Page 52 of Winter

The photographs were dark and grainy. It was clearly Olly in his car parked outside the Winter mansion, hidden in the woods, standing at the windows. At night. Alone.

Inca was speechless. Scarlett’s eyes filled with tears. Tommaso looked at Inca sympathetically.

“He clearly has a preoccupation with you—I could tell that from the first day. What concerns me is how deep it goes. I’m worried for you.” Tommaso took Inca’s hand. “I just want you safe.”

“Hell.” Scarlett started to cry openly now, and Tommaso squeezed her shoulder.

“I’m so sorry, to all of you. Please understand this comes from a place of love, not control. I think he may be having some sort of breakdown. He’s not thinking straight. Knox.” And he turned to the police deputy, “You must have noticed at work? Anything?”

Knox hesitated. “Look, I still think a restraining order is unnecessary. Olly’s obviously got a lot going on, dealing with these murders. Anyone would be … unstable.”

Tommaso nodded. “Anyway, the restraining order remains. It’s to stay away from me too; you’ve all witnessed his antagonism towards me.” He bent and kissed Inca’s cheek, “I need to meet some contractors, darling. I’ll pick up some take-out for us later. Scarlett, Knox.” He nuzzled Inca’s ear again. “Anche io ti amo, la mia bella Inca.” Exactly what Raffaelo had said to her.

Oh God.She closed her eyes.

When Tommaso was gone, the three of them remaining sat in an uncomfortable silence. Eventually, Knox stood. “Look, I need to get to work. Inca, you want me to do anything?”

She smiled a strange half smile. “No, thanks. Seems Tommaso’s got it all covered.”

Scarlett and Inca looked at each other when they were alone. “What’s this all about, Inks? What the hell is going on?”

Inca shook her head. “I don’t know, Scarlett. But somehow I don’t think it has to do with Olly. Look, I need to talk to Tommaso … could you look after the teahouse for the rest of the afternoon?”

Scarlett hugged her friend. “Of course. Go talk to your man.”

Olly stared at Knox. “You’re kidding me.”

Knox shook his head. “Nope. From now you are not permitted to go within five hundred yards of Inca Sardee or Tommaso Winter.”

“But—” Olly stood, obviously riled up. “I’m the damn police chief!’

Knox sighed. “I know. I know, buddy; it’s utterly ridiculous. But you can’t break it, or it could cost you your job. Let things simmer down.”

Olly stood and thought for a long moment. “She must have told him.”

“Told him what?”

Olly hesitated and shook his head. “No, nothing. Look, I’ll honor the restraining order, but in the meantime …” He flicked his computer on and began to type.

Kyle had a growing sense of unease “What are you doing?”

Olly looked at him, his eyes angry but determined. “Proving once and for all that I’m not the one Inca should be afraid of.”

Inca was sittingon the stairs, phone in hand, when Tommaso got back to the house. She waved at him. He held up the bag with the take-out. She gave him a thumbs up.

“Sorry, Nancy. Go on.”

Nancy sighed down the phone. “Try and listen. I’m inviting you and Tommaso to dinner tonight. It’s not difficult, is it? I’m not speaking German, am I?”

Inca snickered. “Calm down, Grandma.”

There was a silence on the end of the phone. “You are the spawn of the devil. Do you want to come to dinner or not?”

Inca was still giggling when she joined Tommaso in the kitchen. He was arranging the Chinese food on plates and smiled at her.

“Hungry?”

She hesitated. “Um …”