Page 69 of Inferno

He was honest, at least, and it told Samantha how much respect he had for her as his partner that he’d offered.

“That lightning?” Samantha said. “Julio says it was the same way for him. When he met me. Though, we were in middle school at the time.”

“Then you know how it feels.”

She nodded. “It’s different with her, though?”

“I didn’t believe I could feel this way about someone. I guess with all the other dates I’ve been on, women I was attracted to”—you mean, alotof women?—“it’s like I had no idea what real feelings were. Your sister just…line drive. Right out of the park. I’m mixing metaphors. But it’s like one hit and you’re in the stratosphere.”

“If you hurt her in any way, I will kill you and make it look like you ran off after embezzling money from the department. In reality, you’ll be buried in a shallow grave somewhere no one will ever find you. Probably multiple graves, because I will cut you into pieces.”

Romeo stared at her.

“Ifyou hurt her,” she emphasized. “For the record, Julio will likely help me pull it off. The perfect crime.”

He swallowed.

“Scared?”

He nodded.

“Good. Now drive.”

Romeo gripped the wheel with both hands and drove to the prison.

“Thanks for driving, by the way.” Samantha kept her voice light, aware of the effect her words had just had on him. Not completely pretending it had never happened but close. At least, now he knew where she stood. “I’m beat. I slept horribly, and I feel like I was hit by a bus.”

“Just a building.”

She smiled.

“Close your eyes. I’ll wake you when we get there.”

Samantha drifted for a while and woke when Romeo pulled into a space outside the prison. She drank a couple gulps of water from the bottle in the cup holder she was pretty sure was Bristol’s and got out of the car to fix her hair. She tipped her head forward to gather up her hair, then secured it in a bun.

Romeo came around the car.

“Not a great solution, but I feel better at least.” She figured she looked like she’d been hit by a building. “We should get coffee before the briefing.”

“And you can take another nap on the way.”

As they walked together to the front doors, he had a very brotherly look on his face, like he wanted to swing his arm around her shoulder the way Julio did with her sister. Guarding her. Keeping her safe in a comforting way.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have him as her brother-in-law.

One day.

“I called while you were asleep,” Romeo told her. “Warden Bernstein should be expecting us.”

She must’ve been out to not have heard that or have been awakened by the conversation.

Sure enough, the warden was at the front desk when they got there. Standing behind it in a way that gave the impression his presence made the employees nervous. Like a demanding boss. He rounded the desk as they approached.

“Thank you for letting us in.” Samantha shook his hand.

Bernstein winced. “Right. I’m afraid it may have been a wasted trip.”

“Why’s that?” Romeo asked.

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