Royal Secrets (20 page)

Chapter 25

Alora stepped onto the balcony and sank down into a chair. Certainly she was justified in turning Stefano down on his offer to join the party tonight. Still, it bothered her that she couldn’t figure out what she had said that had affected his mood so suddenly. One minute he was insistent that she join him, and the next he was cool and aloof, as though he didn’t care in the least how she chose to spend her evening.

She knew she should call downstairs to let Brenna know she was done working for the day, but first she needed a few minutes to herself. She thought back over her conversation with Stefano and recognized that she had let her temper get to her. She had been childish and petty to refuse for no reason other than that Stefano had annoyed her. Her family had always joked about how much she hated being told what to do, and that characteristic certainly hadn’t faded over the years.

Her heart squeezed a bit as the memory of her family formed, and she fought to remember only the good. It didn’t matter anymore why they were gone. They simply were, and nothing she could do would change that or the loneliness that had followed. Her lips curved a little as she remembered Stefano asking for her phone number. She had sidestepped the question, but it made her wonder how many people even realized she hadn’t had a phone for more than three years. After all, who did she have left to call?

Before Stefano had asked for her number, the last person she could remember asking had been Janessa. Of course, Janessa hadn’t let herself get sidetracked, and Alora had admitted that she simply couldn’t justify the cost when keeping her children clothed and fed was such a challenge. She could also admit to herself that she still struggled with that last phone call with Carlo, the one she knew now had ended at the same time a bomb had taken his life.

She stared out at a little yellow sailboat on the water, still not exactly sure how she had ended up here. So much of her energy over the past few years had been spent trying to overcome the loss of her family. Now, instead of trying to figure out where the next rent payment was coming from, she was sitting here worrying about an argument with a prince. Everything had changed so quickly, and she wasn’t sure she could keep up.

When someone knocked on the door, her stomach jumped in anticipation at the thought that perhaps Stefano had come to make peace. She ignored the tug of disappointment when she opened the door to find Janessa standing on the other side, a gown wrapped in a long sleeve of plastic in one hand and a shopping bag in the other.

Alora managed to suppress a sigh as she stepped aside. “Come on in.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get this to you sooner,” Janessa told her as she draped the gown over the back of the couch. “I got caught up in town.”

“I hope you didn’t go to too much trouble to get this since I’m not going tonight.”

“You aren’t going?” Janessa settled on the arm of the couch. She didn’t look so much surprised as curious when she asked, “Do you mind if I ask why?”

“I want to spend more time with the kids.”

Janessa stared at her for a moment and then shook her head. “I don’t want to know the excuse you gave Stefano. I want to know the real reason you’re not going.”

Alora sighed. “I hate it when you do that.”

Janessa fought back a smile. “Do what?”

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about.” Alora paced across the room and then turned back to face her. “I give you an excuse and then you insist that I’m not telling you everything.”

“Which is why you should just tell me everything so I’ll know what’s going on,” Janessa suggested. “I know that technically you’re working for me now, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m your friend.”

Alora lifted her hands out to the side and then let them fall with a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know what it is.”

“Could it have anything to do with Stefano?”

“Maybe.” She dropped onto a chair across from Janessa and shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“I know this is none of my business, but I’ve been wondering since I got back if something was going on between you two.”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Alora said a little too quickly. “I guess we’ve started to become friends, and I’m not handling it well. He’s used to being able to do what he wants when he wants. I haven’t had that luxury for a long time.”

“Whether you realize it or not, he doesn’t often have much say in his duties either,” Janessa said gently. “The past few weeks here at the chateau have given him a lot more flexibility in his schedule, but from what I’ve seen since I’ve lived in Meridia, he works long hours and rarely has much time to himself. I’m sure you understand how difficult that can be.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I hope you like the gown I picked up for you. If not, feel free to exchange it.”

“Janessa, I already told you I’m not going tonight. The gown and shoes can be returned.”

“Keep them. Living here, you might as well start building up your wardrobe now. You’ll need it,” she insisted. “I do hope you change your mind about tonight, but if not, I hope you know you’ll be missed.”

Alora shook her head. “I doubt that.”

“I would think that by now you would know better than to doubt my instincts.” Janessa laughed. “I’d better go check on Patrice and make sure everything is all set for tonight. I’ll see you later.”

* * *

Stefano stared down at the photograph, the twin metal boxes with wire antennas that could have been miniature versions of old-fashioned radios. “This is what the transmitter is supposed to look like?”

“Yes, sir.” Levi nodded. “Janessa said you mentioned a hole in the wall in her new office. I thought you might be able to help us determine whether someone had retrieved one of them from there.”

“You’re telling me there are actually two transmitters, not one?”

“It’s really two halves. They are positioned between six and ten feet apart. One would typically be near the listening devices to capture the information they are sending. The other is usually near an exterior wall to transmit the signal to whoever is trying to listen.”

“How big are they supposed to be?”

Levi held his hands out. “About six inches wide, and with the wires, they’re maybe ten inches tall.”

“I’d like for you or Martino to check with the contractors who worked in Janessa’s new office. We need to know how that hole got in the wall.”

“Martino already checked with everyone who worked in there. The hole was there when the man arrived to take down the shutters.”

Awareness swamped through Stefano. He had gone over the details in his head dozens of times. He was certain the hole wasn’t there when his uncle had appeared unexpectedly to gather his things. Assuming that no one else had entered the office before the workers arrived the next morning, the only explanation was that Elam had made the hole. Since Elam wasn’t known for being a klutz, Stefano could only assume his uncle had been retrieving something hidden there.

“Sir, would you be willing to show me where the hole was located?” Levi asked.

Stefano nodded and led the way from his office into Janessa’s. He walked past her desk and put his hand on the side wall near the window. “It was right about here.”

