Part 37

Jason stopped inside the door and put his keys on the hook beside the door.

The hook beside the door. Wait.

What?

Turning in a half circle he understood the confusion flooding his brain. He had left the motel and gone home. But where he had gone was… the home that he'd shared with Elizabeth for one night.

The home where he'd nearly broken his neck sleeping on a couch.

The home that was now so desperately empty.

Just like the hotel rooms they'd gone to raid. Lucky and Luke had disappeared.

They'd gotten enough information from their source in the department to understand that both Spencer men had left in a hurry.

And now they were gone.

Gone. "Dammit!"

The empty house echoed with his voice and Jason resisted the urge to throw something, because he already thought of it… as hers.

Elizabeth's.

He stepped into the kitchen and yanked open the refrigerator door. Picking up the chilled curve of a beer bottle from the shelf, he opened it and moved back into the mainroom, intending to sit on the couch.

But that only reminded him of her as well.

Reminded him of how empty the space was. She was petite and yet the house without her seemed cavernous. He walked through the house and flopped down on a pillow, his back up against the wall.

And that was when he realized where his feet had taken him. Where he'd gone on pure instinct.

Jason was sitting on the bed, the cold beer sweating against his palm.

He was sitting on the bed, missing her.

"You should try this on, Elizabeth." Antonia held out a hanger with one hand, her other hand holding out the bottom of the garment. "The color suits you." The blouse was lovely. It's brilliant green color would bring out the pale perfection of Elizabeth's skin. "And the skirt you bought at the last store would match this as well."

Elizabeth took the fabric up between her fingers and felt the luxurious garment slide against her skin. "It is lovely, but I think we've bought enough."

An exasperated sigh turned Francis' head from his position between the door and the ladies. "I told you that you are going to have to make her shop… or you should just add it to the pile, she'll give in eventually."

Antonia met his gaze with a wink. "Oh, she'll give in because I'm her older cousin, and I'm right."

The front door of the store swung open, jangling the chimes at the front. "Oh, it is true!"

Elizabeth looked up from the dress rack at the same time Antonia did.

The woman standing in the doorway was slight like Elizabeth, but where Elizabeth's eyes were blue, the new customer had eyes that were dark like obsidian chips. "I would know a child of my blood anywhere!"

Just the mention of the word 'blood' had Elizabeth shuddering.

Antonia put the dress back on the rack and reached down to take Elizabeth's hand. "Connie."

"That's Miss Santini to you, Antonia."

The set down was meaningless and rolled off Antonia's shoulders. "Regardless of how you feel you 'should' be addressed, Connie… you shouldn't be here."

"Nonsense!" Connie tried to move around the younger woman but Antonia stepped in front of Elizabeth and wouldn't move. Her 'aunt' reached out to move Antonia to the side but stopped short with a gasp. Her gaze rose steadily to a point high above Elizabeth's shoulder and that answered her own question. Francis had moved in close behind her, his taller, more imposing presence must have made quite the impression. "Maximus can't stop me from seeing my niece." She turned to Elizabeth and smiled, but the sharp lines of her face made the smile into more of a simpering grimace. "How I have longed to meet you, my dear. And soon, after I clear up this silliness with Maximus, I'll have you as a guest in my home… and we will tell you all about your Santini heritage."

Elizabeth realized that what was happening was an old fashioned 'stand off.' All that was left was to see who would back down first.

And really, she didn't have to wonder.

Antonia reached back and took Elizabeth's hand in hers with a gentle squeeze. Stepping together, the two young women moved toward the door. Vincenzo, Antonia's guard opened the door and put himself between the ladies and Connie Santini as they headed for the large vehicle parked outside.

Elizabeth didn't argue when they walked to the vehicle and she eagerly climbed up before Antonia, but once she was seated she grabbed the driver's seat before her and looked up and over it and through the windshield.

She watched as Francis had a few words with the woman before he moved toward the door.

Connie must have known she was being watched. She didn't explode in anger, but the stiffness in her body and the red tinge of her skin, spoke volumes as she stared after Elizabeth's guard.

When Francis was safely inside the vehicle he felt Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder. He turned to his young charge with a smile. "Hey, everything is okay."

Even with his hand gently covering hers she could feel her hand trembling slightly. "Francis?"

He turned slightly in his seat as Thad pulled the car away from the curb. He didn't let go of her hand. "What's wrong?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Noth- nothing." She smiled and a thin laugh escaped her lips. "I'm fine."

"Elizabeth…"

"She felt… wrong somehow." Elizabeth looked at Antonia as well. "Call me crazy, but when I was standing there with her, I felt like someone was whispering in my ear telling me to go."

"And Francis felt your fear, as did I, Elizabeth." Antonia shifted closer to Elizabeth on the seat. "And that instinct served you well."

Looking out the window they could tell that they were close to the Giambetti compound. Antonia gave her cousin a reassuring smile. "We will speak of this later. Right now I must speak with our uncle."