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“That copper, the one that’s sweet on you, he going to be a problem?” Solomon asked.
She stopped, looking up at him. “Not from anything I say.”
He gave a laugh at that. “Fair enough. He seems a decent sort, actually. Gave me a lift home once ’n’ all.” He nodded up the street. “He’s waiting for you outside the house.”
Gabriella waved goodbye to him and then walked a little slower toward where James leaned against the car.
He watched her approach, and she felt a flush run through her at the look in his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, clearing her throat.
He pushed off from the car. “I went round to Mrs. Everett’s to visit you, but she said you’d taken the bus here. I thought I’d meet you, give you a lift back.”
“Thank you.”
He held the gate open for her politely. “You’re back on your rounds yet?”
“I start tomorrow. Mr. Greenberg kept me on desk duty for a few days, but I’m back to the route he gave me last week, going past Mrs. Everett’s place, for the next few months.”
She unlocked the front door and pushed her way in, holding it open for him and then going to look for the post.
She saw a letter that made her heart leap in her chest, a letter with a shipping liner logo in one corner, and put it at the bottom of the pile. The ship’s manifest had finally arrived.
Somewhere in the enclosed document was her father’s real name.
She forced her thoughts away from what it could mean as she started up the steps, all too aware it could lead to yet more disappointment.
“What’s happened to everyone in the case? Patty’s boyfriend, Lenny, and the Swiss chemist, Mr. Fischer? Are they in trouble?”
“Fischer’s being deported, as he didn’t have the correct visa to work here. If Devenish had lived, he’d have been charged with illegally bringing in some of the ingredients to make the LSD from Germany. Clubs and Vice wanted to link the purchases to Fischer, but his name isn’t on any of the paperwork, it was all Devenish, so he’s clear of that. Devenish’s father is in hot water, because it was his position in the Ministry of Health that gave Devenish the idea to start selling the LSD while it was still unregulated, and Lenny Foster, Patty’s boyfriend, will be charged with assault for his attack on Fischer, but that’s about all we can get him on.”
James’s answer took them all the way up to the top floor.
“But Colin Pratt is caught, and it is all over.” She unlocked her door and felt a catch of regret that she was going to go back to Ruby Everett’s. She just wanted to burrow down here, curl up on her window seat and sip coffee.
Maybe open the letter that seemed to be burning her fingers.
“Not completely over,” James said, maneuvering her into the room and closing the door behind him.
Her breath caught at the way he held her, big hands spread over her shoulders.
“I hope we can have that dinner we spoke about.”
She tilted her head up to him. “The one not at Gennaro’s?”
“That one,” he agreed.
“Maybe you can take me to a Welsh restaurant.”
He paused, looking completely thrown. “I think I’d have to take you up to Wales for that,” he said.
“Oh, well.” She was equally at a loss.
“I’m sure it could be arranged. Or maybe you’d accept dinner made by an actual Welshman?”
“I would like that.” She was holding her hands clasped in front of her, like some kind of Madonna, which made her feel ridiculous, and she stepped back. “I’ll just pack.” She could feel her cheeks heat as she turned away, flustered and excited at the same time.
He looked serious when she came out from behind her screen with a small bag in hand. “You’re nervous.”
She stared at him, dropped the bag, and lifted her hands. “Of course I’m nervous!”
He looked from her dropped bag to her hands. “Throwing your hands up. That’s very . . . Italian of you.”
She stepped forward and grabbed him by his jacket lapels. “And what’s something the Welsh do?” she asked.
He bent his head to kiss her, and somehow, she never found out.
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