“That would be a logical placement for the piece that would send the outgoing signals.”

Stefano studied the wall and then estimated the distance and motioned to the center part of the wall. “From what you told me, that would put the other half of the transmitter around here.”

Levi nodded. “With your permission, I would like to bring some equipment up here to check out the wall.”

“I thought you said this equipment is hard to find with standard security sweeps.”

“It is, but we can use X-ray technology to scan the inside of the wall,” Levi told him. “The question is, what do you want us to do if we find what we’re looking for?”

“Remove it, and then call the contractors back in.” Stefano glanced at his watch. “I need to go get ready for dinner. How soon can you get this checked out?”

“The equipment and personnel I need are over at the naval base. Since you’re expecting guests tonight, I can wait until tomorrow if you want.”

“No. Let’s not take the chance that someone will try to take a walk and punch another hole in the wall.” Stefano shook his head. “Get your guys over here now. No one from the party would have any reason to come up here tonight, so there won’t be anything to get in the way of the search.”

Levi nodded. “I’ll take care of it.”

* * *

Alora bit back her frustration as she watched Giancarlo race from the bedroom and slam the door behind him. After arguing with Stefano about how she needed to spend more time with her children, she had spent the past hour breaking up petty arguments and wishing that it was already time for them to go to bed.

Gritting her teeth together, she shook her head and gathered Dante close as big alligator tears slid down his cheeks. “I’m sorry your brother yelled at you, but both of you need to learn to share.”

Dante snuggled closer, and his voice was muffled. “I was sharing, but Giancarlo kept taking everything I wanted to play with.”

“Did you stop to think that maybe you were taking what he wanted to play with too?”

He let out a longsuffering sigh.

“Come on now. Let’s dry those tears.” Alora shifted so she could brush her thumb over his cheek, and then she stood up. “Let’s go find your brother. Dinner is almost ready.”

“Okay.” Dante put his hand in his mother’s, and together they walked into the living room to find it empty and the door leading to the main hall hanging open.

Chapter 26

Stefano heard the footsteps when he reached the main entryway. When he looked up, he was surprised to see Giancarlo running down the stairs by himself.

Giancarlo stopped on the bottom step when he saw Stefano, and immediately his eyes dropped to the floor.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

He shrugged without looking up.

Recognizing the gesture, Stefano guessed at the reason behind it. “I gather you got into some trouble with your mom.”

His eyes lifted and were dark with indignation. “Mama always makes me share my toys with Dante, even when I want to play with them by myself.”

“I remember what that was like,” Stefano said sympathetically.

“How? You’re a grown-up. You don’t play with toys.”

“No, but I do know a bit about being an older brother.” Stefano smiled wryly.

“But you’re a prince.”

“Yes, I am. And so is my little brother, Garrett.”

Giancarlo looked at him skeptically. “Prince Garrett doesn’t look very little to me.”

“Maybe not now, but he was once.” Stefano reached out his hand to Giancarlo. “How about if I show you where Prince Garrett and I used to play when we were your age?”

“Do you have a swing set?”

“Not exactly.” Stefano looked up to see Alora rushing to the top of the stairs. He didn’t miss the worry on her face, followed by the expression of relief and exasperation. He waited for her and Dante to come down the stairs before speaking. “Is it okay if Giancarlo takes a little walk with me? I have something I want to show him.”

“Can I come too?” Dante asked eagerly.

“Tell you what.” Stefano considered how to balance the desires of both boys. “Why don’t you let me take Giancarlo with me now, and then tomorrow before dinner, you and I can go for a walk together.” He looked up at Alora and realized belatedly that he should have asked for her permission. He wasn’t used to asking for permission. “That is, if it’s okay with your mom.”

Alora looked at him skeptically. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little one-on-one time with Dante?” He saw the surprise on her face when he reached down and took Giancarlo by the hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

She stared at him for a moment and then nodded in agreement. “Giancarlo, be good for Prince Stefano.”

Giancarlo didn’t quite manage to look his mother in the eye, but he nodded and spoke quietly. “I will.”

Stefano was surprised by the sense of satisfaction that came with Alora’s permission. He quickly realized it wasn’t her permission he sought but her trust. Hoping her annoyance with him from earlier was fading, he led the way out the front entrance and headed for a path that curved away from the gardens.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Stefano pushed aside some foliage where part of the path was overgrown. Twenty yards later, he pointed up at the tree house he and his brother had played in when they were children. An old tire swing hung from a wide branch of the same tree.

Giancarlo looked up with awe. “Wow!”

“I used to hide out up there when I needed some time to myself.”

“Can we go up there now?”

“I don’t think your mom wants us to be gone for very long, but we can come back another time.”

“Did you ever get lost when you played in the woods?”

He shook his head and pointed to where the path continued through the trees. “That path there leads to the stables. When you get older, you’ll be able to ride through here, and you’ll get to know your way around better.”

“Mama said we have to start school soon, so we won’t be able to ride horses every day.”

“You might not have time to ride every day, but you won’t have to go to school on the weekends.”

“I guess.” Giancarlo let out a sigh and looked up at Stefano with dark eyes. “I don’t want to go to school. I won’t have any friends.”

“Not yet, but I bet you’ll meet all sorts of friends on your very first day.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Tell you what. I’ll make sure I’m here at the chateau on your first day of school. That way, when you get home you can come tell me all about it. Okay?”

He considered for a minute and then nodded. “Okay.”

“Come on. We’d better get you back for dinner.”

“Prince Stefano?”

“Yes, Giancarlo?”

Giancarlo slipped his hand into Stefano’s. “I’m glad you’re my friend.”

Stefano felt the little tug on his heartstrings, and he looked down at the boy’s earnest face. “I’m glad I’m your friend too.”