If Parker were the killer, would he really want to encourage others to come forward with information? Unless, of course, he’s so cock-sure he’s untraceable to the incident, he wants to present himself as an innocent party to all this. In that case, his tactic would be brilliant. And, seeing that he’s not only a renowned plastic surgeon, but he’s on the cutting edge of extinguishing wrinkles for good, I’d say he’s pretty darn brilliant.
“I will,” I assure him. “But I’m sorry to say, I don’t know anything more than you do.”
His lips curl as if to say his wicked work is done.
A sign sitting on the counter behind him with a picture of a fish on it catches my eye. It reads, ask me about the innovated ways we’re working on making aging a thing of the past.
“So”—I point over to the cartoon fish with a goofy grin on its face—“what are the innovated ways you’re working on to make aging a thing of the past?”
His expression falls flat at the sight of the sign.
“Yes, well, my laboratory has been experimenting with serums derived from the turquoise fish, a native to Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The fish is known for its advances in the field of dermatology. The serum has taken years to develop and quite a bit of finances.” He glowers at the floor a moment.
“I take it it’s not going too well?”
A dark chuckle bucks from him. “It’s going exceedingly well. Unfortunately, my lab was pilfered a few weeks back, and now I’m in litigation with a competitor who has suddenly come up with the exact same formula. I’m afraid it might take years to wade through this legal nightmare.”
“I’m guessing that makes you furious.”
“You bet.” His eyes sharpen over mine. “I was fit to kill when I discovered the serum had been swiped from underneath me.”
Fit to kill?
I bet he was.
“Any idea who could have done something like that to you? They must have sold it for a hefty fee.” I know I would have.
He nods as he glances to the window. “I have an idea.” He takes a deep breath. “But that’s in the past. All I can worry about now is getting my rights back and blocking my competitor.” He offers an affable smile. “So you’re seeing Jackson. I never thought he’d settle down. But you seem nice enough. I can see why he’d eschew his former lifestyle to make room for something stable.”
“Yes, well, we’re still a little new.” A thought comes to me. “I just came out of an awful relationship. My ex was cheating on me with one of my good friends.”
His eyes widen a moment.
Was that an admission of guilt?
“I mean”—I clear my throat—“I understand that people change, things happen. No judgment. We made a clean break after he admitted it.”
Although, I doubt Parker here has admitted anything to Sophia.
“Hey? You wouldn’t happen to be the same Parker Goldman who’s seeing Sophia Hathaway, would you? Sophia and I hit it off at the wine festival the other day.”
He swats his thigh playfully. “Guilty as charged.” His features darken. “So you’ve met Sophia?” He frowns a moment. “She and I have been steady for a couple of years now. She didn’t mention Lucas by chance, did she?”
My mouth falls open. “Madeline’s old boyfriend? No, actually, she didn’t.”
His tongue protrudes into his cheek as he glances to the window again.
“Okay, good to know.” He nods. “She’s been helping him, you know, with his grief.”
So that’s what they’re calling it now.
“I bet she is.” It comes out a bit testier than I anticipated. “Sophia mentioned that she and Madeline were good friends. She can’t believe what’s happened. She really misses her.”
His chest pulsates with a huff. “Not nearly as much as her father does.”
“Mr. Hathaway? What was his name again?”
“Wallace. Madeline was a vital part of his philanthropy division for the Hathaway Foundation.”
“Oh, that’s right. Actually, it was Madeline herself who told me that the night of—” I wince in lieu of finishing my sentence.
“The night she was killed,” he completes it for me. “Madeline loved to brag about her relationship with Wallace. Especially in front of Sophia. I think she knows it got her going. Sophia is a daddy’s girl. But she didn’t want the philanthropy position—too much real world work. So Madeline jumped on it. Sophia wanted one of her good friends, Kiera, to take it on instead, but Kiera had her own business to run.”
“Goober.” I nod, happy to be in the know. That conversation Kiera and I had in her lab comes back to me. “Parker, who is Kiera seeing? She brought up the fact she was having trouble with her boyfriend, but I never got around to asking his name.”
His brows twitch. “That’s exactly why I asked if Sophia mentioned Lucas Lane. Prior to Madeline’s death, Sophia had been shouting from the rooftops that Kiera and Lucas had a thing. She made no secret of it with Maddie, but Maddie brushed it off. Maddie.” His face brightens a notch as he says her name.
“You really cared about her.”
He closes his eyes a moment. “We were good friends for a time.” His jaw stiffens as he looks to that advertisement of his new serum. “Excuse me.” He exits the room without a lot of fanfare.
I collect Opal and Tilly as Wanda and I drive those frozen faces right back to Starry Falls where they belong.
And I try to wade through the shark-infested waters of that conversation I just had with Parker Goldman.
He didn’t seem pleased with Madeline Swanson at all.
But was he angry enough to kill?
Then there’s the new plot twist with Kiera’s dicey love life.
I’m thinking it’s time to pay a visit to Madeline’s dicey ex, Lucas Lane.
If Madeline
