He leaned against the desk and called Montoya. “Lucien believed your traffic-ticket story, but a black Mercedes followed me this afternoon, and the driver could have been the chauffeur he said no longer works for him. Fortunately, I was faster on my bike than he was in his car, but I have the license plate number for you.”
Montoya wrote it down. “I have the officer’s notes. There are a great many Frenchmen named René Charles, and several live here in Barcelona. Was the Mercedes merely following you, or did you perceive it as a threat?”
“The driver came too close the first time, and the second time I saw the car, I didn’t give him a chance to do it again.”
“I’ll take that as a yes. Shall we keep this from Miss Santillan?”
Alejandro pulled in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I don’t keep anything from her.”
&
nbsp; “Really? How brave of you. I’ll call when we know who owns the sedan.”
“Thank you.” Alejandro looked over his desk. Carlotta hadn’t made too big a mess. She had to have been searching for bank records, and he didn’t leave those out for anyone who might wish to look. He locked the office, went downstairs to fetch his bike, and rode home in a weaving circular path. While he saw many black sedans, none was the one he’d spotted earlier.
Alejandro brought vegetable empanadas, a green salad and ice cream to Ana’s that night. He looked relaxed in a shirt and jeans, but his ride had left him more jumpy than when they’d left Lamoreaux’s. She was dressed in a long, pale blue skirt and top, and with her hair flowing free, she resembled a serene angel. He combed his fingers through her curls to pull her close for a hungry kiss.
“Someone followed me while I was riding this afternoon. I reported it to Montoya, and he’ll let us know who owns the car.”
She grabbed hold of his biceps. “You’re sure they were following you?”
“Positive. I only got a glimpse of the driver, but it wasn’t the chauffeur who’s currently working for Lucien.” He helped her to the table, and she slid into her chair.
Their places were already set, and she played with her napkin. “Could it have been one of your stockholders?”
“The price of the stock did fall after my father’s death was announced, but today it’s bouncing back to its former level, so no one could be that incensed. There’s my father’s widow, who will never make things easy for me. We’re not reading the will until tomorrow morning, so I should have been safe from her today.” He went into the kitchen to toss the salad.
“Didn’t your father leave her well provided for?”
“Yes, he did, and there are trust funds for the boys, but the majority of the family stock was left to me. She may assume there will be an equal distribution for her and her sons, but that’s not what my father wanted. Now let’s talk about something else.”
“Thank you for again bringing dinner. This looks delicious. Everything you bring does. I wish I could cook something for us, but…”
“Learning to cook is on our list, remember?”
She brushed a crumb from her lips. “Yes, I do. We haven’t added anything.”
Alejandro had brought beer for himself, and he’d given her a glass of water. He swallowed a long drink before speaking. “We thought we were staying together when we began the list. Lamoreaux said you were confused about your marital status. What did you tell him?”
She plucked a black olive from her salad. “Only that it’s complicated, and I changed the subject. I don’t discuss my personal life on jobs. That’s not included in my fee.”
He ripped an empanada in half. “I understand, but we do need to make plans, Ana. My father’s family lives in the penthouse of the Ortiz Line building. There are apartments for guests to use. I could move into one so I’d be close to the office, but I intend to keep my studio. You love your home, and I should bring the kittens back. Meeting for dinner every night is nice and sleeping over is great, but don’t you think we ought to try actually living together?”
She regarded him with a wistful smile. “I suppose we could, and I do miss the kittens.”
“Could you try for a little more enthusiasm?”
She reached for his hand. “We have such a great time together, but when I’m as round as I’m tall, your bed in your loft will look awfully good to you.”
He laughed in spite of himself. “You can’t get that big, and you’re having my baby, so I wouldn’t complain. Is that your real fear? That I won’t find you attractive the minute you begin to show?” He had a call and checked his phone. “It’s Montoya. Let’s see what he’s found.”
“It’s a rental car,” the lieutenant reported. “And I’ll bet you can guess the name on the rental agreement.”
“René Charles?”
“Correct. He gave an address that doesn’t exist and returned the car this afternoon after having had it only half the day. Paid in cash.”
“Wonderful, so he may come after me next time in a red convertible. I won’t be doing any riding for a while.”