Dark Justice by Kristi Belcamino (most popular novels TXT) 📕

to drive you back to Marin County. After you call him, turn off your phone. Call me from Darling’s landline when you get there.”

Motherfucker.

Twenty-Eight

I hated to run back to Darlings, but I also didn’t want to get picked up and questioned again. Especially not for hours at a time. So for once, I did what Dante said.

Tony didn’t seem to mind the drive.

“Good to get away a bit on the open road,” he said.

I made a face. “Are you sure? You’re not just saying that?”

“Scout’s honor.”

We made it to Darling’s in record time.

“You need me to wait for you?”

I leaned over and kissed his grizzled cheek. “I’m good. Drive home safe, my friend. Thank you.”

He actually turned red.

“I got you, Gia.”

“I know.”

Then I was at the front door, knocking instead of ringing Darling’s doorbell. I didn’t want to wake the whole house if she was still asleep. She did like to sleep in.

She answered the door herself, dressed in a long, silky robe with a fur collar and hem. But her makeup was flawless.

“Good Lordie, it’s early Gia. Didn’t you just leave here anyway?”

“Dante’s being paranoid. Told me to come back here and then call him from your landline.”

“Looks like little Gia is all grown up. There once was a time you didn’t listen to another damn soul. Now you’re getting smarter. You know we all boss you around for your own good.”

I decided not to tell her that he hadn’t wanted me to go back to the city in the first place.

“Ha ha,” I said and followed her in.

“I’m having my tea in the sunroom. There’s fresh coffee, too. Grab a mug and meet me in the sunroom. I have a phone in there,” she turned. “Unless you need some privacy.”

“I just barged into your home. I think you can listen to the reason why.”

She laughed.

I poured a cup of coffee in her giant kitchen and then made my way into the sunroom where her dogs were curled up on giant plush cushions.

“Some watchdogs they are,” I said. “They didn’t even notice me come in.”

“Ring the damn doorbell, and you’ll have another experience altogether.”

“Note to self.”

I gulped half of my coffee and dialed Dante.

“Yo.”

One of the dogs came over and sat right on my foot. I made a face.

“That means she loves you,” Darling said.

I reached down and scratched the dog’s ears. I had to admit I liked the attention from the dog. I missed owning a dog more than I could say.

“Detective Stone called your attorney and said that you need to stay in town. We told him it was too late and you were already out of town.”

“Good.”

“I don’t know what else is going on. Keep your phone off. For now. I think the best strategy until we find out more is to have you unavailable. That way you aren’t breaking any laws or disregarding orders from the detective. I’m sorry. I didn’t know how else to handle it.”

“So, does this mean I can skip the gala?”

The gala was in two nights.

“We’ll see.”

Darling raised her eyebrow.

“Darling says hello,” I said. ‘You’re on speakerphone.”

“Hey beautiful,” he said.

Darling’s face spread into a huge smile.

“Dante, I do love you, you know.”

“The feeling’s mutual sweetie.”

She took a sip of her tea and batted her eyelashes even though nobody could see her. Such a diva.

“Enough of your love fest,” I said, rolling my eyes. “What do you think they have on me? Besides that video of a woman who clearly is not me. I would never wear those shoes with that outfit.”

“That’s what I said,” Dante said. “I told James that.”

I was quiet for a few seconds. “What did he say?”

“He was the one who brought it up. He said he didn’t think you’d wear them.”

Somebody was trying to imitate me but had failed. I didn’t think I needed to be too worried about a real murder charge sticking.

“What else, that fake-ass video?”

“I told you, that’s what we’re going to find out. Sit tight. Don’t turn on your phone. I don’t want anyone to be able to reach you. I’ll call you there tomorrow morning.”

I swallowed. “Dante? Should I be worried?”

He didn’t answer for a few seconds. Then he cleared his throat.

“I really don’t know.”

Darling and I stayed up late with our feet curled up under us on her plush velvet couches, drinking red wine, eating chocolate, and reminiscing about the good old days when she owned the most popular hair salon in San Francisco.

It was a small community unto itself, and she had been the queen.

She had a back office where she ran her “other” business.

Women in abusive relationships would knock on her door in the back room and plead their cases. Darling provided them with new identities and falsified documents such as birth certificates, driver’s licenses, social security cards so they could start a new life away from their abusers. She also gave them some seed money to get started.

It wasn’t long before she had more money than she knew what to do with, and she invested in property around the Bay Area. A few years back, she sold her salon to the daughter of a good friend, turned over her false ID business to the woman, as well, and moved permanently to her Marin County home.

Here, she set up shop as an angel investor, working to help women and minorities flourish. But she was like the people on Shark Tank—you had to have a damn good business plan or a really hard luck case along with the drive and conviction to convince her to back you.

If she thought you were scrappy, she’d help you get your business idea off the ground.

I loved her for this.

After catching up on all the years we’d been apart, we both went to bed in the early hours of the morning.

When I woke, I rolled over to check my phone but remembered that Dante was going to call me on the landline. I pulled a soft sweater over my silk