Page 7 of Lethal Vows

At your earliest convenience.

Reply.

Crue

CHAPTER4

Rya

Iread the email, then re-read it again.

It can’t be real, right? No way.

I shake my head as I look up at the police officer who has been asking me questions for hours on end. He says something and then hands me a card. My once beautiful teal dress is now covered in dirt. Sitting on the sidewalk in New York city is not for the faint-hearted.

“Are you okay?” I look up at the question. Monica’s shoulders sag and the distant and empty stare tells me she is sad, which is very unlike her. But I suppose under the circumstances, it’s expected.

“If I’d have worn black, do you think this still would have happened?” I ask, causing her to smirk.

“Okay, next time, stick to the black.” She offers me her hand and pulls me up. I wipe my hands down my dress once I am on my feet.

“They say it’s a pretty open and shut case, or so I overheard them talking. Someone said they caught the guy, and nothing else will be happening.” When she says the words, I look down at my phone.Open and shut case, my ass.But if you have influence in your name, you can get away with murder these days.Especiallyhim.

Quickly typing and sending a message, I wait for my mailbox to tell me if it’s true. I don’t know whether he’ll reply immediately or even at all.

Or if it’s him to begin with.

Is this really you?

I don’t knowwhat else to say, but when my phone dings and his name pops up in my emails, I know it’s him.

Dear Miss Ricci

Should I come over now?

Reply.

Crue.

Reply.Why does he sign off with that?

It’s demanding.

And rude.

And Crue being here might be problematic.

So I ignore it, slide my phone back into my purse, and look at Monica. She doesn’t know much about where I came from, and I don’t intend to share it with her. She’s met my mother a few times and knows my father lives in Italy. That’s it. How do you tell someone that your father is a killer?

You don’t.

“I’m going to go home. I’m not exactly in the mood to party anymore,” I tell her.

She nods and walks with me. My apartment isn’t too far, and thankfully, it has security, so I shouldn’t have to worry about that psycho. My job pays well, and it’s the first thing I invested in.

Well, I guess it did pay well until my boss died. Hopefully, that won’t affect my work. I’ve been with this firm since straight out of college and worked my way up. I’m a good lawyer, and defending criminals came naturally to me. But I know despite our outstanding reputation, even this will make headlines. Sure, we’ve made a few enemies in the past, but I can’t understand why Crue, of all people, would target my boss. But that feels like a Monday problem because I’m dead tired.

“I may catch a cab, but I’ll walk you back first,” Monica says.

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