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Tricia and Tony had already seen us, so we had no choice but to acknowledge them. I’d never met Tony in person but managed a halfhearted wave to Tricia while Jacques exchanged a cool nod with his nemesis. Tony said something to Tricia which made them both laugh, and then he blew a kiss to Jacques. Still laughing, he took Tricia’s arm and they hurried towards the funeral home.
I glanced sideways at my friend, who was watching their every move like a sharp-eyed hawk. A vein bulged in his neck, but he said nothing. Anger bubbled near the surface for me. I opened my door in a flash, ready to do battle.
Jacques grabbed my arm to hold me back. “No, Cin.”
“But that man insulted you!” I protested. “I’m not going to let him get away with it!”
“He isn’t worth the trouble.” He circled the parking lot one more time and then decided to park in the lot adjacent to the coffee shop across the street. He beeped the convertible locked and linked his arm through mine. “I’ve learned that it’s better to just walk away from people like that. Whatever I say to Tony isn’t going to change his opinion of me.”
“He’s a lowlife, and Trish is such a phony. They deserve each other.”
“What I’d like to know is what those two are up to,” Jacques mused. “Maybe they’ve got a massive merger in the works to make my agency crumble.”
“Tricia hates me, not you,” I offered.
Jacques made a harrumphing noise as we got in line. “Yes, well, lately Tricia’s not that fond of me either. When she found out what her clients had to endure at the Hilton home, she went berserk. She’s probably encouraging them to sue me for emotional distress.”
“What is she doing here with Tony?” I asked.
“There’s a rumor going around that they’re dating,” Jacques muttered.
My jaw dropped. “Get out! Why didn’t you tell me?”
Jacques mopped at his forehead with a handkerchief. It was a warm day for September, in the mid-eighties, and for once he looked strained and uncomfortable in his suit. “Because I’ve been busy trying to wrap my own head around it. Seriously, I can’t stand the man, but I’ve got to give credit where it’s due. He is good-looking. Why he’s getting together with Trish is beyond me. She’s so desperate for a man that she probably agreed to give him all her leads in trade.”
I started to chuckle, then remembered where I was, and covered it up with a fake cough.
People were talking quietly among themselves. I scanned the ones before us but didn’t see Tony and Tricia anywhere. “Where do you suppose they went? They can’t be that far ahead.”
Jacques pursed his lips together. “The way those two operate, they probably found someone to help them jump the line. Or maybe Carmine was up front saving a spot for them.”
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I said. “As soon as we pay our respects, I’ll go over and talk to Trish. I’ll say something about how sorry I am about the showing. Then I’ll involve Carmine in the conversation somehow. You don’t need to be there.”
Jacques rubbed his glasses with a handkerchief. “No worries, love. I would never leave you to face those wolves alone.”
An elderly gentleman in a dark blue suit was standing by the front door, holding it open. He nodded to us when we entered the building. We found ourselves next to a tribute board flanked on both sides by large silver vases of white roses. I studied the pictures. There was a black and white photo of Kevin as a baby with his parents. Another picture, which I vaguely remembered being taken, was of Kevin and Pam on their wedding day, gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes.
A photo of a proud Kevin holding a newborn baby was in the center of the board. Several other ones featured him at graduations, birthday parties, and Christmas. I counted five pictures of Pam and Kevin together, and always with their arms around each other. The perfect couple...or not. There was not a photo of Katie anywhere.
People in line were pausing before a small mahogany box set up on a table next to Pam. Kevin’s name was inscribed on the outside. Many made the sign of the cross and then moved over to speak to Pam and her sons.
Jacques raised his eyebrows in alarm and whispered, “He’s not already in there, right?”
“No, silly. The police aren’t done with the body yet.”
“This is creepy,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever been to a wake where there was no body to view.”
“It’s not a wake, it’s a memorial service. Pam didn’t want to wait until Kevin’s body was released for people to pay their respects.”
“I assume Pam wanted to get this part over with,” Jacques remarked. “And I can’t say that I blame her. Look around. There’s vultures everywhere.”
A heavyset woman in front of us with red hair turned around and gave him a dirty look and then edged closer to the person in front of her.
“Nice job,” I whispered.
Someone placed a hand on my shoulder, and I jumped. Max Hilton stood to my left in a black suit, looking handsome and like a younger version of his father. He shook Jacques’ hand soberly and then my own. “It was good of you both to come.”
"Of course. How’s your mother doing?” I asked.
He wiggled his hand back and forth. “She’d had her moments. I don’t like leaving her side, but I needed to get some air outside. It’s so claustrophobic in here.”
"And humid,” Jacques added, as sweat pooled on his forehead.
Max leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “Everyone is whispering about mom. The entire world knows she’s been arrested. I hate the way they’re looking down their noses at her. It makes me sick.”
