“I was just headed to a meet—”
“I need to talk to you.” She crossed her hands over her chest and dared me to defy her. “You might be new to Seattle, but I’m not. Nick’s family has a long tradition in this city. They’ve earned respect.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You were spotted at Catch today.” She nodded when my lips parted. “What are you doing, Addie? Did Val promise to give you a bonus if you framed my husband for a crime he didn’t commit?”
“That’s not what happened at all. I was there to…” I almost said, To make sure Nick’s claim that Dave had stolen his seafood gravy recipe was valid, but that didn’t sound better than her accusation, and it didn’t matter what I said. Marci’s mind was made up. I had joined the enemy ranks. “Your husband didn’t poison Diana.”
I took a quick glance around the lobby to see if I’d missed the security guards the first time. Still no trace. Marci’s rage demanded my attention.
“It’s the end of the month. After I pay our employees, I won’t have enough money for the bills or our mortgage. Whatever you discovered at Catch better be good, Addie. Because if we lose everything, it’s all on you.”
Her story didn’t add up. Rachel claimed they were doing just fine.
“Who do you think poisoned Diana?” I asked.
“Dave.” She might as well have punctuated it with a duh. “If you’re working with him to ruin our family, I’ll make sure that you regret that decision for the rest of your life.”
“I’ll do my best for you. But in the meantime, I’ll let Detective Miller know we had this chat.” Maneuvering the stroller around her, I made my getaway. Now I understood why she and Nick had been banned from seeing each other and why Nick had been detained at the hotel when the other contestants were able to go home. Even though I had a feeling Marci might be right, the way she was going about it had backfired.
She had taken enough of my time that I risked being late for our playdate. My legs were numb as I got out of the elevator and passed the library—ironically, the place where I had met with Nick.
A few people sat at the lounge, enjoying steaming hot coffees and hardcovered novels from the shelves. I got a few curious glances as I maneuvered the stroller out to the pool.
We were the only ones here.
“I hope we didn’t miss them,” I said as I opened the front of the stroller. The furniture had been packed away for the winter, so I leaned against the lonely bar, which was colder and damper than I anticipated.
“They haven’t been here,” Persephone said. “I can smell Chloe, but it’s too faint to be recent.”
A wave of relief swept over me. Still, it didn’t mean we weren’t getting blown off or George didn’t also get intercepted by Marci. I looked at my phone, hoping for a message from Kenzie, Lindsay, or Detective Miller, but instead, I found pictures from the shelter.
We got in an order of cat toys and decided to test them out, Casey wrote.
Looks like they’ve been approved.
The next picture was the new toy graveyard. Definitely approved.
How’s the case going?
Kinda like that last picture.
I didn’t have a chance to clarify because Persephone was on high alert. A ball bounced along the side of the pool, and Chloe bounded after it, full speed ahead, ears and jowls blown black. She caught the ball, skidding to a stop, and then trotted triumphantly back to George.
Finally talking to Chloe. I’ll call you later. I slipped the phone back into my pocket and pushed the stroller toward George. He waved and then tossed the ball for Chloe again.
“Did Marci get to you, too?” I asked.
He narrowed his eyes. “I’m not sure who Marci is.”
She’d found me several times and made enough of a fuss to have production ban her from the hotel. I didn’t believe him. “Nick’s wife.”
“Addie, who’s Nick?”
Now I definitely didn’t believe him. “Never mind. I’m glad you came to meet us. Looks like Chloe’s in the mood to play.”
“Danes have a lot of energy, until they don’t.”
Chloe was on her way back to her person with the ball in her mouth and enough drool to fill the pool hanging on either side. Her eyes sparkled, loving the game, and more importantly, George.
But she dropped the ball as she came closer, growling at Persephone.
“Chloe girl. Persephone came to play with you,” George said.
“We’re not here to do anything to your guy,” Persephone said.
Arrroo! Roo! Whatever Chloe was saying, she was adamant about it.
“He won’t get taken away from you,” Persephone insisted. “You’re safe.”
My heart melted that my cat was so good at making animals feel better. I always knew animals had this capacity, but to hear it in action made me so happy.
“Why are you trying to protect him?” Persephone asked.
Chloe went down on her front legs. It could’ve been interpreted as a friendly gesture, but she punctuated it with a whine.
“Why do people think he’s bad?” Persephone asked.
“Want to try playing?” George asked.
“They’re getting there.” I didn’t want to interrupt this conversation, but I didn’t feel confident taking Persephone out of the stroller yet. Chloe’s body was all tense muscle, and while she might be willing to talk things out with my cat, she was nowhere near relaxed.
“I don’t have all day, Addie. If we’re gonna do this, it’s happening now.”
I reached for Persephone and picked her up. Chloe might feel less territorial if I held her, and then she’d know Persephone wasn’t after her guy.
The Dane’s eyes followed the move, a low growl rumbling from her lips.
Woof. It came out as a mutter.
“What was that?” Persephone squirmed in my arms so she could get a better angle on Chloe. “What was mean to him?”
Oh.
Roo roo roo. Chloe took off in a tear for a lap around the pool.
Persephone’s claws dug into my arm. “She just said he did it.”
My eyebrows rose, and I did my best to keep my composure. “How?”
George laughed as he pretended to chase Chloe around the pool. She skidded to a stop and reversed directions.
“He wanted the lady gone. He was sick of her standing in the way,” Persephone said.
My heart was pounding, and it had nothing to do with Chloe almost knocking us into the pool on her latest lap.
“George, we need to talk.”
The smile didn’t fade when he turned to me. “I’m a happily married man, so if that’s what you have in mind—”
“No.”
“You can put your cat down. We came to play with her, not for you to watch us play.”
“That’s not the only reason I came down here.” I had to think fast. There was no way I was putting Persephone down. Chloe had settled beside George, her eyes fixed on us. “Can you tell me about your relationship with Diana Diamond?”
“She’s the consummate professional. An insanely talented chef. And a shrewd businesswoman.” He’d given this answer before. I’d read it in an interview. “She was the driving force behind me opening my fleet of food trucks. I couldn’t have done it without her support.”
“Did you owe her a cut of that business for her help?” I was thinking out loud, a dangerous strategy if I said the wrong thing. But from the way George’s face paled and Chloe’s rumbling disapproval, I had a feeling I was onto something. “Were you looking for a way to get out of your agreement?”
“Addie, what are you talking about?”
Chloe’s head swung around, and the door to the hotel opened, and Kenzie and Lindsay walked out. Instead of bounding over to her caretaker, the Dane pushed against George’s thigh, the growl erupting into a bark.
“Chloe says you wanted Diana out of the picture. And I’m trying to figure out why.”