Читать книгу Like Pizza and Beer - Elle Parker - Страница 7

Chapter 4

It was nearly lunchtime, so I turned south and headed in the direction of Pass-a-Grille. I could check out Salvatore’s, touch base in with Gigi, and get a damn fine lunch all at the same time.

Gulf Boulevard runs along the beach the whole way, and it’s a fun drive. You can’t see the water, hidden behind of the line of condos and hotels, but there are always groups of tourists crossing back and forth, and the general atmosphere is festive. I like it because it’s a reminder that I live someplace special.

When I pulled into the parking lot, there were only a couple of cars. It was still early yet, and the lunch rush wasn’t due for another hour at least. I sat there for a few minutes and looked at the restaurant, letting my mind wander down memory lane. God, I spent a lot of nights in that place. Not in a long time, though. Finally, I pulled myself together, climbed out of the car and headed for the door.

The outside was pretty much the same as it looked when they built it, but inside there was new furniture and the decor had been updated to match. Salvatore’s had a reputation for being classy but comfortable, and Gigi kept with that theme. The walls were painted a rich gold, and the carpet had been replaced with gleaming dark wood.

The bar was my favorite part. It was along the side, halfway back, between the two dining rooms, and aside from new stools, it looked like it always did. At the end of it was a set of sliding glass doors leading out to the patio in back, and another section of bar if you preferred to have your drinks alfresco.

I took a seat inside and flagged down the bartender. When he came over, I ordered a beer and said, “Can you tell Ms. Sapora that Dino’s here to see her?”

He poured my beer and passed along the message to a waiter who disappeared into the back area of the restaurant.

A few minutes later, Gigi came out looking poised and professional as usual. Aside from the hairstyles and the furniture, it was like I’d gone back ten years. Part of me missed it. I stood up to give her a hug as she approached. “Hey, how’re you doin’ today?” I asked.

“I’m better,” she said, nodding. “It feels good to be doing something about it. Where do you want to start?”

“Let’s sit down and talk. Maybe out on the deck so we have a little privacy. Besides, I could use some lunch.”

She smiled. “Should I bring a menu?”

“Do you still do a good pasta pomodoro?”

“Always have.”

“Then, no, I don’t need a menu.”

She caught a waiter and gave him the order and told him she’d be in a meeting for a while, then led me out to the deck. We sat down in the shade, where a large ceiling fan slowly churned out a light breeze overhead. It was warm, but not oppressively humid, and there was a fair amount of activity on the waterway which runs between all the islands and peninsulas that make up the area. Across the channel were strings of houses on Vina del Mar, and beyond that, Tierra Verde.

“Okay, first of all,” I said, “I went up to the courthouse this morning to do a little background work, and I found out I’m not the only one. About a month ago, someone else was digging into the public records of Salvatore’s. Do you know anything about that?”

Gigi looked surprised. “No. There’s nothing we’re involved with that would give anyone reason to do that.”

“Might be nothing,” I said. “They’re public for a reason. But it’s the timing that’s got my interest. That fits pretty well with the start of your problems, doesn’t it?”

“The false reports were about six weeks ago, so yes, I’d say it does.”

“Great. That’s good news,” I said, taking a sip of my beer.

“Good? How so?”

“Because it points to Salvatore’s being the target here, not you.”

“What about the car that’s following me?”

“You’re the owner. If someone’s going after the restaurant, it stands to reason they’re gonna be interested in you too. I’m not sayin’ you shouldn’t be careful, or that you’re not in danger, but I don’t think we’re talking about a stalker or anything like that.”

“I’m still in danger, but this is good news?” She looked irritated.

“That’s not what I said, and you know it. My point is if someone was going after you specifically, we’d probably be dealing with some nut job and that would be a real problem. On the other hand, there are a lot of non-psychotic reasons to try to take down a business, and we can deal with those.”

She made all the right noises of agreement, but I could tell she wasn’t buying it yet. Salvatore’s was her home, and she didn’t see the distinction I did.

The waiter came out with our pasta and a basket of bread, and we spent a couple of minutes eating in silence. Finally, Gigi spoke. “I take it you weren’t able to find out who was looking at the records, or who might have filed the complaints?”

