Deadly Fall Page 24

  Hell, no. I don’t feel comfortable at all right now, either.

  “Very perceptive,” she said, and wanted to take back the careless words when Castelletti went still.

  Castelletti relaxed and came back to life. “You’re honest. I value honesty.”

  Augusta averted her gaze and didn’t comment.

  Castelletti arched an aristocrat brow. “You find that surprising.”

  “Yes,” she said. She decided not to expand. He said he valued honesty, but she wasn’t sure how much honesty would be too much.

  “Perhaps I should tell you my tale before we eat. I do not think you will enjoy your meal otherwise.”

  Augusta wondered if that was because this meal would be her last. She took another sip of her wine. It still tasted like vinegar.

  “I have a daughter, Daniela, who is about your age,” Castelletti said. An image of the woman in Nick’s picture formed in her mind. “Very beautiful, very strong-willed. She has many admirers, but”—an unexpectedly tender expression softened Castelletti’s face—“she tells me that she does not wish to marry and leave me alone.”

  When she felt the stab of envy, Augusta wondered if her childhood had been more messed up than she ever cared to admit.

  “She has broken many men’s hearts,” Castelletti continued, “and they can do nothing except accept it and move on. However, one has refused to accept her rejection of him and has repeatedly caused my Daniela unhappiness.”

  How about causing Daniela’s lovers’ unhappiness?

  “Because this man’s father and I were very close when he was alive, I did not concern myself overmuch with the matter. Then Daniela recently met someone who made her very happy.”

  “Drew,” Augusta said almost inaudibly.

  Castelletti nodded slowly. “I did not approve of my daughter with a married man, but, like I said, Daniela is very strong-willed.”

  Augusta did not point out that she and Drew had been in the midst of getting divorced. The Roman Catholic Church did not recognize divorces. They took the “till death do us part” section of the marriage vows quite literally.

  “Stefano became very jealous. He is very quick to anger and easily loses control when he is angry.” Augusta assumed Stefano was Daniela’s rejected lover who could not take no for an answer.

  Stiffly, eyes trained on the glassware on the table, she said, “You should be informing the NYPD of this, not me.” She did not need to hear the rest of Castelletti’s tale.

  The smile he bestowed upon her was a shade patronizing. “I fear I share the same…misgivings you have about the police.”

  Augusta’s widened eyes met Castelletti’s. The sympathy in those eyes that were darker than hers was disconcerting. She could feel her chest expand and contract with each breath. The unfamiliar vibration against the small of her back did not register until the fourth time, after which the cell phone stilled.

  “Yes, I know all about you, Augusta. Men like the judge do not deserve to walk this earth. To abuse the trust of someone so defenseless is not honorable.”

  Augusta could not say anything. She could not tell a criminal she shared his sentiment.

  “You are a strong person,” Castelletti continued. “I admire strength in a person, men and women alike. Your husband was a strong man who did whatever needed to be done to protect his family. And you did whatever needed to be done to survive.”

  Desperate to get off the topic of her own personal nightmare, Augusta asked, “And what was your association with my husband, Daniele? You and he were not business associates, and I am familiar with most of his social acquaintances.”

  He cast her a shrewd look. “I believe you already know the answer to that question, but I can explain if you wish.”

  “Please.”

  “I had hoped Andrew and I could do business together, but when I approached him with the proposal, he declined. I respected his wishes. I was, of course, disappointed by his answer, but I had other options open to me.”

  What a euphemistic way to say blackmail, Augusta thought wryly.

  “I am well aware Andrew felt it was necessary to take steps to ensure I would not pursue the matter. However, he would never have had need to…exercise his insurance policy, if you will. Had he done so, it would have been a mere triviality for myself. For Andrew and his…family, it would have been more than a mere embarrassment.”

  His carefully chosen words and deliberate hesitations played through Augusta’s mind. The theory forming made sense of so many other details, and Augusta wanted her suspicions were wrong.

  “Stefano was aware of Andrew’s insurance policy, and he sought to right what he considered a wrong. I was not made aware of his actions until after the fact.”

  When they couldn’t find the USB key at the penthouse and couldn’t force Drew to reveal its location, they’d thought she would have the answers. They had searched her townhouse but weren’t able to question her. Augusta closed her eyes and silently thanked Drew for the self-defense classes. Then they’d sought out Jana because she’d been the other woman in Drew’s life and had come up with nothing again.

  Augusta weighed Castelletti’s words carefully and had a feeling he wasn’t nearly as innocent as he painted himself to be, but she only inclined her head.

  “I am pleased to learn you were not seriously harmed and Ms. Westenberg is recovering. Please be assured Stefano and his cousin will not trouble you anymore.”

  Augusta gripped the edge of the table as the full implications of that last statement hit her. “In return for Drew’s insurance policy?”

