“I’ll come up with you,” Angelo said.
“No, you won’t,” I said at once. “Villiers might open the door for me, but he sure as fuck won’t withyoulurking there behind me.”
“I don’t lurk. I make my presence immediately known.”
“That won’t help either.” We glared at each other. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to hang down here, make sure the cops stay gone?”
“I still don’t like it.”
“You don’t like any of it. I’ll be fine. Stay here.”
It was time to make a distraction of my own, and I decided to take a leaf out of his own book. I leaned forward and kissed him, deeply and soundly, and then I jumped out of the car before he could react.
Instinctively, I looked both ways before crossing the street, and ran lightly up the steps to the apartment building. My pass number on the electronic lock still worked, and it was easy enough to make my way in after checking there were no police waiting in the lobby.
My mouth still pulsed warmly from the kiss I’d given Angelo, and the taste of him lingered on my tongue. My heart raced, and although I tried to put it down to the danger I was putting myself in by coming back here, I knew that wasn’t the whole story.
I couldn’t think about that now, though. It was time to face Villiers, beg him for help.
I almost pressed the elevator button, but I’d learned enough from Angelo by then to decide the stairs were the better option, especially if therewerecops inside the building. The stairs also gave me the opportunity to go past my old place, and a small part of me had been wondering if I might go in, take a memento of my old life. I wouldn’t be returning to it anytime soon, no matter what happened with Villiers. But of course, there was crime scene tape across the door and a bright yellow sticker plastered over the lock. I was tempted to break it open, go inside anyway, but I didn’t.
I stayed on-mission.
Villiers’ apartment was two stories up from mine and as soon as I reached the door, I knocked. It was getting late in the evening,
I heard the unmistakable sound of the peephole shutter opening, followed by a profound silence.
“Hi,” I tried cheerfully, but my attempt to keep my voice low meant that it came out as a croak.
There was a rattling of a chain and a snap of the deadbolt before the door opened and Villiers stood there, staring at me.
“Flynn,” he said hoarsely. But before I could say anything, he grabbed me by the neck of my hoodie and dragged me into the apartment. He pushed me down the hallway, but I waited while he relocked and re-chained the door.
When he turned to stare at me again, I gave a small smile.
“Sorry about dropping around unannounced,” I told him.
“What the hell happened to the protective officers out on the street?”
“They, uh. They should be back soon. We don’t have much time, so—”
Villiers seized my arm again and pulled me into the living area. “Were you followed by anyone?”
“No.”
Villiers gave a short laugh. He let go of my arm and walked over to the desk in the corner of the room where he’d been working, judging by the notes, open books, and laptop computer. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day when you’d lie to me.”
Puzzled, I opened my arms in a wordless query.
“I saw you myself getting dropped off by the man I must now assume trulyisyour partner in crime. Angelo Messina, correct?”
“He didn’t follow me here, he dropped me off. If you’d asked me who—”
“And now the Morelli Underboss knows exactly where I live. If I didn’t know you better, Flynn, I’d say you reallyhadturned. Is that why you’re here? Did it take so little for that devil to persuade you to kill me?”
Aghast, I moved back a few steps to give him space. “Of course I’m not here to kill you! All I’m trying to do is solve this case—”
“All you’re doing is running from your responsibility as an FBI agent and, I might add, a member of a society with laws and values. I’m ashamed to think you’ve betrayed the oath you swore so completely.” To my horror, Villiers seemed to be blinking back tears.
