Page 96 of Erik's Salvation
A vein in his neck popped out. “How many guys?”
“Two. They told me to tell James that Vincent was looking for them. Then they left.”
The look that crossed Erik’s face was scary.
She touched his arm. “I’m okay. James isn’t here anymore, and they clearly know that, because they haven’t come back.”
That hard look remained as they continued toward her office.
She took one step inside, then it washerturn to stop abruptly, startled by the sight of the man waiting inside, sitting across from her desk.
“Angelo! Do we have an appointment?”
Reuben had been in the office when she went to lunch, so he must’ve let Angelo inside. The man had never managed to come by for his keys, so she’d run them by his place the previous week. His assistant had assured her he’d get them.
The older man rose to his feet. “No, we don’t. Forgive me, but I have something to discuss with you. It’s about the property you were contracted to sell.”
“Oh, okay. Sure. Of course.” She turned to Erik. “I’ll see you in an hour?”
Erik’s gaze ran over Angelo, a new hardness swirling in their depths, before he looked down at her. “Okay.” He lowered his head and kissed her cheek, but before moving away, he whispered, “Are you okay with him?”
She smiled, understanding Erik’s hesitation in leaving her. Angelo had “rich Italian Mafia” written all over him. “Yes. Thank you for lunch.”
He squeezed her arms, and his gaze moved to Angelo one last time before he stepped out of the office.
She crossed the room and lowered her bag into a desk drawer before indicating to the chair opposite. “Please, resume your seat.”
He nodded and lowered. “Thank you.”
“What can I do for you today?”
Angelo cleared his throat. “I went to my property this morning for the first time since receiving the key.”
Her brows flickered at his tone. “Was everything okay?” God, there hadn’t been a break-in, had there?
He took a moment to answer, and that short pause made her heart clench. Something waswrong.
“As you well know, I have some very expensive artwork in that house.”
Instantly, sweat beaded her forehead. Someonehadbroken into his home…and stolen the art? Is that where he was going with this? “You do,” she agreed quietly.
“One in particular, a Charles Cham worth over fifty thousand dollars, was a favorite of mine. It was a gift from a good friend.”
Her heart beat so loudly she could almost hear it in her ears.
He leaned forward. “I like you, Hannah. Which is why I’m going to give you twenty-four hours to return it before I take this matter further.”
Her eyes widened as a shock so cold and unfamiliar trickled through her limbs. “You think I broke into your home and stole it?”
“No, Miss Jacobs. The home was not broken into. You took the painting while you had the key, after tampering with my surveillance. Fifty thousand dollars is child’s play to me. This isn’t about the money. It’s about the principle. Doing the right thing.”
Oh God. “Angelo, I didn’t—”
“Please do not tell me lies. You had a key. And you are one of very few people who had the code to my alarm system.”
He stood, and she all but jumped to her feet. “Please believe me, Angelo, I didn’t take anything!”
“What else am I to think, Hannah?” At her silence, he almost looked disappointed. “Twenty-four hours. I really hope we don’t have to do this the hard way.”
