“Really? Oh, thank you, thank you, a thousand times, thank you,” Emma cried. Cheddar forgot all about Rolex and jumped onto his mother’s lap to lick her face. “See how happy you’ve made my little sweetie?”
Yes. Well. Maybe Emma was innocent, after all. Surely a dog wouldn’t love an evil murderess this intently. “Tell me everything that happened last night.”
Nodding, eager, Emma wrapped her arms around her pet. “I attended your party, as I said, because I felt I deserved an evening of fun. With the divorce and Mark—Dr. Hotchkins, well, things have been…not fun lately.”
Dr. Hotchkins, aka Dr. Hots. The first murder victim and the reason Jane met Special Agent Conrad Ryan. Do not smile dreamily right now, Jay Bird. Too late.
Emma’s brow wrinkled with confusion. Still, she continued. “Tony was obviously trashed before he arrived. He was sneering, slurring his words, and insulting everyone who crossed his path. Especially me. He demanded to know if I had a boyfriend.”
Ohhh. Good question. “Do you?”
“I’ve been on a few dates. Nothing serious, though.” She shrugged, as if no big deal. “After several Mr. Wrongs, surely I’m due to find my Mr. Right.” Despite her show of indifference, defensiveness had coated every word.
Hmm. A bit too cagey about her romantic interests? Not that Jane could blame her. When anyone asked her about Conrad, she tended to babble about everything and nothing at the same time.
“Tell me the name of every date.” What if a would-be boyfriend had killed Tony in an attempt to impress Emma? Or out of jealousy. Or even to strike at her for being emotionally unavailable.
“Sure. I’m happy to text you a list. Not that it’s long or anything,” the nurse added in a rush. “But I met several guys online, and we chatted without going out.”
“Anything else you remember about that night?”
“Well. Just that before the game started, I saw Tony arguing with Devin Hagger. His business partner.”
Jane perked up. Beau had seen Devin Hagger, too. Last night’s suspicions resurged and solidified. What if the argument between partners had carried on, finally ending in murder? What if Hagger had agreed to help Fiona simply to make her look guiltier?
“I’m sorry. I don’t know much more than that.” Emma screwed up her nose, tears filling her eyes once again. “I had no idea my freedom would depend on keeping track of my ex-husband.”
Been there. “You’ve given me enough to start.” After she texted Fiona and suggested new representation, she’d consider telling Conrad everything she’d learned today, then speak with Lucy Chang and make an appointment with Devin Hagger. Initial consultations were usually free, right?
The nurse dug inside her purse with a shaky hand, withdrew her phone, and requested Jane’s contact information. Seconds after she offered it, a text came in. “This is my number. Call any time. I’ll answer any questions you have.”
“Thank you.”
“Will you keep me updated?” Desperation tinged the woman’s voice now, causing Jane’s suspicions to war with her sympathies. “Please?”
“I will.” But only as much as she felt comfortable sharing.
Emma set her pet on the floor and stood. They said their goodbyes, leaving Jane alone with Rolex, who slinked out from under the table to sniff every surface the corgi had dared to touch, often pawing the floor with curiosity. Or disgust. No, definitely curiosity, maybe.
“My first official case,” she told him with a grin. Then she texted Fiona about Hagger, and the grandmother responded right away, telling her she’d already fired Hagger and hired new representation. Thank goodness! Now, to call Conrad and tell him the good news or not?
No need to deliberate further. Not. Not yet, anyway. Better to follow her leads first. After a shower and very late morning rounds, she would visit the bank. She’d share what she learned when Conrad stopped by later.
Oh my. Conrad. Stopping by. Later. Jane licked her lips. Perhaps… maybe… possibly…she should cook up a nice dinner for him. Or them. Whatever. Their first date could take place here, where she was most comfortable. Because, now that she considered it, dating him maybe wasn’t so terrible of an idea. Emma was all kinds of right. No one with a brain would open up to a city boy. For reasons. Good ones! Not Jane, that was for sure. And Conrad absolutely, positively was a city boy.
The special agent lived an hour away in downtown Atlanta. In a fancy condo with no personality that didn’t fit him in the slightest. As if Jane could ever fall in love with such a man. Like him, yes. But not love. Which meant he wouldn’t activate the Ladling curse, turning a talking tree’s prediction that she would forever bear the name “Miss Regret Cursed the Fourth” into a reality—long story. Short version: Her heart remained safe.
Conrad wouldn’t devastate Rolex by bailing when the little darling needed him most. And no, she wasn’t acting like the romance novel heroines she loved to read about, giving herself an excuse to keep seeing the guy who would later turn out to be the love of her life. That was so not what was happening here.
Her heart thudded. But, um, was she truly considering taking the next step with Conrad?
Her phone rang, and she leaped on the distraction at warp speed. Spotting the number displayed on the screen, Jane gaped. Someone from the Bank of Aurelian Hills. Seriously? The very place Lucy Chang worked.
Uh, what if Lucy was the one on the other end of the line?
Frowning, Jane tapped the button and pressed the phone to her ear. “Yes, um, hello? This is me. I mean, this is Jane. Jane Ladling. I’m she.”
“Hi, Jane. You might not remember me, but I’m Lucy Chang. A loan officer at the Bank of Aurelian Hills.”
Okay, what the heck was even going on right now? Jane thought of a person and boom, they reached out? Henry Cavill, Henry Cavill, Henry Cavill. “Yes, I remember you. You worked at my event last night.”
“Yes, that’s me.” Lucy gave a nervous laugh. “I would love to meet with you here at the bank. Today. If it’s not too much trouble. I’m willing to work around your schedule.”
She wanted to shout, “Yes!” but the oddity of the situation left her speechless. A murder investigation had never gone so seamlessly, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.
Lucy lowered her volume, whispering, “Please visit me. There’s something you need to know about the murder.”
CHAPTER FOUR
“Victory doesn’t fall on you like ripe cherries from a tree. You fight to make it happen.”
Lucas “Trick” Robichaud
Jane smoothed the lines of her dress. A cascading floral fit-and-flare with interlocking sections of black and teal. When satisfied with that, she adjusted the hat pinned to her crown. The little beauty possessed sprigs of both blue and green flowers to match. All right. Nothing out of place. With a large purse dangling from her shoulder, she soared into the ornate lobby of the premier bank for Aurelian Hills.
A bell tinkled as she went from bright daylight and cold to subdued lighting and warmth. Up ahead, an electronic banner flashed the words Serving Your Needs Since 1832. The only nod to the twenty-first century. Other than the state-of-the-art security, of course, hidden throughout for discretion.