Finally, there was a message from Howie. He and Annie planned to swing by tomorrow afternoon with a present for Zack. Who the hell was Annie? Then Jack remembered. It was the woman his buddy had saved from muggers in an alleyway – and been stabbed in the ass for his troubles. He was glad to see the big guy’s heroics were being repaid in TLC.
Jack stopped at a sports shop on one of the main shopping drags through the terminal and found the very specific present he wanted for Zack. He picked up perfume for Nancy – Dior’s Forever And Ever – followed by a magnum of champagne and a heavy slab of Belgian chocolate for her mother and father. Thank God for airport shopping.
As he filed through Customs he remembered that this was the airport he’d so famously collapsed in, burned out from overwork and the stress of hunting the Black River Killer. That was all a thing of the past now. Another lifetime ago. He’d bounced back and built a new career for himself. Had a wonderful new home in a new country. And to top it all, it was Christmas.
Zack flew at him as he came through the doors into Arrivals. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!’
Within a second he was holding his son. Kissing the soft sweet skin of his face. ‘How you doing, buddy? I swear you’ve grown up even more while I’ve been away.’
Zack clung to his neck, arms wrapped around his father like he was never going to let go.
‘Man, you’re getting heavy.’
And then – there was Nancy.
Even more beautiful than he’d remembered.
‘Hello, sweetheart. Boy, have I missed you.’
‘Me too, honey.’ She squeezed herself into the family embrace – what Zack called ‘a three hug’.
She smelled amazing. Fresh. Special. Exciting. Smelled like the love of his life.
For a minute they just stood there and held each other. A homecoming scene being repeated all around them. Finally they broke for air, laughed and walked to the car.
‘It’s nearly Christmas, Daddy. Santa’s on his way, Gramps said so. Do you think he’ll remember my glove and bat, Daddy? Do you?’
Jack covertly passed the plastic sports bag to Nancy and lifted his son on to his shoulders. ‘Have you been good? If you’ve been good, then I think it’s a dead cert that he’ll have remembered.’
Zack kissed the top of his father’s head and sat up tall on his shoulders.
Innocent days.
Precious days.
Jack was determined to make the most of them.
Permissions Credits
Lyrics from That’s Amore by Warren and Brooks
That’s Amore
Written by Warren & Brooks
Copyright © Four Jays Music Publishing Co., 1953
Peermusic (UK) Ltd
Used by permission
That’s Amore
Lyrics by Jack Brooks
Copyright © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Four Jays Music, 1953
All rights administered on behalf of Sony/ATV Music Publishing
All rights reserved. Used by permission
Lyrics from Per Amore by Mariella Nava
Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologizes for any errors or omissions and would be grateful to be notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future editions of this book.
Table of Contents
Cover
About the Author
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
La Baia di Napoli (Bay of Naples)
Prologue
La Baia di Napoli
Viper
ONE Five years later
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
TWO Three days later
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
THREE
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
FOUR
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
FIVE
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
SIX December 22nd
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
Epilogue
December 23rd JFK airport, New York City
Permissions Credits