Page 14 of Third Crime’s A Charm (Princes Take New York #3)

Nine

T he following morning, Matteo’s premonition came to fruition. Matteo was still in bed when Truman returned from his morning run, more winded than usual.

“We have a problem,” Truman stopped at the foot of the bed, frowning and panting.

It was slightly distracting but Matteo gestured for him to get on with it.

“Your brother, Theo, and Muriel Hormsby returned from Austria last night and are already turning the city upside down, with your cousin’s assistance,” he added, wincing as he tugged at the front of his shirt, unsticking it from his body and making Matteo’s mouth water.

“They heard that we were together and Ms. Hormsby’s attorney called. I just got off the phone with him.”

“I did warn you. It’s been over a week since they’ve heard from me. What did the attorney say?”

Truman widened his eyes at Matteo. “They’ve gotten it into their heads that you’ve been abducted and are demanding your return,” he said and Matteo nodded.

“Sounds about right, if Muriel is involved.”

“What do we do? It won’t take them long to find this place.”

“I have to come up with a plan for this as well,” Matteo said, sighing as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “We’d be sunk if Leo was here but I can reason with Theo as long as he doesn’t see this.” He waved at his face.

“Do you plan to meet him in the dark?” Truman asked warily.

“No. I’ll cover it with makeup and he won’t notice if I make a video call. That will buy us enough time for this to finish healing while people gossip about us,” Matteo said and Truman pointed, grinning.

“Good thinking. I’m supposed to fly to Chicago for a meeting with you know who on Thursday but I’ll tell him something came up. He knows where I am and that’ll drive him nuts.”

“Leiwand. Now, get your arse to the drugstore. I have to call Theo soon.”

Two hours later, Matteo was pleased with their efforts as he gave his face one last dusting of setting powder.

Truman had found everything Matteo had requested and the two of them were able to hide the bruise around his eye and his swollen lip.

They used the camera on the television so Matteo could stand farther away and Truman made sure the number couldn’t be traced.

“Hello?” Theo answered, squinting into his phone’s screen. “Who is this?”

“It’s me!” Matteo said, waving as he took a few steps closer. But not too close, he was counting on poor camera quality and weak lighting to hide whatever the makeup hadn’t.

“Matteo? Mein Gott! Are you alright? It’s Matteo! I can see him!” Theo shouted behind him and there was a lot of noise and shuffling until his phone was cast onto his laptop.

“I’m fine. I have not been abducted. I’m here of my own free will,” Matteo said clearly.

“Matteo von Hessen! What the hell were you thinking, running off with Truman Tennyson?” Muriel demanded, waving her cane as she pushed Theo aside. “There’s no telling what kind of mess he’s gotten you into.”

“Please calm down. We didn’t run off, we’re in Southampton.”

“Southampton?” Muriel asked and leaned toward the screen.

“Why don’t you have your phone?” Theo interrupted.

“I’m sorry,” Matteo said loudly, raising his hands so they’d listen. “I forgot it at Muriel’s again and then I lost track of time.”

“You lost track of time?” Theo parroted.

“I wasn’t planning to be gone for more than a few days and I didn’t think anyone would notice,” Matteo said with an apologetic grimace.

“You, Doobie, and Muriel were in Austria, and Eli is so busy with his research.” His fingers were crossed behind his back, he was praying they’d buy it and forgive him.

Theo dragged a hand down his face, groaning. “Do you have any idea how scared we’ve been? It isn’t like you to take off like that.”

“You did,” Matteo said but Theo pointed at the screen.

“I always answered the phone when you called and I wasn’t with…someone like him.”

“You mean an attorney?” Matteo asked, then held up a hand. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry, I never meant for you all to worry and it’ll never happen again.”

“You’d better call Eli. He’s threatened to leave Cambridge and hunt Tennyson down.”

“I will call him as soon as we get off the phone.” Matteo gave Truman a loaded look so he understood how much trouble they were in if Elio got involved.

“I can tell that’s Southampton,” Muriel said as she searched the screen around Matteo. “The good side, judging from the view and that upholstery. Someone has taste and money.”

“It’s Truman’s place,” Matteo said with an airy wave but she let out a hard humph.

“When are you planning to return?”

Matteo wrinkled his nose, cringing. He had a feeling his answer wouldn’t land well. “It…shouldn’t be more than a week, but I’ll probably stay at Truman’s after we get back.”

