Donatti continued to study her face and body. “God, you are beautiful!”

“Thank you.”

“I’d love to draw you, Mrs. Decker. Or, at the very least, take your picture.”

“Neither is an option.”

“Must be hard being that good-looking. My son’s mother is a stunning girl.” He rested his elbows on his knees and stared into the park. “You must know Terry.”

“I don’t actually know her, but I’ve heard that she’s very beautiful.”

“She gets hit on all the time,” Donatti said. “She’s very serious— not unlike yourself—and all the male attention annoys her. Sometimes it even gets her into trouble. People make assumptions about her sexual habits just because she’s single and has a kid. Even her professors. Especially her professors. Especially the married professors.”

“She gets harassed?”

“All the time. It got so bad with one of them that I had to go over there and prove a point.”

“I’m sure your sudden appearance cooled his ardor.”

Donatti laughed. “Yeah. He calmed down pretty quickly after my visit. So what do you do when men get out of line? Do you sic the lieutenant on them?”

“No, Mr. Donatti, I’m a grown woman, and I choose to take care of my own problems. I have found in the past that involving the lieutenant makes matters worse.”

He sat back and stared at her. “Does your silence extend to this little tryst?”

She met his eyes. “It isn’t a tryst. On the off chance that you may actually help my husband out, perhaps it’s best if I don’t tell him. Because if I did tell him, he’d probably kill you.”

“If I didn’t get to him first.”

“If you had wanted to do that, you would have done it a long time ago.”

“Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

“Still, I have no intention of telling my husband about our little chat, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I’m not asking anything.”

“Okay. Then I’ll ask something of you. It would make my life easier if you didn’t tell him about it, either. Because if he hears about it from you, he’ll not only be irate with you, he’ll get mad at me for not telling him. Can you do me this favor?”

“I like doing favors.” Donatti smiled. “We’ll keep it our little secret.”

Turning everything into an act of intimacy. A prime-time manipulator. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Donatti stood up and leered at her. “Hey, why spoil what could be a beautiful relationship?”

“We have no relationship, Christopher.”

“Not you and me, Mrs. Decker. The lieutenant and me.” Donatti handed her his empty coffee cup. “There’s a recycle bin over there. Toss that for me, please?”

“Not a problem.”

Again he gave her a hard, wolfish stare. “Maybe we’ll chat again someday.”

Rina raised her eyes to censure his. “And maybe pigs will fly.”

Donatti broke into laughter. “Mind if I give Terry your phone number, Mrs. Decker? If she’s gonna play chess with the big boys, she may as well learn from an expert.”