“Sorry, no. They don’t give that stuff out to the average Joe. I got some other information on things requested that day, but I don’t know if it’ll help.”

She sighed. “It’s more than I had yesterday.”

“Trust me, it always seems like you’re floundering around in the beginning.”

“I remember. I hope for my sake you’re still as dedicated as you were back then.”

It was my turn to sigh, because this had been a point of contention between us. My job was a big part of our break up, and the reason why I hadn’t been too eager for a serious relationship afterward. “Ah. Yeah, I am actually.”

She nodded, but didn’t say anything.

The pasta was delicious and I told her so while I mopped up garlic and tomato juice with a chunk of bread. That seemed to break the awkwardness. The waiter came to clear the plates away, and I took a notepad out of my briefcase.

“I want to go over each of the strange events with you more closely,” I said. “Give me as much detail as possible, and see if you can’t remember anything else odd, even if it didn’t seem odd at the time. We’ll try to build a timeline and see if there are any patterns.”

We spent about an hour working out a list, and by the time we were done, Gigi was practically spitting tacks. If it weren’t such a serious situation, it might have been kind of cute.

“Okay,” I said, turning over a fresh sheet of paper, “tell me about the staff. Let’s start at the top and work our way down.”

“Well, there’s me, of course, and there’s Marco, my manager.”

“How long has he been around?”

“Marco’s been with me for six years, there’s no way he’s got anything to do with this. He’s as upset as I am.”

“Relax,” I said, “I’m not accusing anyone, I’m just tryin’ to get a feel for who’s around.”

She nodded and went on. “Angelo is our chef now. He’s worked here four years. He’s a good man too. He’s very devoted to his work. We’re lucky to have him.”

She went on to tell me about the line cooks, prep cook, waiters, hostess, busboys and bartenders. Of all those people, only Felix Dempsey had been there when I was hanging out at the restaurant a lot. He was one of the bartenders, and a hell of a great guy.

“Hey, how is Felix these days? He’s gotta’ be getting up there, isn’t he?”

Gigi smiled. “He’s still going strong. He only works part time now, on the weekends when it’s busier, and once in a while he’ll cover a shift to give someone the day off. I’m sure he’d like to see you again.”

I was pretty sure he’d get the chance.

“All right,” I said, “tell me about your schedule. I need to know what your regular routine is and where you go during the day.”

“I’m usually here or at home these days.” She sipped her water. “Especially since the trouble started. I work at home in the mornings and come down here around opening. I close a few nights a week, and Marco does the rest.”

She filled me on the specific times, and details like her dry cleaner and where she grocery shopped.

All that was left was the hard part. I started another page and said, “Now’s the bit you’re not gonna like. Tell me about your ex-boyfriends and anyone you’re seeing now.”

“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I gotta’ ask, Gigi. Who’s a better candidate for screwing with you than an ex-lover?”

She chewed her lip and said, “Well, there is one guy.”

“Yeah?”

“He’s tall, skinny, speaks with a New York accent...”

I slumped in my chair. “Would you be serious, please? This is a legitimate request. It’s not like I’m diggin’ for dirt to amuse myself.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, laughing into her hand. “This is just such a bizarre situation.”

“Look, you don’t have to give me a lot of details, just tell me if you think there’s anyone who might be capable of this. Have you had any real bad break ups, or anything like that?”

She shrugged and toyed with her napkin. “There have been a couple of guys that were serious but didn’t work out. I don’t think they have anything to do with it. There have been a few losers too, I guess. I’ll think about it and keep my eyes open. If something occurs to me, I’ll let you know.”

“Fair enough,” I said, not wanting to pry any further.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“What have you done with the last ten years? Are you seeing anyone?”

Her eyes met mine, and my blood ran ice cold. I know it was a perfectly valid question, but I wasn’t prepared for it. “Well, yeah, I’m...seeing someone.”

“Is it serious?” She leaned forward, waiting for an answer. As far as I could tell, she was enjoying the hell out of herself.

“You know what, you’re right, this is too bizarre to talk about.” I glanced at my watch. “It’s getting late, and I think I’ve taken up enough of your time today.”

