Not letting his theatrics get to me, I get to the point. “Did you ever hear of a Dahlyla Stevenson?”
Staring off into space with a gleam in his eye, a wistful smile appears on his lips. “Madonna… I remember her. Talented. Conning a con man. Dat girl’s got balls.”
When he returns from musing, his gaze hardens over his goblet. “Deals off. Stay clear of all of this, mia bambina.”
“Why?”
“She’s got connections all the way to the morons in the Senate. Maybe even higher. Capisce?”
“I do understand and I’ll be really, really, careful. I promise. But I can’t let this go. Sienna is… family.”
He frowns. “Go. Tell your bum to stay close. You’re my favorite niece.”
“You say that to all of us.” Standing, I kiss both his cheeks.
“Take heed. Ciao, bella.”
“Ciao.” As I exit, I glance over my shoulder.
Still annoyed, my uncle blows a smoke ring and points his cigar. “I mean it, Sammy. Don’t stick your nose in where it don’t belong.”
“Si, si. I got this.”
Strolling back home, I ponder the conversation. At least we’ve moved past me hooking up with his cronies. Someday he’ll have to accept Suds. God, I hope so. If not, I’ll buy one of those ancestry tests and forge a line of Italians dating back to the Renaissance.
As I plan how it could be done, I skip up the stairs, through the reception area, and open the door. “Hey, tough guy.”
Inside our office-slash-apartment Suds looks up from the conference-slash-kitchen table. “Where were you? I called the salon. They said you left early.”
“Talking to Vinny.” I drop onto his lap and kiss away the forehead creases appearing at the mention of my uncle’s name.
“He better not have set you up on a blind date.”
“Why not? I told him you’re fine with it.” I can’t hold back my giggle when his eyes pop out of his head.
“I also told him I especially love bald men over forty with a paunch hanging over their belt. Sorry, hun. Your sexy bod doesn’t do it for me.” I pat his hard abs and he snickers, eyes again merry.
“That so?”
“Uh-huh. I need to find me a rich Italian sugar-daddy, preferably from a crime family. Maybe, I could ask Vinny to give me a job, and work up the ranks. I could start in collections, like my cousin Joey.”
Suds tickles my ribs and I attack his underarms in retaliation. Soon, we’re rolling on the floor in a tickle-a-thon to the death.
I curl into a ball. “Hee, hee. Stop. Stop!”
He holds my hands over my head. “What fee did Vinny really extort?”
“Oh God. No more. I mean it. Nothing too bad.” I wait until his busy fingers still and take a deep breath. “I negotiated it down to a gift certificate.”
“For what?” His nose touches mine, his want thickening at my navel.
“Free detective time.”
“Hmm… I suppose it could be worse. What did your dear, sweet Uncle Vinny have to say?” Suds lets go of my wrists and places a quick kiss on my lips.
“He put his money on Dahlyla, same as Olafson.” While not exactly the truth, it’s not a lie either.
“Interesting. Jason called and said he can’t locate her on any of the videos.”