My heart filled with pity for Pam. “I’m sorry you’re all going through this.”
“It’s like they’ve already decided that she’s guilty, without a trial.” Max clenched his fists at his sides. “They should have stayed home and saved their phony sympathy for someone else.” He gestured at the front row where Katie was seated. “As far as I’m concerned, she shouldn’t even be here.”
We all stared over at Katie, who was blithely unaware of our attention. She was dressed in a snug, black minidress with her blonde hair piled high on top of her head. She looked more like she belonged at a cocktail party instead of a service for her dead fiancée. Katie was busy chatting with a good-looking guy in his thirties. After a moment, she rose from her seat and went to stand next to the window with him, laughing at something he’d said.
Max snickered. “If my mother didn’t want to cause a scene, I’d throw that cheap tramp out of here. All she wants is my father’s money, and in the end, that’s what she got. Listen, I’d better get back to my mother. Thanks again for coming.”
Jacques and I both watched in stunned silence as he walked away. “Poor kid. He thinks Katie did his father in,” Jacques said.
“He never said that. She certainly doesn’t seem to be broken up about his death, though.”
“I feel sorry for Pam’s kids,” Jacques noted. “It must be tough losing a parent so young.”
He closed his hand around mine, and I squeezed his in return. Jacques was silently referring to how I’d lost both of my parents before I’d turned twenty, but he’d suffered his share of loss as well. Jacques’ parents were still alive, but he’d had no contact with them for over twenty years. They’d disowned him when he’d come out to them, and he told me once that he’d finally made peace with it. Still, it had to hurt. I felt sorry for his parents as well. It was a shame they’d chosen to cut such a remarkable human being out of their lives.
A loud, obnoxious giggle caught my attention. Tony was whispering something in Tricia’s ear and she in turn was cackling like a hen about to lay an egg. A taller version of Tony with the same dark hair and eyes was standing next to them, scanning the room as if he was afraid to miss something.
“That must be Carmine.” I followed his gaze across the room, to a man leaning against the wall with his arms folded. In shock, I clutched Jacques’ arm.
“What’s wrong, dear?”
I cocked my head in the man’s direction. “Don’t look now. Officer Brooks is here.”
As I spoke the words, Officer Brooks’ eyes met mine, as if he knew we’d been talking about him. “Crap. Pretend you’re talking to me about the weather. Or telling me my hair’s a mess. Anything.”
Jacques tapped a finger against his teeth. Horrified, I covered my mouth. “Oh my God. Do I have something in my teeth?”
He shook his head at me in disbelief. “For goodness sake, dear, I’m only doing what you asked me to.”
“Oh right.” I wanted to smack myself in the head. “Do you think he’s here looking for other suspects, or checking on Pam?”
“Probably both,” Jacques said evenly.
There was only one couple separating us from Pam. She looked pale but elegant in a simple black dress with a rounded neck and short sleeves. The couple was talking in hushed voices and holding her hand while Nate and Max stood stiffly besides her. To my surprise, Nate turned his head and looked directly at me. His eyes glittered with hatred, and he quickly averted them. A chill ran through my body.
Jacques noticed. “My, if looks could kill. What’s the matter with that kid? Besides the obvious, I mean.”
I shrugged. “He doesn’t like me for some reason. Maybe he thinks all I want is to make some money off his mother.”
He nodded. “I suppose you can’t blame him. His father’s dead, and he’s about to be uprooted from his home. Seventeen can be a tough age.”
The couple in front of us moved out of the line, and I crossed over to Pam, who wrapped her arms tightly around me. “Cindy, thank you so much for coming.” She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and reached for Jacques’ hand. “And you too, Mr. Forte.”
He kissed her hand. “If there’s anything we can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Pam sniffed. “I know I shouldn’t be crying, not after everything he’s done to me, but I did love him once.”
Max put a hand on his mother’s arm, while Nate continued to stand there stiffly, his dark eyes so intent upon me that I thought I might burst into flames at any moment. I reached out to touch his hand, and he moved away.
My face heated. “How are you doing, Nate?”
“How do you think I’m doing?” he retorted. “This is a freaking circus. No one here cared about my father.”
Pam’s face flushed crimson. “Nate! Cindy is my friend. Please apologize to her.”
“Forget it. I’m out of here,” he muttered.
Max grabbed his brother’s arm, but Nate shook him off. He made his way through a group of people talking and hurried out of the room.
“Excuse me,” Max said politely as he took off after his brother. A murmur ran through the crowd, and Pam looked like she wanted to disappear.
