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"How does Delsey fit in?"

He saw her flinch, saw a flash of guilt in her eyes "All right, I realized Salazar was interested in her, not his obsessive sort of interest, and I thought it would be set close to her But listen, that was only at the start I really came to care for Delsey, and she for me I didn’t want to use her, all I ever wanted to do was protect her

"When Professor Salazar guilted her into co to his party, it never occurred to me there’d be any problearitas would h to see a dead et bashed on the head How in the world did that happen?"

"I was as shocked as you were Even though Arnie spoke to Delsey a couple of times at the diner, they were never introduced But he knehere she lived The only way I can put it together is that they got a couple of gang members to haul him back to his apartment to search it and see what he had on thean to stroke him really hard He reared back and nearly toppled her over as he struggled to get out of her arht" She set his to his apartment There was too much for them to find there He had to decide fast where to take them He knew Delsey was at the party He also knew she lived alone--and that’s the biggie--so I’ he directed them to her place instead They broke in the back door, realized soon enough it wasn’t his apart he made a run for it, but they forced him into the bathroom and killed him there"

"But then Delsey ca s, and they probably hadn’t been told to kill anyone else I’ one of them hit her on the head before they hauled Arnie away and ended up du him beside Breaker’s Hill in the thick snow and trees

"Of course, that’s a guess, but one that ht, then Arnie saved er And now the gang h to describe hiot to be wonderin’ if she saw the of killers I didn’t knohat to do, what to say, or how to protect her until I realized you orried for her safety as well, and put a guard on her door We have to continue to protect her"

He looked at Monk, ashing hi stiff and so contained that if she ether Call me Griffin And what should I call you?"

"Anna It’s my name"

"Why don’t you come back to the B&B with ’s better than being stuck out here alone with a gun pressed against your leg"

"I can’t I’ve got Monk, and Bud Bailey would have a hissy fit if he saw this big boy coh his front door I know hiot to start my shift at Maurie’s soon Remember, Griffin, I’eted for ato tell Delsey who I aood luck with that"

He gave her a long look, patted her cheek, and started to leave "Be careful"

"Okay You, too"

He looked back to see her standing at the front door, her arainst the cold, that Glock of hers still settled in the back of her waistband, watching hireatly, he wanted

Washington, DC

Late Sunday afternoon

Savich looked down at his cell to see another e I know you’re up to your neck in alligators, but give a passing thought to co up to New York for the Jewel of the Lion exhibit I’ private security for the exhibit for the Met--quite a job, let et a chance

Savich was on the point of returning Bo Horsley’s call when he looked up to see Mr August Biaggini walk into the CAU He looked so much like Savich’s father that for a ini was tall and fit, with thick salt-and-pepper hair, coini spoke, the spell was broken His voice was quiet and lilting, with a whisper of Italy, not the clipped, edged cadence of Savich’s dad