Page 55
“Jazz. I always think of New Orleans when I hear it.”
He had a vision of the two of them in Preservation Hall, swaying and swinging to the sound of a saxophone. Perhaps they’d go there someday together.
The thought surprised him—even more so because he found it so pleasing.
“It’s something like that.”
“So do you know where Laria and Torr are now?”
He shook his head. “Mexico maybe, but that’s all I can gather. Most likely northeast. At least, that’s where I’d start. If I were down there, I’d be able to sense a more precise location.”
“Hmmm. Want half?” she asked, holding out half of her bagel to him.
He took it from her for no other reason than to touch her. Their fingers brushed as they made the exchange.
Lawrence willed her to remember the events of the previous night, but he already knew she would not.
“Thanks.”
He ate in silence, worry momentarily distracting him from his uncontrollable lust for his breakfast partner. If not for the situation with the robber, he would go to his siblings. Yes, he’d decided to step aside, but he hated the not knowing.
“How about this,” Toni said, wresting his attention back to her. “I’m stuck here for the day—”
He cleared his throat.
“Not stuck. I mean—”
Lawrence cocked his head to the side, waiting.
“I meant to say—” the minx smiled, “—held prisoner.”
Another vision assaulted him—this one, not so innocent.
“Let’s distract you from worrying about Laria and Torr, and me from, well, everything.”
“I have two questions.”
“Shoot.”
“What is this ‘everything’ you need to be distracted from?” His voice lowered. “And how exactly do you plan to distract me?”
“We’ll start with the second question, because that one’s easier to answer.” She scrunched her nose. “No, that’s not what I’m thinking.”
“A shame.”
“Games. Alessandra and I love playing games, and I know she has some over there.” She nodded toward the Henry Hutton Mansion.
“Hmm.” He could think of better ways to keep them distracted.
“As for your first question, that one’s a bit harder to answer.”
“Try me,” he shot back at her.
Hiding behind her coffee cup as she took an extended sip, Toni started breathing more quickly. She was nervous. Why?
Suddenly, he thought he knew.
“This break-in has made you think of your parents, hasn’t it?” he guessed.
