Free Betrayal by Christina Dodd Page A

smile used to make her world go around.
    He said, “You know how my grandmother is—no matter where you go, she’ll always be your friend.”
    Oh, great. Now Penelope felt surly and guilty.
    “Nonna would love to see you again.”
    When Penelope left Bella Terra, she had been eighteen and Mrs. Di Luca had been ancient, at least seventy years old. Of course, she had been vital and busy, kind to the young woman who had managed to land a job as an intern to a thriving design business in Bella Terra.
    “While you’re here, I hope you’ll visit her.” Noah sounded winsome and appealing.
    It was a little late for him to appeal to her. “I can’t imagine she remembers me.”
    “Nonna remembers everyone, but she remembers you with particular affection. She liked you very much, and she never understood why I broke it off with you.”
    That makes two of us, buster. “My plans right now are rather… confusing, but I would love to see Mrs. Di Luca again.” Which was the truth—that summer, Penelope and Sarah had become fast friends, and when Penelope and her mother left town, Sarah sent a lovely note expressing her hope that Penelope would keep in touch.
    Penelope had not responded. She meant to, but she didn’t know what to say, how to revisit that pain and heartache, and in the end it was easier to walk away and never look back.
    Now Penelope wondered… had Mrs. Di Luca suspected the real reason Penelope and her mother were in town?
    No, probably not. As far as Penelope knew, no one had suspected the truth—including the youthful Penelope.
    She looked at herself in the mottled entryway mirror. She resembled her mother.…
    Behind her in the mirror, a figure moved out of the dark reaches of the corridor down by the kitchen.
    Alarmed, she swung around to face the stranger as he emerged from the shadows.
    Simultaneously, Rafe pulled a pistol from beneath his jacket.
    Smoothly, Brooke plucked a pistol from beneath her vest.
    And suddenly, Noah held an eight-inch-long knife in his grip.

Chapter 11
    P enelope stared in openmouthed shock at the weapons—and at the grim-faced people who wielded them so handily.
    Her heart sprang into a thundering beat. As fast as she could she backed up, slammed her spine against the wall, and… well… cowered.
    The shadowy figure flung his arms into the air and said, “It’s me—Bryan DuPey. Put the firearms away!” He moved slowly into the light, revealing himself to be a wiry man of medium height with thinning brown hair and bloodshot eyes—and he was wearing a police uniform.
    “Damn it, DuPey, what the hell are you doing sneaking in like that?” With a glance at Penelope, Noah slid his knife beneath his jacket.
    Brooke’s pistol disappeared into the holster hidden beneath her vest.
    Rafe continued to hold his gun, but he pointed it toward the floor.
    Apparently they knew this policeman.
    Cautiously, DuPey lowered his hands. “I parked in the alley and came through the backyard. I thought I’d come around the front; then I saw the back door was open a few inches and I—”
    Rafe interrupted. “It was open a few inches?” Turning to Brooke, he asked in an overly polite tone, “Honey, did you leave the back door open?”
    “No.” She couldn’t have sounded surer—or more steely. “We went back there, Penelope and I. We paced out the covered porch and talked about our plans for the backyard, and when we came back in, I distinctly remember shutting the door and setting the alarm. Didn’t I, Penelope?”
    Penelope nodded and whispered, “Yes, and we’ve been together ever since.”
    Rafe’s cool gaze swept Penelope, judged her, and he nodded. “All right. Let’s check things out. Noah, come with me. DuPey, check the house. Brooke, you stay here with Penelope.” He looked at his wife as if expecting her to argue.
    She nodded and unzipped her vest to reveal the holster strapped to her ribs.
    DuPey drew his pistol.
    Noah’s knife reappeared.
    The men headed toward