being ignored, toward his police cruiser. “Please, then, to come with us to our station and we will use the computer. Bring with you your passport.”
Her relief at having identification faded. “To the police station? Surely we can handle this here and now.” Especially since she had a recently nude man lounging in her bedroom and there was ample evidence of what had gone on the night before. Evidence that would not ingratiate her with the manager, she suspected, should he decide to inspect the premises while she was out.
The officers looked at each other, but the silent message passed between them was clear to Kelly. Incredulous, she asked, “Wait, am I being arrested?”
The taller officer couldn’t hide his annoyance. Officer Scarpa’s voice was firm as he said, “This is not your house. The manager, he called yesterday all afternoon. You did not answer the phone. You are not the name of the reservation and you have not paid. He says that your payment did not work from the bank, and—”
“The payment what ?”
“—you are to stay in our custody until you prove for us who you are and make payment. This villa, it is very expensive and in demand for honeymoon people like you, yes? And so the manager wishes to rent it to someone else for the week. This is a very busy time now on the island.”
The manager apparently knew enough English to understand, because he stopped his pacing and exhaled, as if his problems were about to be solved.
“I spent yesterday afternoon at the beach, which is what anyone who rented this place would do.” She fought to hit the right tone, one that would resonate with the officers. “The manager does not need to re-rent it—I truly understand that it would be a great loss of money to him—but the reservation should never have been considered cancelled in the first place, especially given that I picked up the key before Mr. Robards called.” The idiot. “This is a simple matter. I can ensure the manager is paid and show you all the paperwork without—”
“Do you have a dog there?” The click of dog paws against tile came to Kelly’s ears at the same time the officer asked the question.
Fabulous . There was likely some no-pet policy that would get her in even more trouble. “I have a guest at the moment, yes. He has a dog with him, but the dog is not staying here.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she should have phrased that better. Who had a male guest at this time of the morning? And after admitting that she’d booked the place for her honeymoon?
The cops picked up on that, too.
“Bring out your guest, Ms. Chase. Now.”
* * *
This would not end well.
Massimo waited until he heard Kelly open the front door, then made quick work of tidying the bedroom. Sheets smoothed into place, bedspread righted. Her clothing—the panties she wore last night had indeed been plain white cotton—shaken out, folded, and placed atop her suitcase. Towels straightened in the bathroom once he’d glanced in the mirror and splashed his face, hoping he appeared well-rested, though he’d be far more confident of pulling off the look if he had a razor.
She might not know Cateri’s local police force, but he did. They didn’t operate in the same manner as the American police. There would be no warrants, no niceties, not unless she insisted upon it. If this was anything other than a wellness check—which he couldn’t imagine, given her rather vigorous state of health and the fact the man hammering on the door asked for a Signor Robards —then the police would soon be walking through the villa as if they owned the place.
He wasn’t about to let the police see him inside the villa in its present state. He couldn’t believe he was going to see police at all. He preferred his police contact to remain limited to the occasional parade or
Her relief at having identification faded. “To the police station? Surely we can handle this here and now.” Especially since she had a recently nude man lounging in her bedroom and there was ample evidence of what had gone on the night before. Evidence that would not ingratiate her with the manager, she suspected, should he decide to inspect the premises while she was out.
The officers looked at each other, but the silent message passed between them was clear to Kelly. Incredulous, she asked, “Wait, am I being arrested?”
The taller officer couldn’t hide his annoyance. Officer Scarpa’s voice was firm as he said, “This is not your house. The manager, he called yesterday all afternoon. You did not answer the phone. You are not the name of the reservation and you have not paid. He says that your payment did not work from the bank, and—”
“The payment what ?”
“—you are to stay in our custody until you prove for us who you are and make payment. This villa, it is very expensive and in demand for honeymoon people like you, yes? And so the manager wishes to rent it to someone else for the week. This is a very busy time now on the island.”
The manager apparently knew enough English to understand, because he stopped his pacing and exhaled, as if his problems were about to be solved.
“I spent yesterday afternoon at the beach, which is what anyone who rented this place would do.” She fought to hit the right tone, one that would resonate with the officers. “The manager does not need to re-rent it—I truly understand that it would be a great loss of money to him—but the reservation should never have been considered cancelled in the first place, especially given that I picked up the key before Mr. Robards called.” The idiot. “This is a simple matter. I can ensure the manager is paid and show you all the paperwork without—”
“Do you have a dog there?” The click of dog paws against tile came to Kelly’s ears at the same time the officer asked the question.
Fabulous . There was likely some no-pet policy that would get her in even more trouble. “I have a guest at the moment, yes. He has a dog with him, but the dog is not staying here.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized she should have phrased that better. Who had a male guest at this time of the morning? And after admitting that she’d booked the place for her honeymoon?
The cops picked up on that, too.
“Bring out your guest, Ms. Chase. Now.”
* * *
This would not end well.
Massimo waited until he heard Kelly open the front door, then made quick work of tidying the bedroom. Sheets smoothed into place, bedspread righted. Her clothing—the panties she wore last night had indeed been plain white cotton—shaken out, folded, and placed atop her suitcase. Towels straightened in the bathroom once he’d glanced in the mirror and splashed his face, hoping he appeared well-rested, though he’d be far more confident of pulling off the look if he had a razor.
She might not know Cateri’s local police force, but he did. They didn’t operate in the same manner as the American police. There would be no warrants, no niceties, not unless she insisted upon it. If this was anything other than a wellness check—which he couldn’t imagine, given her rather vigorous state of health and the fact the man hammering on the door asked for a Signor Robards —then the police would soon be walking through the villa as if they owned the place.
He wasn’t about to let the police see him inside the villa in its present state. He couldn’t believe he was going to see police at all. He preferred his police contact to remain limited to the occasional parade or
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