Page 19 of Be Very Quiet

How was it he was infinitely more handsome than she remembered? As she watched him walk out of her office, it felt as if her heart had ripped from her chest and gone with him. Then she recalled his smile when he’d checked his phone. Was it from a girlfriend? Wife? He wasn’t wearing a ring, but some men didn’t. He’d said he would be in town for a while. Was it because of that woman?

Liliana had been useless after that, so she headed home. Of course, it would’ve been at the same time Rex was leaving. He escorted her to her car and asked her to accompany him to dinner. He said Theo would be joining him, so it wasn’t a date. She thought she’d persuaded him to quit asking, but apparently not. It was impossible even to consider going out with another man when Luca was all she could think about. She didn’t feel bad about declining since Theo would be there.

Liliana pulled into the traffic flow and headed to her condo in Surfside, north of Miami Beach. She’d bought it when she moved to Florida, and the two-bed, two-bath unit was now worth considerably more. She’d purchased it because of the price, proximity to the beach, and the twenty-four-hour doorman. Security had been her priority back then.

The condo was located approximately twelve miles from the studio but took a good thirty minutes with the heavy congestion. She could do without the monthly homeowner’s association fees that rose yearly, but she appreciated the amenities, including the indoor pool and weight room. She didn’t have an ocean view, but it was so close she could hear the waves with her windows open and be on the beach in minutes.

Liliana parked in her assigned space, and before she headed to the elevator that would convey her to the lobby, she scanned the area, looking for any threats. She’d done the same thing for so long that it was second nature. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so she pushed the button and waited for the elevator, stepping inside when it arrived. As the doors opened, she fished her keys from her purse and waved at Warren. He’d only been on the job for a few weeks, and she was still getting used to him. Reginald had been the evening guard when she’d first moved to the building, and she’d loved him. He’d taken the job after retiring as a police officer, and she’d felt safe with him keeping watch. Warren’s qualifications weren’t nearly as impressive. He’d basically been the only one willing to do the job. A warm body, though some looks he’d given her had been downright chilling.

“I have something for you, Ms. Lima,” Warren called out as she opened her mailbox and removed the letters stuffed inside. She closed her eyes, hoping it wasn’t something personal. She wasn’t entirely comfortable around him, especially with the way he leered at her. He’d always been civil, but he gave off a creepy vibe. Sometimes, she got the feeling he despised her, though she’d only ever been nice to him. She missed Reginald and his sweet smile. Biting back a sigh, she walked to his desk.

Warren held out a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and she inwardly cringed. “Warren . . .”

His brows dipped at the warning in her voice, and he looked from the vase to her. “Oh God, no. They’re not from me.”

Did he have to sound so profoundly disgusted?

“They were delivered this afternoon, about the time I took over for Jorge.”

Jorge worked the daytime shift, but she didn’t know him well since she was usually gone. Liliana let out a sigh of relief. It would’ve been so awkward around Warren if he’d bought them for her.

That thought was quickly replaced with the thrill of who had sent them. Was it Luca? It had to be.

Murmuring her thanks, she accepted the gift. It was heavier than it looked, and she cradled the vase against her body. Though not her favorite flower, the crimson lilies were beautiful. She’d have preferred gladiolus, but she wasn’t one to complain. People usually assumed these were her favorite because of her name.

Carrying her bounty with her, she pushed the button for the elevator and stepped inside when it arrived. She was dying to read the card but waited until she was in her condo. Liliana arranged the vase on the island separating the kitchen from the living room, dropped her keys beside it, and removed her purse from her shoulder to place it on the quartz countertop.

She reached for the small white envelope with her name scrolled on the front. Her fingers shook as she withdrew the card. It simply read:We meet again. Lilies for my Liliana.No signature or clue about who had sent them.

They must be from Luca. No one ever sent her flowers, and a beautiful bouquet arrived on the same day she saw him for the first time in ten years. Plus, there was the, “we meet again”line. Couldn’t be a coincidence.

Still, the sentiment bothered her. It didn’t sound like something Luca would say. Liliana opened a cabinet to find a wine glass and then chose a bottle of pinot noir. It had been one hell of a day, from learning about a murder mirroring Erin’s to seeing Luca for the first time in years, and now the flowers.

Voices outside her door made her check the peephole. The unit across from her was for sale. Bertie Wells, the woman who had owned it for over twenty-five years, had moved to an assisted living facility. Liliana was seriously considering purchasing it, but the oceanfront view made the asking price steep. On top of her loan for the studio renovations, she would be stretching it. Bertie had wanted her to have it and had even told her she would take much less than the market value. Liliana had a meeting scheduled with her financial advisor to see if it was possible. She wanted Bertie to have a fair price since the money would be used for her long-term care.

Someone was definitely checking out the unit. The door closed before she got a good look, but the voice sounded male.

She returned to the kitchen and poured a glass of wine. The flavor exploded in her mouth and slid down her throat. It probably wasn’t the wisest choice to be imbibing on an empty stomach, but she didn’t care. She hadn’t been able to eat after learning about the murder. Drinking, however, was a different story.

She took the glass to the bathroom and turned on the water in her tub. She enhanced her relaxation experience by using scented bath salts, lighting candles, and playing calming music on her phone.

Liliana wasn’t sure how long she stayed in the water, letting the pulsing jets soothe her muscles. She finally forced herself out and dried off. After applying lotion to her body, she grabbed the pink floral-print sundress she preferred for lounging around her condo. Made with a mixture of polyester and elastane, it provided the right amount of stretch to be comfortable, and she didn’t have to wear a bra.

Liliana rarely indulged in a second glass of wine, but after the stressful day, she poured another. A heavy knock rattled her door, and she jumped, sloshing red liquid over the side of the glass.

“Shoot.” She grabbed a dishcloth and mopped the liquid from her arm. Who could it be this late? Warren hadn’t called up to notify her of a visitor. Maybe itwasWarren. That wasn’t something she wanted to contemplate, especially since he made her so uncomfortable.

She placed the glass on the counter and walked to the door. Just as she stuck her eye to the peephole, another knock sounded, and she jumped a foot.

“Liliana?”

That voice froze her in place before she came to her senses, lunged for the lock, and whipped the door open. “Luca? What are you doing here?” She didn’t think she’d see him again, and the urge to throw herself in his arms was overwhelming.

The look on his face had her taking an involuntary step back. “What is it?”

“Liliana—”

“Tell me.”

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