Seams of Destruction (6 page)

“I have this dream every once in a while. I’m back in Afghanistan and Chase goes into the building, which explodes and kills him.” He was silent as though remembering, and then added, “We never did find his body.”

Jade turned on her side and put her arm over his broad chest. His body was damp from sweat. She reached up and smoothed his hair back from his forehead, finding no words of comfort.

He closed his eyes and lay quietly beside her. Making no move to get up, Jade placed her hand over his heart and before long she felt the somehow hypnotic even rise and fall of his chest and she soon fell asleep.

Mitch was surprised when he awoke the next morning to feel Jade cuddled up to his back with her arm thrown over his waist. For a minute he thought he was dreaming. Then the events of the night came back to him. He had had that nightmare again and she had come to wake him up. Thinking it was the enemy attacking him, he had grabbed her and pulled her down on top of him.

When he was fully awake she had asked him about the dream and she had obviously stayed with him the rest of the night. He laid his hand on hers where it lay on his stomach. His touch awoke her and she stared sleepily at him. It appeared to take a few moments for her to orient herself. Her face flushed and she removed her arm and sat up.

“The best night of sleep I’ve had in months.” He smiled at her. “Maybe you could start sleeping with me every night.”

“Only when you have nightmares,” she said, and stood up on her side of the bed.

“I haven’t had one of those in quite some time. It must have been the fireworks that set it off.”

“Is it time to go for our run?” she asked.

He glanced at his watch and nodded.

“Let me get into my sweats,” she said.

“Thanks, Jade,” he said as she left the room.

She didn’t ask him what for.

They left their hotel suite and headed for the street. After doing some warm up exercises, they started a slow jog on the brick walk leading away from the hotel. When they were satisfied they had put in enough time running, they stopped at a café for coffee and a pastry for Mitch and a tall glass of orange juice for Jade.

They went back to the hotel and showered and packed their bags for the two days in Venice. Taking the underground to the train station, they bought their tickets out of a nearby vending machine. A few minutes later the train for Venice pulled into the station.

They boarded the train and found a couple of seats where they could sit side-by-side. Mitch had brought his laptop along and he sat it up and turned it on. He was anxious to see if he had any e-mail from his brother.

He was happy to hear the familiar words, “You’ve got mail.” He saw he did have one from Matt. He laughed as he read and Jade gave him a questioning look.

“An e-mail from my brother,” he said.

“Oh, read it to me.”

Mitch glanced to the end of the e-mail, making sure Matt hadn’t said anything about Jade. He didn’t want her knowing he had written his brother about her. Matt hadn’t mentioned her, so Mitch began at the beginning.

“What a great e-mail,” Jade said, as he finished. “You and your brother are very close, aren’t you?”

He nodded as he shut his laptop down. “Since there is only two years between us, we’ve always been very close.”

“You’re lucky. I miss my sister. She was three years older than me, but we were good friends after I got into high school. We did a lot of things together. I was devastated when she was killed.”

“What happened?”

“A drunk driver. Of course, he wasn’t even hurt. He was charged with vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to a few years in prison. But we heard he got out in two for good behavior.”

Knowing nothing he said would help, he watched the passing scenery in silence. He had lost his father and Chase; she had lost her sister.

No wonder she was so empathetic. She obviously knew what he was feeling.

Jade got a book out of her bag to read, and Mitch continued to watch the sights that flew by. He enjoyed seeing the countryside with its farmhouses and barns. The architecture was European, different from what he saw in the states.

He thought about the previous night when Jade had woken him from his nightmare. He could still feel her warm body pressed against his back. He had wanted to spend the rest of the day in bed with her, but he knew that wasn’t a possibility.

Did the fact that she had slept with her arms around him all night mean anything, or was she only being kind?

Chapter 6

In his wildest imaginings, Mitch could never have dreamed he would be walking the streets of Venice with a beautiful fashion model.

Jade’s eyes were shining with excitement as she grabbed his hand and pulled him through the crowds of people. The first thing she did was stop for a gelato. Mitch was not averse to having one and he willingly went into the store with her.

“What’s first on our list of things to see?” Mitch asked as they came out of the store, his gelato in a cup with a tiny spoon and Jade’s in a cone.

“I think we’ll walk for a while, so you get the feel of Venice with all its shops and its canals. Tonight we’ll go to the Piazza San Marco. There we can see St. Mark’s Basilica, Doges Palace and Torre
dell’Orologio. Evening time is the best time to see the Basilica.”

“I can guess what St. Mark’s and Doges Palace are by their names. But what is Torre dell’Orologio?”

“It’s a clock tower, which was built in the late 1400s. Since it will be too far to walk from here we’ll take a
vaporetto
down the Grand Canal. After we reach the piazza, we can have dinner before we go to the Basilica. We won’t be able to go inside Doges Palace because you need tickets two days in advance to take the tour.”

“Do you know some place we could eat lunch? I’m getting hungry,” Mitch complained.

Jade laughed and hugged his arm.

