“Doc and I found a couple tiny fibers on Mari’s neck and clothes.” Barbie came over to stand beside us. “We think it might have come from the murder weapon. If I can identify the fibers, it might give you an idea of the rope or twine used. I can at least tell you if it’s natural or synthetic fibers.” She held up an evidence bag. “Plus, I found a smashed cell phone under the kitchen island.”
I peered inside the baggie. “Purple phone case? That looks like the phone Mari was on earlier today when I saw her inside the grocery store.”
Doc took off his gloves. “I’ll call tomorrow when the autopsy is ready.”
“If we find anything upstairs,” Zane said, “we’ll drop it off at the lab tonight.”
Zane and I walked back to the front of the house and headed upstairs. Family photos continued up the stairwell. A lot ofvacations, and a lot of smiles. Most were of Jayla in various stages of life, which was no surprise.
“Okay,” Zane said when we reached the second-floor landing. “Tell me what you spoke to Hunter about while I was with Jayla.”
“I think Hunter is having an affair.”
“What makes you say that?” he asked.
“When I was walking through the alley on Bay Boulevard today, I heard a woman giggling behind a door. She thanked someone named Hunter for a bracelet. She said she’d never take it off, and then she asked him if he’d told his wife about the divorce yet.” I poked my head into an open doorway and saw a bathroom. It had a lot of colorful teenage makeup on the counter and brightly colored towels. The bedroom directly across the hall had the same bright colors and posters on the walls. “And last night at my Galentine’s party, the twins mentioned Hunter and Mari were having marital problems. Apparently, it’s been circulating around town.”
Zane nodded and stopped in front of the master bedroom. “That’s definitely a motive.”
“I wonder if there’s life insurance?” I mused.
“I can have Rota check into that.”
I conjured up two pairs of booties and gloves. We slipped them on before heading into the bedroom.
A king-sized four-poster bed sat against the far wall, draped in cream and gold linens. The headboard was upholstered in champagne velvet, and matching wooden nightstands flanked each side. A stone fireplace took up most of the left wall, and above it hung a large painting of the ocean. It had been enchanted so that the waves actually moved inside the frame. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the cliff and the water beyond, just like in the kitchen. A cream-colored chaise lounge sat near the window, with a crocheted throw blanket drapedacross one end. A paperback sat on the blanket. On the other side of the room, two walk-in closets flanked the entrance to the bathroom.
“This is beautiful,” I murmured.
I moved to the nightstand on the left side of the bed. A half-empty glass of water, a partially burned candle, a bottle of lavender lotion, and a pair of reading glasses sat on top. I pulled open the drawer and found a leather-bound diary with a small brass lock.
“Look at this.” I held it up. “Shouldn’t be hard to get inside.”I whispered a quick unlocking spell, and the tiny lock clicked open. I flipped to the back of the diary, scanning for the most recent entries.”Listen to this. ‘February 10th. I don’t have proof, but I know something is going on. Hunter has been distant for months. He’s always on his phone, and when I walk into the room, he puts it away. He says it’s work, but I’m not stupid.’“I turned the page.”‘February 12th. He came home smelling like perfume. When I asked him about it, he said his client hugged him goodbye. I wanted to believe him. I really did. But I know better. Does he forget the type of stories I write for a living? The joke is on him. I’ve already taken steps, he just doesn’t know it yet.’“I closed the diary and looked at Zane. “She suspected he was seeing someone.”
“Sounds like it.”
I conjured up an evidence bag and slipped the diary inside. “Could be she confronted him tonight, and he killed her.”
“Could be.”
Zane rummaged through the multi-drawer dresser across from the bed while I hunted for Mari’s purse. I hadn’t seen it downstairs in the kitchen or hanging in the foyer. I finally spotted her purse hanging from the back of a chair near the closet. Hurrying over, I opened it and looked inside. Wallet, keys, a tube of lipstick, a pack of gum. And tucked in the sidepocket, a valentine.I pulled it out and examined it. It was the same valentine I’d seen at the grocery store.
“I found the valentine card,” I said.
“What’s it say?” Zane asked.
“‘Roses are red, but they eventually die. One thing is certain, secrets don’t lie.’“ I looked over at him. “This is the valentine I saw today at the grocery store. When I picked it up off the floor, Mari snatched it out of my hand. She looked upset that I’d seen it.”I conjured another evidence bag and sealed the valentine inside.”That reminds me. When I was in the alleyway yesterday behind Double Trouble, Mari asked Rayna Halter if she’d received a valentine in the mail, and Rayna said yes. And then Rayna said she thought Eliza was sending them.” I looked at Zane. “We definitely need to talk to Eliza about that. Why would these people think Eliza sent them?”
Zane nodded as he opened Hunter’s nightstand. “We’ll have to—now, this is interesting.” He held up avalentine similar to the one I’d just put in an evidence bag.
“What’s it say?” I asked.
“‘Be careful of the secrets you deliver.’“
I conjured up a third evidence bag, and Zane slipped the valentine inside.
“What happened to Eliza?” I asked. “Why does she use a cane?”
“Eliza Nordic,” Zane said thoughtfully. “If I remember correctly, she had some kind of accident in high school.”
