Save Me - Lisa Scottoline [134]
Tanya’s mouth dropped open, Eileen cheered, and the crowd erupted into gasps, chatter, and shouting. The FBI agents looked at the state police, the state police looked at the Assistant District Attorneys, and all hell broke loose.
“That’s enough of that, ladies,” said Special Agent Morrisette, clamping a strong hand on Rose’s arm and trying to tug her from the microphone.
“Hey, wait a minute,” she said, tugging back, until she saw Leo fighting his way to the front of the roiling crowd, his tie flying.
“Let her speak!” he shouted, struggling past a state policeman, and Special Agent Morrisette turned on him.
“Sir! Get behind that cordon! Who do you think you are?”
“I’m her husband. And if she has something to say, then let her say it. Honey?” Leo turned to Rose, his eyes shining. “Like your new hair, by the way.”
“I do have something to say.” Rose felt tears come to her eyes and reached for him. “I love you.”
Chapter Eighty-one
Rose and Leo left the FBI offices at dawn, holding hands as they walked along Market Street, in Philadelphia. The city was just waking up, and the sun was rising behind the buildings, painting the sky with swaths of yellow, like fresh latex from a roller. Only a few people were on the street, and two uniformed cops stood talking in front of the federal building. A street-cleaning truck with a rotary brush whirred water at the curb, and a SEPTA bus hissed past, half-empty. The only store open was the Dunkin’ Donuts across the street.
Rose breathed in fresh air, carrying the scent of glazed doughnuts and the first chill of autumn. “Smells good.”
“For a city, yes.” Leo looked around. “But I spent all week here. I’ve had enough.”
“Congratulations on your settlement.”
“Thanks.” Leo looked over with an easy smile. His eyes were tired, and his chin sported stubble, but he looked happy and relaxed, his tie loose and his khaki jacket catching the breeze. “I’d tell you how it went, but it doesn’t compare with chasing murderous senators and exposing corporate conspiracies.”
Rose smiled. “Not bad for a week’s work.”
Leo squeezed her hand. “Has it only been a week?”
“Yes.” Rose couldn’t believe it herself. “It’s Friday morning. One week ago today, the cafeteria caught fire.”
“Jeez.” Leo shook his head, and Rose sent up a silent prayer that Amanda would be okay. Last night, she and Eileen had been questioned by the FBI and the Assistant District Attorneys, but they’d been in two separate interview rooms, and Eileen had left for the hospital before Rose was finished. “Too bad we didn’t get to say good-bye to Eileen.”
“What?” Leo looked at her like she was nuts. “She punched you in the face, babe.”
“I would have done the same thing, if someone left Melly in a fire.” Rose was oddly fine with it, maybe because her face didn’t hurt that much. She’d iced the bump last night with a gel pack and felt like herself again, having washed off her makeup disguise. Although she was thinking about keeping the red hair, which suited the new her.
“Still, please, don’t do anything like this again.” Leo shuddered. “You could have been killed.”
“It’s all over now.” Rose squeezed his hand, and she could feel his love in the warmth of his palm. “I’m fine.”
“Never again, promise?”
“Promise.”
“Nothing can happen to you. I’ll never get another wife as good-lookin’.”
“Stop.”
Leo smiled. “One thing I don’t understand. Why would Campanile let Mojo do all the stuff he did?”
“I don’t think they knew.” Rose had a worry, too. “It really bothers me that they might not be able to prove that Kurt and Hank Powell were murdered. Howard said they don’t have the blood to do a toxicology screen, but I bet it would show that his new friends slipped him a drug.”
“Maybe they can check out his car, see if it shows evidence that he was hit, like a paint scrape.” Leo looked over, brightening. “I have an idea. When this all dies down, why don’t we offer to take his niece out, with Melly? Baseball