“Why am I not surprised?”

“I know of a restaurant where they say they serve the best meatballs in Venice.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go there.

“Are you up for a walk or are you too weak from lack of food?” she teased.

“I think I can handle it, but we might have to stop for another gelato.”

“You’ll spoil your appetite.”

He smiled down at her. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

They walked along the street with its numerous shops on one side and a canal on the other. Mitch held Jade’s hand so as not to lose her in the crowds of people that thronged the streets. He picked out several different dialects as they passed various groups of tourists.

They arrived at Ca’D’Oro and went inside where Jade led the way to a bar where people stood eating
polpette
, as the Italians called the meatballs.

Jade placed their order, and Mitch paid for it. Rather than sitting at a table, they stood at the bar with the locals. After taking the first bite, Mitch had to agree, they were the best meatballs he had ever eaten. Jade ate only one meatball. Mitch wasn’t shy about eating the rest, although he offered her more.

“When we leave here,” she said, “I’m going to treat you to the best gelato you’ve ever had.”

“You’ll have to go some in order to top the ones I’ve already had,” he told her.

They walked over to Boutique del Gelato for the gelato Jade had promised him. There was a long line waiting to be served, but Jade assured Mitch it was worth the wait.

“What’s next on your tour?” He couldn’t help but notice, even in the crowd, Jade attracted a lot of attention with her height and beauty.

“I’m going to take you to the Campanile
.”

“What is that? Another restaurant?”

“I can’t believe you. All you think about is eating.”

“Can you blame me? The food here in Italy is delicious. You have to admit we have nothing like it at home.”

“When we get back to Milan, I’ll take you to McDonalds.”

“McDonalds? I hate fast food.”

“But McDonalds in Italy is different from any fast food you’ve ever eaten.”

Mitch found that hard to believe, but he decided to take Jade’s word for it.

“Campanile
is the city’s tallest building. It is 325 feet high. We can take an elevator to the top. The view is wonderful because you can see all of Venice’s one hundred and sixty square miles.”

It was finally their turn to be served and as they walked down the street with their gelatos, Mitch had to admit his was the best he had tasted so far.

“Since we only have today and tomorrow, we will have to plan our time so we can do everything on our list,” Jade told him.

“What else is on our list?”

“We’ll get a taste of the Grand Canal when we take a vaporetto
to the Piazza San Marco
this evening
.
Tomorrow we’ll take a gondola ride and go shopping. There are some wonderful shops here. If your brother is going to get married, we could shop for a gift for him and Amanda. That was her name, wasn’t it?”

Mitch assured her that it was. “What a great idea. I’ve heard Venice is famous for its glassware. Maybe we could find a nice piece. I don’t know about Amanda but I’m sure Matt would like having a souvenir from Italy.”

Mitch was impressed with the view they saw from the Campanile
.
After they walked back out on the street, they saw a shop nearby serving gelato’s so at Jade’s suggestion, they stopped in for another one.

“If you don’t quit eating gelatos,” Mitch said. “You’re not going to fit into the dresses for the next fashion show.”

“They’re not fattening.”

He gave her a stern look and she giggled.

She hugged his arm. “I love being with you. It helps me forget I’m a suspect in a murder and I might be facing a term in prison if they don’t find the real killer.”

Against his better judgement, Mitch put his arm around her and pulled her close. “They’re going to find the person who did it.”

Jade knew she had told Mitch the truth when she said she enjoyed being with him. He made her feel safe and she almost believed him when he said they would find the person who had killed Reannan.

Shaking off the depressing thought of the events which had happened a few days before they left Los Angeles, she concentrated on the stores they passed.

“Oh, let’s go into this shop,” she exclaimed. “I want to get one of those carnival masks.”

Mitch turned to see what she was pointing at. A model of a man and woman dressed in costume as though ready to attend a ball stood in the window surrounded by a variety of masks. The costumes were both made of off-white material with wide gold trim. They were topped by hats of the same color along with matching masks. He followed Jade into the store, where she sorted through a counter of masks until she found one she wanted.

Walking out of the store, Jade was glad when Mitch put his arm around her waist again. Switching her bag to the other hand, she put an arm around his waist. Her heart did a little stutter as he smiled down at her.

Was it just being in Venice, or was there a special feeling developing between them? She hoped he would feel the same way about her when they returned to Los Angeles. But then she remembered she was a suspect in Reannan’s murder and the warm feeling immediately evaporated.

Whatever was going on between the two of them, she decided she would enjoy it while she could. He wouldn’t want her if she ended up in prison. She had to smile at the black humor of a cop visiting his girlfriend in jail. In fact, a cop who had helped put her there.

“I know you’re wondering about dinner,” Jade said, trying to keep a straight face.

“You’re a mind reader.”

“I know a nice place along the canal where we’ll have dinner after we see the Basilica
.
”

For Mitch, his first view of the Basilica would be an unforgettable experience. The mosaics on the front of the building glowed in the light from the setting sun. He complimented Jade on getting them there just at the right time.

