Gabriel's Promise (Gabriel's Inferno 4)

Gabriel pressed his lips together.

Julia’s gaze focused on his eyes. “Uncle Jack said Simon was living it up in Switzerland and his old fraternity buddy gave up stalking us. What aren’t you telling me?”

“There is one thing,” Gabriel hedged. He retrieved his cell phone from the coffee table and scrolled through the photos to the last one. “Here.”

Julia took the phone and glanced at the screen. “What am I looking at?”

“I think it’s a memento mori object. I had the concierge overnight it to Dottor Vitali at the Uffizi.”

Julia examined the image more closely. “Why?”

“I found it in the house, on the floor in our room.”

Julia handed the phone back to Gabriel. “The robber must have dropped it. Maybe it was a piece he stole from someone else.”

“Perhaps. Once I hear from Vitali, I’ll ask Nicholas to put me in touch with his contact at Interpol. I sent them the image from the sketch artist, as well.”

“You withheld evidence.”

Gabriel scowled. “I’m not withholding anything. I simply wanted to find out if we could trace the piece to an owner.”

“Or a theft.”

Gabriel put the cell phone back on the coffee table. “That’s why I want to know more about the piece itself and its history.

“Simon is still in Switzerland and he’s being watched. Jack’s friend has been keeping an eye on us but isn’t watching the house twenty-four hours a day. However, Jack told me the man has

taken this situation personally and is now conducting his own investigation.

“I’m inclined to agree with Nicholas that the thief was a professional and might be from Europe. He cursed me in Italian.”

“The entire North End of Boston can curse you in Italian.”

Gabriel lifted his eyebrows.

“Well, maybe not the entire North End,” she relented. “But quite a few of its inhabitants.”

Gabriel returned to sit by Clare and picked up the toy bunny he’d bought at Barneys. Clare grinned and waved her arms and legs.

“What happened to Paul’s bunny?” Julia asked.

Gabriel wrinkled his nose. “It’s around.”

“You didn’t throw it out, did you?”

“No.” Gabriel sighed. “The baby likes it.”

“Do you want to move?”

Gabriel turned his head to look at Julia. “No. I liked the house when we bought it and I love it now that we’ve renovated it and made it our home.

“My priority is to keep you and Clare safe. If there is a chance of another break-in, I’d prefer you and Clare were somewhere else. That means we need to move, at least in the short term.”

Julia looked away.

Gabriel had touched a nerve with his last remarks. She was afraid to return to the house, although she didn’t want to say so aloud. She wondered if she’d be able to fall asleep in her own room again. Certainly, she couldn’t imagine placing Clare in the nursery. Clare would have to sleep in their room with them.

“Do we have to decide tonight?” Julia stared into the flames.