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Color drained from his face, all but confirming his guilt. “I...don’t know what you are talking about.”

Slash tapped his fingers against the doorframe, implying impatience and boredom. “Lying, Father? Is this a new trend at the Vatican?”

“How did you know?”

At the least the priest had the good sense to abandon his false protestations. “Does it matter? You’ve summoned me and I’m here. That’s what you wanted, right?”

“I’m only the messenger.” He pulled a tissue from beneath his robe and swiped at the sweat on his lip and forehead. “His Eminence, Cardinal Jacopo Lazo, would like to see you.”

“I’m sure he would.”

Slash’s easy tone apparently agitated the priest further, because he shifted nervously on his feet, tugging at his collar as if it were too tight. “He wishes to speak with you about an important matter.”

“What makes you, or him, think I will agree to an audience?”

“Excuse me?”

“I don’t respond well to threats, Father.” He lightly fingered the cross around his neck to drive the point home. “Maybe you’ve heard that about me.”

The priest swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing a few times. “Sir, please. He is the president of the Vatican and he wants to see you. I have a car waiting. I’ll take you to him.”

Slash studied the father for a long time. The priest was the first to turn his gaze away, shame and fear burning into his cheeks. “I beg you,” he whispered after a few moments. “I do as I am told. I am but a lowly servant of God.”

“Aren’t we all?”

He kept his tone hard and unforgiving because he wanted the priest afraid of what might happen to him now that Slash had confirmed he’d sent the statue. But the clerk was not the root of the problem. That problem was a lot bigger and much more dangerous. He needed to know what Lazo wanted with him.

The priest waited, his eyes remaining downcast until Slash finally dropped his hand from the doorjamb. “Fine. Lead the way, Father.”

Chapter Nineteen

Lexi

“Okay, who are you and what have you done with my best friend, Lexi?” Basia sat with her elbows resting on my kitchen counter next to a large pizza box, two bottles of wine and a carafe of coffee.

I rolled my eyes. “Is it really that unusual for me to ask you to come over?”

“I didn’t just come over.” She wagged a finger at me. “I came over for agirls’night—arranged, organized and planned by you. That’s huge. Momentous. Worthy of noting in the Official Book of Lexi’s Life.”

“You’re totally overreacting.”

“I am not.” She snapped a selfie, catching the wineglass and part of my scowling face. “Trust me, this is worth marking.”

I poured myself some more coffee. “Fine. I initiated a girls’ night. I really appreciate you coming over, although I’m not sure it was a good idea to take you away from newly wedded bliss.”

“Are you kidding?” Basia carefully extracted two slices of veggie pizza from the box and put them on her plate, licking her fingers. “We’ve been married a month now. There’s only so much bliss you can take, if you know what I mean.”

I stopped in midsip, wincing. “No, no. No. You didnotjust put that in my mind.”

She laughed and shoved the pizza box at me. “Besides, Xavier won’t admit it, but I know he’s secretly thrilled to have the evening off to game himself into oblivion.”

“Lucky him,” I said, totally meaning it. Mindless gaming was a much more appealing option than spending an evening worrying whether your fiancé was in danger and if your relationship would survive it. I took a slice of pizza and ate it without setting it down on my plate once.

Basia neatly closed up one pizza box and handed me a couple of napkins. “So, I assume the real reason for this girls’ night is you’ve discovered who sent that weird statue to you.”

“I did. His name is Julian Koenhein. He’s a priest who works as a clerk at the Vatican.”

“A priest? That doesn’t sound like a very priestly thing to do. Can’t be a coincidence, though. Especially after Slash takes off for Rome right after you receive it.”