“A week!” Muriel cried and Max shouted “No!” as he rushed into view.

“Hey, Max! You’re there too,” Matteo said cheerfully but he was afraid they’d see that he was sweating.

“What are you doing with Tennyson?” Max asked tightly, shaking his head. “He isn’t the sort of man you should be associating with.”

“He most certainly is not!” Muriel agreed. “Come back at once, Matteo.”

Matteo widened his eyes at Truman and stomped a foot, silently ordering him to show himself. “It’s a little late for that, I’m afraid,” he said, waving at Truman.

“Damn it,” Truman grumbled under his breath but he joined Matteo and raised a hand. “Lovely to meet you all,” he said with a polite nod, causing Muriel to splutter.

“No, it is not!” she said, her cane swinging. “I know all about you, Truman Tennyson, and I will be calling your mother,” she threatened but Truman’s fake smile widened.

“Wonderful. She’ll be pleased about this.” He pointed at Matteo. “She’s been on me to settle down but she never thought I’d find anyone decent, certainly not a prince.”

Theo stared Truman down through the screen, then offered Matteo a pleading look. “Don’t you think this is a little fast?” he asked gently. “Come back and take a few days to let your head clear. Don’t rush into something you’ll regret,” he begged.

“They’re making him sound a lot worse than he is,” Matteo laughed but it didn’t help.

“His clients are very dangerous people! Gangsters!” Max protested and Muriel shuddered.

“The worst kind of gangsters and Italians.”

Theo held up a finger and cleared his throat. “ We’re Italian,” he reminded her but she rolled her eyes.

“You’re half Italian and don’t change the subject."

Truman coughed into his fist, shaking his head. “Most of my clients are financiers and executives these days.”

“That’s what they call themselves because people like to pretend there isn’t a mafia anymore, but they’re still gangsters,” she said with a disdainful sniff, making Truman chuckle.

“Everyone deserves their day in court and a competent defense, madam.”

“But not everyone can afford the level of competence your clients receive,” she scolded but Truman didn’t flinch.

“My firm does more pro bono work than any other firm in the city,” Truman replied and Muriel’s brows jumped.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“I can afford to do that because those alleged gangsters keep me on retainer. It’s attorneys like me who keep DAs and judges on their toes and keep the system working for everyone.”

“That’s a rather romantic way of looking at it, isn’t it?” Max replied but Truman shrugged.

“I understand why you don’t approve of what I do but Matteo is an adult and he is allowed to visit any part of New York he wishes, including Southampton.

I promise that I haven’t broken any laws in transporting him here and he is free to leave at any time he chooses.

Furthermore, there is no legal way you can compel him to return,” he stated in a steady, even rumble.

It was incredibly hot.

Matteo smiled as he slid his arm around Truman’s.

“See? He’s a real attorney. And I promise, he’s treating me like a prince and I’m having a great time.

You’re all worried over nothing.” He was stretching the truth a touch but he didn’t want them to waste another minute worrying about him.

“I’d better call Eli. Report back to Leo and tell him you have proof of life and I’m being spoiled in the Hamptons,” he said to Theo but he still didn’t look pleased.

“Are you sure you aren’t getting back at me for Oslo?”

“Wirklich, Theo?” Matteo shouted, his temper fraying.

“I forgot my phone and I was having too much fun to go back to Manhattan for it. I’m truly sorry for making you worry but Eli was lost in his work and you were all so busy, taking Doobie home to Italy and Austria.

I thought I’d be back before you noticed.

” That part was true. Matteo thought no one would notice when he left his phone at Muriel’s and headed off to the party at Truman’s.

“I promise I’ll call every day from now on,” he said and Theo finally let him go.

“They have no idea, do they?” Truman asked, shaking his head. “They believe you’re a flake who thinks he’s a socialist and spends too much time obsessing over his looks.”

“Everyone but Eli, but they mean well. That’s how I like it. Leo and Theo worry enough about Eli as it is. Speaking of, I should call him before he does something we’ll all regret,” Matteo said, then jumped when the phone in his hand rang. He answered it and raised it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Oida!” Elio yelled. “Who the fuck is this Truman Tennyson, Teo? I will burn…Southampton or wherever you are to the ground if he’s hurt you.”

