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THE NEXT DAY, DANA went to visit Gigi at her family’s large estate on the East side coast of Berry Cove. It wasn’t too far from the home that Gigi had recently purchased and had planned to live in with her new husband—before his untimely death, of course.
Dana bought some fresh-cut flowers from the Berry Cove Flower shop with her.
“Please state your name,” the disembodied voice asked through the speakers as Dana pulled up to the golden gates.
Well, the security is certainly tight around here.
“Dana Sweet from the Cozy Cupcakes Café. I’m here to see Gigi.”
A pause followed then the clicking sound of the iron gates opening. Dana then drove her car up the driveway to the white brick mansion and pulled up to the front. There was a water fountain there in the courtyard. It was quite a nice home. But then again this was the rich side of town.
Gigi certainly did come from a well to do family background. Just then a thought struck Dana. Did Mr. Mercer, Gigi’s dad have anything to do with Carlos’s murder? Carlos was known as a womanizer according to Steve and probably a gold-digger in her father’s eyes. Of course he would want to protect his daughter from gold-diggers. But could he be capable of murder?
“Thank you for coming,” Gigi said, her eyes still swollen red from tears. She had probably been crying all night. Poor thing.
Gigi sported a silk red dressing gown that was tied at the waist by a satin belt. She also sported matching satiny slippers with rubies on them. Her hair was pinned up with loose strands falling to her nape and on the side of her face.
Dana felt honored that Gigi would let her in and to see her like that—knowing that she was star. But a sense of pride also centered around her that Gigi was a good friend of her late grandmother and she respected Grandma Rae so much and even credited her with helping her chase her dream of a career in movies and music.
“No problem. I’m really so sorry about what happened to Carlos. How are you feeling?”
“I’m coping as best as I can.”
“That’s good. I want you to know that I’m here for you if you need anything.” Dana’s voice was soothing. “Do the police have any leads?” Dana asked softly.
Gigi shook her head and dabbed her eyes again as tears fell. “I don’t know. I’ve been under sedation. Daddy is taking care of all of that. He told me not to speak to anyone.”
“Oh dear. Well, it’s nice that you’re at your father’s home.”
“He insisted I stay here. He doesn’t want me to deal with the paparazzi or the press.”
“Good call. There’s lots of security around here.”
Dana glanced around and saw there were awards all over the grand living room. The Mercers were certainly proud of their daughter. They had newspaper articles about her successes in gold frames on the wall. In addition, Dana noticed some expensive artwork on the wall, too.
Just then Mr. Mercer walked through the double sliding doors of the study. He sported a very impressive-looking dark blue suit that looked as if it was tailor-made just for him and a green satiny or silk neck tie. He had dark hair with some white around the temples which told Dana that he probably dyed his hair. It was sleeked back with tons of grease. Dana also noticed he had a large bandage wrapped around his right wrist. It seemed so out of place with his neat appearance.
“You need a drink? I can have Molly make you something,” Mr. Mercer asked his daughter in a brusque voice.
Dana had just met Molly their maid when she opened the door for her earlier.
“I’m fine, Daddy. I...I’ll be fine.”
“What about you?” He turned to Dana. Mr. Mercer’s voice was very hard and his tone cold.
“I...I’m good, thank you, Mr. Mercer.”
Mr. Mercer had a drink in his hand even though it was eleven o’clock in the morning. It looked like a glass of Brandy but Dana couldn’t be sure.
“I wish you’d stopped crying over that...guy,” Mr. Mercer said to his daughter. “He’s gone. You can’t bring him back, sweetie.”
“Oh, Daddy, please. You never liked Carlos.”
“I never knew Carlos! That’s the problem. And neither did you. You started dating him for a week and got engaged. What were you thinking? If you asked me someone did you a favor. He was obviously after your money.”
Dana’s heart stopped.
Okay, this was awkward. This was really awkward. She wished she were anywhere but there right now in the middle of what promised to be a very uncomfortable argument between daughter and father.
“Um...I think I’d better go now...I...” Dana stuttered for words.
“No. Don’t leave, Dana. My father was just leaving.” Gigi’s tone was clipped and sharp.
“Oh, is that how you treat your old man? After all I’ve done for you?”
“All you’ve done for me? Like control my life? I bet you had something to do with his death, didn’t you daddy? Did you have one of your thugs knock him off? I bet it was your creeps that were stalking Carlos outside my home, too.”
