RAQUELLE TOUCHED HERmouth that still tingled from the kiss. She truly did love Landon. Hearing that he felt the same way brought her untold joy and a belief that their relationship had taken a big step in the right direction—wherever they landed.
She was seated at the island on a beige faux-leather bucket stool when Eddie came into the kitchen. He was cleanly shaven and wearing a fresh set of clothes.
Raquelle flashed a smile. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He sat beside her.
There was a bottle of beer and plate of store-bought oatmeal-raisin cookies on the counter before him.
“I heard the interview with Landon went well,” Raquelle said, lifting the mug of coffee she’d made for herself.
“Yeah.” Eddie grabbed the beer and drank some. “I’m just glad to finally put everything out on the table and let the chips fall where they may.”
“If all goes well, those chips will fall right on top of Ivan Pimentel’s head,” she stated humorlessly.
Eddie chuckled and lifted a cookie. “Landon seems to believe that.”
“He only wants to solve the case—while minimizing collateral damage.”Meaning harm to you, Raquelle told herself. Beyond what had already occurred.
“I get that.” Eddie ate more of the cookie while regarding her. “So, what’s happening with you two?” He glanced toward the great room, where Landon’s guitar was in its case against the wall. “Looks like Landon’s been spending some time here.”
Raquelle saw no reason to hold back. “Yes, we’ve started seeing each other again.”
Eddie grinned. “Figured as much.” He sipped beer, musing. “Hope it works out this time around.”
“Me too.” She picked up an oatmeal cookie and nibbled on it.
“You deserve to be happy,” he told her. “Both of you.”
“So do you, Eddie,” Raquelle said thoughtfully. “Penelope has been worried about you. We’ve been in touch ever since—”
“I know.” Eddie tilted his face. “I saw you both at the coffee bar.”
She gazed at him. “You were there?”
“Yeah, close enough.” He sighed. “Wanted to reach out, but wasn’t quite ready to at that time.”
“I understand.” Raquelle rested her arm on the counter. “You need to let Penelope know you’re all right— assuming she hasn’t already heard on the news. I wanted to tell her but thought it would be better coming from you directly.”
“I’ll go see her,” he promised.
“Okay.” She paused. “I think she still cares about you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, if I’m reading her correctly. Maybe you two can also make it work the second time around.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Eddie put the beer bottle to his mouth, pondering.
Weighing on Raquelle’s mind was how such a rekindled romance might play out if he was put into WITSEC. Could keeping Eddie alive ruin any chance of him getting back together with Penelope?
* * *
ONSUNDAY AFTERNOON, Landon sat beside Katie in an interrogation room. On the opposite side of the table sat Ivan Pimentel and his lawyer, Ashley Vasquez, of Sarchuk, Vasquez, and Norgaard LLC, a top law firm in Columbia. In her early thirties, she was slender and attractive with sable hair in a stylish pixie cut with amber eyes behind heart-shaped glasses.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Pimentel had shown little interest in communicating with them without the presence of his attorney, as was his right. But it also showed Landon that the conniving and vindictive art dealer knew that he was in big trouble and was hoping that he could somehow worm his way out of this hole of his own making.
Landon peered at the suspect and stated bluntly, “I’m not going to beat around the bush, Pimentel. We’ve built a strong case against you for numerous federal offenses—including the buying, selling and trafficking of counterfeit and stolen Native American works of art, wire fraud, and money laundering. As if that’s not enough—and it isn’t, trust me—there’s conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, two actual federal murder charges, and various offenses related to the use of an improvisedexplosive device by someone you hired. In short, you’re looking at a very lengthy prison sentence…”
