Say Goodbye (Romantic Suspense #25) by Karen Rose

            “He did, but didn’t take it far. It was found on the shoulder of Airport Boulevard with the body of a young woman in the back seat.”

            “Fucking hell,” Tom whispered.

            “You have all the information. I’ll expect you to be at the scene as soon as you can.”

            Tom had bounded down the stairs and was already in his own vehicle. “Sir? Mercy’s birthday party tomorrow is at the Sokolovs’ house. If Belmont followed Bowie Security’s SUV, he was in the Sokolovs’ neighborhood.”

            “I’ll tell them to cancel the party.”

            “I think it’s too late for that. All of the guests were to have arrived by now. They’re all in the Sokolovs’ house. Rafe Sokolov hired the off-duty cops as security. Ten of them. I hired six more of Bowie’s employees. I think we should have Bureau presence on the Sokolovs’ perimeter. If Belmont tries again, we can find him.”

            “I’ll arrange it,” Raeburn promised.

            Tom started his engine. “Do we have an ID on the victim left in the cruiser?”

            “Not yet. Belmont destroyed her phone and she had no other ID. Midtwenties, Caucasian, and dead. That’s all we know.”

            “Thank you, sir. I’ll be there in thirty or less.”





TWENTY-TWO



GRANITE BAY, CALIFORNIA

            SUNDAY, MAY 28, 3:15 P.M.





I’m glad that you came today,” Irina said, sitting on the sofa beside Liza. The Sokolov house was brimming with people, Mercy’s party in full swing. “I feared you would not.”

            “I almost didn’t,” Liza admitted, watching Abigail play with Irina’s grandchildren. Liza had retreated to one of the quieter corners. “But I didn’t want to hurt Mercy’s feelings.”

            “You have a good heart, lubimaya.” Irina gestured to the children sitting in a circle on the floor playing a card game. Abigail was listening to the rules with the attention of someone learning the nuclear codes. “I’m so glad that she’s having fun.”

            “She was nervous,” Liza murmured. “Wanting to be ‘normal.’ She had a meltdown this morning. She’d insisted I put her hair in rollers overnight, but a few of them came out and her puppy stole them. One side of her hair was ringlets and the other was like cooked spaghetti.”

            “So you fixed it?” Irina asked fondly.

            “I did. It didn’t take long. Just took a curling iron and most of a can of hair spray.”

            “You spoil her.”

            Liza shrugged. “She’s gone through so much upheaval in the last month. I think it’s okay if she gets spoiled a little. Even her meltdown this morning was polite by normal-kid standards. It’s awful good to see her with kids her own age. She spends too much time with adults.”

            “When this is over—” Irina began, then sighed. “I feel like I’ve been saying that a lot.”

            “Me too.” Liza looked from the children to the living room doorway, her attention caught by a flash of gold—the light reflecting off Tom’s hair. He looked as amazing in jeans and a T-shirt as he did in a suit and tie. Her gaze lingered, remembering how hard the muscle was under that shirt. Then she resolutely looked away, only to find Irina watching her.

            “I thought as much,” Irina murmured.

            “Not his fault,” Liza murmured back, not trying to hide it anymore. “He loves it here. Don’t blame him. He’ll pull back into his shell, and he needs this family.”

            “So do you.”

            “And I’ll keep coming by. Don’t worry.”

            “But I do. Did you get that job?”

            “I did. I’m going to be working with a pediatric patient.” Liza patted the older woman’s knee. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

            “Do not tell me not to worry. It is what I do best.”

            Liza smiled at that. “I thought party hostessing was what you did best. I bet there are a ton of Mercy’s family who would love to talk to you.”