Yours for the Night Read online

  “It’s possible. Many collectors would have liked the pieces that were stolen, but doubtful in your case—how many private owners would want uncut, unset pink diamonds?”

  Tiffany wondered that, too. Was there any chance the robberies weren’t related? Everyone was only assuming they had been carried out by the same thieves.

  “Well, thank you so much, Armando. If I find out anything, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

  Armando smiled and took a step closer. “Perhaps you could let me know over dinner. Next weekend, perhaps?”

  Tiffany smiled, though she had no interest at all in seeing Armando again. Her mind was still on a particular bodyguard who made Armando, for all of his polish, look like he was playing dress-up.

  “I’m sorry, but I’m involved with someone at the moment,” she said, lying to let him down gently.

  “I should have known,” he said with regret and a smile, far too charming for his own good. She imagined he was a successful salesman, though.

  “Thank you, again,” she said, getting into her car. She drove off, mentally going over all that they had discussed when a connection she hadn’t seen earlier occurred to her.

  Armando had mentioned that his grandfather was thinking about selling the business, sales being down in general. Armando was urging him not to do so because it was his dream to run the store. As in the case of Jarvis’s, the robbery had potentially cost them far more than the insurance might cover.

  How could someone know about the financial status of each business? The robberies put both stores in financial jeopardy—but why would someone want that? Or was that even a factor?

  Tiffany hit the gas a touch harder, eager to arrive at the next store to see if her theory held. Seconds later, she noticed a car behind her. She remembered seeing it from the restaurant window, and had not thought twice. But the SUV had pulled away from its spot on the curb almost as soon as she had.

  She shook off the paranoia as she pulled into a gas station. There was no way the SUV was following her. Was it?

  As a P.I., she needed to follow her instincts, and years of living in a large city had taught her not to ignore hers when she felt there was something dangerous nearby.

  The car still hung by the corner as she put gas in the car and tried not to look.

  Tense, and reluctant to get on the road again until she knew that she wasn’t in trouble, Tiffany decided to take the bull by the horns. In the small convenience store, she paid for her gasoline and bought a sample-sized can of hair spray. Putting it in her pocket, she asked where the restroom was, and made her way to the back, but slipped by the ladies’ room and found the rear exit instead.

  She’d circle around the back of the few businesses between here and the corner to approach the SUV from behind. Then she could at least find out if anyone was in it, or she could grab the license plate and note any distinguishing marks, just in case.

  Making her way carefully to the spot, she realized the car was empty, which relieved her paranoia and made her feel a little foolish. Still, she took down the plate number and noticed it was a rental, with a San Francisco parking tag on the dash.

  So whoever it was had come here from the city, just as she had. Typing it all into a message app on her phone, she took a deep breath and thought to return to the gas station.

  Emerging from the restroom area, she headed toward the door just as she saw the shape of someone by her car. Tiffany froze. A man. He’d been standing, but then ducked down as if looking under her car, but she’d only caught sight of his shoulder and the side of his head before the column of the gas pump obscured her view.

  Her heart slammed in her chest as she walked toward the door, spying the clerk, the camera very clearly placed at the entrance, and the other customers getting gas—surely no one would try to hurt her or even steal her car here in broad daylight?

  Rounding the pump, she jumped out of her skin as she nearly ran directly into whoever it was that was skulking by her car. His solid mass was like hitting a wall as strong fingers closed around her upper arms to steady her.

  Looking up, she couldn’t have been more surprised.

  Garrett.

  * * *

  “WHAT ARE YOU doing here? Did you follow me? What’s going on?” Tiffany asked the questions in rapid succession, shaking like a leaf under his hands where he still held her.

  He’d frightened her. Garrett hadn’t quite believed his eyes when he saw her emerge from the jewelry store. Just as he parked his rental, he’d watched her go into the café with some pretty guy who smiled way too much. Then, when he’d gone into the store himself and spoken to the clerk, he found out that guy was the manager.

  What was Tiffany up to? He had some questions of his own, but for now, he wanted to calm her down. They were drawing attention.

  “I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Are you some kind of weird stalker now, following me around because we spent a few nights together? How long were you watching me?”

  Her voice rose, drawing the attention of a few people nearby, two guys in particular who stopped and watched them closely.

  “I am not stalking you. It was simple coincidence. I was going to the jewelry store and saw you walk out with the manager. I was curious and concerned, so I waited and followed you back here. I guess my tailing skills are a little rusty,” he said with a grin, hoping to lighten the tension between them. “What were you doing down here?”

  “It’s none of your business what I do, and you have no right to follow me anywhere. You scared the life out of me,” she said, taking a step back, her arms still wrapped protectively around her middle.

  Garrett hated that he had scared her so much; it wasn’t his intention at all. Why did he always seem to make the wrong move with this woman?

  “I said I’m sorry. I really had no intention to follow you, or to scare you. But I am curious why you were at that store.”

  She started to open her mouth, and then closed it again, pinning him with an intent look. “Really? Maybe Armando is a friend. Maybe we’re lovers. What business is it of yours? A better question is why were you there?”