  His lips thinned, then Castelletti smoothed out his face. “If I thought you would give it to me, I would have already asked.”

  “You are so sure Drew gave it to me.”

  “You spent a very long time in the bank.”

  She wanted to tell him she no longer had the USB key, but she wasn’t keen on signing her own death warrant.

  “So what happens now?”

  “You go on with your life.”

  Augusta digested that sentence.

  “I will make one…suggestion,” Castelletti said, breaking into her semi-trance. “Andrew was a strong person, as are you. Not all those who are close to you share this trait. It is the responsibility of those who are strong to protect those who are weak, even from themselves.”

  Augusta waited for Castelletti to elaborate, but he merely lifted his wineglass, tipped it at her and brought it to his lips. He set down his wineglass, then reached inside his breast pocket and withdrew a silver business card case. He pulled out a card and slid it across the table to her.

  “Should you ever have need of me,” he explained at her questioning look.

  Never. Silent, Augusta swallowed but picked up the card. It was a heavy, creamy vellum. The only print on the card was ten digits in small, black font. She slipped the card into her purse, determined to get rid of it as soon as she was out of this man’s presence.

  The sound of a door forcefully shoved open drew Castelletti’s attention. His eyes traveled over her shoulder and Augusta knew without being told her own self-appointed protector had entered the restaurant. She didn’t need to turn around and confirm with her own eyes; awareness tingled warmly across her skin.

  “Thank you for lunch, but I think it’s time I take my leave.”

  “Remember what I said.”

  As if she could forget.

  * * * * *

  “Why did you ask me to send Ethan back to the precinct?”

  Augusta tossed him a bemused sidelong glance, not sure if he was serious. Then she went back to looking anxiously out the window and said, “Because I trust you.”

  Nick reached over and clasped her cool hand in his. Without thinking, Augusta twined their fingers.

  Augusta couldn’t explain away the unease stirring inside her. Daniele Castelletti’s words haunted her—protect those who are weak, even from themselves. She’d immediately thought of Adam. Adam worshipped Drew because
Drew had been his older brother, his role model, his protector. When they’d first met, Adam had recounted story after story of how Drew had come to his rescue time and time again. She had a feeling Drew had come to his brother’s rescue one last time.

  She drew in a slow, deep breath. “You might have to get a forensic accountant to look at Adam’s finances.” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “But I hope to God you don’t have to.”

  Nick shot her a startled glance. “Did Castelletti suggest that?”

  “No,” she said, sounding distracted as she turned back to scanning the world outside the passenger-side window. “I’ll explain when we get to Adam’s place.”

  As they drew closer to Adam’s brownstone, her heart beat faster and faster. The churning in her stomach made her thankful she hadn’t eaten lunch with Daniele Castelletti. At last, the brownstone came into view. Augusta’s eyes darted around the surroundings, almost expecting to see menacing figures lurking in the shadows of the nearby houses and trees.

  Nick released her hand to shift the vehicle down the gears and into park, stopping in front of the brownstone.

  “Wait.” His hand shot out to pull Augusta back before she could open the passenger door. “What did Castelletti say to you about Langan?”

  “He said—”

  The rest of her words were drowned out by the thunderous boom that rocked the sedan. Lightning quick reflexes had both Nick and Augusta bending down and covering their heads with their arms as curls of flames surrounded the car just before wood and brick and glass pelted the vehicle, cracking the front and back passenger windows and embedding in the body.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “The body found in the wreckage is believed to be Adam Langan, brother of recently deceased Andrew Lang—”

  Augusta pressed the POWER button and, reaching over, put the television remote control back on the tufted ottoman that served double duty as her coffee table. She didn’t need a rehash of what had happened hours earlier. As much as she hated to admit it, she was still quivering inside. She drew her legs onto the sofa and folded them under her butt, careful to arrange the short hem of her nightie so that it covered her matching bikini panties. When she’d finally been allowed to go home, the first thing she’d done was hit the shower until the water turned cool. Then, needing to be free and comfortable, she had put on the simple nightie made of black stretchy, silky material that skimmed her body and earned Nick’s appreciative leer.

  “Tell me again exactly what Castelletti said about Stefano and Tommy Salvo,” Nick ordered as he set the mug of hot chocolate in her waiting hands, warming them.

  Augusta allowed the fragrant curls of chocolate-scented steam to tease her nostrils and took a sip before answering. “His exact words were ‘Please be assured Stefano and his cousin will not trouble you anymore,’” she said, shifting to make room for Nick.

  She’d recounted her conversation with Daniele Castelletti enough times to know it by heart.

  “You think he had them killed,” she said, setting her mug on the tray on the ottoman.

  “They were stupid enough to be caught on videotape. Castelletti is not a man to suffer fools. The man is the head predator in a group of alpha predators for a damned good reason.”

