30. Vinnie

30

VINNIE

I walk briskly to the parking lot where Fred is waiting in my car. Elmo is with him.

I need them both for what I’m about to do.

My heart dropped when I walked back out to the waiting area and found Raven and her bodyguard gone.

But I was also thankful. Seeing her would make it harder to do what I have to do.

And then of course… I had to see her when I came out of the elevator.

I should’ve known she wouldn’t go quietly.

I looked back right as I was about to leave. I saw her getting back on the elevator.

My first instinct was to turn around and ask her why she wasn’t leaving. After all, she told me the only reason she had come to the hospital was to be there for me.

So why is she going back up there? Maybe to check on Falcon? I don’t know, and I can’t take the time to dwell on it. Right now, I’m driving to the Bellamy Ranch.

I will talk to Austin Bellamy. And I will figure out what’s going on.

* * *

Fred steers up the driveway into the Bellamy’s large ranch house.

Everything looks the same as it did when I dropped Raven off here last week. No one can tell a crime was committed on these premises.

I don’t trust my grandfather as far as I can throw him, but I believe him. My intuition tells me he had nothing to do with Brick Latham’s murder.

And he’s right about one thing. If someone got to Brick Latham, thinking they were getting to Raven…

None of it makes sense.

Except it does in a warped way.

I’m beginning to believe that Austin Bellamy is not the same man he’s made out to be.

I get out of my car.

“Sir?” Elmo says.

I hold up a hand. “Stay here for now. I’ve got my phone. Be on alert. I’ll let you know if I need you.”

I walk to the door. Ring the bell.

A woman answers. “Yes, may I help you?”

“I’m here to see Mr. Bellamy.”

She cocks her head. “Do you have an appointment with him?”

“I don’t, but I think he’ll see me.” I hold out my hand and give her my card. “I’m Vincent Gallo Junior.”

She reads the card, her forehead wrinkled. She looks back into the house. “I’ll need to check and see if he’s in the house. Sometimes he’s in the barns. But I know he’s on property today.”

“Good. Find him. I’m sure he’ll see me.”

“All right.” She takes a few steps inside and gestures down the foyer. “Would you like to come in and wait in the living room?”

“Yes, that would be fine. Thank you.”

She holds the door open for me and I walk in. The house is huge. A great big ranch house. Much different from my parents’ home in Austin, though just as large.

She gestures to the living room. “Have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”

“I’m fine, but thank you for the offer.”

The woman I recognize as Raven’s mother walks in. She narrows her gaze when she sees me.

“Lucy, who is?—”

“Mrs. Bellamy,” Lucy, apparently, says. “This gentleman wants to see Mr. Bellamy.”

“Whatever for?” She walks toward me and offers her hand. “I’m Star Bellamy.”

Star Bellamy is a beautiful woman. Her skin is dark, about the same color as mine—different from Raven’s fair skin. She must get that from her father. But the dark eyes, that mesmerizing, beautiful stare, she gets from the woman before me.

“I’m Vincent Gallo Junior,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Bellamy.”

“Oh?” Her eyes widen. “You’re Savannah’s brother.”

“I am.”

“I’m sorry.” She presses her lips together, looking me up and down. “You don’t look anything like Savannah.”

“No. I look more like my mother. Savannah takes after our father.”

“Well… Welcome to our home, Mr. Gallo.”

“You can call me Vinnie, ma’am.”

“Of course. Vinnie. Austin should be back soon.”

“I’d like to wait, if possible. It’s very important.”

She parts her lips slightly. “Is… Is Raven all right?”

I nod quickly. “Yes, she’s at the hospital. My mother… She had a heart attack yesterday.”

“I’m so sorry. Is she all right?”

“She had a triple bypass this morning. She’s out of recovery and has been moved to ICU. Falcon and Savannah are with her. And Raven is still there.”

She places her hand over her heart. “My Raven… There never was a more caring soul. All that time she was sick and all she ever worried about was how the rest of us were coping.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I’m not sure what else to say. I could tell her what a wonderful woman her daughter is, but she already knows that. What will it do to this poor woman when she finds out her husband may not be the pillar of society that the state of Texas seems to think he is?

But I can’t concern myself with Mrs. Bellamy’s feelings.

I need to make sure Raven is safe. That is, after all, why I told her we can’t be together.

“Is this anything I can help you with?”

“I really do need to speak to your husband, if that can be arranged.”

She looks out a nearby window onto the sprawling Bellamy property. “I’m expecting him back any minute. He went out to talk to a couple of the foremen this morning. But he’s always back in time for lunch.”

“All right. Thank you.” I eye the room and head toward the most comfortable-looking couch. “I’ll just have a seat here and wait for him.”

“Don’t be silly. You’ll join us for lunch, of course.” She turns back to Lucy. “Set another place in the kitchen, please.”

“I don’t want to impose.”

“There’s no imposition.” She lays a delicate hand on my shoulder. “Please, join us.”

“All right. I’ll just sit here until you’re ready.”

She nods. “Lucy will come get you when lunch is served.”

“Thank you again.”

I sit down on the sofa in the elegant living room. A mahogany grand piano sits in the corner. It makes me think of Belinda.

What am I going to do about her?

