“Yes. Nothing proven, but they’d all had allegations of various sorts made against them.” Drake plucked a cigarette out of the case.
“Maybe Bill, being a former police officer, would’ve known about that and thought he was doing good by killing them.”
“A violent killer with morals? A ridiculous notion, don’t you think?”
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. I had plenty to say on that subject. “It’s not really my area of expertise.”
Drake tapped his unlit cigarette on the table and stood up. “It’s funny that you’re this nice couple living in the suburbs, never been in trouble with the law. Yet you have this brush with a serial killer last year, and then this year you’re kidnapped by men with ties to violent European gangs.”
“We’ve certainly had bad luck!”
Drake kept staring at me.
“I just count our blessings. Two beautiful, healthy children. This lovely house.”
Drake was staring at the laundry I had drying from the designerstanding light by the sofa. Three Baby-gros, two of my bras, and one of Fox’s shirts were hanging from its black metal arms.
“We’re doing okay,” I continued. “Although my poor husband has been struggling. He’s in therapy.” Finally, his therapist could be useful. “It was quite an ordeal for him.”
“But not for you?” Drake tilted his head.
“I wasn’t hurt like he was. And you know I had blackouts. Not remembering everything has made it much easier processing it all.”
“If you see anyone you recognize from Ivrea, if you notice anyone new hanging around either of you, then please call me.” He put his card on the table. “Intelligence shows that the man behind the attack in Ivrea is leaving the business. Whatever he’s here for is our last chance to bring him to justice. And I’m sure you want him caught so you can go back to your nice, normal life in peace.”
Drake clearly didn’t believe we were a sweet, innocent couple caught up in something bigger than we understood. But our previous international crimes had been carefully pinned on a dead man. He’d have no reason to look into the past—would he?
I showed him out and closed the front door behind him, then slumped back against it.
The Chameleon. And the Interpol agent. Both far too interested in us.
Drake being here, sniffing around our family, was dangerous.
My phone pinged.
Here’s a poll to mark what dates you can do for dinner at ours!
For fuck’s sake.
Not now, Frederica.
She’d given fourteen options. Was it believable that I’d be busy for all of them?
I ignored her message and texted my group chat with Fox and Jenny.
That Interpol agent Drake came to see me. That awful man behind Ivrea is in England!
We always texted each other as if our phone records could one day be read out in court.
Fox pinged back right away.
Oh honey, are you okay? Do you want me to come home?
Then Jenny:
Babe, that’s so scary. Let’s all have dinner together tonight.
I took a deep breath. It was going to be fine. We had one another. We’d talk it through. We’d find our weaknesses and protect ourselves.
