Chapter Ten #2
They were quiet for several beats. Then he glanced at Nikki with an evaluative expression.
“Audrey seems quite taken with you. You wouldn’t by any chance be interested in a nanny position, would you?”
“Oh god, no!” The words were out before she could stop them. With a hot rush of embarrassment, she tried to explain. “I’m happy with my job. And I’m terrible with children.”
Jayston didn’t seem offended. He chuckled. Then the chuckle grew until he threw back his head and laughed.
He finished off his serving and poured another. He glanced up at Nikki, who raised the glass to her lips.
She didn’t have a chance to taste the whisky, though, because a loud voice interrupted: “How perfectly precious!”
Fiona Lake strode towards them. She wore a long blue silk robe. This was open, revealing a matching lingerie set that barely concealed her breasts. Her face was flushed, eyes glistening.
“The liar and the bitch, having a laugh together,” slurred Fiona. “Pour me some of that, won’t you, darling? I need to phone the authorities and lodge a complaint about this…incompetent policewoman.”
“Fiona.” Jayston’s voice was a warning growl. “Don’t start. This investigator—Nikki—found Audrey, and brought her back to us. We’re in her debt.”
“Oh, that’s rich,” she laughed bitterly. “Masquerade as the doting father now, won’t you? Suits you.”
Seeming not to pay attention to Nikki, she crossed behind the bar and began opening and slamming cabinets.
Nikki stood.
“I’ll get going,” she said. “Thank you for the drink.”
“Allow me to escort you,” said Jayston.
—
He was silent as they moved through the boat, but unlike the relaxed silence of their conversation, Nikki sensed the tension in his body.
He stepped onto the pier with her. Nikki was about to extend a hand, and wish him a good night. But he seemed to come to a decision.
“I’d ask that you not judge Fiona too harshly,” he said.
“I’m aware she can be…somewhat challenging.
But she’s endured quite a bit. Perhaps it’s best…
well, you might as well know. Last year, we lost our son, Matthew.
He was only four. It was a profound tragedy.
I don’t believe one ever fully recovers from losing a child.
Fiona hasn’t been the same. None of us have.
And Audrey…it affected her deeply. She stopped speaking.
Which is why Claire’s kindness was so vital to our family.
Under her care, Audrey really flourished.
The thought of how Claire’s disappearance might impact her is unbearable for me. ”
“I’m so sorry,” said Nikki.
Jayston stared, a sudden pain in his eyes. Nikki didn’t know what to say.
“Of course, we want to help the police,” he continued. “But we’d like to get underway as soon as possible. I hope you can understand.”
“Of course.”
—
Nikki checked her watch as she left The Prophet. It was 21:14. She was late to meet Valerio. She texted him an apology and an ETA. He replied with a thumbs-up emoji.
She was walking briskly down the pier, focused on reaching her bike, when someone shouted: “Nikki! Nikki Serafino! Ciao, bella!”
The call came from the deck of a sleek twenty-meter yacht, where a man was smiling and waving. Nikki raised her hand to wave back before recognizing Vincente Di Pavola, father of her ex, Enzo.
She was suddenly hot, mind flexing. Her hand dropped to her side.
Nikki hadn’t seen or heard from Enzo or his father since the summer, when she learned that Vincente had paid her debt to Tito Calandra. This was hardly an act of charity from the canny businessman, however; he’d meant it to pacify her after Enzo sent a thug to her house.
Vincente gestured her forward: “Come, come! Nikki!”
Then he seemed to register her mood. He held up a palm, shouting, “Please, don’t go. Wait. I’ll come to you!”
She watched, mind detaching a little as Vincente exited the boat and jogged towards her.
He was well styled in slacks and a black leather jacket.
And he looked so much like Enzo—those easy, muscular movements.
Like a powerful cat. Also, like Enzo, he was handsome—but his tanned face was aging, wrinkles and folds set into characteristic lines, his thinning hair neatly trimmed.
“Grazie,” he said as he approached. “Thank you for waiting. I’m glad to see you.”
Her legs shifted, wanting to run away as he leaned in and kissed her cheeks in that familiar gesture she so disliked.
“Signor Di Pavola,” she acknowledged.
“You’re looking fit,” he said. “I hope you’re keeping well.”
“I am.”
He paused, and seemed to consider. “Let me be frank. I’ve wanted to come to you a dozen times. I was appalled to learn what Enzo did. I don’t know what to say except that I’m so very sorry.”
The apology was so spontaneous, so sincerely expressed, Nikki was stunned.
In the years she’d dated Enzo, she had met the shrewd businessman a few times—but she’d only ever really seen him through the lens of Enzo’s perception, where he was hard and disapproving of his youngest son.
Vincente Di Pavola had, through Tito’s intermediary, paid sixty thousand euros to recompense Nikki for Enzo’s attack, and Nikki assumed he’d viewed this as a business transaction, his responsibility towards her closed.
His expression now, far from what she might have expected, was open and warm and full of concern.
Those eyes were so much like Enzo’s. The realization brought a pang—and Nikki understood how much she needed Enzo’s apology…his remorse and tenderness.
Perhaps this was the closest she would ever come.
Some barrier in her chest seemed to soften.
“Please,” he continued, motioning to the restaurants on the shoreline. “May I buy you a drink?”
She shook her head. “I have an appointment. I need to get going.”
“I see.”
His disappointment seemed almost childlike. Then his mood shifted. His expression turned suddenly serious.
“I want you to know,” he said, “Barile doesn’t work for me anymore. I was sickened to find out what he did—that he hurt you. It was inexcusable.”
“It was inexcusable,” she agreed.
“May I walk with you?” He gave a flourishing gesture. Nikki nodded.
—
As they approached her bike, Vincente continued: “I regret Enzo did something that can never be forgiven. I always liked you for him. You and I both know my son is weak. He takes after his mother. People like that need someone strong to look out for them.”
Nikki stopped, and faced him. “Signor Di Pavola.”
“Please call me Vincente.”
“Vincente—I can’t look out for Enzo anymore. We’re finished.”
“Oh, I know!” he agreed. “But I’m sure you can understand why I need to look out for him, now.”
“Of course.” She shifted, ready to leave.
“I worry sometimes,” he continued. “Maybe someday Enzo will have an important business…or career in politics. I don’t want the difficult moments of his past to haunt him.
I’m sure you can see that—as his father, I must protect him.
And I’m sure you don’t want to harm Enzo.
He is what he is, but you loved him once. ”
Nikki tensed.
“What is it you want from me?” she asked.
They’d arrived at her bike.
Vincente said, “It’s typical in business to have something called a nondisclosure agreement. Just to close the door on this bad situation—make sure inconvenient details don’t resurface and hurt Enzo’s future.”
Anger descended, locking up Nikki’s chest, putting heat into her face and neck.
“It was inconvenient that Enzo cheated on me.” She spoke in a low voice, heart thudding, fists and feet suddenly numb.
“It was inconvenient that he stranded me on Capri. But then he sent a thug to break into my home and attack me. Would you call that inconvenient? Because that doesn’t feel inconvenient to me.
There’s a different word I’m looking for…
oh yes. Criminal. What he did was fucking criminal. And you want me to sign an NDA?”
Vincente lifted his hands in surrender.
“I can see you’re upset.” His tone was conciliatory, as if calming a skittish horse. “I’m just trying to come to a good resolution for everyone. In exchange, I would, of course, offer appropriate compensation.”
She was trembling with fury as she strapped on her helmet and mounted the Hornet.
“Just think about it,” he shouted as she started the engine. “Think about an amount that would make you comfortable. I’m a reasonable man. Just promise me you’ll think about it.”