Chapter 23
Luke
After they’d felt completely connected the night before, they’d both fallen asleep. They’d been exhausted, sore, and sticky but absolutely relaxed.
Luke’s alarm woke him early the following morning.
It was Monday and he wanted to think about the chat Divya and he needed to have with Meshflixx now that Leonardo had still not been found and the show was supposed to start shooting.
How much extra time for investigating was the streamer going to give them?
A few days at most. And of course, there was the matter of the many open leads and the last clue Sol and he had found the night before.
He got out of bed, completely naked. He slowly headed to the shower trying not to wake Sol up, but he wasn’t successful.
“Want help there?” Her voice was broken by sleepiness and she could barely open her eyes, but she was flaunting a seductive smile.
He had a full workday ahead and he was already waking up after he’d wanted because of how late they’d gone to sleep the previous night. He was about to tell her that, and then took a second look at Sol, whose body was only half covered by the comforter. She looked irresistible.
“I’ll absolutely take your help in the shower but we need to be quick.” He used the voice that drove her crazy.
“You know I love a quick fuck,” she purred.
···
Showered, overindulged, and dressed, Luke and Sol were having breakfast on Sol’s kitchen counter.
“I was going to ask you to tell me whatever it was that had you all preoccupied yesterday,” Sol told him, clutching her tea mug. “But you no longer seem like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
He thought about it. Smiled. “I think you managed to fuck all the worries out of me, cara.”
They still needed to talk. And he still needed to figure out what it was that he wanted in his life—and see if she wanted the same.
But they had to find a missing actor first. Plus yesterday’s romp and this morning’s shower together had momentarily made him forget about all the worries that wanting the title had brought.
“I’m so glad I was helpful.” Sol’s smile was practically inviting him to take off her clothes and have another go on the kitchen counter. He shook his head. This time he needed to focus.
“You’ve helped me in more than one way.” He took his mobile phone to show it to her. “Divya contacted Sandro after I texted her and told her about what we’d discovered at the Casanova. The actor can see us this morning for another chat. Do you want to join us?”
“Really?” The excitement in her voice was unmistakable.
“Really.” He was aware he was grinning. She had that effect on him.
He always felt better in her immediate orbit.
“But we need to hurry up and we definitely don’t have time for whatever it was you were thinking about happening here.
” He pointed to her, then him, then the kitchen counter, arching one of his eyebrows.
She glared at him, fake innocence on her features. “I wasn’t thinking about anything.” She batted her eyelashes several times at him.
“Yeah, right.” He scoffed.
“Besides. We’ll have time for whatever I may have had in mind, later. And tomorrow. And the day after.”
If that didn’t sound like a promise, Luke didn’t know what it was.
···
Sol
“That makes absolutely no sense,” Sandro was telling them over a cup of strong coffee. Sol felt bad for Luke, he wasn’t a fan of the beverage.
Divya, Luke, and Sol had arrived at the actor’s little charming apartment on one of her favorite streets in Raval a mere ten minutes before.
Luke had introduced Sol as his partner and he’d explained she was helping in the case because she was the last person to see Leonardo before he’d disappeared.
Sandro hadn’t found it weird and had remembered their chat on the phone.
He’d offered them coffee. Luke had accepted out of politeness.
Once the coffee had been served in small espresso cups, they’d then all sat in Sandro’s living room.
When Luke told the actor what they’d found—and hadn’t found—in Leonardo’s dressing room, the actor had started objecting about its impossibility.
“Leo had all kinds of other beauty products in his dressing room. He was obsessed! He’d never left the theater at night without cleaning and moisturizing.
He told me I should do it too! He even gave me a jar of his favorite moisturizer from La Mer.
He swears by it!” Sandro continued talking and Sol couldn’t avoid thinking the younger actor should perhaps listen to the more veteran one—and start applying that very expensive cream.
She’d read Sandro was twenty-nine or thirty yet he looked terrible that morning.
He had dark circles under his eyes. His skin was pale and almost grainy.
His dark-blond hair could use some product—or some shampoo.
And even though Sol had seen pictures of the actor walking around Barcelona and Madrid looking like the ultimate fashionista on his social media accounts, at home he was sporting plain jeans and an ugly sweater.
She had nothing against Christmas-themed attire, unless of course, it was March.
“Could it be that someone at the theater decided to take Leonardo’s stuff?
” Luke asked Sandro. Her lover was using what she’d learned to recognize as his “sensitive tone.” It was reserved for people Luke perceived to be going through something difficult or who were in pain.
Divya was better at being sensitive with the witnesses, but Sol could appreciate Luke was doing his best.
Sol practically hissed at herself. Of course Sandro looked like a slob. He’d probably not been sleeping, eating properly, or showering. He most certainly didn’t care what it was that he was wearing. He was worried—about Leonardo.
“Nothing has ever disappeared before,” Sandro explained. “And why take some stuff but leave the makeup? It’s not like that wasn’t also expensive. Leo only got the best stuff.”
Luke took some notes, made an almost imperceptible move of his head toward Divya. The Mancunian was the next to talk. “Sandro, how are you doing? Not to be nosy or anything, but you look a bit more tired than the last time we talked to you…”
Luke had decided the situation required more finesse, and had silently asked his partner to intervene. Sol had always enjoyed seeing the two detectives working together. It was seamless how they took turns, ensuring it was always the most appropriate detective conducting the interview.
“I’m worried about Leo,” Sandro admitted, playing nervously with the gold bracelet on his left wrist. The piece of jewelry had two parallel lines engraved in it.
Sol’s eyes practically left her sockets when she noticed the bracelet and recalled where she’d seen a piece practically identical to that one. There was something important she needed to tell Luke. If only they’d perfected the art of talking without words during interviews like he and Divya had.