I groaned, and he stopped, giving me a particular expression. “What?” he mouthed.
I shook my head in dismay. “The nursing home won’t tell me who’s paying Melissa’s grandmother’s bills.”
Katy made it sound as if I should be able to get the information easily over the phone. Because of her confidence I assumed it would be a quick task. I’d place a quick phone call to the home, someone would look up in her files, and either confirm or deny that Pierce paid the bills. Easy peasy.
That is not what transpired.
Apparently, I had what the assistant called a “reporter’s voice.” Whatever the reason, the people at the Roses and Retirement nursing home didn’t want to spill the goods on Pierce. Did that mean he was paying for his previous housekeeper’s expenses or were they trying to keep a lid on the fact he quit covering the bills? And if that were the case, why would Pierce quit? What were his reasons? The longer I stayed on hold, the more I believed my fake fiancé. If Melissa didn’t need money for her grandma, then did she want it for her boyfriend?
I’d been on the phone for twenty minutes and was no closer to finding out if Melissa was telling the truth.
Oliver slid out a chair and put himself right next to me at the table. He’d already donned his signature cologne, and I allowed my eyes to close while I worked on memorizing the scent. I would need the reminders when I left Pelican Bay. Nothing in Guatemala smelled so good.
“Use the fiancée trump card,” he whispered into my free ear.
Could it be that easy? I’d been led astray earlier.
“Ma’am, are you still there?” the voice on the phone said, and I perked up, holding it closer to my ear.
“Yes.” It sounded like the same woman as previously—grumpy and overworked but unwilling to give out any information regarding Pierce or his past housekeeper.
The phone crackled as she sighed. “Our unit manager is not here yet. If you want any more information, you must call back later today.”
“Wait,” I called out trying to stop her from hanging up on me. “What if I told you I’m Pierce’s fiancée?”
Oliver cringed and shook his head, his eyes becoming tiny slits of a grimace. I waved my hand trying to push him away and focus on the phone conversation.
“Yeah right,” the woman said and then snorted. “I’m sure Pierce Kensington’s fiancée makes her own phone calls. Try again this afternoon.”
No! Before I made another attempt her end of the call went dead. I checked my phone screen to be safe and then placed it on the kitchen table. It didn’t look like I’d be getting any closer to discovering the truth of the mystery. At least not with that tactic.
“No luck?”
“No, she wasn’t helpful.” It’s hard to be forceful over the phone when no one quivers at the sound of your voice on this side of the country.
Oliver smirked. “Because you have to be forceful and cunning.”
“What do you mean? I was forceful.” I called and told her what I wanted and waited for her to give it to me. It shouldn’t have been any harder than that. “Katy said I could call, and they’d give me the information.”
“It’s weird. You think they’d be more helpful to a woman of your status.”
I rolled my eyes. To the town I may have status, but it would end in a few months.
“I should find Katy and see what her advice is now.”
Oliver laughed. He threw his head back and truly enjoyed the moment unlike I’d ever seen him. “Katy Kaddish would help you break into the place and steal the files. Just for something to do on a boring afternoon.”
“She would not.” Okay, she did have a lock pick set and snuck into Pierce’s office, but that differed completely from stealing nursing home medical files. Right?
“You need a different tactic.”
“I need a nicer receptionist.” Someone who took directions and didn’t ask too many questions when a mysterious woman called on the phone asking for financial information on one of their clients. What was with these law-abiding people?
Oliver scanned me once and then again slower the second time, but a small smile stretched the corner of his lips. “What you should do is dress in something… stately, and then we’ll drive over there together.”
I ignored his jab at my gray yoga pants and blue tank top. “You would help me investigate your cousin?”
“No, I will help prove that Pierce is a man of his word.”