  Garrett knew from watching her with Armando that they were not lovers—not that the younger man wouldn’t be open to it. But she had a fair point, that it was more unusual for him to be there than her.

  “I thought I would track down a few leads on the robberies, see what I could find out. I went in, talked to the clerk for a few minutes while you were in the café, and she didn’t know much, so I came back out.”

  “And waited to follow me. Why are you investigating my case? Aren’t you supposed to be gone on your vacation?”

  Garrett blinked at her aggressiveness. “Your case? What am I missing here?”

  Before she could answer, someone else spoke.

  “Is there a problem here? Is this guy bugging you?” a voice interrupted, and they turned to find one of the men who had been watching them, eyeing Garrett closely.

  “No problem,” Garrett said. Tiffany said nothing, but just glared.

  “It looks like the lady doesn’t agree,” the guy said, waving his friend forward to join them. “Maybe you should be on your way.”

  Garrett sized the guy up. He wasn’t small, but there was no way he was leaving Tiffany alone here. A second man joined them, and Garrett tried appealing to them on a different level.

  “We’re just friends having a disagreement. I don’t intend her any harm.”

  “Then you won’t mind leaving,” the second guy said.

  “Actually, I do mind leaving,” Garrett said, giving the guy a look that reinforced the fact, pulling up to his full height.

  Sensing that things were heating up, Tiffany stepped in.

  “I’m sure he doesn’t mean me any harm, guys, I was just angry—”

  “Maybe you should let us handle this,” the second guy said, sliding an appreciative look over Tiffany. “And you can
thank us later.”

  “I think you should leave us alone, or I’ll call the police and let them handle it,” Tiffany said, pulling her phone from her pocket.

  The first guy who’d approached them put his hands up, backing off. “Hey, we were just trying to help.”

  “Thanks, but I can handle him myself,” she said, giving both men a look that carried more steel than Garrett would have given her credit for. The men backed away, the second one throwing out a curse at them as the men disappeared down the street.

  “You handled that well. Kept your cool,” Garrett said approvingly.

  The look she threw him wasn’t a friendly one. “Gee, thanks for admitting that I might be able to take care of myself, but I don’t need you sticking your nose in, like you did with Marcus.”

  Garrett paused. He wasn’t sure how she would react to his reading through her notes, but he hadn’t been able to sleep and decided to go see what he could see. As it turned out, he’d had lucky timing, and saw Hooper going into the hotel with his date. It hadn’t taken long to grab some shots through a partially closed curtain and leave. In truth, he hadn’t liked the idea of Tiffany hanging out in that neighborhood, and it made him feel better to finish the job for her.

  Now, staring into her stormy green eyes, he realized the error.

  “Tiff, I wasn’t trying to—”

  “What? Act like I couldn’t handle it? That I can’t do this job? That it’s too tough for a girl like me?”

  “Not exactly that, no. I was just hoping to do you a favor, as Mrs. Hooper sounded angry, and, well, yes, I will admit I didn’t think it was safe for you to be hanging out in that parking lot night after night.”

  “Private investigators have to be in dangerous situations sometimes, Garrett. Like I need to tell you that? I was fine. I can handle myself.”

  Garrett didn’t want to burst her bubble, but he just wasn’t sure.

  “Did you deliver the pictures?”

  “Yes. She was very pleased.”

  “Did she pay you?”

  “She offered. I declined. I didn’t finish the job, not that I told her that. She promised to refer me to friends, if she had the chance.”

  Garrett shook his head. “Let me tell you something, Tiff—”

  “No, let me tell you something. You had no right to go sniffing around in my things. You had no right to do any of this just because we slept together.”

  Garrett noticed more curious interest from people getting gas, and smiled to one guy, waving him off.

  “You’re right. I was wrong. I’m sorry,” he said, trying to calm her down. “But what about this? Why are you investigating these robberies on your own?”

  “Because it’s what I want to do, and because I had to tell my parents what happened on the phone this morning and hear the worry in their voices. I can solve this case, or at least I can try.” She sighed, whispering, “I have to do something.”

  “This is a lot different than getting pictures of cheating husbands, Tiffany—and that’s dangerous enough—cheating husbands can get pretty angry. But these thieves are professionals. That’s a whole new ballgame.”

  She clenched her jaw, and made him want to kiss her until she relaxed it. “I’m talking to people, Garrett. That’s all. Nothing dangerous about that.”

  He supposed she was right. Maybe. His protective instincts, and his worry about her getting in over her head, warred with the realization that she was an adult who could make her own decisions. But maybe there was another way to come at it.

  “Did you find out anything interesting?” he asked.

  Her expression told him that she wasn’t in a sharing mood.

  “Why don’t you let me buy you lunch?” he offered.

  “I already had lunch—as you know—since you were watching us.”

  He rocked back on his heels. “Right. You and Mario Lanza.”

  “I thought he was more like a young Clark Gable,” she retorted with a slight smile. She knew that he was just a bit jealous, he realized. And he was. He’d hated sitting there, watching from the car during their lunch. Business was the last thing on that guy’s mind, and it bothered Garrett, though he certainly had no claim on Tiffany.

