Jubilation exploded like a fireworks finale. I jumped him right there in the kitchen and peppered his face with kisses.
He finally broke down and laughed. “All right, get off me.”
I wiggled my eyebrows. “I bet you never thought you’d say that to me?”
I dropped to the floor and grabbed my cell. I pulled up the photos of Cliff’s paintings. “What do you make of this?”
I handed my phone to Grey just as his doorbell rang.
“Got another hot date tonight?” I asked.
He handed my phone back. “I can only handle one crazy woman at a time,” he said wryly.
Ironic really, because who was on the other side of the door? Dingbat Tova.
“I’d like to see Melinda.” Her voice was unrecognizably confident.
I strolled to the door, guard up. “Hey. How’d you know where to find me?”
She’d changed out of her seduce-newly-trained-security guard outfit and into a powder blue sweat suit and pumps. “I saw your car. I’ll take the fifteen hundred dollars. A check is fine.”
Grey looked at me questioningly.
“I’ll fill you in later,” I said. To Tova I clarified one more time, “I’m not apologizing.”
She rolled her shoulders back. “I know.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not admitting to the fleas.”
She sighed, her face pinched into acceptance. “Just mail the check. I’ve already called my attorney to drop the lawsuit.”
I channeled my gracious winner face. But let’s be honest, inside I was a fist pumping freak. “Will do,” I said, straight-faced.
Tova turned around and runway-walked back to her Hummer.
I closed the door and let out my second Texas holler of the day.
“What was that about?” Grey asked amused.
“I found a way to get her to drop the lawsuit.” I preformed my celebratory dance with a few “whoop whoops” thrown in. I was quite proud of myself.
“You have been busy. What did you have to do?”
My party fizzled. “Pay her the original fifteen hundred dollars. But she’s cost me that much in just annoyance.”
“I’m proud of you, Babe. You’re dealing with an irrational person. That wasn’t going to change. You’d have paid more in legal fees. You did what you had to.”
I puffed out my chest and shot him a cocky grin. “Thanks,
He held out his hand. “Let me see the phone.”
I pulled it out of my pocket and found the pictures again. This time my cell rang, interrupting us. “What in the world…” I looked up at Grey. “It’s Tricia. Why would she call me?”
“Answer it, and let’s find out,” he said.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Melinda?” Tricia wailed over the phone. “I need your help.”
I headed to the great room and plopped on one of the two couches. Grey and the dogs followed.
She’s crying, I mouthed to Grey. He looked mildly curious. I just shrugged.
“This is a little awkward, Tricia. I don’t normally discuss business after hours.” I picked up a decorative pillow and tossed it aside, making room for Grey. I flashed him an inviting smile.
He sat next to me, and Missy immediately curled up at his feet. Fluffy stayed back and watched.
“This isn’t about the clothing line,” she simpered. “I don’t know what to do. I’m scared.”
I rolled my eyes in disbelief. “Scared of what?”
“Not what. Who,” her tone sharp. “Jo came at me like a mafia wife in the Whole Food’s parking lot tonight.”
I choked back laughter. “What are you talking about?” I put her on speaker phone so Grey could hear.
“She was waiting for me at my car. She yelled obscenities at me. Can you believe it? Then she said I’d be sorry if I didn’t help her.”
A big piece of the puzzle was missing. “Does this have to do with what you two were arguing about in the bathroom?”
Grey quietly got up and left the room. Fluffy tagged along. Missy readjusted until she was lying on my foot and resumed snoring.
“Yes.” She sniffed. “She lost something in Mona’s car and wanted to know if I could retrieve it for her.”
Why would Tricia do anything out of the goodness of her heart for Jo? Unless she owed Jo a favor. “What did she lose?”
Grey came back to the room with a pad of paper. He’d scribbled one word. Blackmail.
I looked at him and nodded, impressed. Damn, he was smart.
“I-I can’t tell you,” she hedged.
“Is Jo blackmailing you?” I tried to sound caring, but I think it came across as almost an accusation. I needed to work on my delivery.
There was a moment of silence. “Yes.”
Ding, ding, ding. We have ourselves a winner. Grey’s eyes widened in triumph. We shared an air fist bump.
“Is this about your ‘date’ the night Mona was murdered?” I asked.
“What?”
Clearly Tricia wasn’t the brainy type. “Are you dating a married man? Is that what Jo’s blackmailing you with?”
A sigh of annoyance rushed across the phone. “Apparently, you’ve never been blackmailed before. Part of the instructions are don’t go to the police and don’t talk to anyone.”
“Tricia, you’re smarter than this. You can’t possibly take Jo seriously?”
“What if she killed Mona?”
“I thought you believed Cliff or his brother, Ted, killed her?”
“I’ve changed my mind. I think it was Jo. I didn’t tell you this, but Mona fired her.”
I sat up abruptly, accidently kicking Missy. She didn’t move. “When?
“The day of the Fur Ball,” she announced dramatically.
She enjoyed piecing out her information bit by bit.
“Tricia, I have to go. You’re going to be fine. First thing tomorrow, visit Malone. Tell him everything you just told me. He’ll help you.”
I disconnected before she could protest.
“If she actually goes to see Malone tomorrow, that should help Darby, right?” I asked Grey.
“Possibly,” he replied cautiously. “Don’t be surprised if she doesn’t go. If Jo really is holding something over her, the shame of being exposed can outweigh the fear toward the blackmailer.”
“Well, that’s dumb. Tricia shouldn’t have been carrying on with some married man.”
Grey was reflective. “She never said that’s what Jo was holding over her head. You assumed that’s what it was.”
Really? I thought about it for a second, and he was right. I’d actually suggested it. “If not that, then what?”
Grey dropped down next to me and held out his palm. “Let me see those pictures before your phone rings again.”
I quickly pulled up the photos and showed Grey. “Aren’t those the same ones that were at Mona’s?”
He didn’t say anything as he flipped back and forth between the pictures. I watched him send copies to his personal email. “Where’d you find these?” he asked.
