One Night Stand (The Complete Story) Read Online Free PDF Page B

to find my cellphone rattling on my desk. It was a blocked number. Shit. I knew this had to be connected to Lorenzo somehow. Maybe I should just ignore it , I thought.  Then I remembered the look on Bruno’s face when he had given me that mild warning earlier and reached down a shaky hand to answer.
     
    “Hello?”
     
    “Is this Emma Waterhouse speaking?” The voice was male, but smooth and much friendlier than Bruno. I felt slightly less concerned for my life.
     
    “Yes, this is Emma.”
     
    “Hello, Emma. This is detective Mike Russo. I was hoping you could stop by my office this afternoon and chat for a few minutes?”
     
    “Why? What is about?” I already knew exactly what it was about, but I couldn’t figure out why everyone seemed to know I had spent the night with Lorenzo and why they all seemed to think it meant I was in any way involved with his family.
     
    “I would prefer to tell you in person, but I promise that you are not in any trouble,” the detective assured me. “You don’t have to come, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could give us a few minutes of your time. The government would appreciate it.”
     
    “Alright,” I sighed. I didn’t want to go, but I wanted to clear everything up as soon as possible so I could go back to my life and forget about Lorenzo. Maybe if everyone else left me alone about him, I could stop fantasizing about him too. Maybe, but probably not.
     
    The detective gave me the address and I agreed to meet him there in twenty minutes. I threw back on my jeans and a simple pink tank top and grabbed my backpack filled with textbooks to bring with me in case I had any downtime at the station.
     
    As it turned out, he met me as soon as I walked into the station. As I entered the double glass doors, an attractive young man rushed up to me.
     
    “Detective Mike Russo,” he said, extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, Emma.”
     
    I shook his hand firmly and looked him over. I had expected someone older, but he looked like he was still in his late twenties. I realized he must be very ambitious and good at his job to advance to detective so quickly.  He was slim, but muscular, with an easy smile and light brown hair that was cropped close to his head.
     
    A day earlier, I would have proclaimed him “hot,” but after laying eyes on Lorenzo, every other attractive guy was now relegated to a lower level. Damn, I’m obsessed , I realized as I followed the detective to his office.
     
    I was relieved it was just a normal office with a wooden desk and filing cabinets. For some reason, I had pictured being interviewed in an interrogation room like in all the television shows.
     
    After offering me a seat and a glass of water, Detective Russo sat down across the desk from me and pushed some papers to the side.
     
    “So, Emma,” the detective began. “I take it you have at least some idea of why I called you in?”
     
    “This is about Lorenzo Romano, isn’t it?” I figured honesty was the best policy, especially with the cops.
     
    The detective ran his fingers through his short hair and leaned back in his chair. He looked at me appraisingly, like he was trying to decide just what type of person I might be. I sat up a little straighter, hoping he would realize I was not the type of girl who usually got messed up in these situations.
     
    “Yes. We’ve been investigating the Romano family for some time now. As I’m sure you know, they are involved in all sorts of underground vice and crime in this city, but we haven’t been able to pin anything serious on them yet. Recently, we’ve focused part of our investigation on the son, Lorenzo. Word is, he has some disagreements with his pop, Giovanni. We keep a tail on him since he might be the weak link. That is how our guy saw you leaving Lorenzo’s apartment this morning.”
     
    “Look, I just want you to know that I really have nothing to do with him or his family. I just got way too drunk last night