She frowned, “Thierry get up! You know I’m going to wear your ring. And you know for now our divorce is so far off in the future.”
Grinning, I got up and put the ring on her finger. “I thought you might say no.”
“Not when I’ve taken your soul,” she replied. “We’re not the usual couple. Nothing about us is normal….we don’t do normal. Hell, our child came early.”
Kissing her forehead, I agreed. We turned to Vincent. “Thank you so much for this.”
“It’s a delight to see at least one Scarpetta man happy,” Vincent smiled. “Will you be back to Rome again soon.”
“I’m not sure,” I replied.
“Well when you come again next, my granddaughter Mary-Anna will be taking over. An old man is tired. Business is good but it’s time to enjoy the years I have left. My wife Rosella wants to visit family.”
Diamond leaned her head against my shoulder and my arm wrapped around her. “If you ever come to Atlanta, please let us know. We will set you up in the fanciest hotel and show you the sights.”
“My Rosella would very much love that,” Vincent smiled.
We walked to the door, and he followed closely behind us. Diamond’s phone began to ring, and she moved to go take the call while Vincent and I said our farewells.
“I was sorry to hear of Vito’s passing,” Vincent said. “And to hear we feared you were dead as well.”
“News travels fast,” I nodded. “But thank you.”
“Your father…he wasn’t always the harsh bastard he because he was my best friend. His father was cruel and unbending…your family’s business it changes people.” He looked past me and nodded to Diamond. “Is she made for a such a life.”
A grin spread across my face. Diamond had used that southern charm on Vincent and he had no damn clue that my wife was just as ruthless as I was.
“She was molded by it,” I told him.
He nodded again. “Send me pictures of the baby. I do email. My granddaughter has me all set up. It goes to this damn cellular phone.”
Giving him one last hug, and promising to send pictures of Tibs, Diamond and I departed.
“Dinner and espionage?” she asked.
Molded by it, I thought.
“Yes, and yes,” I replied.
“Good, let’s find out what the fucker’s hiding,” my wife murmured once again admiring the ring on her finger.
Chapter 22
Thierry
The nursing home that Alistair had chosen for his grandmother was ritzy. She was probably living, what I’d heard people say, as their best lives. For the patients who could afford it, there were events like bottomless mimosas. They had care 24/7 except when the help snuck off to fuck.
Diamond and I had become one with the night. We were initiated into the inky black cold and on a mission to find Room 1107.
“Are you sure you remember her room being on the west side,” Diamond whispered as we peered behind a great oak tree.
There were motion sensors on some of the buildings and we were trying desperately to avoid detection. If we got found out, we were going to have to deal with the police and Alistair would figure it all out. We were both crouched down, and this position had my glutes stinging like I’d just done one hundred squats in the gym.
“Yes, I remember correctly,” I hissed.
“Hey, don’t get pissy with me…we should have just walked through the front door.”
I could have screamed.
