On A Night Like This (Callaways #1)

married. She set her bag on the counter and picked up the box she'd left out. "I promised the kids pizza."
    Disappointment and annoyance filled his eyes. "Adrianna, you told me three days ago you would call the police about those homeless kids."
    "I will – tomorrow."
    "You always say that. I understand that you had problems with the system when you were a kid, but it's there for a reason. Those children need more than leftover pizza."
    He was right, but she was still debating her options. About a week ago, she'd found three kids digging through the trash, and she'd given them a hot meal. Since then they'd come by the restaurant almost every night around closing time. She didn't know if they were homeless or neglected, but she knew they needed help. She also knew that they weren't going to let her help them if they didn't trust her.
    "I'll be back in a minute." She grabbed the pizza box and headed out the back door into the alley behind the restaurant. She was only a few feet away from the door when three kids emerged from the shadows.
    The oldest, a boy, seemed to be about twelve. Then there was a girl around ten, and a younger child, who appeared to be about eight. She'd tried to get their names, but only the boy had been willing to tell her that his name was Ben. He'd assured her that they had somewhere to stay; they just needed food. He'd begged her not to call the police, and his words had hit a nerve. She'd once been a child of the street and sometimes a back alley was safer than a foster home.
    But sometimes it wasn't .
    She needed to think like an adult now.
    "This can't go on," she told Ben, holding the pizza hostage until she got some answers. "You shouldn't be out alone this late. It's not safe or healthy. I want to help you, but you're going to have to tell me more about your situation."
    "We just need a little extra food."
    "Where are your parents?"
    "They're coming back tomorrow. We'll be fine then," he said.
    She didn't believe him. She glanced from him to the two girls. The older girl looked so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, but the younger one was alert, wariness in her bright blue eyes.
    "Can we have the pizza?" Ben asked.
    "Who's watching you until your parents come back?"
    "My mom's friend," he said.
    "And where does this friend think you are right now?"
    "She works til late. We'll be home before she gets there."
    "Why don't I take you home?" she suggested. "I'll just get my coat and bag."
    "It's not far from here. We'll be fine. You don't have to worry."
    "I want to help you, Ben."
    "The food is enough," he said.
    Before she could continue the argument, she heard a crash, followed by two loud pops.
    It took a second for the sounds to register in her brain.
    Gunshots !
    Her heart jumped into her throat. She'd grown up in neighborhoods where gunshots were not that uncommon, but this was North Beach, an upscale part of San Francisco. It didn't make sense.
    She looked down the alley and saw two dark, hooded figures running down the street. A sudden terror swept through her. Had the shots come from inside the restaurant?
    Oh, God!
    Will was alone in the kitchen .
    She ran through the back door, praying that the shots had come from somewhere else. The kitchen was empty.
    "Will," she screamed.
    No answer .
    Running into the dining room, her worst fear came true. Will lay on the floor near the bar, blood pooling around his head.
    "No!" she screamed, dropping to her knees.
    His open eyes stared back at her, but there was no longer any life in them.
    "You can't be dead," she said, shaking her head in denial. "You can't be. You have to wake up. This is just a bad dream. You're all right." She put her hands on his face. His skin was still warm. She needed to do something, CPR, call 9-1-1, but even as she pressed her hands against his chest, she knew it wasn't going to matter.
    Will was dead .
    Sirens split the air, and then cops were coming in the door, pulling her away from Will, asking her questions, setting up crime scene tape, and all she could do was stare at the man who had been her best friend, her lover, and if she'd never left the restaurant, maybe her fiancé.

Chapter One

    August …

    Seven weeks had passed since the robbery at Vincenzo's had left Will dead and destroyed her life. Adrianna had run through all the stages of grief -- shock, denial, pain, guilt, anger, bewilderment, and depression. Now she was supposed to be able to move on with her life, but so far she hadn't been