Run To Rome

her glance at Trent confirmed he recognized the déjàvu moment. More than anything, Halli wanted to be back in his arms, but she forced her gaze away. Ben slowly reached out to thread his fingers with Evalina’s.

“Come on, Eva, one little, innocent dinner won’t kill you.”

“Innocent? You?”

“You’ll be in complete control. Promise.”

A secret smile touched the Italian woman’s lips. Unspoken communication passed between the two of them. Belying her confident aura, color rose in Evalina’s face and Ben’s grin widened. Just as Halli began to feel like the rest of them were intruding on something intimate, Evalina blinked and abruptly stood with a haughty shrug. “One dinner.”

“Thank you,” Ben said softly.

She was all business as she turned from the bed. “My office requires statements from each of you. I can speak with you two here,” she indicated Halli and Rachel, “but Mr. Tomlin and Ms. Costa, you will be required to come to the station.”

“How’s your partner?” Trent asked.

“Dead.” The word was delivered short and hard, but the emotion in her dark eyes told him the betrayal hurt her as much as Lorenzo’s hurt him.

He glanced at Simone before he asked, “Did you talk to Lorenzo yet?”

Evalina gave a brisk nod. “He was very forthcoming. He got himself into trouble a few years ago with a bad bet and it multiplied from there. Cousin Luca is his bookie, and Nino was married to Luca’s sister. Once they found out you and Lorenzo were friends, it did not take much to convince Lorenzo you were a quick fix to his problems.”

Trent’s jaw flexed. “They were going to sell me proof that Alrigo murdered my brother.”

“Yes. Only Alrigo shot Lorenzo before they could get their evidence and execute the plan. Nino ‘took care of the body’, and Alrigo made it harder for you to hide by having his connections publically implicate you in the ‘murder’. With Ben in play, Nino manipulated the situation by suggesting Alrigo demand ransom.” Her gaze shifted between Trent and Greg. “You should know, in light of this new evidence, Sean Tomlin’s death will be completely reinvestigated.”

“Thank you.”

Halli felt the relief for Trent that she heard in his words. Alrigo Lapaglia was already dead, but now he’d get public justice for his brother.

The surgeon returned and insisted Ben be left alone to get some rest. Rachel was escorted to a nearby room to have her leg formally checked, and Evalina suggested it was a good time for Halli to give her statement. Trent squeezed her shoulder on his way out the door after his father. She followed his gaze to Tony, who waited at the doors to take Trent in.

“You okay?” Trent asked.

She automatically stiffened her spine. “Of course.”

“Looks like another long night.”

To prove she could be as casual as he had been on the boat, she quipped, “And nowhere near as fun as last night.”

He didn’t laugh as she’d thought he would. He stepped closer and spoke low. “What I said earlier—”

She quickly shook her head and stepped back, holding up a hand. “Please, you don’t have to explain. I get it.”

His steady scrutiny made her pulse flutter. “Do you?”

“Yes,” she insisted. “And I agree with you, let’s not make a big deal out of it. I have to go, and they’re waiting for you.”

Annoyance passed over his features. “Halli, we need to talk.”

“Tomorrow.” She quickly spun to follow Evalina to an empty room the hospital had provided.

“You never gave me an answer about dinner,” he called after her.

Halli felt the eyes of numerous nurses and hospital staff zero in on her as she reached the makeshift interview room. She almost said yes, just to appease him, even though she knew she wouldn’t actually follow through. A simple no would be better, but it was too public. In the end, she stepped inside the room and closed the door without answering at all.

Fatigue dragged her feet when the interview concluded and Evalina walked her back to Ben’s room. They’d set up a second bed for Rachel and a cot for Halli. Rachel was sound asleep, but Ben opened his eyes and watched them enter.

With a quiet goodnight, Halli went straight to the cot. She dragged the blanket to her chin and wearily fought against thoughts of last night with Trent, only to have the worry of how they’d pay for Ben’s surgery and the hospital stay drop into her mind like a grenade. She bit back a groan of dismay.