Peter held out the warrant. “Rachel Whitmore, you’re under arrest for the murder of Letty Jones.”
She paled, and the women at the table gasped. The background noise of the dining hall grew quiet, though a few chairs scraped across the marble as people angled around to get a better look.
Bright red spots appeared on Rachel’s throat and face, and she set her jaw. “This is outrageous. I demand to speak with my lawyer. We’ll have you—”
Peter calmly cut her off. “You’ll be allowed your lawyer once you’ve been processed up at the station.”
A woman at the table leaned over, hand in front of her mouth, and whispered in her friend’s ear. Rachel’s chest heaved as her gaze darted around the enormous room and found all eyes on her. “I didn’t kill her!”
I raised a brow. “No? Then why did your handwriting match a note delivered to Joe Santos, the caterer, bribing him to put strawberries in Letty’s wedding food?”
Her expression darkened, and I was grateful that Peter stood between us—looked like I was next on her hit list. But not one to back down, I lifted my chin and smirked. “I’m guessing you picked those strawberries on your picnic with Chaz, right? The one where you tried to get him to pick you over Letty, a shifter from the Darkmoon District, and got shut down hard?” I clicked my tongue. “Must’ve been tough to stomach—pun not intended. Guess that’s why you resorted to murder. Though, I’m not sure it’s going to make Chaz want to marry you more now that he knows you killed his wife….”
She balled her hands into fists and lunged closer, hissing between her bared teeth. “Fine, yeah, I sent the letter and the strawberries, but not to murder her!” Her eyes darted side to side and she went on, even quieter so that Peter and I had to lean in to hear. “I knew about her stupid anti-allergy potion—she was supposed to have some in her stupid wedding dress’s pockets. I just wanted her to look all blotchy and gross and ruin her wedding day.” She flashed her eyes at me. “Is that a crime?!”
Peter frowned. “Yes, it definitely is.”
I grinned, but Rachel paled, and her eyes fluttered, like she might faint. Murmurs went up amongst the well-heeled members of the country club.
Peter took Rachel’s elbow and escorted her away from the table, toward the door.
“Guess we’ll be arresting Joe Santos next?”
Peter nodded, then frowned as a buzzing noise sounded. He stopped beside the fireplace and reached into his pocket, then popped his communication device in his ear.
“Flint, here.” He nodded, then frowned deeper and nodded again. “I see. You’re sure you tested all of it?” His throat bobbed as he listened. “Okay, thank you.”
He lowered his eyes and pulled the device from his ear. He glanced at me, expression heavy, then slowly turned to Rachel. “Some, uh, new evidence has come to light.”
Her chest heaved. “What are you talking about?”
He ran a tongue over his teeth. “No strawberries were found in any of the food or drink—we even tested the champagne and the glass found in the bridal suite where Letty died.”
I frowned. “So… she didn’t die of an allergic reaction?”
Peter shook his head. “No, she did. The autopsy revealed that she died of an allergic reaction, but no berries were found in her stomach contents or in any of the food.” He sighed and glanced at Rachel. “It appears that despite your best efforts, Joe Santos didn’t go through with it and you did not kill Letty.”
Rachel’s nostrils flared. “You arrested me without all the information?” She yanked her arm free from Peter. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer!”
She stalked off, and Peter glanced in her direction. “She still bribed Joe Santos to harm Letty, so she’ll be facing charges.”
I crossed my arms, the heat of the fire warming my back. “But not murder charges.”
Peter shook his head.
I bit my lip as I thought it over. “Could Letty have eaten something else that we didn’t test?”
Peter nodded. “It’s possible, but several witnesses testified that Letty never left the bridal suite all day until it was time to walk down the aisle.”
I nodded. The maid, May, had told me that Letty hadn’t opened the door for her when she brought her breakfast. If Letty was freaked out from what she perceived as a threat from Joe Santos the night before, I doubted she’d have eaten any food he might’ve prepared.
And May had said that on the way from the suite to the altar, Letty had done air kisses with Mr. and Mrs. Harrington, then stumbled when Rachel tripped her. No one had mentioned Letty stopping to eat anything.
I thought of the plate of smashed berries at the crime scene. Had she gotten ahold of those herself? “So… maybe she really did kill herself?” Maybe she’d been so alone and scared that seeing the mink stole around Rachel’s shoulders had been the last grain of sand, and she’d committed suicide? But she’d have had to already have gotten ahold of the berries if that was the case, before the vows. I sighed. “And if that’s the case, why didn’t she still have any of her anti-allergy potion on her?”
Peter shook his head. “Who knows.” He let out a weary sigh. “I really thought we had this one.”
I nodded.
He pinched the space between his brows. “Let’s call it a night—regroup tomorrow.”
I nodded, and we left the country club, dozens of elite members watching us intently. After we parted ways, I stuck my cold hands in my jacket pockets and walked back down to the Darkmoon District, deep in thought. I let my feet carry me, without much thought to my route, until I looked up, startled to find myself outside the old orphanage I’d grown up in—the one that Letty had grown up in as well.
It was an old building, probably built in medieval times. Four
