“Are they, though? A solution of vinegar and dish soap actually does wonders.”
Penelope rolled her eyes. “You need to back off. I didn’t agree to help you bury anything. I agreed to listen. To wait. That’s all. There are bigger fish to fry.”
“Oh, are you trying to provoke me by implying that I’m low on the food chain, Dr.Blackwell?”
“Who says I’m implying anything?” Her pulse hammered behind her temples.
Valentina let out a silky laugh. “My littlewarningwas a courtesy to you. Believe it or not, I actually quite liked your father.”
“Really? Then I don’t want to know what happens to people youdon’tlike.”
“Hmm, no. You don’t.”
“So, you just sent this message because…” She gestured, then let her hand fall uselessly to her side. “You felt the need to annoy me?”
“Please, darling. No. Of course not. Be on the lookout for another letter. One that suggests a more…fruitful association.”
“So, you first throw a toy at someone’s head and then ask them to play with you?”
Valentina laughed—a genuine, warm sound that left Penelope speechless for a moment.
“You truly are a wonder, Penelope. I hope to be seeing more of you. Our previous collaborations have impressed me. A more official association could do wonders for your career.”
Penelope curled her hand into a fist. Valentina’shelpwas poison. “If that’s what’s in the letter, you could have saved your ink, paper, and postage. I have zero interest in officially signing on. I’ve seen where that ends, so that will be a hard pass.”
“But you don’t know what I’m offering yet.”
“Something worth more than my freedom? I doubt it.”
“We shall see. Goodbye, Dr.Blackwell.” Valentina ended the call.
“Such an obnoxious piece of work,” Penelope muttered, bending down to pet Fuller.
The cat rubbed against her leg with a soft purr, grounding her for a moment.
“What are we going to do, girl?”
Penelope couldn’t help but compare Valentina and Lucia—how one chilled her and the other…left behind a warmth in her chest she didn’t know how to deal with.
She also thought of Lucia’s Italian friend, wondering if the woman was anything like Valentina. Were they competitors?
The more she dug, the more she couldn’t shake the feeling that Valentina’s grip on theMadonnawas even less airtight thanit appeared. The forged provenance was good, but not perfect. If someone at the Meridian noticed, it wouldn’t just expose a forgery, it could unravel everything.
Perhaps Penelope needed Lucia’s Collective more than she realized, considering such a snare could hobble her, too.
She decided to take a shower, eat something, and go to bed. Maybe sleep would offer her a solution.
When her alarm went off the next morning, she groaned as memories of the last few days rushed to the forefront.
“Damn it,” she groused, rising and heading for the bathroom. Once she was done and had finished her breakfast, she pulled out her phone. She didn’t know if she’d regret it, but she’d told her father the truth: she couldn’t let it go.
Her finger poised over the message for a beat.
Have you spoken to your Italian friend? I’d like to meet her.
Then she pressed send.
Chapter 15