“Dino, come on,” she chided. “I was only giving you a hard time. Don’t be like that.”

“You weren’t too happy about coughing up details, either.”

“I know, I know.” She cocked her head at me. “At least tell me this, are you happy?”

“Yes. I would say that I’m happy. Are you?”

She thought about that a minute. “Yes. Aside from my current troubles, I’m pretty happy. I haven’t been single very much of my life. It has its advantages.”

“That’s what I’ve always told people.”

There wasn’t a lot of ground left to cover, and it actually was getting kind of late. Business was picking up, and I figured I’d better let Gigi get back to work. More than once during our interview, I’d noticed various staff members peering around the corner to see if she was available yet.

We said our goodbyes, and I told her I’d get in touch after I’d done some more digging. I headed back up the coast, but stopped at a dumpy bar about three-quarters of the way home. I needed to have a good stiff drink and wrap my head around seeing Gigi again. Sitting there with her was way too much like old times, and it brought back a whole lot of memories, good and bad. I didn’t want to face Seth while I was still dealing with that.

* * * *

I still wasn’t especially clearheaded when I turned onto my street and parked Matilda in front of the hardware store. I was tired and needed more time, plus I wanted to sit down and try to get a handle on the case. As I walked up the path, I pulled out my cellphone and dialed Seth.

“Hey, dude.” He threw a sultry tone into his voice, and it felt a bit like being yanked forward in time. It was disconcerting to say the least. “How was your day?”

“Ah, it was all right,” I said.

“So what do you want to do tonight? I could get some burgers, and we could put in a little time on your office.”

“I don’t think I’m up for construction work right now. It’s been kind of a long day.”

I snagged my mail as I went through the door and climbed the stairs, still feeing odd and disconnected.

“That’s okay,” Seth said, “we could just find a movie on TV or whatever. I’m easy.”

“Look,” I said, as gently as I could, “I just got home and I’ve kind of had it. I think I might take a shower and flop on the couch for a while. I need to figure out my next step with the restaurant, and I’m not sure I’d be very good company tonight. Can I take a rain check on those burgers?”

“Oh. Well, yeah, you could.” He sounded disappointed, and I felt like a heel. “There’s something you should probably know, though...”

I frowned. “What’s that?”

I had just reached the top of the stairs and as I turned down the hall, my front door opened, and Seth stepped out, looking sheepish. He closed his phone against his thigh and said, “I’m already here.”

“Hi,” I said. He was wearing a t-shirt that said iSwallow, and he looked good. My sense of time shifted again.

“You want me to go?” he asked.

I chuckled. You don’t get to your forties without knowing there’s only one right answer to a question like that. Besides, I really didn’t. “No, of course not. You’re just gonna have to put up with me, that’s all.”

We went inside and he shut the door. He sidled up behind me and purred, “That’s okay, I have ways of putting you back in a good mood.”

“Yes, you do,” I said, turning to drape an arm around his shoulders. I gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Want a beer?”

“Yes.”

“Good, get me one while you’re in there.”

He snorted and headed to the fridge. “So what have you been up to? Did you find anything on Frank yet?”

“Nothing much. I ran some checks on him, but I don’t think it’s anything you didn’t already know,” I said. “Actually, I spent most of the day with Gigi, picking her life apart, which was not very much fun for either of us.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ll bet.” Seth thrust a beer in my hand with a scowl.

“Hey, don’t be like that.”

“How am I supposed to be, Dino? You spent the whole damn day with your ex and then you tried to blow me off.”

“Until I saw you,” I pointed out. “It only took one look to change my mind.”

Seth leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. He didn’t say anything.

“Come on,” I said, going to him. “She was ten years ago. You can’t tell me you’re seriously jealous over this.”

“You’re not over her.”

“Yeah, I am.”

He glared up at me through his eyelashes. “I saw the way you were with her last night, you still have feelings for her.”

“I still care about her,” I said. “I also care about the ladies in this building, but that’s never seemed to bother you.”

“It’s not the same thing, Dino.”

“I know that. Look, Gigi and I split up because we couldn’t live together. We both wanted different things out of life, and none of that has changed. If anything, it’s worse.”

