Page 34 of Last Shot

‘I didn’t.’ His jaw was set.

‘Scared of who you’ve been letting sit on your couch?’

He took another bite of basil, his eyes not leaving hers.

‘Just say the word, Greyson.’ Her heart was thumping in her ears but she kept her voice as flat and disinterested as possible. ‘I don’t want to overstay my welcome. If you want to solve this on your own, I’ll leave. This isn’t about anything else except doing the job that I trained to do.’

Understanding struck his face. ‘You think if you solve it, if you save one of the most famous Australian dynasties from a horrific ordeal, then they’ll take you back.’ He was so goddamn sure of himself it made her want to spit the pinot noir all over his crisp white cotton shirt.

‘I want to speak to Tomaso, ask if there’s been anyone asking strange questions at the Barbarani winery,’ she said. ‘Someone disguised as a tourist that doesn’t quite fit the mould. We need to go into town – check all the backpackers and motels – just to make sure Skinner’s not hiding in plain sight.’

She could tell her refusal to acknowledge his bang-on-the-money assessment of her annoyed him. Greyson Hawke wasn’t a man who was used to being ignored. But he didn’t press it. ‘Why would you think Skinner’s staying in town, not with the La Marcas?’

Her heart sagged in relief. Some part of her had thought Grey would actually take her up on her offer to quit. But she must have said something to make him think she wasn’t entirely useless. Maybe it was the strange connection she’d seemed to have with Raphael.

‘It’s not really the MO for a hired gun,’ she said, pretending to bird watch again as Forrest poured more sparkling water for them. Once he’d moved away, she continued. ‘Someone like Skinner isn’t going to want a whole bunch of people around him, distracting him, questioning what he’s doing, even if it’s the people who hired him. He’s gonna need time to prepare, scope out the space. That’s why I want to talk to Tomaso – you said he’s the front guy for the Barbaranis, right? He’s like Raphael – he mans the winery?’

Grey nodded reluctantly.

‘Skinner would be too recognisable waltzing onto the Barbarani property. He’ll have someone working with him. Someone he hasn’t used before. Someone who can slip under the radar, who can get easily into the property.’

‘Is this what Libby Johnston told you?’

‘She explained some of his processes to me, yes. Things he’s done in the past. Mistakes he’s made that he won’t repeat.’

‘Who says romance is dead? Johnston really divulged all those marital secrets?’

‘You wouldn’t turn on the person who framed you for their crime and let you rot in jail?’

‘Johnston never denied her connection to the property where the ice was found.’

‘She pleaded not guilty. Everyone knows Skinner framed her. Even you.’

‘I’m just saying you can’t possibly be so naïve as to believe anything a con woman like Libby Johnston tells you.’

‘You clearly seem like the authority on loving, trusting relationships. Who was Raphael talking about before you tried to make him bird food?’

Grey’s face shut down, like an enormous, echoing door slamming. ‘None of your business.’

‘Right.’ Her tone was apologetic. She wasn’t scared of him, despite his size and obvious anger issues – even when he’d grabbed her arm back in the garden, she’d mostly been pissed off. But she was scared of what that expression meant.

He stood. ‘I’ll pay. Stay here.’

She nodded, then promptly ignored him as he sauntered off, ducking back into the winery to flash her best smile at Raphael.

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Enjoy the wine?’

‘Delicious.’

‘You want a bottle?’ He held one up.

‘Maybe I’ll swing by after the gala,’ she said. ‘Better not walk onto Barbarani property with that. I’ll be shot on sight.’

He laughed. Deep and real.Strange.He was a difficult man to get a read on.

‘Why don’t you like Kaine Skinner?’ she asked, before Grey realised she’d defied his holy commandment.

Raphael didn’t bother to hide his surprise, giving his entire face over to the expression.

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