Alessia (Casella Cousins #4) - Kathryn Shay Page 0,3
on a lamp. “Damn it, Grant. You could warn me when you’re going to show up.”
Tall and fit, Grant was fifty, with graying dark hair and blue-gray eyes. That had narrowed on him. “You were in Hidden Cove.”
Didn’t take him long to find that out. “How did you know where I went?”
“There’s a tracker in your car. And one in your watch.”
“Yeah. I forgot.” He plunked down on a lumpy chair. “What does it matter?”
“There are rules, Derek. One is not getting close to anybody, especially a woman.”
“I’ve dated women this whole time.”
“Only those who knew the identified victims.”
He was getting pissed off. “Maybe Alessia Benatti is involved.”
“With her background? Give me a break.”
“How do you know about her background?”
Grant held up his phone. “There’s such a thing as the Internet, which I’ve been scouring in the time it took you to get there and back.”
“How did you know I was with her?”
“I have information on all the students you come in contact with.”
He sighed. “You’re right, of course. I shouldn’t be on you about all this.”
Grant’s expression was stern. “You need to focus on finding the on-campus organizers of a human trafficking ring.”
Chapter 2
* * *
Derek grinned from the doorway at Jane Carlin, Dean of the Continuing Education Program for adults. Her light brown hair, streaked with gold, shimmered in the sun’s rays coming in through the window. “Hi, there.”
She glanced up. And her smile came immediately. “Derek.” Lazing back in her wheeled chair, she turned it toward him. Her black sweater pulled tight against her breasts. “Can I help you?”
“Is it all right if I come in and sit? I think I pulled a muscle in my thigh running this morning.”
“Of course.”
She eyed that thigh appreciatively as he walked inside and sat.
“I have a couple of questions about next semester.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m not sure if I should take Methods of Teaching or Classroom Management next. Which one has more class time vs. online?”
“You like being on campus?”
Purposely, he let his eyes drop to her chest and back up. “It has its advantages.”
“Classroom Management meets twice a week in person. The teacher, who works at a school nearby, prefers to come here after her day. She’s so good at what she does, I said yes.”
“Then I’ll take that.” He’d already checked and Alessia was signed up for it, too. But that wasn’t the reason he wanted an on-campus course. Being on site was vital to figuring out which administration or teacher or student was in on the ring. Jane Carlin could be one of them.
Her blue eyes twinkled. “You could have found that online, Derek.”
“I could have.” He gave a killer smile. “But I wanted to see you.” His words were blunt, straight-forward. He’d had a lot of contact with her, so now was the time to make his move.
“How nice is that. I was thinking the same thing about you.”
“What’s the policy for fraternization between staff and students here?” He already knew that, too.
“The formal policy discourages fraternization. But Tom Stone married one of his students when she finished up her courses, and Suzanne Littman is dating a student from her class last semester.”
“So, am I allowed to ask you out?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were busy.”
They both looked toward the speaker. Alessia Benatti stood in the doorway, wearing a form fitting pair of denims with furry boots and a peach sweater with a quilted vest over it. “I’m leaving soon,” Derek said.
“That’s okay. I’ll come back after class.”
She gave them both a very weak smile. And left.
“The answer to your question, Derek is, yes, you’re allowed. We only have to be discreet. New York is a big place and we can find somewhere that we won’t be seen.”
His mind was still on Alessia. “Um, yeah. Fine, I’ll check some places out.” She scribbled something on a pad and gave it to him as he stood. He got a glimpse of her computer. Hmm.
Taking the paper, he saw a phone number. “I’ll text you. I’d better get to class.”
“Sure. See you later.”
He reached the doorway and glanced back when she said, “Derek?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“So am I.” He held up the paper. “Soon.”
He left the office feeling bad because he wondered if Alessia overheard him ask Jane out. Not that it mattered, but…somehow it did. Damn it. He had to get his head on straight.
* * *
After class, Alessia went to the café in City College. It was a big, roomy space and she enjoyed the