Page 183 of Guarding Grace
“There’s the birthday girl.” Duke’s voice boomed in the space as Serena rushed to hug me followed by her bear of a man and Terry’s sister, Deb.
“I tried to keep it from being all Hawk people, so I invited Marci,Peyton, and Paul from your work,” Serena said. “But Paul and Marci both had family things going on.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I tried.”
“No problem.” I hadn’t considered inviting anyone from work, thinking it seemed odd for a party with gifts.
Lucas, Jordy, and Hawk’s mechanic, Joe, arrived in a group, each granting me hugs and happy birthday wishes.
Jordy offered a jelly bean.
Nervous as all hell, I took it and started to chew. The hell with tooth decay.
Peyton arrived at about the same time as Zane. And I was surprised when Terry introduced me a little later to Lt. Marcus Wellbourne of the LAPD.
“Sorry to hear about your cousin,” the cop said.
“Thank you,” I answered. “He finally found trouble he couldn’t outrun.” It was an answer I could deliver without giving anything away.
Terry’s face was deadpan. At least he didn’t make a sick joke about him.
“Does she know?” Jordy asked Constance.
Winston punched him in the shoulder.
Jordy rubbed it.
I moved closer to Constance “Know what?”
Constance’s eyes darted to Winston. “What you’re having for dinner, I think?”
Something was definitely going on. I pivoted to Serena. “Know what?”
“How good the fettuccini is here,” she said like a practiced liar.
After trying Winston and getting an equally stupid answer, I gave up.
Dinner was fantastic, with great food and good company. Although, the table with the presents on it haunted me during the meal. I’d never been a good gift receiver.
We were almost done when the lieutenant leaned over to Lucas. “I thought you should know, the organized crime unit has news.”
Lucas looked up from his fish. “Okay?”
“Tony Russo died two days ago,” the cop said.
Conversation around us stopped.
Lucas was now laser-focused on Wellbourne. “How?”
“We don’t have an autopsy yet, but the doctor at the hospital said it looked like a poisoning.”
Lucas nodded. “Sometimes it can be dangerous to be the king. Any idea who’s in line to take over after he sent his son back to Italy?”
“The son, Victor Russo, came back to our fair city two days before theold man croaked, and yesterday he installed himself as the head of the family.”
“Convenient timing,” Winston said with a huff.
“I just thought you’d want to know,” Wellbourne added.
Lucas shook his head, his countenance darkening. “Thanks.”
