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The next morning, Wynona set out bright and early on her scooter for town. It felt like time was slipping away from her and she was still a long way from figuring out the murderer.
Last night had been peaceful, if not just a little lonely. Prim hadn’t been available, so Wynona had spent the evening by herself, writing down every piece of information she had gathered and trying desperately to put it all together.
She was just as clueless this morning, however, as she had been last night. The wife, obviously, had a motive, but also an alibi. One which she had a witness to. And why kill rather than just leave? Yes, Maeve had mentioned that Chef Droxon was possessive, but was that enough of a motive to kill him?
She shook her head. “Probably not,” she murmured, answering her thoughts out loud.
Then there was the secretary. She also had an alibi, but it was flimsy at best. No one could corroborate it, but that wasn’t the biggest problem. “Why?” Wynona parked her scooter and climbed off, the question still swirling through her head. What reason would the secretary have to kill her boss?
Wynona believed Ms. Caseis when she said they weren’t having an affair. So why ruin a good thing? All it would do is leave her unemployed. “Unless he was harassing her and she was desperate.” Again, she shook her head. That didn’t sit right either. But there was something definitely fishy about the way Ms. Caseis had refused to meet Wynona’s eyes.
Pushing the glass door inward, Wynona headed inside Roderick’s office building. She needed an outside opinion on her information and had hoped he was available to do some brainstorming with her.
She checked the signage on the first floor and noticed his office was at the top of the building. “Of course it is,” Wynona murmured to herself with a smirk. Roderick was a charmer, for sure, but he was also a man of power. It exuded from him with every movement and look.
Luckily, the elevator wasn’t overly full and she was able to ride up immediately. Stepping off, she came directly into the lobby area, but there was no one seated at the front desk to greet her. Wynona stood there for a moment, unsure if she should push on or not, before a voice caught her attention.
She glanced down the hall and noticed a door slightly ajar, and Roderick’s voice was coming out. With a smile, she walked toward it.
“Of course.”
She paused before knocking. Maybe interrupting his meeting wasn’t the best thing in the world. Should she wait in the lobby until the secretary came back?
“The package is to be picked up and delivered within the next two days. No later.”
When no one responded to him, Wynona sighed in relief. He had to be on the phone. With his door ajar, surely he wouldn’t mind her coming in and waiting him out. Knocking lightly, she poked her head inside. “Roderick?”
His chair spun around and blond eyebrows shot high on his forehead. “Wynona! What a pleasant surprise!” The businessman mumbled something into the phone, then hung it up and stood with his arms outstretched. “I heard about what happened down at Chef Droxon’s building.” After a quick hug, he stood back, holding onto her upper arms, and looked her over.
Wynona couldn’t help her blush when the perusal took a little longer than she thought it should.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice soft and concerned.
She nodded and stepped out of his hold. Charming, yes. But Wynona still wasn’t ready to send any signals that she would welcome anything more than his normal flirtation. “I’m fine. Just a few bruises and wounded pride.”
He guided her to a seat. “We need to find some way for you to protect yourself,” he said as he walked back around to his own chair. He paused before sitting down. “Unless you would consider always having me at your side?”
Wynona laughed, as intended, and nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I think that might be a bit much, don’t you?”
Roderick shrugged and sat the rest of the way down. “Perhaps...for now.” He gave her a grin. “What brings you by my office this morning?”
Wynona waved at the phone. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your business.”
He pursed his lips and shook his head. “You didn’t. It was simply a phone call about a delivery for my sister. It’s her birthday and I’m sending a present since I can’t celebrate with her in person.”
“That’s nice of you,” Wynona said. What would it be like to have a family you actually wanted to be around?
He shrugged. “We were always close as children.” He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “Now...your turn.”
Wynona nodded, scooting to the edge of her chair. “I was hoping you might find some time to brainstorm with me. After yesterday, I’ve got a couple of new suspects, but I have no idea where to go from here.” She splayed her hands to the side.
Roderick nodded. “Indeed. Tell me what you learned.”
“You sure you have time for this?”
Instead of answering right away, Roderick pressed a button on his phone. “Amelia?”
“Yes, Mr. Caligari?”
Wynona didn’t miss the breathless tone to the secretary’s voice. Apparently, she was back at her desk and eager to serve. A small pinprick of jealousy stabbed Wynona in the sternum, but she shoved it away. It wasn’t like she had anything to be jealous about. She and Roderick weren’t a couple, and he more than likely flirted with every woman the way he did with her.
“Please hold all my calls for the rest of the morning.” His silver eyes were intense as he looked at Wynona. “I have an important meeting to attend to.”
Heat flushed up Wynona’s neck and face. Okay...so hopefully he didn’t flirt like this with everyone.
He was chuckling when he pressed the end button, then leaned back and folded his arms over his stomach. “Wynona...you’re a delightful breath of fresh air.”
She could use some fresh air right about now. “And you’re a seasoned flirt.”
He smirked and gave her a slow nod. “I can’t say I haven’t been called that before.” He shrugged. “But you’ll also find I’ve been called singularly focused and loyal to a fault.”
Wynona followed his example and leaned back, trying to appear completely at ease with the heaviness of this conversation. “Admirable qualities.”
“When used correctly, yes.” Roderick tilted his head, as if examining her. “Now. Were you going to share something with me?”
