Midnight Betrayal (Midnight #3)(38)

Conor stood and shook his hand. “Did you know Riki LaSanta?”

“Not well,” Xavier said. “She was in one of my classes last year, before she changed her graduate major from European history to Egyptian.”

“Thank you.” Louisa touched Xavier’s wrist.

“Be careful, Louisa.” Xavier covered her hand with his for a brief moment, just long enough to irritate Conor. “I’ll see you Saturday night at the fund-raiser.”

Conor bristled as Xavier left the café. Did Louisa have a date with the professor?

Louisa sipped her tea. “I wonder how Zoe felt when the date she’d been anticipating went horribly wrong.”

Conor thought back to Monday night. “She was upset, even more so when she couldn’t get her roommate on the phone.”

“I wonder if Isa really didn’t get the messages or if she ignored Zoe’s calls,” Louisa mused. “There’s a lot of competition between graduate students.” She checked her phone. “She hasn’t called me back.”

“Do you think Isa could feel Zoe breathing down her neck, academically speaking?”

“It’s a possibility. I know Zoe was a close second for the Pendleworth grant.”

“Did you know Riki was a European history major until this year?”

“No. I wonder if the police know.” Slipping one foot out of its high heel, she absently rubbed her toes before stuffing her foot back in with a grimace.

Conor nodded toward her feet. “Why do you wear those if they hurt?”

Looking up at him, she cocked her head. “What else would I wear?”

“Something that doesn’t hurt?” Conor suggested with a grin and a glance at the beaten running shoes on his feet.

“Oh, I’m sure those would go over well with my boss.” Louisa chuckled. Her phone buzzed on the table. “I’m sorry. I have to get this.”

“No problem. Go ahead. I’ll pay the check and meet you outside.”

Her face tightened as she walked toward the door and answered the call. “Hello, Aunt Margaret.”

He joined her on the sidewalk as she pressed END and stared at her phone.

“Everything all right?”

She exhaled, forcing a smile to her compressed lips. “Yes. My aunt will be in town for a charity event. She wants to have dinner with me on Friday.” Louisa rubbed the spot between her eyebrows.

“Is that bad?”

“I don’t know. I don’t talk to her very often.” Louisa’s hand drifted to her pearls. There was more to that story. “The situation is complicated. My father passed me off to his sister because he didn’t know what to do with a daughter he barely knew. Unfortunately, Aunt Margaret wasn’t suited to the role. Not that I was easy. Frankly, I resented her intrusion. I wanted my father.”

He took her elbow and steered her toward her building. “None of that was your fault. You were a kid. Jayne and Danny had plenty of resentment.”

Hope lit her eyes. “Would you like to join us? Aunt Margaret is staying at the Ritz Carlton, and we’re dining at the Capital Grille. I’m sure I can extend the reservation to three.”

Let’s see, would he like to have a long, awkward, and fancy dinner with two women in a strained relationship? Not really. Besides, he’d promised Pat he’d cover the bar. “Tomorrow Pat has some open house thing at the kids’ school on Friday. Jaynie’s pregnant and tired. I hate to see her up late.”

“Jayne is pregnant?” Louisa’s mouth turned in a wistful smile. “I couldn’t tell.”

“It’s early.” He glanced sideways. “Tell me about this fund-raiser on Saturday night.”

“It’s a silent auction. There’ll be drinks and hors d’oeuvres. It’s part of my job to help loosen wallets. Damian is coming, most of the museum staff, plus some of the university’s history professors who work with the museum.”

“Sounds interesting,” Conor lied. He’d taken plenty of side jobs tending bar at charity events. The long line at the bar was all about numbing the boredom. But he wished he could be there to get a feel for the people involved in the case, and he’d also like to keep an eye on Damian and Xavier. Jealous much?

“Then it sounds more interesting than it will be.” Louisa’s tone turned wry. “Now that I think about it, the attendees will include several people who knew both Zoe and Riki. I’ll be sure to keep my ears open. I’m sure the case will be one of the major topics of conversation.”

Conor didn’t like the idea of Louisa spending the evening in a roomful of potential suspects. But what could he do? He could hardly charm his way into an invitation. He stopped in front of the Rittenhouse. “I should probably go.”

“Thank you for your help today.” Louisa stood. In her heels, she was only a few inches shorter than him, a very kissable distance. But not here. Too public. He followed her into the lobby and tugged her away from the door. He leaned forward and put his lips to hers. This time she responded with no hesitation, her lips yielding slightly, then pressing back at his. Pleasure at the progress flourished in his chest, which was ludicrous considering the chaste nature of the kiss.

Conor’s hand twitched at his side. He wanted to hold her, to pull her against his body. Visions of soft skin under silk drained the blood from his head and sent it shooting south. Slowly, he raised a hand and cupped her jaw, gently stroking her chin with his thumb.