Kate smiled. “She’s fine, Maceo, just worried about you. The doctors haven’t released her yet, but I’m sure that when they do, her first visit will be to you.”
Maceo shook his head. “No. I don’t want her coming to a place like this. Seeing me like this.”
“Maceo – “
“No. Please. I couldn’t bear it. Alex will know what to do.”
Kate sighed. “Okay, well, I’ll stay out of it, but Ori won’t be happy.”
“I just want her safe.”
“I know.”
Maceo fixed her with a steady gaze. “I didn’t kill Janek … but I would have. For her. Hestabbedher … god, when I think about it … ”
“Don’t think about that,” Kate said sharply, “Ori is fine. And don’t ever say that again to me or anyone else. At least not while we’re fighting this case.”
Maceo agreed and drew in a deep, shaky breath. “So, did they tell you how it happened? Why they think it was me?”
Kate looked at her notes. “Janek’s throat was cut; he was almost decapitated. They found the knife … the same knife used to injure Ori. How did he get into the hotel?”
“I have no idea.”
“As far as evidence, they don’t have much that isn’t circumstantial—apart from the knife. They wanted to try and pin Ori’s stabbing on you at first. I know, I know,” she said as Maceo’s face flashed with horror. “Don’t worry, they quickly dropped that idea when numerous people told them that there was no way you would hurt her. They’re tilting at windmills, mostly, but it’s just the knife. They say they have found DNA that doesn’t belong to Ori or Janek on it. Any chance it could be yours?”
Maceo shook his head. “None.”
Kate sighed. “Well, we’ll get some lab work done and see where we go from there. We do have witnesses that say they saw you leaving MOMA around the time of Janek’s death, so there’s that. Look, let’s just see if we can get bail set and go from there.”
She was walking backto her old Volkswagen in the parking lot when she saw him. She recognized him, of course. Who wouldn’t? It just wasn’t every day that a world-famous fashion designer leaned against her car, giving her the kind of look that would have shriveled a meeker person than she. Instead, she got irritated.
“Mr. Duarte, I suggest you step away from my car,” she said as she approached, and to her satisfaction, he did.
“Miss Garcia, I wanted to talk to you.”
“Then call my office and make an appointment, Mr. Duarte,” she said shortly. God, were all of Maceo’s friends as gorgeous as he was? This one was tall and looked like he could bench-press an entire football team. His bearded face was framed by wild, light brown, almost auburn curls, his beard full, and thankfully, not “manscaped.' No, this guy looked as if he should be chopping wood in the Pacific Northwest, not designing clothes.
“Miss Garcia, this will only take a second.”
“Call my office, Mr. Duarte,” she said firmly and opened the driver’s door. Lisander put a hand gently over hers and electricity snapped up her body. He leaned in so that his face was close to hers, but strangely, Kate didn’t feel threatened.
“I will call,” Lisander said softly, “but for now … just tell me how he is.”
His hand felt huge over hers, the warmth of it against her skin. Kate cleared her throat, aware her face was burning.
“Mr. Bartoli is fine. Tired, but that’s understandable.”
Lisander removed his hand, and Kate felt bereft. “Thank you,” he said.
God, that voice … deep, smoky, the heavy accent. Kate nodded sharply and got into her car. She watched as Lisander returned to the waiting taxi cab she hadn’t even noticed was there.Damn. She let out a long breath. It had been a while since anyone had had that effect on her; even, she thought now, guiltily, her longtime boyfriend, Nikos.
She pushed the thought away.What the hell is wrong with you today? First Maceo and now his friend? Are you extra horny for some reason?She chuckled to herself as she drove back into the city. A half hour later, she got her answer as the monthly stomach cramps hit.Of course,she thought, but then felt a strange pull of relief. Not pregnant. Again.
She and Nikos had been together for six years, all through Harvard Law, and now their careers had taken off. So when Nikos had said six months ago that he’d like to have a child, Kate had been surprised both at his request and at her own reaction.A child? Now?Nikos hadn’t pressured her, but told her he would happily be a stay-at-home dad.
“Hell, I’d even carry it for you if that was possible,” he’d joked, and she had laughed.
They talked about it for a couple of months until finally Kate had said, “Let’s nottrytry. Let’s just stop using the condoms and see what happens.”
