Page 105 of Murder on Charity Lane

“Poached eggs in a savory tomato sauce,” Lily-Ann told her.

“With marinated feta,” Ocean said. “At least if you order it here.”

Lily-Ann decided that was enough chitchat. “The police found the fifty-five thousand dollars in cash from Frank’s ATM withdrawals, in a Trader Joe’s reusable bag with a note that said ‘For CJ.’”

Ocean frowned as if she didn’t quite understand and Sophie said, “Oh, shit, is that why Hamilton asked you to stay last night? His cop friend told him?”

“Yes. He didn’t know how to break it to Mrs. B or Ocean.”

“Me?” Ocean asked.

“He thinks you’re in love.”

“Five dates!” she said.

“Nicholas said you glow when you see her,” Lily-Ann said.

Sophie wrinkled her nose. “He told you that?”

“I asked him.”

“Enough about my radioactivity,” Ocean said. “Do we know why Frank was paying CJ fifty grand?”

“We don’t.”

“So, wait…” Ocean slouched in her chair. “He’s been withdrawing cash for months but never actually gave it to her? That’s weird. Why hoard it?”

“That is a good question,” Lily-Ann said. “Here’s another one: Is the fact that Karina found the money the day after CJ’s arrest a little too convenient?”

“You think she set her up?” Sophie asked.

“I think it’s a possibility.”

The conversation paused while the waitress served them, then Lily-Ann asked for a side of lime wedges and Ocean took a bite of shakshuka and said, “Oh, god, this is so good. Um. Okay, say Frank withdrew the cash for an innocuous reason. Like dodging taxes.”

“Innocuous,” Lily-Ann deadpanned.

“That works,” Sophie said. “Like they were going to pay someone under the table for working on the house, something like that. So first, Karina pretended she saw CJ push her husband, then she found the cash and added a note saying it was for CJ.”

“Huh,” Ocean said. “Maybe you’re onto something.”

“It’s a good, simple frame-up. Easier than some others…” Silence fell until Sophie cleared her throat. “If we’re right, how do we prove it?”

“We talk to Karina, I guess,” Ocean said. “And to Sunny Wheeler. Mostly to him. How do we explain his testimony?”

Sophie frowned at her avocado toast. “He’s the key. He suddenly remembered he saw CJ push Frank? Talk about convenient.”

“Yeah, that’s got to be bullshit. Which means he’s hiding something.”

“Perhaps,” Lily-Ann said. “Eyewitnesses are tricky. For most people, memory is deeply unreliable.”

“Not for you?” Sophie asked, with possibly a teasing tone in her voice.

Lily-Ann squeezed lime onto her parfait. “No.”

“Are you eating toast with a fork?” Ocean asked Sophie.

“What?” Sophie paused with the fork halfway to her mouth. “There’s too much stuff on top to eat with my hands.”