“Trust and believe, the trip was anything but a romantic rendezvous. It was all business and unsuccessful.”
“But you’re back in the city now, right?”
“I am. Anything going on that I need to know about?”
“Detective Gutiérrez called.”
“Damn.” Valencia paused because she was actually hoping that issue was behind her, even though there was no reason for her to feel that way. “What did she want?”
“She said that she had some more questions for you and that it wouldn’t take long.”
“Great,” she said, thinking that Gutiérrez stepping up her investigation of Coleman Patterson was the very last thing that she needed.
“She said that she needed to clarify some things in your statement.”
“Anything else?”
“Mrs. Black called and asked that you return her call at your earliest convenience. She said that it was important.”
“Thank you, Adrianna.”
“Where are you off to now? Paris, the French Riviera?”
Valencia forced out a little laugh. “No, Adrianna. I am going home to take a long hot bath, have a glass of wine and contemplate my future. We’ll talk in the morning,” she said and ended the call.
“Before I take you home, there’s a stop I gotta make. It’s on the way.” Geno paused. “It won’t take long,” he promised her even though he understood that because it involved Mrs. Black that it might be a while. But in that second, Geno had a moment of true clarity and Carter’s words rang in his ears.
Rain got the whole damn family out hunting her.
It made him wonder if by taking her along, he was serving her up for whatever Rain had in mind for her and if that were the case, what would he do?
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Hope that Rain doesn’t kill her.
When he got to J.R.’s, Leo informed him that Rain and Carter had just left. They had gone to pay a visit to Jaylinda Harvey in the hopes of finding out whatever it was that Rex Steward was willing to die for.
“When you see him, let Carter know that I’m back.”
“Will do, Geno,” Leo said, and he and Valencia headed back to his car.
“You still want me to take you home?”
“Would you, please. I need to think about what I’m going to do next.” She paused. “Not that I have a lot of choices. And the choices that I do have aren’t good.” She looked at Geno and smiled, thinking that maybe she should withdraw all the money that she could, and they just run away together.
Live my life on the run from the police, Mike Black and the Comodoro’s, she laughed. Great plan, Valencia.
When they got to her house, Geno parked out front and turned off the car. He looked at Valencia.
“Thank you for everything that you tried to do for me today, Geno.”
“I wish it had come out better for you.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, me too.”
“So what now?”
“Like I told Adrianna, I’m gonna go inside, take a long hot bath, have a glass of wine and contemplate my future.”