Page 3 of Lawbreaker

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. “You have no idea how happy I am to have found you to train me.”

He just shrugged. “Your voice coach in Italy is an old acquaintance from my youth. I value his opinion.”

“I’m afraid that I wasn’t the best of pupils,” she confessed. “I’ve changed a lot since I studied with him.”

“So I’ve noticed,” he said with a wicked grin, and she knew that he’d probably heard about her very snobbish behavior from his friend.

She’d left Italy in a huff because she didn’t agree with her instructor’s assessment of her vocal skills. It seemed like another life now, because she’d changed so much.

“I had a tragedy—or a near tragedy—in my life not too many months ago,” she told him. “It changed me as a person. I think sometimes the best lessons we learn are from the worst things that happen to us.”

“I totally agree,” he said. He smiled. “You are very easy to work with.”

She laughed. “I wasn’t in Italy, as I’m sure your friend told you. It seems like a lifetime ago,” she added, shaking her head. “I’ve learned so much since then, and not just about ways to protect and project my voice,” she added with a smile.

“That, I hope, will stand you in good stead when you finally muster enough nerve to audition for the Metropolitan Opera,” he said firmly.

She grimaced. “I’ll do it. But not just yet,” she said.

He shook his head. “Well, as they say, the time will not be wasted as you train. But you must not wait too long.”

“I won’t,” she promised.

“Excellent. Then, back to work!”

It was only a week later that Stasia called. “Hi,” she said brightly. “How are you doing?”

Odalie sighed. It was Thursday and she had another boring, lonely weekend to look forward to. “I’m lonely and homesick,” she confessed. “How are you?”

“Pregnant” came the smug reply.

Odalie laughed. “I know. I’m looking very forward to being an aunt in a few months.”

“I’m looking forward to being a mom,” Stasia said on a sigh. “It’s like a dream, marrying Tanner all over again and living happily together. Not so long ago, that would have been a pipe dream. He’s changed.”

“So have I,” Odalie confessed. “I still can’t believe I was such a brat. You’re not spoiling my nephew or niece, by the way, just so you know,” she teased. “I’ll be watching from the sidelines. I won’t disturb you, but I’ll advise, so be warned.”

“No secret there.” She hesitated. “Speaking of disturbing things...”

“Phillip James has surfaced again?” Odalie guessed worriedly.

“Nothing so dire. But there’s going to be this huge house party at Tony’s over the weekend at the Long Island mansion...”

“No!”

There was a pause. “I haven’t even asked you yet,” Stasia said, exasperated.

“It’s still no,” Odalie said shortly. “He glared at me or ignored me all the way home on the jet. My self-esteem can’t survive a weekend of that.”

“It can, and it will, because I’ll be there, too,” Stasia said gently. “We can share a room. I’ll protect you from Tony.”

“Why do I have to go?” came the plaintive reply.

“Because if you don’t go, I can’t go. Tanner’s gone militant on me about the baby,” she laughed. “He’s afraid that I’ll do things I shouldn’t. I won’t, but that’s beside the point. He says if you go, it’s okay if I go. And I need to go because Tony’s trying to pry a Renoir out of the hands of an elderly gentleman who plans to leave it to his only son. The son thinks art treasures are ridiculous, and he says he’s going to trash his father’s collection when the old man dies.”

“That’s history!” Odalie exclaimed, horrified. “Would he really do that?”

“The boy has a very bad history of doing things just like that in the name of activism.”