Page 176 of Fury
Slash smiled at the memory, and her joyous expression tugged at Carrera’s heart.
“I’d come out of the dressing room and model everything for you,” Slash said. “You were so generous with me. You bought me an entire wardrobe.”
“And now, you’re doing it for me,” G-ma replied. “When can I see my house?”
“Whenever you feel up to it,” Carrera said. “The arson detective wants to talk to us, and he said the structure isn’t safe to enter.”
“Elsa, I stopped by and found these.” Slash pulled G-ma’s jewelry box and her purse from a carry bag.
G-ma’s face lit up. “You’re an angel.”
Slash wiped off the soot, set her items on the kitchen table.
G-ma checked her wallet. “Everything is here.”
Carrera made coffee while G-ma went through her jewelry box. “Nothing was taken. I’m relieved about that.”
Once the coffee had brewed, Slash filled three mugs, set them on the kitchen table.
“Are you up to talking to the arson detective?” Carrera asked them.
“Absolutely,” G-ma replied.
“Bring it on,” Slash said.
Carrera put the call on speaker. Rather than get into it on the phone, the arson detective told them he’d swing by in the hour.
While Carrera made breakfast, Slash helped G-ma get settled in her new bedroom. This had to be traumatic for his grandmother, but she was rolling with the changes like a champ.
Like a Santini.
Slash
Slash wasbeyond ready to talk to the arson detective. She needed to play this one like the doting granddaughter and not like a woman hell-bent on revenge. Just thinking about how someone tried to kill Elsa made her blood run cold in her veins.
After yesterday’s shopping spree, she’d swung by the charred remains of Elsa’s home. It was both heart wrenching and terrifying to think that Elsa could have died in that fire. The west side of the home lay in waste. Large piles of rubble, burned furniture, charred remains were all that was left. The east side—the side where she’d found Elsa—was intact. The walls, the furniture, and everything in the kitchen were covered in a thick black layer of soot and dried chemicals from the firehoses, but the items hadn’t disintegrated to ashes.
While they ate breakfast on Carrera’s screened porch, Slash tried to relax, but her nerves were shot. She kept reminding herself that Elsa was okay. There didn’t appear to be any evidence of permanent lung damage, and Elsa had a wonderful place to live while her home was rebuilt.
“Elsa, do you want me to pick up your lotions, shampoo, and makeup, do you want to go shopping?—”
“Online is easier,” Elsa said. “I can use whatever Carrera has for a few days.” Then, she clasped both their hands. “Thank you for taking such good care of me. Now, tell me what’s going on with you two.”
“Going on?” Slash asked.
“I haven’t heard a single cuss word out of either one of you. You had a date last night on a Carrera cruise boat. Slash is staying here?—”
“I’m here because of you, Elsa,” Slash said.
“I want you here,” Carrera said.
“Are you dating again?” Elsa’s expression was filled with so much anticipation that Slash laughed.
“We’ve been working together on a case,” Carrera said. “I’ve fallen in love with Amanda May, and I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell her.”
Elsa grinned. “I think you just did.”
His gaze fell on hers. Excitement coursed through her.
