Page 43 of Murder on Charity Lane

She frowned at him.

“That’s not dismissive, Lily-Ann, that’s my inability to look into a person’s eyes and know that two of her husbands died. I don’t see how that’s motive, though, considering she wasn’t married to Frank.”

“True.”

“She seemed normal, for whatever that’s worth. Sunny Wheeler is weird, though. He staged a funeral for his seventy-fifth birthday. He’s narcissistic and obsessed with cryogenics.”

“Life extension,” Lily-Ann mused. “Shift the bed a foot to the left. And the Kagans?”

“Kagants. Helene and George. They’re not ‘superrich weird,’ just ‘normal weird.’ She’s got a great vibe, she’s immediately likable, and he’s like the guy at the cocktail party who you hope monopolizes the conversation. Your family is wealthy, right?”

“Does that make me superrich weird?”

“Ha! No, you’re normal weird like the rest of us.”

For some reason, that pleased her so much that she felt herself smile at the bookshelf.

“What I mean was, maybe your family knows people who know these people?”

“Hm. Improbable, but possible. I’ll inquire.”

“See? I’m helping.” Nicholas shifted the foot of the bed closer to the window. “Now, who else? There’s Pax the massage therapist. He’s suspicious as hell.”

“Why is that?”

“Too handsome. And who invites their massage therapist to a party?”

“You think he’s sleeping with one of them? Oh, he could be a gigolo! Is that a term we still use?”

“Mrs. B probably does.” He adjusted the bed, making everything parallel. “How’s that?”

She surveyed the bedroom. “Another inch. Right there! Perfect.”

“You know it wasn’t a murder, right?” Nicholas rubbed the back of his neck. “A half-drunk old man fell down the stairs.”

“His wife says CJ pushed him.”

“Yeah, but Ocean can’t be that unlucky.”

Lily-Ann considered. “Should I ask Ocean if she’d rather we didn’t investigate?”

“Nah, she’d think we suspect CJ, which isn’t great for a new relationship. And sure Karina blames CJ, but she was drinking, too. I heard she doesn’t like CJ.”

“There’s a large gap between disliking someone and accusing them of murder.”

“True, but just … don’t get too excited, okay?”

“Why not?”

Nicholas took a breath. “I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed when it turns out there’s no mystery. You and Mrs. B.”

“Ah. That’s true. I do hope this was murder and not simply another tedious accidental death.”

“Lily-Ann,” he chided.

“Don’t worry, I won’t share that with Ocean.” She smiled. “Just Mrs. B.”

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