Page 45 of Hidden Resolution

“I’ll remain behind the island until I get my situation under control.”

Her light giggle softened the existing tension between them. He helped her down and kissed her tenderly. “Signal me if I should intervene. Eye twitch. Flip of the bird. You know, our standard code.”

“Thanks, but your smoothing-over techniques suck.”

“I’m wounded.”

Her snort followed her to the door.

Luigi entered faster than a Florida storm front. The air around him shifted, becoming sharp, electric, and commanding.

“Sit down, Bella. I have bad news.”

“What’s going on?” Shonda asked, apprehension in her tone.

Mason joined them.

“Your mother’s house burned down earlier today,” Luigi said grimly.

“What?”Her hand flew to her mouth as Mason dropped beside her, fingers curling around hers. Her shock gave way to her panic.

“Is Eva… is she…?”

“She’s fine. She was in Malta for a few weeks, but is flying back soon. The house is still in my name, so I’ll handle the paperwork.”

“Wait! You came to tell me about Eva. So, you haven’t heard about my car?”

Luigi stiffened. “What about your car?”

She gave the short version.

Her father paled, and worry built behind his expression, layer by layer.

“Mr. De Vitis, may I pose a delicate question?” Mason asked.

“Yes.”

“In St. Thomas, I saw a woman who was identical to your daughter. Did you or your wife ever have another child before or after Shonda? Maybe one who might’ve been put up for adoption?”

“No!” Luigi’s voice boomed with outrage. “I would never agree to give away my own flesh and blood.”

“I already told you I was an only child, Mason. Why would you ask such a thing?” The anger vibrating in Shonda’s voice didn’t bode well for him. He suddenly had fatheranddaughterto contend with. “My parents have always had the money to care for another kid. What reason would they have for giving up a child?”

He ignored her and kept his gaze locked on Luigi.

The man’s scowl transformed into an expression of confusion, or perhaps realization.

“Did you remember something, sir?”

There was a weighted pause.

“Shonda was a twin,” Luigi said, his voice filled with remembered grief. “Her sister was stillborn.”

Shonda gasped. “Papa, I never knew that.”

“Eva went into labor two months early. I was in Italy, and by the time I returned, your sister was gone. Your mother blamed me. Perhaps the death was brought on by the stress of my absence. It was the beginning of the end for us.”

Tears glistened in his eyes before one dropped to travel along his leathery cheek. Shonda jumped up and wrapped him in a comforting hug.