  “He hides it well.”

  Nick grunted.

  “What about Adam?” she asked quietly, almost emotionless. It was hard to reconcile the man who had been her best friend with the stranger his death had unveiled.

  “The Crime Scene Unit is still going through the site. It could be a few days before I hear anything.”

  Augusta didn’t need to ask that all important question. Why Adam? Nick had received the package she had couriered over to him at the Nineteenth Precinct and had gone through it with a fine-tooth comb. It had all started with Adam and a gambling addiction he’d assured Augusta years ago he’d kicked. He never kicked the addiction. He’d just learned to hide it better. Adam, however, had been a victim of not just his weakness but of men who played him until he’d signed over part ownership of LSI, men who sought to use Adam’s weakness for their own gains. And like the protective older brother he’d been born to be, Drew had stepped in, his duty clear to him.

  Augusta closed her eyes, remembering the man who had saved her from herself. He’d deserved so much more than she’d ever given him.

  “Do you think Adam was ready to come forward? He nearly broke down after the attack on Jana.”

  “I can’t make any assumptions,” Nick answered gently.

  She drew in a deep breath. “What happens now?”

  “We have arrest warrants and APBs out for both Salvos, but the NYPD can’t find them.”

  “What about Daniele Castelletti?”

  “Langan’s package is not enough for a conviction, not with the sharks Castelletti can hire to defend him. And attempted blackmail and extortion won’t be enough to interest the DA. Unless he can put Castelletti away for life without parole, the DA’s office is not going to touch it.”

  She nodded, part of her almost relieved. If anyone ever questioned her, she would deny it to her last breath, but she had genuinely liked Daniele Castelletti. Of course, her judgment sucked, seeing as how she had been blind to her best friend’s problems.

  “We can pass this information on, but I’d rather not.”

  “Drew wanted me to mail it to a John Archer of the FBI.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “I trust you.”

  Nick shifted closer, wrapping his arms about her, and pressed a kiss on her head, inhaling the clean scent of her hair. She settled back against him, her head finding the niche in his shoulder made just for her head.

  “I have a press conference in a couple of days,” Augusta said, a grimace in her voice.

  “The department will make a statement clearing you of all suspicion.”

  “Still.”

  “The media and the public will go back to leaving you alone in a week.”

  “That can’t happen soon enough.”

  “We can disappear until this blows completely over.”

  A slow smile spread across her face. “What were you thinking?”

  “White sandy beaches, warm water, making love in a hammock.”

  Her center heated and softened, but all she said was, “Hmm…sounds nice.”

  “Just nice?” he demanded, mock outrage in his voice. “Making love with me is just nice?”

  She laughed and sat up. Within the circle of his arms, she shifted until she straddled him, face to face, her hands braced on his shoulders. The teasing words died on her lips as his gaze caught hers. And she didn’t look away, couldn’t look away as the instinct she had determinedly locked away all these years slipped past her lowered defenses and blossomed warmly inside her.

  A callused palm cupped her cheek. “What is it?”

  Instead of replying, she leaned forward and fitted her mouth to his. His response was immediate and gratifyingly passionate. His fingers tangled in her hair and his other hand curved around a hip, fingers digging in, pressing her down on the impressive bulge straining the zipper of his jeans.

  Augusta moaned as heat shot through her. She rubbed against him, almost grinding against him. The hand at her hip moved down, crumpled the hem of her nightie and rucked it up to her waist. He only had enough patience to pull her panties down to her thighs before his fingers unerringly found her center, hot, wet and desperately ready for him. Augusta broke off the kiss and let her head fall back when he slid two thick fingers inside her channel, flexed them, rotated them. His thumb flicked repeatedly at the full, tight bud of her sex as she arched above him, her eyes closed, her lips parted, her body taut as a guitar string.

  Nick watched her, his eyes dark and glittering. She was a magnificent sight as she sought her pleasure. He withdrew his fingers and thrust them harder into her. She made a breathy, strangled sound as her slim, pale body quivered. Then she slowly, sensuously rose, then ground back down against his hand. She did it
again and again and again, her fingers lost in the material of his shirt. Nick bent and tasted the sweat that gleamed on her shoulder. It was salty and erotic and wasn’t enough. He released her hair, found the spaghetti strap of her nightie, yanked it down until he exposed her right breast and dragged his rough, wet tongue over the tight, dark bud that capped the small breast.

  She cried out his name as her body went rigid and wet heat exploded in his hand. But he didn’t stop. Nick drew as much of her soft, quivering breast into his mouth as he could and suckled strongly as she trembled, the waves of her release washing through her. He continued working on her breast until arousal snaked through her system again, making her pant and circle her hips. She lowered her body, teased him and drew back. Her breast popped free of his mouth, wet with his saliva.