Cheryl Bradshaw - Sinnerman

“What would you suggest?” he said.

I uncrossed my legs and leaned forward in my chair and looked him right in the eye.

“Forget the women. Focus on Sinnerman and you’ll find him.”

“Do you want to know what I think, Miss Monroe?”

I shrugged.

“I think you are the key to whether or not we find him, and that the steps we need to take all begin and end with you,” he said.

Before I could respond the office door opened and Rose poked her head in.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said, “but the sketch that woman from the park gave us is finished.” Rose looked over at Agent Luciana. “I thought you might like to know.”

She then turned and closed the door. He stood up and walked toward the door. I remained seated.

“You coming?” he said.

I tried my best not to hide my surprise.

“You want me in there with everyone else?”

“Like I said before, there’s a reason our killer is corresponding with you,” he said, “and I intend to keep you close while I prove that theory.”

“I already have a shadow,” I said.

He shook his head.

“Not anymore.”

I’d started to grow fond of Taye Diggs. In the short time I’d known him, I liked having him around. I wasn’t ready to see him go—not yet.

“What do you mean by that?” I said.

“I’ve already assigned some of my men to you.”

“More than one? When will I get to meet them?” I said.

“I don’t believe that’s necessary. If they do what they’re supposed to, you won’t even know they’re around, but rest assured Miss Monroe—they will be. And then of course, you’ll also have Giovanni.”

“Giovanni—why?” I said. “You said he wasn’t FBI so why would he stick around?”

“Gio is the best protection anyone could ask for. You’d be safer with him than ten of my best men. Besides, it’s what he wants, and I can’t deny my brother’s request.”

The fog in my head lifted, and I saw a clear picture of what I’d missed before. There was only room for one alpha male in the Luciana family, and Agent Carlo Luciana wasn’t it.

CHAPTER 20

Agent Luciana, the chief, Coop, and I stood in a room and ogled the rendering the sketch artist had come up with. It didn’t look much different than a sketch of every other perp in a hoodie that I’d seen. In fact, it was very unibomber-esque.

Agent Luciana looked at me.

“What do you think?” he said.

Coop frowned. He didn’t approve of the fact that my opinion was the first one that was solicited. I smiled—wide.

“I’m not sure how much help it will be,” I said. “This looks like most of the locals in this town.”

He gave the sketch to the chief.

“Get it to the papers,” Agent Luciana said. “No matter how average it looks, it sends a message to the killer.”

“Which is?” Coop said.

“That he slipped up, and we know about it,” Carlo said. “It may not be much, but it’s a start. If we can rile him up, he might make a mistake again.”

Through the office window I glanced at Giovanni when I thought he couldn’t see me. He was leaned up against the back of a desk with his arms folded. His eyes were centered on something, but I couldn’t see what from my vantage point. I leaned over a bit and realized it wasn’t a what, it was a who. Nick thrust the door open and aimed all his frustration in my direction.

“What’s she doing in here?” he said. “I’m getting really tired of this.”

He turned toward the chief who looked at Agent Luciana.

“Can I help you with something?” Agent Luciana said.

“Yeah, you can tell me why Sloane is in this room with you guys and I’m not. She has no business being here.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” Agent Luciana said.

“The hell it isn’t,” Nick said.

Agent Luciana was unfazed by this. He looked at me and then Coop and the chief and without saying a word, we all knew what he wanted. The three of us left the room. Behind closed doors Agent Luciana and Nick went back and forth, voices raised.

Giovanni caught my arm when I walked by.

“Where are you off to?” he said.

“That’s a good question. I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. I feel like I’ve been assigned a bunch of babysitters.”

“I wouldn’t look at it like that,” he said. “You hungry?”

I nodded. Food did sound good. It had been hours since I’d eaten anything.

“Great,” he said. “I know just the place.”

Nick stormed out of the office and headed straight for me.

“Who’s this guy then?” he said with his thumb pointed in Giovanni’s direction. “First you strut in here with him like he’s your buddy ol’ pal, and now he’s taking you to dinner? You don’t waste any time.”

“Nick, you don’t know what you’re—”

“You know what, save it Sloane. It doesn’t matter.”

Giovanni stepped forward and created a barrier between us.

“I believe you’ve said enough,” Giovanni said.

“I don’t know where you get off even talking to me, but if I were you, I’d back off—now.”

From across the room Agent Luciana sprang into action until Giovanni held his hand up, and then he halted like he was frozen in time and didn’t come any closer.

Giovanni looked at Nick.

“It would be in your best interest to watch your tone,” he said. “And I want you to understand something. This will be the only time I extend that courtesy to you.”

Nick sneered and shook his head.

“You know what?” Nick said. “Both of you can go to—”

“Calhoun!” the chief said. “Enough.”

Nick hesitated, but it was enough to keep him from foot in mouth disease. He gave me a look that indicated it wasn’t over and turned and went.

CHAPTER 21

A half hour later Giovanni and I shared a few rolls at an outside table on Main Street. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it had inched its way toward the side of the mountain. I loved this time of day. The sky changed color and produced an array of shades in purple, pink, and blue that I could sit and stare at for hours. It was just one of the aspects I had come to love about life in Park City.

“So where are these guys who are my new keepers?” I said.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

I turned to my left and tipped my head toward a man who flew solo at a table not far from us. About every third minute he fiddled with his wristwatch.

“Is it him?” I said. “Because I’ve had my eye on him since we got here, and he fits the description.”

“Why does it matter?” Giovanni said. “My men are in place so that they can protect you.”

His men? So much for his brother leading me to believe I would be chaperoned by the FBI.

“I know how much solving this case means to you,” he said. “That’s why I’m here.”

“I feel like I’m at a table full of men who have mapped out a plan and I’m the only one who’s not in on it.”

“It was never my intention for you to feel that way,” he said, “and if that’s the case, I apologize.”

“All of the sudden you show up after I haven’t seen you in months, and then your brother turns out to be the head of the FBI team that’s over the investigation. A bit too much of a coincidence—even for me, wouldn’t you agree?”

“In my line of work I find it’s best to have people I can rely on in many different positions. Over time we’ve learned that this is the best way to…”

To what? His arms went back to a folded position which told me one thing—he wasn’t going to say anything more on the matter.

“This case is everything to me,” I said. “And I can’t just sit on the sidelines while everyone else runs around and searches for this guy. I just can’t.”