“He has not!” Matteo said and shushed his brother. Matteo was hotheaded but Eli was mercurial and highly combustible. “I’m sorry I didn’t get in touch. I left my phone at Muriel’s.”

“How could you put me through this? And over a man? That is not my brother.”

Matteo shushed him even louder. “It wasn’t over a man, I just let Poldi and Theo think it was,” he whispered.

“Ach so! This is fuckery, then?” Elio asked excitedly, not missing a beat. “Need help?”

“I think I have it covered but I’ll let you know.”

“Are you sure you’re alright? This Tennyson sounds like the Devil, Teo.”

“Nee! He isn’t so bad. I think you’d like him, actually,” Matteo said. “He’s smart and gives even less of a fuck about what other people think than you do.”

“If you say so. I have work to do if you aren’t chained to a radiator.”

“Nothing that kinky, I’m afraid.”

“Schade. Bis dahn,” Elio said before he hung up, making Matteo laugh.

“I love you too.” He tossed the phone at Truman. “There you go. Crisis averted.”

Truman snorted wryly. “Your family is?—”

“Don’t talk about my family, Truman,” Matteo warned, shaking his head. “I don’t want to have to fight Neville.”

“I was going to say refreshing,” Truman said with a dismissive swat. “I thought you were stealing because they ignored and underestimated you but they’re nothing like I was expecting. They’re surprisingly decent for royals.”

“I told you, we weren’t raised like that and we don’t care about any of it. I do it for the rush and because I can do something good with the money.”

“Like what?” Truman asked but Matteo ignored him. That was none of his business and Matteo would never put any of his contacts in danger. He had created a stable network in the city, allowing him to safely move the items he stole without anyone noticing or suspecting.

“You have your secrets and I have mine. What has Neville learned since yesterday’s briefing?” Matteo asked sweetly and headed into the bathroom to wash his face.

“Neville got in this morning with a box full of brochures, magazines, newspaper articles… He even found a copy of the hotel’s blueprints.”

“That might be a touch excessive but I should be able to work with that,” Matteo said, then pulled his shirt over his head. He rambled about the forecast and how tired he looked when his allergies kicked off as he cleansed and moisturized, then noticed Truman staring.

He had a drowsy, dreamy smile on his face again as he leaned against the bathroom door.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!” Truman shook his head quickly. “I can’t recall you ever looking tired. You always look…perfect.”

He had been weird since their tour of town and the winery. In fact, Truman had been almost too well-behaved. He was taking his role as doting lover a little too far, and at times, Matteo wondered if Truman was up to something else. Something worse.

“How about a couple’s spa day?” Truman asked and hurried to get a towel for Matteo. “I owe you after the way you just saved our asses.”

“Maybe later… I should have everything I need now.”

“What can I do?”

Matteo’s teeth scraped over his lip as he pondered how to make the most of his day and the trove in Truman’s study. Donna was told it was research for a case but it would be weird if Matteo locked himself in the room with it.

“Can you disappear for the rest of the afternoon and take Donna with you?” he asked, noting how Truman’s smile faded.

“I’m sure I can think of something.”

“Gut! I need time to spread out and make a mess and I can’t do that without her noticing,” Matteo explained and Truman’s smile returned.

“There’s a cork board in my office. Want some thumbtacks and string?”

Matteo pretended to consider. “Will you eat the thumbtacks if I promise it’s part of the plan?”

“Now, now!” Truman clicked his teeth. “I’ll take her to some antique shops and we’ll pick up something nice for dinner.”

Matteo shooed him off. “Sounds great! Don’t hurry.”

He rubbed his hands together, eager to have a few hours to plan in peace.

So far, his stay in Southampton wasn’t nearly as bad as he had expected but Matteo couldn’t afford any more distractions.

The basic elements were forming in his brain but Matteo wasn’t creating one sophisticated plan, but a plan within a plan.

There had to be an escape hatch because Matteo still didn’t know the extent of the crime he was committing and who all the players were.

Truman had already betrayed Matteo once, he wouldn’t get a second chance and a scapegoat.

If Matteo even sensed that he was being set up again, he’d vanish with the star and let Truman take the fall with Lonsdale.

“It’s time to get serious.” He swiped his notepad off the dresser and tucked his pen behind his ear. “I have a little more than two weeks to create two magic tricks.”