“I’ll take care of that,” Wyatt said, removing his hand from my back.
I immediately missed his touch.
“I can’t let you pay for my lawyer,” I protested.
Jemma nudged me with her elbow. “Em, accept the offer. Please. I don’t want to be visiting you in jail.”
I pictured myself trying to hug Livy through iron bars.
I raised my gaze to meet Wyatt’s. “Thank you.”
“I’ve got Minnie in my sights,” Theo announced. She gave a discreet nod to the side.
Sure enough, Minnie stood surrounded by several stylishly dressed men and women, ranging in age from about forty-five to seventy-five.
“Oh my God,” I said as the light glinted off an oil painting on display beyond Minnie and those chatting with her.
The painting depicted a close-up view of a plume of feathers in shades of blue, purple, and gold.
“What is it?” Wyatt asked as he moved closer to me.
I tried to ignore the way my skin tingled in response to his nearness.
“Gold leaf. On the painting.” I thought back to the cocktail party/wake held at Minnie and Yolanda’s apartment. I landed on amemory of a piece of art on the wall. “I’ve seen gold leaf on one of Minnie’s other paintings as well.”
“And there was gold leaf on Freddie’s body,” Theo added.
“She’s our killer.” Jemma stared hard at Minnie.
Theo’s eyes gleamed behind her glasses. “We should get her to confess.”
“But she’s the lady of the hour,” Jemma pointed out. “It might be hard to get her alone.”
“Leave that to me,” Theo said.
Before we could ask her what she had up her sleeve, she shot off toward Minnie’s admirers. She nearly ran into two of them before slowing down.
“Excuse me. Sorry. I’d really like to see that painting.” She nodded at the picture of the feathers.
Minnie and the others stood between her and the work of art, but they scattered as Theo started moving her wheelchair again, putting their toes in serious danger of getting run over.
Suddenly alone, Minnie was about to turn away when I swooped in and tucked my arm through hers. “Minnie, this is a fabulous exhibition.”
She beamed at me. “Thank you, Emersyn. And thank you for coming.” She looked around as Jemma, Theo, and Wyatt closed in on us.
“There’s something we need to talk to you about,” I said, leading her into the alcove that Wyatt and I had vacated mere minutes earlier. The others followed, crowding into the small space with us.
“Oh?” Minnie said, clearly unsure of what exactly was happening. “What’s that?”
“Freddie’s murder,” Theo said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Minnie’s left hand fluttered and landed near the base of her throat. “What about it?”
“Where were you at the time of the murder?” I asked, releasing my gentle hold on her right arm.
Her eyes widened with surprise and—I thought—fear. “Why are you asking me that?”
“We’re trying to find out the location of everyone who lives in the building,” Wyatt said smoothly. “We’re wondering if you or your neighbors saw or heard anything that day that might be helpful in solving the crime.”