Wynona immediately straightened, leaning forward again. So much for acting nonchalant. This whole situation had her wound tighter than a spring and it wasn’t worth the effort to pretend otherwise. “I spoke to Mrs. Droxon yesterday.”
“Ah, yes. Sweet Maeve,” Roderick drawled, his tone in complete contrast to his words. “How is the viper?”
Wynona jerked back slightly. “You’re familiar with her?”
He shrugged. “Anyone who runs in the upper circles is.” His eyes narrowed. “I’m surprised you’d never met her before. Between her marriage to Atherton and her family background, she graces even the Le Doux ballrooms.”
This time the heat in Wynona’s face was anything but pleasant. She dropped her gaze and studied her intertwined fingers. “Then I’m sure my family knows her well.”
It only took moments for Roderick to sit in the chair next to her, his cool hand covering hers. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Wynona played it off. “It’s not your fault.” She shook her head and straightened her shoulders, giving him a practiced, but far from sincere smile. “We all have our secrets, I suppose.”
He nodded, his thumb caressing her knuckles. “We do. But that doesn’t make them easier to bear.”
“I suppose not/” She deflated just a little. “Still...this isn’t about my family ties or lack thereof.” Taking a deep breath, Wynona pushed on. “Mrs. Droxon said she was home the night of the murder and her butler...” Wynona huffed in amusement. “Or bodyguard, because I think they’re the same thing, stands ready to corroborate her story.”
After a final squeeze, Roderick released her hands and leaned back, resting his arms on the sides of the chair. “So it couldn’t have been her?”
Wynona pursed her lips. “I don’t...know. She obviously holds no love for her husband, and if her claim of his extramarital affairs is only half true, he views her as nothing more than a trophy.” Wynona scrunched her nose. “I think he’s actually hurting her, but she refuses to leave him.” She turned to Roderick. “I don’t understand why. My family never hit me, but life can be made miserable in many other ways without being manhandled. Why would she stay if she wasn’t happy?”
Roderick shrugged, raising one leg to rest on the other. “I don’t know. Perhaps her family won’t take her back? Perhaps she doesn’t want to lose the lifestyle?”
Wynona scoffed. “Money isn’t worth that heartache.”
“Says you,” Roderick pointed out. “Not all people are willing to take that chance.”
She sighed. “I suppose. Still...I feel bad for her.”
He nodded but didn’t add more to the topic. “You said you had more than one suspect?”
“Oh, yes.” Wynona shifted in her seat. “Maeve hinted that Chef Droxon had a thing for his secretaries. So when I discovered his secretary was a siren, well...” Wynona drifted off.
“I believe most people think Atherton and Ms. Caseis are more than boss and secretary,” Roderick said wryly.
Wynona laughed quietly. “You know everybody, don’t you?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “A fair number of them. We’re all in the business world together.”
She nodded, thinking. “That makes sense. Perhaps I should have just come to you instead of bothering to poke my nose around. Might have saved me a bit of trouble.”
“My dear Wynona.” He leaned forward, capturing one of her hands and holding it between his own. “I am always available to answer your questions.” He smiled. “My time is yours.”
“You’re doing it again.”
He raised his eyebrows innocently.
“Flirting outrageously with me.” Wynona made a pointed look at their hands.
“Can you blame me?” he asked, caressing the back of her hand.
Unable to wipe the smile off her face, Wynona slowly pulled her hand free. She couldn’t think straight when he was being so sweet. She needed to keep their contact as professional as possible. Maybe after this was solved and her shop was open...
“What did you learn from Ms. Caseis?” Roderick pressed.
Wynona brought her mind back to the present. “She said there was nothing between her and Chef Droxon.”
Roderick frowned and leaned back again. “Do you believe her?”
Wynona nodded. “I do.”
“What makes you say that?”
Wynona pinched her lips together. “Mostly a gut feeling. Delila has been with him for five years, longer than any other secretary.” Her eyes turned to Roderick. “His wife made it sound like he went through women quickly. I can’t imagine he’d keep a secretary around that long if his tastes were always for the new and shiny.”
Roderick scratched his chin, a few sparks of magic jumping into the air. “I can see your point.” He frowned. “But Ms. Caseis is exceedingly lovely, even for a siren. Perhaps he was content with her?”
Wynona’s brows furrowed. “Possible, but unlikely.”
“Okay. They weren’t having an affair. What’s her alibi?”
“Now that’s the thing,” Wynona said quickly, anticipation bleeding into her tone. “She says she was working late at the office, alone.”
“But you don’t believe her.” It was a statement, not a question.
Wynona shook her head, answering anyway. “No.”
“And why is that?”
“Again, it’s mostly a gut instinct, but she had been very direct with me when we were talking and suddenly her eyes couldn’t meet mine.” Wynona turned away with a huff. “However, I also fail to see what she would gain from it. Mrs. Droxon would get freedom and the whole estate, I’m assuming. But Delila?” Wynona shook her head. “I just can’t figure out what her motive would be. At the same time, why would she lie about her alibi?”
“It is a bit of a conundrum,” Roderick murmured. “It sounds to me like we need more information.”
Wynona nodded. “Yes. But I’m not sure where to try now.”
A slow, delicious smile grew on Roderick’s handsome face and all too soon, the temperature in the room was once again uncomfortable. “When in doubt,” Roderick said in a low tone, “always start with a cup of tea.”