She snapped Melissa’s arm as she slunk past. “Who sent these?”
“You tell me,boss. You’re her lifelong friend.”
“What do you know about Corina’s love life?” Gigi’s nose itched like a flea-bitten dog.
“Uh, that she doesn’t have one?” Melissa leaned across the desk and sniffed the silky flowers. “I’ve never seen roses that shade of red.”
“Get on her Facebook,” Gigi commanded, leaving no room for disagreement. “See if she’s posted anything about a date or an ‘old friend’ coming into town.”
Melissa balked, trying to walk off. “I’m not going to spy on her, Gigi. Even for you.”
“If she posted on Facebook, darling, how is it spying?” Really, she was going to have to break down and join the Facebook generation. She’d be done already if she just surfed the site herself, but this was her MO. Using, rather,workingwith people. Getting them on her team. Gigi motioned for Mel to sit at her computer. “Just take a quick look. Is she on Instagram? Twitter?”
“I don’t know, but if you want to know, ask her when she comes in.”
“She won’t tell me the truth.”
“Then leave her alone.” Melissa dropped her bag on her desk and sat, waking up her sleeping Mac with a jiggle of the mouse. “And just so you know, she rarely posts on Facebook.”
“Fine, then this exercise should leave you guilt-free. Come on, aren’t you curious?”
“A little.”
Gigi peered over Melissa’s shoulder as she brought up Corina’s Facebook profile.
She had a feeling, a gut instinct, that she was onto something. But what? How big?
Since the day Corina walked into the bull pen, Gigi sensed she hid a story in her heart. A secret. But in the last six months, Corina had been nothing more than a faithful,boring, steady writer and editor.
What good was it to hire one of the wealthiest young women in the world if she wasn’t going to provide any fodder?
Ooh, maybe the man was the boyfriend, or perhaps husband, of one of Corina’s friends? And the roses were a bribe. Gigi was cooking with gas now.
“Nothing,” Melissa said, sitting back, slapping her palm on the top of her desk. “She’s not posted since last week, and then it was just a repost of a Remembrance Day fund in Brighton Kingdom.” Melissa clicked on the link and popped open to aLiberty Pressarticle on a new War Memorial and the defense minister’s plans for a grand Remembrance Day next spring.
“Thank you for trying, Mel. Remind me to give you a raise.” Gigi started toward her office with her scone and latte, her Gucci bag swinging from her arm.
“Didn’t Corina do some postgrad work at Knoxton University? In Brighton?” Melissa said, almost as a by-the-by. Gigi stopped and backed up.
“Indeed she did. When her twin brother, Carlos, was stationed there for military training. She did some freelance work for me back then. Reported on their art show, film festival, fashion week.”
“She has a twin brother?” Melissa peered up at Gigi.
“He was killed in Afghanistan. Apparently in a shroud of mystery.” His death had to be the source of the clouds in Corina’s eyes. The root of her secret.
Was the man from last night connected to Carlos? Perhaps a gay lover? Oh, wouldn’t that be a headline of all headlines? Gigi imagined all the black ink returning to her accounts.
“She never mentioned him to me.” Melissa scrolled farther down the Facebook page. “Seems she has an affection for Cathedral City. She’s posted a picture of King Nathaniel on his wedding day. But that was two years ago. Can you believe he married an American?”
“You’re going somewhere with this? Where? What are you thinking?”
Mel clicked out of Corina’s profile. “Nothing, Gigi. Just that maybe the flowers are from someone in Brighton. I mean, she did live there.”
“But why would someone send her flowers? Are you thinking perhaps an old flame?” Gigi stepped back around to Corina’s desk, set down her latte, and peeked into the roses. Sure enough. A card. Why didn’t she think of that before? Carefully she slipped it from the bouquet. The envelope was white. Plain. With absolutely no intel whatsoever. Not even the name of the floral shop.
“You’re giving this a lot of energy, Gigi. It’s just roses.”
“There’s where you’re wrong, sugar.” Gigi snatched up her latte and started for her office. “Those roses are a statement. And I want to know what they are saying.”