“I’m sorry,” she said to me in a shaky voice. “Nate’s been so angry lately. I think that once he allows himself to grieve, he’ll be okay.” She glanced behind us at the line. “Cindy, I know there isn’t time to chat now, but I did want to ask if you had a chance to talk to—” She nodded her head towards Katie, who was still talking to the man at the window, and not even glancing in our direction.
“Yes, I spoke to her. I’m afraid I didn’t come up with anything concrete, though.”
Pam’s mouth tightened. “Is there any chance you can come by my house tonight? I really would like to talk to you privately.”
My head was urging me to say no, but my heart wouldn’t allow it. “Of course. What time is best for you?”
She thought for a moment. “How’s six thirty? I should be home by then. Or dare I say, I think I’ll be home and not in jail. At least I hope so.”
“Don’t talk that way,” I said. “The police will find out who did this.”
Pam cringed. “If you could have heard all of the horrible things people have been saying today. I don’t know how much more I can take.”
Jacques’ eyes almost bugged out of his head. “Please don’t tell us that people have been accusing you of murder while they’re here?”
She shook her head. “They haven’t come right out and said it, but I can guess what people are thinking. I’ve also caught a few snapping pictures of me with their phones. They think they’re being sly, but I’m not stupid.”
I patted her hand. “Try not to worry, okay? I’ll see you tonight.”
As it turned out, there was no need to search for Tricia. She was sitting in the seat that Katie had occupied earlier, with Tony and Carmine standing next to her. Her eyes were pinned on me, and she didn’t hesitate to crook her finger in our direction. “You hoo, Jacques!”
“For cripes sake,” Jacques muttered under his breath. “She’s at a memorial service, not an Open House.”
“It’s all the same to her,” I said dryly.
Jacques took Tricia’s hand, quick to turn on the charm. “Ah, the lovely Miss Hudson. What would the real estate world do without you, my dear?”
She giggled in delight. “Oh, Jacques you are such a kidder!”
“Hello, Trish,” I greeted her.
Tricia turned her nose up at me. “Hello, Cindy. Jacques, you remember Tony Romano, don’t you? And this is his brother, Carmine. Carmine worked with Kevin Hilton.”
“We were partners,” Carmine corrected. He pumped Jacques’ hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His gaze traveled over to me. “Is this your wife?”
Tony snickered loudly enough to draw attention from the other mourners. “His what? Why, Jacques wouldn’t know what to do with a girl, would you, old boy?”
The remark horrified me, but Jacques kept his poker face in place. He remained cool and dignified and didn’t even acknowledge the despicable comment.
“Cindy works for me,” he said pleasantly. “She’s one of the best real estate agents around.”
“No, I’m the lucky one,” I chimed in. “Jacques is a terrific boss.”
“Are you back permanently then?” Tricia’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head.
“For now,” was all I would say.
She clucked her tongue. “My, how lucky for the real estate world.”
I managed a polite smile. “Yes, well, some of us enjoy helping people find the home of their dreams. In an honest way, of course.”
Carmine’s face broke into a delighted grin while Tricia wrinkled her nose until it resembled a dried-out prune. Disgusted, she rose to her feet. “Excuse me. I need to use the ladies room.”
“Did you like working for Kevin?” I asked him.
Carmine’s smile faded. “I didn’t work for Kevin. We were partners. It was an equal partnership, fifty-fifty.”
“My mistake.” I had used the term on purpose to gauge Carmine’s reaction, and I hadn’t been disappointed. Carmine appeared to have a chip on his shoulder the size of the Hudson River. I decided to press on. “How long were you two partners for?”
“About five years,” Carmine said. “Kevin made a great lawyer, but he wasn’t terrific with finances. I felt more like his business manager instead of his partner most days.”
“That’s really interesting,” I noted, “especially since you owed him money.”
Carmine’s mouth hardened. “Where did you hear that?”
I pointed in Katie’s direction. She was still talking to her male companion, but another man had joined them. “I was at your office yesterday and Katie happened to mention it.”
Carmine and Tony exchanged a glance. “Perhaps you should learn to mind your own affairs honey,” Carmine said testily. “My business with Kevin doesn’t concern you.”
"Pam is a good friend of mine. I hope you plan on giving the money to her. She needs all the help she can get.”
Tricia returned to her seat as I was speaking and barked out a laugh. “Give me a break. “That woman killed her husband. If she could afford to make bail, she can’t be that hard up.”
Tony narrowed his eyes at me. “Why are you giving my brother the third degree? You’re Pam’s agent, not her attorney.”
“Didn’t you know that Cindy is the Jessica Fletcher of the real estate world?” Tricia giggled.
"Who’s Jessica Fletcher?” Tony asked. “Does she work for Century 21?”
Tricia stared at him like he was an idiot. “She’s the old lady from the TV show, Murder She Wrote. Cindy’s got quite a reputation for investigating murders. Her clients and coworkers are always dropping like flies.”
