.”
He stepped back to allow her to precede him into the great room. “I’ll follow you home and do a walk-through.”
“I have a security system. It’s supposed to be a really good one.”
“I’ll do a walk-through,” he stated, his voice firming. “And I’ll leave right away after. I’m a cop, Molly. I love what I do and would never risk my career by getting out of line with a woman, no matter how attracted to her I am. Just for your information, I have a high regard for women, instilled in me by a good mother. I would never hurt a woman, and I don’t like seeing them afraid or with bruises, or swollen lips.” His gaze found Sonia’s face.
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’ve been a cop so long I think you’re looking for a case. It’s probably very quiet around here.”
“Rafe Cordeau, the man who owned the estate just up the road from here, was a mobster. I’m uncertain whether the man who bought the property after him has taken over his business, but I suspect he has. Half the police department was on Cordeau’s payroll. Believe me, honey, I don’t have to go looking for work. It’s all around me.”
Sonia stiffened. She hadn’t seen evidence that Joshua Tregre was in the mob. “I just came from there, Bastien. Jerry sent me to do estimates for repairing the damage done to the house and property. He told me he works for Donovan Security. It’s international, and he heads one of the teams.”
“Donovan?”
She nodded. “Jerry said Tregre rescued kidnap victims in other countries. Why do you think Tregre is a criminal?” Because if he was, she wasn’t having anything to do with him. She’d leave everything behind if she had to and run again.
Bastien frowned. “He’s good friends with Elijah Lospostos and Alonzo Massi. Elijah’s family is well-known mafia, and he took over the family business some years ago. He’s married to Siena, Antonio Arnotto’s granddaughter. She inherited Antonio’s crime business and appointed Massi as her business manager. It’s known Massi took over the crime side of the business. He has a massive territory, and already there’s been a war started with other factions. Massi and Lospostos make a powerful combination.”
“And my neighbor knows these people?” That was scary. Very, very scary. She wasn’t about to get anywhere near the mob. She’d heard of Siena Arnotto. Her grandfather had had a very successful winery. The family was very wealthy and had been written up in tabloids for years. When Arnotto had been murdered, it had come out that he’d been the head of a crime family. The scandal had occupied the newspapers and gossip columns for months. She’d felt a little sorry for Siena Arnotto. Who wouldn’t for someone under that scrutiny? But then the woman had married Elijah Lospostos. The man’s family went back generations in the crime business.
“Yes, he does,” Bastien said. “But to be fair, so do I. It doesn’t make Tregre a criminal, but it does make him someone to keep my eye on. When you’re there…”
“I’m not spying.” She was adamant. If she saw anything suspicious, she was gone. She wasn’t reporting it, she was just plain gone.
“I don’t want you spying. In fact, just the opposite. Do your work. Concentrate on that. Don’t go anywhere you’re not supposed to. If you do see something suspicious, just walk away.”
She liked that he was so protective, but this new development was frightening and she wanted both Molly and Bastien gone so she could think about it and decide what to do.
Bastien stalked to the door and held it open, waiting for Molly. Molly hugged her. “Thanks so much for a great evening. It’s the most fun I’ve had in a year. The food was delicious and the company and conversation even better.”
“Thanks for giving me so many pointers for my yard. I love the ideas you came up with. If we land this job, I should be able to plant most of the bushes and ornamental trees as well as the flowers in the next month. That will give them time to grow while I work on my house. The roof should come first. I can’t have any leaks when the rains come again.”
“I’ll come back soon,” Molly declared. “And don’t forget we’re having dinner next week at my house. I can’t cook like you do, but I won’t give you food poisoning.”
Bastien took Molly’s elbow. “I think the two of you could set a record for the longest good-byes.”
“Well, I’m fairly certain I should be a candidate for a couple of halls of fame, so throw my name in the ring for that as well,” Sonia said cheerfully. It felt good to know she had a friend. She really liked Molly. “Don’t forget to do that walk-through,” she added.