Page 68 of Murder on Charity Lane

“Like CJ,” Ocean said.

“Is she?” Lily-Ann clicked a manicured nail on her laptop. “Then I’m not sure I see any productive way forward on this case.”

“Because there wasn’t a murder, Lily-Ann. We’re doing this to keep Mrs. B happy, that’s all. And to support CJ, who doesn’t have anywhere else to go. If you heard her talk about Frank DeYoung, you’d know she adored him. The most suspicious thing about her is that she doesn’t seem to have much of a life outside of work.”

“Lucky woman,” Lily-Ann said.

Ocean laughed, though Lily-Ann hadn’t been joking. “I guess she’s been focused on Frank. Did Riley tell you she thinks Pax has a crush on CJ?”

“Does he?”

“I don’t think so. CJ doesn’t think so. But Riley saw him bringing extra bird stuff over for the parakeets.”

“Nice guy,” Anthony said, without pausing his push-ups.

“Suspicious,” Lily-Ann said. “Riley’s right.”

“Why’s that?” Ocean asked.

“You can’t trust a man who’s that handsome. How’s your relationship with CJ?”

Ocean looked flustered. “I don’t know. Good. Except for Frank’s death. Also, Riley thinks she’s too young for me.”

“You’re not even ten years older, that’s nothing. Do you love her?”

“What? No, Lily-Ann. Not yet. It’s too early to tell.”

“But you’re falling for her?”

“She’s in the middle of a pretty major disruption in her life.”

“So you are falling for her?”

“Okay, when I said you could grill me, I didn’t expect it to go this far.”

Lily-Ann tried to think of a new subject, but nothing sprang to mind so she said, “I’m trying to think of a new subject but nothing springs to mind.”

“Sometimes, Lily-Ann,” Ocean said, as she stood to leave, “I fall in love with you all over again. Anyway, Anthony, let me know about the modeling.”

He grunted between his sit-ups.

Lily-Ann wasted a few minutes wondering what she’d done that was lovable. Then she returned to work until Anthony finished his workout. He stood and wiped sweat from his face with a hand towel.

“You didn’t tell her that you agree CJ is too young,” he said.

“No,” she said. “It didn’t seem helpful.”

He crossed the studio in two steps. “Look at you.”

“I don’t know, maybe I should’ve—”

Anthony put his rough, hot hands on her face and kissed her so thoroughly that she forgot what she should’ve done.

33

VERNON

Vernon leaned back at his desk and gazed in almost-religious gratitude at the station ceiling. Information kept falling into his lap from the clear blue sky.