I probably should’ve gone home to change. God only knows what I look like. I’m sure there are bags under the bags in my eyes. I haven’t slept. And my suit is wrinkled.

Time seems to pass in a warp, and I’m pretty sure I slip somewhere into the gray area between consciousness and unconsciousness. I’m not sure whether seconds or hours have passed when Lucy comes in.

“Mr. Gallo, lunch is served.”

“Thank you.” I rise and follow her into the large gourmet kitchen, where three places are set.

“Mr. Bellamy is just washing up. He’ll be here in a moment.”

“Please, take the seat next to me,” Mrs. Bellamy says. “It’s nothing fancy today, I’m afraid. I hope you like hamburgers.”

I chuckle. “I wasn’t expecting lunch at all. And I love hamburgers. Thank you.”

“What would you like to drink, Mr. Gallo?” Lucy asks.

I smile. “Do you have Orange Crush?”

Mrs. Bellamy smiles back. “That’s Raven’s favorite drink. We always have Orange Crush.”

I stay standing until Mr. Bellamy arrives.

Austin Bellamy. I’ve seen pictures of him. But he’s much larger in person. Tall and broad, with graying blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Fair skin, like Raven. But the rest of her looks she got from her mother.

“Mr. Gallo.” He holds out his hand. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I need an audience with you,” I say.

“All right.” He clears his throat. “Let’s enjoy our lunch first, shall we?”

“Absolutely,” I say with a smile. “I appreciate the invitation.”

“Star always says everyone is welcome at our table.” He gestures to my place. “Please, have a seat.”

He holds out the chair for his wife.

I expected as much.

Austin Bellamy is known as a rancher and a gentleman. From what I can tell anyway. Since Savannah is marrying into the family, I’ve done my research.

Part of me hopes I’m wrong.

But part of me hopes I’m right.

Because if I’m not, someone else was behind the murder of that lawyer. And if it wasn’t my grandfather…

Who the hell was it?

“We don’t stand on ceremony at lunchtime,” Mrs. Bellamy says. “Just help yourself. Guests first, of course.”

“Obliged,” I say. I grab a burger from the plate and place it on a bun. I add some lettuce, tomato, and just a tiny bit of onion. Then some ketchup and mustard.

I wait until Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy serve themselves, and then I take a bite.

“Delicious,” I say after I wipe my mouth with my napkin.

“Bellamy beef. It’s the best,” Mr. Bellamy says.

“You might be right about that, sir.”

He laughs. “Please, call me Austin.”

“Of course. And you may call me Vinnie.”

Austin takes another bite of his burger. “So, Vinnie. How are you finding the state of Texas now that you’re home?”

“It’s hot,” I say.

Austin laughs. “It is that.”

“When I left for Europe, our family was still living on Long Island. Texas is new to me. But I like what I see so far. It’s a beautiful state.”

“It is indeed. Everything is bigger and better in Texas, as they say.” Austin takes a bite of his burger.

“Would you care for fruit salad, Vinnie?” Star hands me a crystal bowl filled with a mixture of cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, raspberries, and blueberries.

“Thank you.” I scoop some onto my plate and hand it to Austin.

“We can’t thank you enough,” Star says, “for what you’ve done for Falcon.”

I resist the urge to lift my eyebrows. How much do they know about what Falcon went through at the hand of my family?

“All I need to know is that Savannah loves him,” I say.

“Good man,” Austin says.

I simply nod and take another bite of my burger.

Good man . Will he be saying the same after he and I have our talk?

I don’t know that he will. I’m not sure what he thinks of me. He must know what my family does for a living.

Star chatters on and on about how well Raven is doing.

It’s funny that neither of them bring up the fact that a dead body was found in their home only mere days ago. But I’ll have plenty to say about that when I get Austin alone.

Once we’re done with lunch, Lucy brings in dishes of simple vanilla ice cream for dessert.

“Star makes her own ice cream,” Austin says. “There’s nothing like it.”

“I can’t wait to try it then.” I smile and take a spoonful of the ice cream.

Indeed, the ice cream is spectacular. So much creamier and with much more vanilla flavor than anything you can buy at the store. Even better than the gourmet ice cream Savannah served Raven and me at dinner last week.

“Wow,” I say after swallowing. “This may be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted.”

“It’s Raven’s favorite,” Star says. “She can’t get enough of it.”

“Just like her Orange Crush?” I can’t help a smile.

“Exactly.” Star smiles. “God broke the mold when he made that one.”

I can’t help grinning. “I can’t disagree with that.”

Once we’re done with the ice cream and Lucy clears the table, I turn to Austin. “Sir, if I may have a few minutes of your time in private?”

“Yes, of course.” He rises. “Star, will you excuse us?”

“Yes, of course.” She gets to her feet and collects the ice cream bowls. “You men go about your business. I’ll just help Lucy clean up.”

I follow Austin out of the kitchen and down a hallway to a large oak door. He opens it and gestures for me to go in.

He takes a seat behind the desk. “Please, have a seat.”

I sit down in one of the plush leather chairs facing him.

“So, Vinnie, what can I help you with?”

I take a deep breath in and meet his gaze.

“You can tell me about Brick Latham.”