Page 42 of For Better or for Ransom

Or that you were sneaking around together all the time.

Sandro sighed. “Some people in the company knew. But not many. We were very discreet. Leo is zealous of protecting his private life and he’s tired of the press publishing stuff about him all the time. No offense,” the actor was looking at Sol now.

“None taken.” She gave him her most comforting smile.

“Who knew then?” Luke wasn’t going to let the subject drop.

“Is that important?” There was some hesitation in Sandro’s tone, as if he wasn’t used to being asked indiscreet questions. Getting to know the Spanish culture these past few months, Luke was sure the actor had been asked much worse. He still tried explaining why he wanted to know that.

“We have no bloody idea what’s important and isn’t.” Luke hoped he hadn’t sounded as puzzled as he was. The last thing he needed was for Sandro to be even more worried because the detectives in charge of bringing his boyfriend back couldn’t figure out the case.

“I’m not sure who knew. Actors are such gossips. Probably most of the cast. Pili even told me I should be careful.” Sandro rolled his eyes. “Getting involved with someone whose career was so much more paved than mine could mean that I’d always be in his shadow. I think she was trying to be nice. I still didn’t appreciate it.”

“So it was serious, between you and Leonardo?” The reason it was Luke, and not Divya, taking care of the questions was that they’d somehow reached the point in the interview in which someone had to ask uncomfortable things. And, even if he didn’t particularly enjoy doing it, it was agreed he had more of a knack for it than Divya.

“Gee, I don’t know.” Sandro was flushing and nervously clutching at the bracelet again. “I think so.”

“I know it looks like I’m prying into your relationship. I’m not,” Luke felt compelled to tell the actor. “But we need to understand what happened here, and for that, we need to get the big picture.”

“Okay.” Sandro moved nervously on his chair. “What else do you need to know?”

“Do you know where Leonardo could be?” Sandro’s appalled face told Luke he’d have to be a bit more specific. “I’m assuming you know him better than most people. Where would Leonardo go if he wanted to disappear?”

“Oh,” Understanding flickered on Sandro’s face. “A beach probably…preferably on some island. But Leo would not have chosen to disappear.”

“It was just a hypothetical.” Luke took some notes. “But why do you say that?”

Sandro blushed. “He would not disappear without me!”

The chap was madly in love. Luke just hoped he wouldn’t end up heartbroken—for all they knew Leonardo was indeed on some island with an even younger, new lover. “Could he have been seeing someone else?”

Sol’s eyes flicked to Luke like darts.

Color drained from Sandro’s face. “You mean he was cheating on me?”

Luke remained stern. “Yes.”

“No!” The word snapped out of Sandro, high and outraged.

How are you so sure? But Divya and Sol’s bulging eyes on him told Luke not to go there.

The detective switched gears to the next thing he needed to know. “When did Leonardo ask Jasper Fairbanks to move the location of The Single Dad Situation?”

Sandro’s brow bunched with doubt, he cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t think I understand…”

“The show Leonardo was doing next was supposed to be set in Atlanta. Leonardo demanded that the production be moved to London,” Luke explained.

“He did?” Sandro’s voice lifted, the surprise unmistakable. “Atlanta?”

Sol

“It’s a very common production destination because of Georgia’s tax breaks,” Sol took over from Luke. “Plus there’s a lot of production infrastructure. Big soundstages, lots of local crews.”

“Look. I knew Leo was doing a show after the play when we first met. I didn’t know what or where, at first.” Sandro shifted on his seat, avoiding everyone’s gaze. “I really wish it wasn’t so freaking early in the morning because I feel I need something stronger than coffee right now.” He laughed nervously. “When we started…”

“Seeing each other,” Sol supplied.

Sandro half smiled. “Seeing each other, we didn’t talk that much. And then at one point I guess things started getting more serious. We talked about the relationship. The future. He told me he was working in London next. It’s a short flight from Barcelona or Madrid, I work in both cities. The idea was to see each other every weekend. He never said anything about Atlanta!”