Page 84 of Above ’N’ Beyond

What to do about the puppy cams.

Now she understood why Jamie hadn’t told Paola or Tony she’d put them in the banquet room. By installing them, she’d inadvertently helped him and the FBI with their investigation. On Monday, three days from now, Paola would hold her big event. Specifically, she had no idea what it was about. It was important to Paola, that much she understood, and she wondered if the money her aunt had withdrawn from the bank had anything to do with it.

The footage recorded on those cameras could bring down Paola’s operation and get her aunt, Tony, and the others arrested. Sergeant Jamie Pataglio might be on Bella’s side, but would the FBI agree with him about her innocence? Her name was on the deed, too, and on the bank accounts, and she knew full well what her aunt was doing. Disapproving of it wouldn’t make a difference to the FBI. No matter what decision she made, she’d still look guilty. In the eyes of the law, she’d be guilty.

She laughed bitterly, again lowering her head into her hand. Ah, the ugly irony. If Paola went to prison, Bella could get out from under her aunt’s influence, but she’d probably lose the Bistro anyway. In fact, she’d lose everything. Her family, which she’d never really had, and Jamie, whom she’d never really had, either.

If there was any chance of saving herself and her restaurant, she needed leverage. If she removed the cameras, the government might not get the evidence they needed to take down Paola and her operation. If the government didn’t have that evidence, Bella would still have her share of the Bistro, but at what cost? She’d still be stuck under her aunt’s ruthless influence, which was the same as not having the Bistro at all.

Leaving the cameras in place still subjected the Bistro to seizure. Perhaps she could bargain with the government about the evidence that would be on those cameras. Originally, she’d thought to blackmail her aunt with it, but what if she could use it to get something from the government? Like her freedom. Like the Bistro. Then again, the government would inevitably just take the sim cards when this was all over.

Not if she got to them first.

Sergeant Jamie Pataglio could no longer be trusted. Her only chance at eking out something useful was to leave the cameras in place, then grab the sim cards later and stash them someplace safe.

If for some reason she changed her mind, she still had three days before Paola’s event. Plenty of time. But she had to have total control over those cameras. Right now, she didn’t.

Bella grabbed her cell phone from the desk and cued up the puppy cam app. A minute later, she’d changed her login ID and password. “Take that, Uncle Sam.” Jamie no longer had access to the live feed. She’d grab the sim cards right after the event. Before he did.

“Hey, Bella.” Sierra held up a copy of the local newspaper. “Did you hear? Misty Morris was killed last night.”

“What?” Bella held out her hand for the paper. Only a few days ago, she’d spoken to Misty at the bank. Nyack Woman Murdered was the headline on the front page. She scanned the article, shocked at what she read. Misty had been beaten, then strangled in her own home.

“The police have no leads,” Sierra said sadly. “She worked at the same bank you go to. Did you know her well?”

“No, not really.” She shook her head, feeling just awful. “Tony did. He and Misty dated for about a year.” Oh, no. Bella clapped a hand to her mouth. Could Tony have had something to do with Misty’s murder? Could he have murdered her?

Tony had a mean streak he kept well hidden behind his jovial demeanor, but would he really kill his ex-girlfriend? And why? She let her hand drop. “This is awful and so sad. Would you mind finding out where her family lives? I’d like to send over some food.” It wasn’t much, but it was the only thing she could think to do.

“Of course. That would be nice. I’m sure they’d appreciate it.” Sierra plunked down in the chair opposite the desk. “Sorry to bring you the bad news. I wanted to check on you. Lou said you might not be feeling well.”

“I’m fine. Just a little under the weather today.” And feeling worse now. Outside, the sun was shining brightly, but Misty’s death cast a pall on everything, and things had been pretty dark before she’d gotten the news.

Sierra narrowed her eyes. “Are you thinking about Misty or someone else?”

“Who else would I be thinking of?”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “Jimmy, of course.”

Which would be the best thing for both of them. “It’s not like that between us.” Anymore, that was.

“Oh, please.” Sierra made a dismissive gesture. “I know there’s something going on between you two. You said you’d never have anything to do with one of Tony’s boys, but I see the way you watch him and the way he watches you.”

“That’s not why he watches me.” He’d only been watching her through the eyes of a cop.

“What other reason could there be for a man to look at a woman like he wants to gobble her up?” Sierra batted her eyes. “And I mean gobble in a good way.”

Not the way you think. Jamie Pataglio only cared about her as a source, a way to get information on Paola.

“You look dubious.” Sierra pointed a finger. “Don’t be. I’m telling you I can see it in his eyes. He cares about you, and you care about him. Marco’s looked at you that way for years. Not once did you ever look at him the same way.”

Speaking of Marco, where was he? What would happen to him?

Bella sighed as she acknowledged Sierra’s observations. It was true she’d never thought about Marco in the romantic sense. That didn’t mean she wanted any harm to come to him. “There can never be anything between me and Ja—” Bella caught herself. “Me and Jimmy. I should have stuck to my personal code about not dating any of Tony’s boys.”

Sierra smiled knowingly. “Do you remember when Jimmy first walked in here? You practically fell on your face twice that day. You kept walking into that ficus tree.”

She did remember that day. Vividly. “I know you mean well, but whatever attraction I felt for him is over.”