suggested putting Preston onto gathering information on Caleb Paynne. And Furio been right. Dangling a threat over the biker’s little sister would keep a lid on any hurt feelings Paynne might have regarding today’s B and E. And she might come in handy if Stefano was in need of information only the biker could give him. Always smart to have insurance.
Closing the file, he moved onto the other one, focusing his attention on a photo of Eva Jacobs crossing the street in Morningside Heights, her dark hair flowing over her shoulders and down her slender back.
She was stunning.
“That’s who you and Romani had to see before you picked me up?” Furio Abella hovered over Stefano’s shoulder, never far away.
“Gabe sure knows how to pick them.” He hated to compliment his brother but couldn’t fault the guy’s choice in women. Even though something was off with this one.
It had taken a while to notice the common theme in the many photos the PI had taken of Gabriel in the last few weeks. But once Preston identified the unifying thread and brought it to Stefano’s attention, he’d seen for himself that Eva Jacobs had been somewhere in the background of too many shots for it to be a coincidence. Way too many. But the strange part was, the two of them were always in the same area, but never together.
And even stranger?
Gabriel’s eyes were glued…Eva Jacobs’s were not. In fact, it was as if she didn’t know he was there at all.
Very interesting. For his self-banished brother to break his own golden rule by repeatedly coming back to New York just to trail behind a woman as she went about her business? Never speaking to her, never in any contact whatsoever?
What were they missing?
“Still no connection?” he asked Preston.
“Nothin’. But I’m workin’ on it,” came the quick promise.
Nodding, Stefano tucked the folders under his arm. “Work harder. You should already be on a flight to Seattle.”
As he left the stuffy office, Furio fell into step beside him. “I don’t think we should wait,” his underboss said, volunteering his opinion as freely as he always did. Stefano didn’t mind. Saved him from having to solve all of their problems himself.
“Preston’s close.” As they headed down the narrow staircase, he tried to speak and hold his breath at the same time so he wouldn’t inhale the heavy odor of poverty. “We’ll give him a day or two once he reaches Seattle—”
“Why the extra time?” Furio interrupted impatiently.
After a brief pause, Stefano relented. “Fine. Who do we have that’s dispensable?” Because if he knew his brother, whoever they sent to the West Coast likely wouldn’t return.
“Skars just got out.”
When they reached the street, Furio exited the building first, crossing the sidewalk to open the door to the Navigator. Once Stefano climbed into the back, his underboss shut the door and joined Vincente, who was at the wheel in front.
Stefano resumed their conversation. “Send Skars to Seattle. Tell him to give her a message to stay away from Gabriel. And make sure he understands that he isn’t to touch her. That’ll come later.”
† † †
As the lights from the airport terminal faded, Eva gave another Uber driver her Mercer Island address and tried to calm her rolling stomach. She hadn’t been home since her mom’s funeral. What would it be like rattling around their empty house? Being reminded every day that the only family she’d ever had was gone.
She’d keep busy, she reminded herself around a yawn. Get a job right away so she wouldn’t be home that often. Shouldn’t be too hard now that she had her MBA.
She looked out the window, thinking how hollow that accomplishment seemed now when at one time it had been so important to them. She hadn’t even attended her graduation ceremony. She’d thought about it, wondered if someday she’d regret not going, but in the end, she hadn’t wanted to cross the stage, her classmates looking out into the proud faces of their loved ones, while she searched in vain for the one face she wanted to see. Caleb would have been there, of course, but her mom wouldn’t have.
Straightening in her seat, she shoved away her melancholy thoughts and tried to find something positive kicking around in her head.
Maybe she wouldn’t have to search for a job. She had, after all, interviewed for that position at TarMor Inc. Perhaps she’d get a call back.
She bit her lip. And then? If she got that job, she’d what, sell the