Stalking Carlos outside her home? Did that mean that the hit and run outside Gigi’s home was targeted to bump off Carlos? It all made sense then. Troy said a lawyer was struck while walking near the home. It was dark and late at night, maybe the lawyer was mistaken for Gigi’s fiancé, Carlos.
Dana thought Detective Troy should know about these accusations.
“I don’t need to listen to this,” Mr. Mercer fumed. “I know you’re not in your right frame of mind right now. I’ll just give you some time.” Mr. Mercer then turned to Dana. “Dana, it was nice meeting you. Your grandmother was a fine lady.”
“Thank you, sir.” With those words, Mr. Mercer stormed out of the grand study with his drink. The sliding doors closing behind him.
Dana felt super awkward right then. What was she going to say now?
“Um...Are you going to be all right?” Dana asked Gigi softly.
“Yes, yes,” Gigi said, her tears streaming down her face. She walked over to the bar in the study and poured herself a glass of rum and took a swig.
Dana walked over to her and rubbed her back. “I’m really so sorry you’re going through all this, Gigi.”
“Thank you, Dana. Thanks for being a friend.”
Just then Molly, the Mercer’s maid walked into the study.
“Excuse me, ma’am. You have a phone call from your agent. She’s at the airport.”
“Thank you, Molly. I’ll take it in my room.”
“Very well, ma’am.”
Gigi then turned to Dana. “Sorry, Dana. My agent flew in from New York to be here for me. She’s probably having trouble at customs.”
“Hey, no worries. Listen, I have to go anyway,” Dana said awkwardly. She then gave Gigi a peck on the cheek.
Gigi left the study. Dana picked up her handbag from the chair and grabbed her coat to put on.
Molly returned shortly after. “Thank you for coming to see Miss Gigi. That’s so nice of you.”
Molly had a thick accent that appeared to be from the Philippines if she was not mistaken.
“Hey, no problem. I’m a fan of hers.”
“Yes, she said so. You’re that mystery blogger. You write all those riddles, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I’m so honored to meet you. I didn’t want to say before, but I’m a fan of yours.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
“This case is a real riddle, too, no?”
“What do you mean?” Dana placed her arm into the sleeve of her coat and then the other arm fixing her coat on properly.
“I don’t believe that girl they arrested killed him. I think it’s someone else.”
“You do?” Dana’s heart leaped. She resisted the urge to say ‘so you think so, too?’
“Yes. Can I trust you?” Molly said looking behind her to make sure her bosses were not around.
“Sure you can.”
“Between you and me, I think it could be her ex-fiancé.”
“Thomas Cicaro?”
“Yes. That’s the one. He’s in town from Los Angeles you know. I heard him the other night having a fight with Gigi. It terrified me. I wanted to call the police but Miss Gigi said it was all right.”
The maid looked terrified. “The guy is really scary,” she continued.
“I can imagine. But what was he doing here?” Dana asked.
“Miss Gigi came to see her father but Thomas was already here.”
“Wait a minute. Mr. Mercer knows Gigi’s ex-fiancé, Thomas?”
“Yes, Ma’am. They are business partners. Very good friends.”
Dana’s heart stopped. “Oh, really now?”
* * *
MOMENTS LATER, DANA left the mansion and walked over to her car. She was rushing to get to her vehicle to call Detective Troy when she bumped into the butler.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Are you all right, ma’am?” the butler said. “You’re in a rush.”
“I’m...um...yes. I am. I have an appointment.” Well, that wasn’t exactly a lie, was it? She was going to make an appointment to see Troy. Whether he could see her or not was another matter, of course.
Just then, Mr. Mercer came out of the residence with his winter coat on and a hat. He looked even more sharper than he did before. He also donned a brown checkered Louis Vuitton scarf wrapped around his neck.
He oozed power and richness.
Was that a motive? Did he really want to make sure that a gold-digger like Carlos couldn’t get into his daughter’s wealth? Or perhaps, he wanted to ensure that his business partner married his daughter so that he could keep his business in the family.
No, no. That made no sense.
Dana stop overreacting and over-imagining things.
“Your car is ready, sir,” the butler said to Mr. Mercer.
“Good.”
“The dent is invisible now,” the butler assured. “The mechanic did a good job.”
The dent?
Okay, back to my overactive imagination.