Separate from her estate.”
Darby sat transfixed. In an instant, she snapped out of it and jumped up. “There must be some mistake. You misunderstood.”
“No mistake,” I said softly. Inside I was jumping with excitement for her newfound wealth, but Darby was having a mini-meltdown.
“I don’t want it.” She started to pace, her voice thin. “I won’t accept it. You take it.”
“What? No way. You deserve it. Besides, she was broke. The only money left is from her insurance policies.”
“I can’t. Don’t you see? This will only convince Malone I killed Mona.”
I hadn’t thought about that. For the first time, I was unsure if I should comfort my friend or just let her wear herself out.
“I don’t accept it.” Darby raised a fist into the air and yelled at the ceiling, “Why did you hate me so much?”
“I don’t think you get to decide,” I said with a half smile.
She wiped her hands on her skirt and shared a shaky grin of her own. “Yes, I do. I respectfully decline. I choose to remain poor. Let’s change the subject. Alex came by and took Fluffy for a ride. She was happy to see him.”
I loved her spunk. There was no way I was letting her refuse that inheritance. Mona owed her that much. For now, I followed her lead in subject changing and glanced at Fluffy, who was now stretched out on the rug. “It must have been exhausting, being chauffeured around.”
“I hope you don’t mind, I told Alex to drop her off here when they were finished. I left Missy at your place. She seemed to enjoy the peace and quiet.”
“Don’t let her fool you. She’s just recharging,” I said.
I followed Darby further into the studio and helped her put the props away.
“I saw Tricia leaving Bow Wow. What did she want?”
I quickly filled her in on how Tricia had demanded Fluffy, had practically thrown Cliff under the bus for murder, and had claimed she was on a date the night Mona was murdered. “She completely clammed up when I asked her about Jo. I’m going pay Ms. O’Malley a surprise visit. Maybe she’ll tell me what they argued about.”
“There’s no need. Leave it alone.” She tossed a handful of oversized plastic sunglasses into a wicker storage basket.
“What does that mean?” I grabbed a pair of neon green glasses from the basket and slid them on my face. “We’ve got to find a way to clear your name before Malone arrests you.”
Darby rolled her eyes at my attempt to lessen the tension. “My lawyer has hired a private investigator. You need to stay out of it before you get hurt.”
I pulled an electric blue boa from the shelf and draped it around Darby’s shoulders. “You’re watching more television than I am. I can’t get hurt by asking questions,” I said.
“Yes, you can.”
I wrapped a purple boa around my neck and struck a pose. “You think whoever killed Mona will come after me?” I’m sure I looked ridiculous with my clown glasses and boa, but I’d made Darby smile, and that’s all I cared about.
“It’s possible. You’re a dork.”
“We are going to clear your name, and you’re going to keep that money,” I promised.
The front door opened and in sauntered Jo. Speak of the devil. I couldn’t believe my luck. Once again, Jo’s red hair looked like an untamed beehive from the sixties.
“And it starts right now,” I said under my breath.
“Hey, Jo. Missed you at the will reading this afternoon.”
She looked at me like I was a Hollywood hooker. I hated to burst her bubble, but she’d be working the opposite corner.
“Hello, Melinda,” she replied as if she were bored by my very presence. She turned her attention to Darby. “I came by to pick up my head shots. You said they were on a CD.”
Darby yanked off her boa and tossed it in the storage basket. “Sorry, we were just cleaning up. I’ll get them.” She paused, looking between Jo and me with concern. “Behave,” she muttered in my direction.
I slowly removed the glasses. “I guess you and Mona weren’t as buddy buddy as you thought.”
Jo dropped all pretenses. “What do you want?” Her foghorn voice boomed throughout the studio.
I yanked off the boa and stuffed the props in their proper places, then turned my undivided attention to Jo.
“I left before you and Tricia could finish your argument in the bathroom at the funeral. Fill me in on what I missed.” The time for finessing and coddling was over. Besides, it wouldn’t take Darby but a few minutes before she was back.
“No.” She spun around and marched toward the front of the studio, the soles of her boots squeaking on the cement floor.
I followed. “Let me tell you what I think you argued about. I think Mona decided you were a fraud and was going to out you, but someone killed her first.”
She whipped around. “Are you accusing me of murder?”
I’m sure the Lassie tattoo under her sleeve was snarling at me.
I guess I was accusing her of murder. “Did you kill Mona?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Her last outgoing phone call was to you.”
“How do you know?” She frowned, and for a second I could have sworn fear flashed in her eyes.
Jo was suddenly seeing me in a whole new light. Maybe even as a threat. I’m not sure that was good, but I pushed it out of my mind and continued my questions. “Why did she call you?”
“She wanted to meet.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, Melinda. Someone killed her first. Look, you have no idea what you’re talking about.” She plastered a sneer on her face.
“Then fill me in. I’m all ears. Wait, don’t tell me. You had another dream?”
Her body stiffened. “As a matter of fact I did.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it. Did Fluffy predict another murder?”
“No. I saw Cliff with Tricia.”
I was suddenly confused. “What do you mean?”
“Cliff and Tricia were having an affair.”
It was as if we were living a soap opera. What was next, Mona was going to reappear alive. Maybe it was all a bad dream?
“Do you have proof?” I asked.
“I don’t need proof,” she answered coolly.
“You can’t convince me Mona believed you just because you say you had a dream.”
Darby came rushing out of her office, face flushed and out of breath. “Here you go. Sorry it took so long, I…” she looked between us. “What’s going on?”
“I was right. Jo has information that might help clear you.”
Darby looked skeptical. “Oh?”
“Either you can tell her, or I will. She deserves to know since she’s the one the police are trying to pin Mona’s murder on,” I said.
Jo plucked the CD from Darby’s hand. A feline smile spread across her mouth. “She already knows,” she purred, (as well as a foghorn could) and scampered out of the studio.
I was getting used to the feeling of being blindsided all too well. Once again, Darby had some explaining to do.
Chapter Twenty-Six