  She sighed, shaking her head. “Garrett, go enjoy your vacation, okay? This isn’t your problem.”

  “Are you visiting more stores today?”

  “You’re like a dog with a bone, I swear. And I don’t like being the bone,” she said testily.

  “Just let me tag along and make sure that you’re okay. I won’t interfere, but just in case something happens, I’ll be there.”

  “Garrett—”

  “Listen, Tiffany, I’ve seen a lot of seemingly harmless situations go bad. I’ve seen people get hurt and worse. Believe me, the worst mistake you can make is thinking you have everything under control.”

  “I’m sure—”

  “What if these robberies are an inside job? What if one employee at one establishment is involved, and you are poking around, asking questions? You could hit a nerve. It’s hard to predict what people will do in that situation. Let me be your bodyguard for the day. I’m good at this. I can stay out of the way, but make sure you’re safe. And if you find anything, we’ll take it to the police, and then I’ll go my merry way, okay?”

  She bit her lip in the fashion that always drew his attention to her lips, and Garrett experienced a split second of doubting his own motives. He was being honest—he did worry that something could go wrong—it happened all the time. If something happened to her, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself. But in all honesty, he also still wanted Tiffany. Still wanted to be around her.

  “Okay, fine,” she said, though clearly unhappy. “I guess it can’t hurt.”

  He smiled. “Thanks. Where to next?”

  She gave him the list of stores she was planning to visit, and he typed them into his smartphone. He’d map the routes into his GPS in case he lost her.

  She smiled slightly, the tension seeming to ease between them. “Thanks for having my back, Garrett. And thank you, I suppose, for Marcus, as well. It ticked me off at first, but I learned a lot from what you did there. In fact, it inspired me to take this case on,” she said.

  Not exactly what he had intended, but at least she was less angry with him.

  “But you know, next time, don’t go behind my back to do it,” she continued. “Not that there would be a next time, but you know what I mean,” she added.

  She was so pretty; he couldn’t stop looking at her. It was all he could do not to kiss her. Damn. But she appeared to be waiting for a response, and he cleared his throat, shaking himself out of his thoughts.

  “You’re right. Let me buy you dinner after you’re done, and make it up to you? And we can talk about the—your—case?”

  She laughed lightly, her head tilting back like it sometimes did when he was inside her, when she was letting go, falling apart for him.

  “Dinner would be nice. And maybe I can show you some of the city after dark,” she said, peeking up at him through her lashes.

  “I’d like that,” he said. He liked the sound of that a lot.

  “But first we have work to do,” she said, all business again as she walked around to the other side of her car.

  We have work to do, she’d said. He liked the sound of that, too.

  6

  “THIS IS EXACTLY like I imagined it,” Garrett said, taking in the quiet streets of Russian Hill as he walked arm-

  in-arm with Tiffany toward the Spanish tapas restaurant she said was her absolute favorite.

  Trolleys rolled by, stuffed to the brim with tourists and locals out enjoying the nightlife. While walking the hills was a workout, Garrett was glad to stroll along the pretty, blue-grey lit streets with Tiffany rather than being in the middle of the crush.

  This neighborhood, which was residential with a spattering of boutiques, small businesses and restaurants, was completely different from the crazy urban vibe of downt
own. The architecture was classic, clean and charming, the soft colors on the building fronts accented by almost golden street lighting.

  Garrett felt like he had just walked onto the set of Monk. It was blissfully quiet compared to Union Square; a few people walked with their grocery bags or their dogs, and a few other couples passed by, wrapped up in each other. Laughing groups of diners emerged from small restaurant entryways.

  “It is one of the nicest sections, certainly. And very expensive to live here. Lombard Street isn’t far away. We can walk down there after dinner and do the tourist thing,” Tiffany said, sounding happy and satisfied, and much more relaxed than she had been earlier in the day.

  “Here we are,” Tiffany announced as they arrived at the top of the hill, stopping at a corner restaurant that specialized in tapas, or “small plates.” Garrett hadn’t been to a place that specialized in the appetizer-like entrées for quite some time. The dining area was small, and sitting at one table was actually more like sitting with six other people, as they were all so close together. But it wasn’t crowded so much as companionable.

  A large, boisterous man who appeared to be the owner greeted Tiffany and then Garrett, and obviously knew her well, asking how her parents were doing.

  “They’re good, Gio. They’re off on a buying trip right now,” Tiffany said, not mentioning the robbery.

  “You have this table by the window, so that passersby can see how beautiful you are tonight,” the older man said, winking at Tiffany.

  “Thank you. You’re such a charmer,” Tiffany said, her cheeks pink from the compliment.

  “I’ll pick you a nice wine that you will like. Perfect with tonight’s specials,” Gio announced happily, and then went to greet more people at the door.

  “He’s been a friend of my father’s for decades. They both started up their businesses around the same time,” she explained to Garrett. “The whole family is like that. And they’re all amazing cooks, too.”

  “We have some family friends back in Philly who own an Italian place down in the old neighborhood and it beats anything the food magazines recommend, but not too many people know about it,” Garrett responded.