“Who knew you could speak Italian, too? Must be trying to impress you, Tony.” Kiki patted him on the arm and disappeared in the general direction of her desk.
“So, you’re trying to impress me?” Tony asked.
“Do I have to, detectivo?”
“No, like I told Greer, you did that a long time ago, avvocatessa.”
“Good, because I have now exhausted all the Italian I can remember. Did you come to tell me you’re ready to go home?”
“After you do one thing. I’m flying to Long Beach tomorrow for a couple of days to coordinate with them. Sam wants you to call him before we leave tonight so he can talk to you about extra security precautions while you’re alone.”
“Now what?” She squinted at him for a moment with her mouth pursed. “All this babysitting gives me a headache. And claustrophobia.”
“He wants you to arm your security system for starters, even when you’re in the house. I didn’t know you had one.”
“I only set it when I’m going to be gone for a long time.”
“You didn’t set it when we left for our weekend in the Gorge.”
“I was distracted.” She hoped to waylay him with a reference to why she had been distracted. It didn’t work.
“He wants it on all the time.”
She sighed. “I’m getting tired of this, Tony, but okay, I’ll call and see what he wants.” Before he could say anything else she added, “And I’ll do what he asks.”
Tony left to get the car and, as she punched in Sam’s number, she heard Greer waylay him as he walked past her office, two doors away from Margo’s. He didn’t go in, only stood in the doorway so she heard some of the conversation. Greer appeared to ask him what he was up to in Portland, where he was staying, what he’d seen, where he’d been. That and a less-than-subtle attempt to find out what the relationship was between Margo and Tony.
Maybe Paul Dreier wasn’t as irresistible as he thought he was.
Sam gave her instructions about making sure someone knew where she was when she wasn’t at work and arming her security system. She “yes, Sam’d” him so much she was sure he was on the verge of doubting her sincerity.
He pointed out to her that Viktor’s insistence on meeting with her the following week, not any sooner, was odd at best, downright dangerous at worst. It gave Viktor too much time to cause trouble. She reluctantly agreed.
Although she didn’t tell him.
• • •
After dinner, Margo loaded the dishwasher while Tony packed for his trip to Long Beach. When he came back downstairs, he joined Margo on the couch. “I’ve been thinking,” he began. “I’ve liked living with you and I … ”
“A week isn’t really living together, Tony.”
“Well, okay, it isn’t. But it feels right and I was wondering, maybe we should start thinking about … start talking about whether we want to do this on a more long-term basis.”
“Do what? Live together?”