CHAPTER34
When Kari ended the call with Indrid, Ian walked back into the parlor, seated himself beside Kari, and asked Connor, “Where are you?”
“Room seven-oh-one. Danny and Arthur came out a day early to scope the scene. Sylvie got fed up with me moping around the house and ordered me to go with them.”
“I know that’s not true.”
“She might have said it differently. Something about my needing to come early and take time to settle. But that’s what she meant.” A pause. “Buy you a drink?”
“Hang on a second.” He told Kari, “Connor is downstairs. He wants to meet in the bar.”
“Ask him up.”
“I don’t want to bother—”
“Ian. Really. You heard what Indrid said.”
“She didn’t say a word about my bothering you with my problems.”
She just looked at him. With those eyes of blue crystal and smoke. “He’s here because he needs you. This is your place as much as mine.”
“Kari—”
“Hush now and ask him up.”
* * *
The suite shared a butler with the other top-floor residences. Ian learned that when he called down for coffee, which arrived just as he opened the door for Connor. They stood to one side as a dark-suited woman wearing white gloves carried in the service for three on a silver palaver. She set it on the front table, asked if there was anything else.
Ian asked Connor, “You hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Me too,” Kari said. She waited as Ian asked the woman for a tray of sandwiches, and then she approached Connor with her hand outstretched. “Hi, Connor. I’m Kari.”
“You were at the restaurant.”
“Several times.”
“I mean, for the show.”
“Both of them.” She smiled. “Lucky me.”
Ian said, “Kari is a newcomer to Miramar.”
“And now you’re here.” He glanced at Ian. “Lucky you.”
“It’s not like that. This is Kari’s suite. She’s . . .”
She liked how Ian hesitated over what to say. Honoring her confidences. Letting her decide. She told him, “It’s all right.”
Ian said, “This is Kariel.”
Connor did a double take. “The artist.”
“They’re doing a retrospective as part of the art fair. Which happens the same time as the concerts.”
“Kariel. Wow. My wife thinks you’re the greatest thing since her dad.”
