Page 82 of Last First Kiss
“What’s going on?” Rocco’s husky voice behind her surprised her.
“Working. Look,” she said, pointing to the screen. “Did you know that it’s rumored that the real reason for the gunfight at Ilusiones was not because he was wanted, but because he’d been rumored to have been having an affair with a woman named Hilda, the police captain’s wife? Suffice it to say, the police captain, Joaquin, had a personal vendetta.”
“Okay.” He kissed the top of her head. “Come back to bed. We don’t start until noon today. How long have you been up?”
“Haven’t slept.” She continued to type quickly. “So maybe Mendoza is still out there, or maybe the woman, Hilda, is the one orchestrating this, or maybe . . .”
“Crazy, it’s a movie. People are upset but they’ve been relatively quiet. You’re digging more than necessary. This isn’t some sort of conspiracy theory scenario.”
“How do you know? What if there’s something to this?”
“Stop.” He closed the screen and she jumped up.
“No! Are you fucking crazy?” She opened the screen. “Goddamn it, Rocco. I’ve had that query running for two hours, and there was one hour left. I’m searching every South American governmental database for information on Hilda. Do you know how long it took me to configure that search?” She tossed a sheet of paper over her shoulder, which he grabbed, and there were codes and algorithms written on each and every corner. “I can’t fucking believe you did that!”
He held his hands out in surrender. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. But really, I think you’re just tired. Come to bed.”
“Stop telling me to come to bed.” She started to type again, frantically, trying to get the search back up.
* * *
Rocco shook his head, this was insane.
She was acting insane.
This was not healthy. He wondered if it was because the client was him, someone she was dating, or if it was just her way of doing things. She could not continue working this way. It just wasn’t healthy, and he was genuinely concerned.
She was typing so fast and almost maniacally, jumping from screen to screen as she wrote notes on her pad, her leg bobbing up and down. She had bags under her eyes, sipping Red Bull left and right. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen her eat. He didn’t know what to do.
“Do not touch anything!” she yelled at him. “I’m going to take a quick shower.”
He sat on the couch thinking. Something needed to be done or she was going to make herself sick.
Left with no other option he did the only thing he could think of—he called Joey.
Carefully and quietly he walked out to the hall and explained everything that was going on. “ . . . and really, there has been nothing to indicate anything is wrong. Even if there was something, it’s your usual upset crowd. Not life and death. But she’s manic, Joey, she isn’t eating, sleeping. I’m really worried.”
“I’m going to make some calls. Keep your phone on you and keep me posted.”
He slid back inside the suite just as he heard the shower turn off. Three minutes later he got a text from Joey: Ben is taking over until I get there. Don’t let her out of the suite.
Jesus, she was never going to forgive him. This was a direct betrayal. But it was because he was genuinely worried. How would he break the news?
As he was mulling that over, her phone rang. He couldn’t hear the conversation over the phone but when she threw the door open, the knob hitting the wall with a bang, he presumed Joey had gone ahead and explained things to her.
“You asshole! You got me fired!” she said, her eyes round balls of fury. “You called my brother? You sonofabitch!”
He took a step toward her but she moved back. “Do not touch me.”
“I was worried. I didn’t think he’d take you out, I just wasn’t sure how to handle you.”
“Handle me?”
“Take care of you. I’m not sure how to . . .”
“And you thought Joey would know?” Her eyes welled up and she took a step forward until she was pinning him with those hazel eyes full of sorrow. “I’ve told you more in the month that we’ve known each other than I’ve told anyone. I trusted you. Not only with all the things I’d gone through but with my fears. If anyone should get it, get why I’m all over the fucking place trying to make you safe, it’s you.” Her eyes watered and his heart broke. Tears. He was unprepared for tears.
“Annie, please don’t—”