When they went inside she told him it would take a lifetime to see all the treasures that were entombed within its walls. Mitch felt dazed by all the beauty he saw. It was hard for him to leave the gold altar piece, decorated with amethysts, emeralds, pearls, rubies, sapphires, and topaz. He had never seen anything like it and he had a feeling he never would again.

They left the Basilica
and walked toward the canal and turned along beside the water until they came to a restaurant with tables covered in white table cloths sitting along the edge of the canal. A glass jar with a brightly burning candle sat in the center of each table.

Jade led Mitch to a table. Mitch pulled out a chair for her and then seated himself across from her where he could watch the action on the water. A gondola floated past and he could hear the gondolier singing a song in Italian.

Jade’s green eyes sparkled in the candlelight as she smiled at him. She leaned across the table and rested her hand on one of his.

“I’m so glad it was you the Chief of Police chose to come with me,” she said.

He turned his hand over and clasped her hand in his. Mitch had never felt more romantic in his life but when he would have said something, the waiter stopped by their table with menus.

After their choices had been made, they turned their attention to the canal where a vaporetto was making its way up the water way with a group of chattering, laughing people.

“Are you having a good time?” Jade asked.

“The best ever,” he said.

“Me, too. Having you with me helps me forget all the bad stuff that happened in L A.”

“I’m glad,” Mitch said, reaching across the table to take her hand in his once again.

She stretched her other hand across the white table cloth and knowing what she wanted, he took it in his hand and they sat holding hands until their dinner was served.

Mitch put his arm around Jade as they walked back to the hotel. When they came to a dark, narrow alley, he stepped into it, taking her with him. He put both arms around her and pulled her tight against him.

“I think I’m falling in love with you,” he whispered as he lowered his face to hers. “You’re such a kind, caring person.”

Jade held her breath, knowing what was going to happen next. Her heart pounded so loudly, she was sure Mitch must hear it. Raising her arms, she put them around his neck and pulled his face closer until his lips were touching hers.

He kissed her slowly until the sounds of Venice disappeared. He buried one hand in her hair and pulled her head back and his lips moved down the smooth texture of her throat. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard as though they had just come back from a run.

They stared at each other for a long moment until their breathing slowed and then, by unspoken consent, they continued their walk to the hotel.

“There’s a game room here,” Jade said as they entered the building. “Let’s go check it out.”

The first thing they saw was a game of table tennis going on between two young boys.

“Game’s mine,” one of the boys said as they both laid their paddles on the table, the white ping pong ball caught between them.

“Let’s play a game,” Jade said. “I love table tennis.”

Mitch agreed and after a few practice shots, he said, “Let’s volley for serve.”

He won and he began to serve. He had a spin on his serve that made it hard for Jade to return it. But after a few times, she was able to hit the ball with a back hand that landed it on his side of the table.

They found they were evenly matched and played three games. Mitch won two of them and Jade won one. They were laughing as they finally laid the paddles down to call it a night and Mitch came around the table to give Jade a hug.

“Are we going to run in the morning?” Mitch asked.

“Of course. Let’s ask for a wakeup call so we can get an early start to the day. We’ll have to catch an evening train to Milan so I can make my photo shoot the next morning.”

Their room was a single room with two queen-size beds. Not as convenient as their suite in Milan but since Mitch was paying, it was more economical. They took turns undressing in the bathroom. After all the walking they had done that day, they were both tired. Neither one of them had mentioned the kiss in the alley. It was as though it hadn’t happened.

Jade lay awake listening to Mitch’s even breathing. She could still feel his lips on hers. She had to admit he had aroused feelings in her much stronger than any she had felt with David.

Was it being in Italy? Would it be the same when they returned to LA?

She finally fell asleep and morning came all too soon. She groaned as the phone rang for their wakeup call.

“Let’s skip our run and stay in bed a little longer,” she said.

Mitch wasn’t in his bed. She wondered where he was until she heard the bathroom door open and he came out in his running clothes.

“Come on, sleepyhead,” he said. “Get a move on you. Remember it’s a day of shopping and a gondola ride.”

She groaned again and sat up, swinging her feet over the side of the bed. She felt like she was staggering as she headed for the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and felt a little better. She found her running shorts and top where she had laid them the previous night and slipped into them.

Once they were out on the street and doing their stretches, she began to feel better.

“Let’s do it,” Mitch said and they started off in a slow jog.

The street past their hotel was deserted and as they ran, they picked up speed. When they had run for thirty minutes, they found a shop where Mitch could have his morning coffee and Jade her juice.

“There’s a couple of stores I want to go to today,” she said as she sipped her juice. “Vittorio Costantini sells beautiful glass and we can probably find a wedding gift for Matt and Amanda.”

“What’s the other store?”

“Actually I’ve just thought of two. Gualti and Otto Fabricatore. They both have elegant Italian styles including dresses, handbags, sunglasses, and jewelry.”

“Let’s get back to the hotel and shower and then we can go shopping.”