Carmine stuck his hands into his trouser pockets. “Is that a fact? I guess it means that you’re investigating me now, huh?”
“Well, you are a suspect,” Jacques noted. “Especially since you owed Kevin money.”
Tony stepped in front of his brother. “Didn’t you hear my brother, Jackie? He said to mind your own business. Go play detective somewhere else.”
Jacques’ nostrils flared, but he refrained from comment. I was not about to be silenced, though. “His name is Jacques,” I corrected him. “And you’re not half the man he is.”
Tony winked at me. “I had no idea that the two of you were involved. Guess I do make mistakes once in a while.”
Jacques moved forward until he and Tony were standing chest to chest. “Don’t speak to her that way,” he snapped.
It took a lot to tick Jacques off. In desperation, I tried another tactic to divert attention back to me. “Carmine, I guess you don’t have to worry about Kevin blackmailing you anymore.”
“What has Katie been telling you?” Tony wanted to know.
“Forget it, Ton,” Carmine laughed. “That blonde harlot has nothing to tell. She’d need a brain first.”
Carmine was having a good chuckle at everyone’s expense, but his eyes told a different story. They were endless pools of dark water, and his mouth tight and drawn. What had Kevin known about Carmine and his extracurricular activities?
Tricia crossed one leg over the over, deliberately pulling her skirt up higher. “You really should stick to things you’re good at, Cindy. Packing school lunches and doing laundry.”
I smiled sweetly at her. “At least I care about my clients.”
She bristled at the comment. “Ha. At least I have clients. And when Tony and Carmine team up, I’ll have even more.”
Tony grabbed Tricia’s arm and lifted her out of the chair. “Come with me, honey. We need to have a little chat.”
“Ouch. Wait, Tony! You’re hurting my arm,” she complained as he led her away.
Carmine shot me a look that made me feel like gum on the bottom of his shoe. “Excuse me. I need to pay my respects to the widow before the actual service starts. Will you both be staying?”
“No, I don’t think so,” Jacques said. “Cindy needs to get home to her family.”
“A wise idea,” Carmine said coldly. He went over to Pam after cutting the line and took her hand in his.
“Cin,” Jacques muttered under his breath. “Why did you have to go and tick those two off? For all we know, they could put out a contract on us!”
I blew out a sigh. “Because I want to know what they’re up to. They’re plotting something and—”
“Oh, hi! Did you get all the information that you need from me?”
We turned to find Katie standing behind us, one hand propped on her hip, the other dangling her purse near the floor. Maybe she expected that we’d start snapping pictures.
“Hi Katie,” I greeted her. “We were just talking to Carmine about his new business venture.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Business venture? Oh, you mean the company that he and his brother are putting together.”
“What kind of company is it?” Jacques asked, intrigued.
Katie shrugged. “I don’t know. Something to do with real estate. It’s a shame how some people only care about money, you know?”
Jacques coughed loudly. “My goodness. You have such marvelous insight about people.”
“I know, right?” Katie stared over Jacque’s shoulder, and I noticed her eyes light up. “Excuse me. I see someone that I need to talk to.”
We watched her move across the room with the speed and agility of a panther waiting to pounce on her next victim. It was another man about thirty, with light brown hair.
“I can’t believe she’s acting this way in front of everyone,” Jacques mused.
“What does she care?” I asked. “She’s got a nice sized life insurance policy to look forward to, and everyone here believes that Pam killed her fiancé.”
The gentleman that we’d seen at the front door approached the podium in the center of the room. “Take your seats everyone,” he announced. “The service will begin in five minutes.”
“This sounds like a good time to duck out,” Jacques murmured. “Are you ready? I think we’ve made enough trouble for one day.”
“You’re right as usual.” I glanced back at Pam, who was talking to the gentleman at the podium. She didn’t see me but Nate, who had returned to the room with his brother, did. Nate’s eyes followed me like my own private stalker. Max said something to him and then looked to see who he was staring at. He frowned and gripped his brother tightly by the arm. They sat down together in the front row.
“This is creeping me out big time,” Jacques admitted, as we headed for the front door. When he reached for the knob, the door started to open from the other side. Carmine stood there, his smile similar to a Cheshire cat’s.
“Leaving so soon?” he asked slyly.
Jacques took me by the elbow. “Yes, it’s a bit stuffy in there.”
“It was nice meeting you both. Please, allow me.” He held the door open for me and Jacques followed. We started down the steps, and I could almost feel Carmine’s eyes burning a hole through my blazer.
“One more thing,” Carmine called after us.
We whirled around. Carmine had an evil smile plastered on his face as he watched us intently with a dark, menacing gaze.
“It’s a crazy world out there,” he said. “Better watch your back.”