"Okay. Let's get a few things straight. I did not have a coke habit. I certainly didn't have a legendary one. If I was in debt to my dealer, my husband had more than enough money to settle it. I'm not gonna sit here and act like I'm Little Miss Innocent. I may have indulged in a few sensory delights in the past. But it is not, and never was, a regular thing. Sure, I smoked a little weed here and there, just like anybody else. But a coke habit? Big bad drug dealers settling a score? That's pure fiction."
"So, there was no one that you owed money to?”
"I had no gambling debts, no drug debts. Yes, a pretty hefty credit card bill, but I'm pretty sure the bank didn't send a hitman to collect. Killing Brock certainly wasn't the way to get a big payout.”
She had a point.
"What other ridiculous rumors have you heard that I can put to rest?”
I shared an awkward glance with Jack. "Well, there is the matter of your former employment.”
She lifted a salty eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips. “Oh, really? And what former employment is that?”
18
Itook a deep breath and chose my words. "I've heard that you provided certain services."
"And just what services would those be?" she asked with a little bit of sass in her voice.
I think she enjoyed watching me squirm a little. "Companionship services."
She laughed. "If I had a nickel for every time I've heard those rumors, I'd be a rich woman.”
"Some might say you are a rich woman."
"Wasa rich woman.” She sighed. "Look, I danced at Forbidden Fruit. I had a brief stint as an online E-girl. But I shut that down when I met Brock.”
"What about Charlotte Beaumont?”
She smirked. "You’ve done your homework. I met Charlotte. I liked her right away. She's fun and no bullshit. She wanted me to work for her. She was very persuasive about it. I told her I’dgo on a few dates with guys, but I wasn't going to sleep with anybody."
I'm not sure if I believed that. Charlotte’s girls were alwaysfull service.
"I was happy to be a dinner date, play girlfriend for the weekend, go on exotic vacations, boost men's egos. If I liked the guy, and we hit it off, nothing was off the table. But I never compromised myself for money."
I wasn't totally sold, and she could see it.
"How is that any different than what 99% of women do when they go on the dating circuit?” She laughed. “I know plenty of women who sell themselves short. Why shouldn't I get paid for my time? My time is valuable, just like anybody else’s. At least I got paid to go on dates with objectionable men. But it was always my decision how far the date would go. I didn't consider that prostitution. Still don’t. Let's be honest. You pay for it one way or another, don't you? Fancy dinners, drinks, lavish gifts, alimony. Nothing is free. Maybe I'm not like most women, but I'd rather have the money than a dozen roses.”
"Is that how you met Brock?”
"Sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs before you find your prince."
"Did you ever date any players on the team?"
"You want a complete list of my sexual history, deputy?” she said with a sassy grin and an arched eyebrow.
"Did you ever date Gavin Carver?”
Tiffany laughed again. "He wishes. All those horn dogs would have loved to have gotten a piece of me. But none of them did. Like jealous high school boys, they had to make up stories about me, hoping it would get back to the coach. It did. Sometimes grown men can be so ridiculous.”
"How did that affect your relationship with Brock?”
"It put a strain on our relationship. But I like to think we became stronger because of it. It helped us establish trust. You can’t have a relationship without trust.”
That much was true.
"Right now, you and I don't have trust. I can see it in your eyes."
