He couldn’t help but think about the implications of their talk as he walked to his SUV. Tonight had changed the dynamics between himself and Gabrielle. He’d agreed to find closure between them. And considering he knew how Gabrielle’s mind worked, he had no doubt private displays of affection were going to play a large part of that closure.
DEREK WOKE UP EARLY the next morning and was on the phone with his cousin Mike by nine. Derek was deliberately vague with his story, omitting the fact that Sharon was being blackmailed. He didn’t want to put Mike in a position where he had to act, nor did Derek want to betray Gabrielle and Sharon’s confidence. Mike was happy to dig up information, but he warned Derek to be careful.
A short while later, Mike called back and Derek had some solid facts. Sharon’s ex, Tony DeCarlo, was out of jail and living in a small suburb outside of Boston. As far as Mike could tell, Mr. DeCarlo was a model citizen—or he just hadn’t been caught.
Although Derek would have liked to pay the man a visit by himself, he wasn’t about to risk going solo and facing Gabrielle’s wrath. He could handle her anger, but if she stopped trusting him, she’d go off on her own next time.
Gabrielle seemed to appreciate his efforts—she was chatty and upbeat the entire trip. He didn’t want to take her expensive convertible, which was an attention-getter, and so he drove his SUV, pulling up to the address Mike had given him, a small rented garden apartment in a surprisingly nice area. Gabrielle immediately jumped out of the truck.
“Hey, wait up.” He caught up to her on the walkway. “Let me do the talking, okay?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s not okay. I have a few questions for him and I’m going to ask them.” She strode ahead of Derek and headed for the first-floor apartment, ringing the bell before he joined her.
“Who is it?” a male voice called out from behind the door.
“A friend of a friend,” Gabrielle said.
Derek folded his arms across his chest, resigned to letting her handle things and acting as backup if she needed it. Obviously she wasn’t going to give him a choice.
The door opened halfway. “What friend?”
Gabrielle recognized the man from old photos Sharon had sent her while in college—before her new boyfriend had turned into a nightmare. “Hi, Tony?”
“Who wants to know?”
“Me. I’m a friend of someone you used to date. I believe you remember Sharon Merchant?” Gabrielle asked in a sweet voice.
Tony’s wary expression turned dark. “I don’t have anything to say to Sharon or to you.” He started to shut the door but Derek slipped his sneakered foot inside.
“That’s no way to treat a lady, buddy. At least hear her out.”
Gabrielle shot Derek a grateful look. “How’ve you been, Tony?”
“Busy. I work and I come home. There’s no time for chitchat.”
“So why aren’t you at work now?” According to Derek’s cousin, Tony had been stocking shelves at the local supermarket. He had positive employment reviews and no complaints against him.
“It’s my day off. What’s it to you?”
She shrugged. “Just curious. This is a nice apartment. Mind if I ask how you afford it? I mean, stocking shelves doesn’t pay that well.”
“My sister lives with me and shares the rent. Again, what’s it to you?”
“Some of those pictures you took of my friend resurfaced.”
His face turned pale. “I had nothing to do with it!”
“So you say,” Derek said, stepping forward. “But she received a package that has your MO. It’s hard to believe someone else is behind it.”
“Believe what you want, but it wasn’t me. You think I’d risk going back to jail?” he asked incredulously. “No way, man.”
Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. “Did you keep extra copies of the pictures?”
He shook his head. “The cops took them all.” He stepped outside, joining them as if he had nothing to hide. “Look, I was young and stupid. I saw a quick way to make money by taking advantage of naive women. And I paid for it. That part of my life was over a long time ago.”
Gabrielle glanced at Derek, silently asking what he thought.
“If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem. But you’re not going to pin this on me.” He tipped his head to one side. “Are we finished now?”