“And how did he take that?”
She frowned. “Fine, I guess. He didn’t say anything. Why?”
“Because now your boyfriend is dead, and Kenny is circling like a shark. I’d call that suspicious, wouldn’t you?”
Her eyes widened. “You think Kenny killed Nick?”
“I don’t know. Did he?”
“No! How would I know?” Her voice reached bat-range, and I winced. So did Zachary and Rachel.
“Did he stay over last night? After dinner?”
“What? No! He dropped me off at home and left. He didn’t even come inside. I haven’t heard from him since.”
They had left Fidelio’s almost an hour before Greg and I did. That would have given Kenny plenty of time to drive to Home Depot, pick up a gallon of paint, and make his way to Hillwood before Greg brought me home last night.
And the fact that he hadn’t tried to talk his way into Jacquie’s apartment—and her panties—that was suspicious, wasn’t it? After treating her to dinner, surely he would have expected something in return.
“So you wouldn’t know whether he went to my house after dropping you off and vandalized my front door,” I asked.
Jacquie blinked. “Someone vandalized your door?”
“Someone threw red paint at it. Made it look like it was dripping blood. Scared the hell out of me when I came home.”
“It wasn’t me,” Jacquie said. “And it probably wasn’t Kenny, either. Why would he do that?”
“Because he hates me? Because I was the reason David divorced Kenny’s mother twenty years ago? Because I saw him with you at Fidelio’s and he knows I’ll tell anyone who asks me about it?” Including the police.
“But why would he care?” Jacquie protested. “We weren’t doing anything wrong. We were just having dinner.”
Of course they were. But if Kenny had killed Nick…
Then again, if Kenny had killed Nick, surely he had enough sense not to ask Nick’s girlfriend out on a date two days after the murder? Kenny was many things, but he wasn’t stupid.
“I’ll think about investigating Nick’s death,” I said. “But I’m not making any promises. And you need to stay away from Kenny until this is sorted out.”
She blinked. “Why?” While Kenny wasn’t stupid, Jacquie clearly wasn’t smart enough to see the implications.
“Because if he did kill Nick, you’re putting yourself in danger by spending time with him. And if he didn’t, you’re still giving the police more reason to suspect you.” As well as him.
Rachel, who clearly followed my train of thought and who seemed inclined to want to protect Kenny, nodded.
Jacquie’s face went pale. “But I didn’t do anything.”
“Doesn’t matter. In a murder investigation, looks matter.”
She stood up, still clutching her purse. “Fine. I’ll stay away from Kenny. But please, Gina. Please help me. I didn’t kill Nick, and I need someone to prove it.”
She left before I could respond, the door swinging shut behind her with a click. Edwina watched her go while I kept my eyes on the envelope on my desk. So did Rachel and Zachary, for that matter.
Another two thousand dollars in the bank would be nice. It could keep us from dipping into the savings account for another few weeks while we waited for more clients to walk through the door.
But on the other hand, it was money that came with strings attached. Strings that led to a murder investigation involving the mob, my stepson, and my dead husband’s mistress.
Zachary was looking at me with those big, hopeful eyes over that freckly nose. “Are we taking the case?”
He probably wanted to do something to rectify his perceived mistake in letting Nick be murdered.
