“No.” Maureen swatted her husband’s hand away and glared at him until he retreated. “She stole from a sister. There is no excuse for that.”
“What did she steal?” Trent asked, shooting his wife a strange look.
“Well, certainly not money.” Scott chuckled. “Her parents are filthy rich.”
“Worse.” Chelsea grimaced. “She stole intellectual property.”
“Really?” Scott’s eyebrows would have disappeared into his hairline if he weren’t bald.
“Yes.” Maureen’s fair complexion reddened. “One of the pledges had written a novel, and although she kept it a secret, because Regina wanted to be a writer too, the girl confided in her. Regina expressed an interest in reading the girl’s book and the pledge gave her the manuscript to critique. After a couple of months went by and Regina didn’t give it back, the girl asked about it. Regina pretended she didn’t know what the pledge was talking about. And when the girl went to her sorority big sister about the missing manuscript, Regina claimed that the girl was delusional.”
“Couldn’t she just print out another one?” Trent asked, finishing his martini and putting the empty glass on the coffee table.
“The manuscript was handwritten and there were no copies.” Maureen explained. She held up a finger to prevent anyone from interrupting her and added, “Yes. The girl was incredibly stupid to hand over her only copy, but she thought she could trust Regina.”
“Why in the world would Regina do something like that?” Trent asked.
Dani silently nodded her agreement with Trent’s question. Was it another case of sheer meanness like Lazarus Hunter had described?
“Because Regina had submitted the manuscript to an agent friend of her mother’s as her own work.” Chelsea blew out a breath. “Apparently, the novel was amazing and the agent found an editor who made an offer to acquire it for her publishing house.
“But before any contracts were signed, the editor’s assistant remembered reading a query letter with the same plot and character names,” Maureen continued the story. “The assistant alerted her boss, who contacted the pledge, who took the matter to the standards committee, who turned it over to national.”
“I don’t remember Regina having a book published, and I’m sure her parents would have invited the whole country club to her launch party, so did the pledge get her novel back?” Trent asked.
“Unfortunately, no.” Maureen shook her head, setting her shoulder-length hair in motion. “Regina refused to admit she’d stolen the manuscript and the publisher’s attorney said that a query letter would never be enough to prove it was the pledge’s work.”
“So with a ‘she said versus she said’ case, the publisher backed away from the project.” Chelsea’s tone was grim. “And no other agent or editor would even look at the book, so it was never published.”
“The poor girl.” Trent seemed genuinely sympathetic. “Pouring her heart into writing a novel and having it stolen had to be devastating.”
“Absolutely.” Maureen recrossed her legs. “If Regina had been murdered back then, there wouldn’t be much of a question as to who killed her.” Maureen shrugged. “But it all happened over a year ago, maybe closer to a year and a half. I can’t remember exactly when it took place.”
Dani frowned. That was a long time to hold a grudge, but still she should at least find out the name of that pledge and talk to her. But how? Dani took a deep breath—
Shit! She’d been so engrossed in the conversation, she’d forgotten the food cooking in the kitchen. And now it smelled as if her sauce was burning.
Fighting the impulse to run, Dani eased away from the wall, cleared her throat, and announced, “Anytime you all are ready to eat, I’ve put the first course on the dining room table.”
“Thanks, Dani.” Trent rose to his feet and the others followed.
Dani forced herself to walk sedately down the hallway, making sure her rubber-soled shoes didn’t squeak on the corridor’s polished hardwood floor. Once she was out of sight and was sure no one would notice, she broke into a jog and sprinted toward the stove. Thankfully the port sauce was salvageable and she quickly strained it into another pan, then grabbed her knife and carved the beef.
Although Dani overheard snatches of conversation as she served dinner, nothing more about the stolen manuscript was discussed. And at eight thirty, when Dani entered the dining room with the lemon fluff, the couples were talking about a vacation they were planning on taking together during the holidays.
Dani hid her frustration and served the dessert, then stood there searching for a way to steer the discussion back to Regina.
Chelsea flicked Dani an irritated glance and stared pointedly at the doorway. “We have everything we need.”
“Great,” Dani mumbled and retreated to the kitchen. While she packed her equipment, she turned over in her head how she would get the identity of the pledge who Regina had betrayed, but nothing came to mind.
Too bad she couldn’t just ask Chelsea. But there were two problems with that solution. One, she’d have to admit that she’d been eavesdropping. And two, Dani didn’t want the Karneses to associate her with Regina. The more she could keep herself separated in their thoughts from the murdered young woman, the better.
Shelving that conundrum for another time, Dani continued to tidy up. An hour later, Dani heard the Ackermans leave, and she went to find her clients. As usual, Trent and Chelsea had retired to the professor’s study for their after-dinner drink, but instead of their customary casual banter, tonight the couple was arguing.
Hesitating outside the partially opened door, Dani heard Trent shouting, “You knew that Regina was an unethical bitch. You knew what she was capable of doing. Why didn’t you warn me about her?”
“It never occurred to me that my husband would fall for her tricks.”
“I didn’t.” Trent’s voice wavered. “I mean, I was flattered when she seemed attracted to me, and I may have flirted a bit, but I never
