Page 80 of Enduring Caine
“So you wait in silence?”
“Security’s tricky here, especially now, making communications difficult on either side.” Vin looked up at me, his gray eyes piercing deep into my soul, before they dropped to the floor again. “None of this is what I expected, but I’m doing the best I can.”
He was so alone.
Vin kept his arms tight to his body, barely looking at me. “I might take you up on that offer of getting a message out if I don’t hear anything before you go. Just to be certain the right people receive it.”
He reminded me so much of Antonio at that moment. Both were men of intense emotions, underscored by an almost unshakable confidence. With Antonio, I glimpsed moments when that slipped, like when he gave me the promise ring or when he talked about wanting to impress my family. Every moment around his uncle was like that, too. Not a lack of confidence, but more a muting of his giant personality.
Vincenzo had never revealed that side to me. Until now.
“Hey.” I drew closer to him and placed a hand on his forearm. “You’ve got this. Let me know if you want my help. No guarantees, but if there’s something I can do…”
He unfolded one hand and placed it on top of mine. “Thanks, Sam. That means a lot.”
I withdrew and turned to zipper my suitcase. There wasn’t any heat when he touched me or when I got close to him, just more of that wrongness. If I was honest with myself, I wasn’t fully over what happened between us. I’d gotten past it enough to admit I was in love with Antonio, but it was likely I’d always carry some resentment. Or, like Antonio said, maybe it was a blessing that he helped make me who I was, and I should thank him.
“I did come up for a reason, though.” He stood, giving his head a shake, like he was clearing the stress and anxiety of his undercover position and resuming his pretend guard role. “Giovanni said you’re going to help Leonardo investigate Johann’s death.”
“Really?” I spun so quickly, he startled. I’d expected Antonio wouldn’t even bring it up, let alone have Giovanni agree. This was fantastic news. I’d gladly deal with Leonardo to escape this little room and feel useful.
He nodded. “I’m to take you down to the wine cellar now. Antonio will meet you there.”
“Are you helping, too?”
“I’d like to, but Leonardo has me patrolling the shore and the cave area today.” He came to my side, lifting my suitcase to the floor, despite it weighing all of twenty pounds. “In the end, it’s good, since my dead drop is down in the ruins, so I can keep an eye out for my contact.”
“That works out.”
Vincenzo stood too close to me. From my position between the bed and the wall, there was only so much space I had to back away from him. His eyes dragged slowly up from my feet, and his hand reached for me, but it stopped before he touched me. “Promise me you’ll be careful? I’m worried about you getting involved with these men.”
“I can handle myself.” It was an instinctive response, the one I always gave when people told me that. Most people looked at me and saw nothing more than an overly serious insurance adjuster. Only a handful understood my core—my need to investigate things, my experience with the FBI, my regular training in the gym and on the range. Being underestimated was a benefit to me, but it still pissed me off every time someone treated me like I needed a man’s protection.
“Of course you can, but let me worry about you.” His hand finished its trek toward me and he squeezed my arm. “It gives me something to think about, other than how deep I’ve gotten.”
I didn’t move out of his grip. The way his eyes crinkled at the corners, he looked older than when we’d been together, more than the ten years it had been. He’d been through too much in that time, just like I had.
“I have another distraction for you, then. I—” Should I tell him? Did I believe his story? Maybe he could poke around and find out a piece of the puzzle. “I found a letter on Johann’s body last night.”
He released my arm and took a half-step back. “You what?”
“It said the delivery was complete and that pickup was required tomorrow. Well, tomorrow from whatever day it was written.”
Vin turned, hands landing on his hips, and he paced to the terrace door. He spun to face me. “Do you think he was working for someone else?”
“Possible.”
“What if he was and they’re after the same painting?” He clenched one fist and brought it to his mouth, eyes scanning back and forth. “If I don’t hear from my handlers soon, I’ll have to act. What could be so special about it, you think?”
“No idea. Do you know who it’s by?”
“Like I told you, I only know the dimensions.” He shook his head. “Thanks for this, Sam. That helps, but if there’s another player involved in this game, it means you need to be even more careful.”
Chapter 36
Antonio
Idescendedthewidestone staircase to the tower’s bottom floor and the entrance to the wine cellar. Vincenzo stood next to the grand door, smiling as I approached.