“Are you kidding? She’s gorgeous, classy, Italian, smart, and single. She’s everything that’s perfect for you, Dino. If anything, ten years has probably given her a lot of time to reconsider. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t be a little worried.”

“Ah, well your dick is a lot bigger than hers.”

Seth rolled his eyes and took a swig of beer.

I was at a loss because insecurity is not a trait Seth Donnelly shows very often, and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it. There was only one way I knew to handle that kind of situation, so I pulled him into my arms and kissed his neck.

“I’m serious,” I said. “You’ve got nothing to worry about. I even told her I’m seeing someone.”

“Did you tell her who?”

I sighed and rested my forehead against his, then took a deep breath. “No, I didn’t, but that doesn’t have anything to do with you. You know that.”

He relented, finally, and slipped his arms around my waist. “Yeah. I know that. I don’t like it, but I know what it’s about.”

Not surprisingly, we wound up in bed about the same time everyone else was eating dinner. I know it makes me kind of a pig, but I was still at the stage where I could express how I felt about him through sex, easier than any other way.

I had him stripped naked and spread out on my bed, flushed and panting from twenty minutes of intense attention from yours truly that involved a lot of kissing, a lot of petting, and a lot of tongue. We were both halfway there already, and I was getting into position to finish us off when Seth pounced on me. He shoved me to my back and squirmed in between my legs, fitting his groin against mine in a way we had down to a science. His cock was hot and hard, and I moaned with satisfaction.

He’d once told me it was his favorite way to fuck, and then he’d promptly made it mine as well. It was comfortable and easy, and it got me hotter than hell. But more than that, it allowed me to hold him tight against me, absolutely as close as we could get. I’m a sucker for full on, skin-to-skin contact, and I like to wrap my arms around him and practically wallow in the sensation.

That’s what I was doing as our bodies slid together, slick with sweat and hot from the effort, when he bit down on the skin of my neck without warning. Sharp pain shot through me, and I swore out loud.

“What the fuck?” I snapped, pulling away as much as I could.

“Sorry,” he panted. “I didn’t mean to bite so hard. Let me kiss it and make it better.”

He rolled his hips just the way I like, and I shuddered with pleasure. I didn’t bother to resist when he nuzzled up under my chin and started to lick my throat. He worked his way around to the sore spot and kissed me hotly, then moved a little higher and bit me again. It wasn’t nearly so harsh this time, and I didn’t push him away.

But I did ask, “What the hell is with you tonight?”

“You just have me really hot right now, Dino.”

He braced himself on his elbows and ground down against my cock, hard and rough, pumping his body forcefully.

“Oh my God,” I moaned. My breath was thick and heavy, and forming sentences wasn’t all that easy. “I’m not really complaining, it’s just weird.”

“I bite you all the time, Dino,” he panted against my neck. Then he sunk his teeth into me again, just to prove his point.

“Shit.” I inhaled sharply. “Not like that you don’t.”

He lapped his tongue over the spot with a ragged moan, and came hard, losing control of his thrusts altogether. I held him tight and drew my knees up to hold him in place while he rode it out. Wet heat flooded my cock, and I groaned as my own orgasm hung just on the tipping point for a few moments before crashing over me. I jerked my hips and clutched Seth as hard as I could.

We both slowed until we were barely moving, and then just went limp. Seth’s body was totally relaxed on top of mine, and he was warm and solid. I love that moment and always lie there as long as possible, running my hands slowly over him.

Seth rested his head against my shoulder while he caught his breath, face tucked under my chin. I was so mellow I was starting to fall asleep when he bit me right over the collar bone.

I smacked him in the back of the head. “God damn it, knock that off.”

He snickered and said, “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist just once more.”

“You are not sorry, you’re an evil little shit.”

“Well...you knew that before we started dating, so you only have yourself to blame.” He rolled off me and said, “Come on, let’s get cleaned up and then I’ll make it up to you.”

I turned to kiss him and get close again. “And how are you gonna do that?”

“I’ll take you out and buy you clams and beer, and you can tell me about the case so far.”

“Yeah, all right,” I said, “that sounds fair.”