“Amelie? That you? Do we have guests?”
She balled her hands into fists and looked right, toward the sound of her husband’s voice, then left toward Peter, Daisy, and me. Her chest heaved.
I raised my voice so that it echoed through the stark space. “Maybe you were going to have some seedy photos taken?”
I still had no idea why Bim would be taking photos in the office, or at all, or how Amelie might have gotten mixed up with her, but it was the only thing I could come up with. If a fancy lady like Amelie had gone to a sleazy place, there was a good chance it was for sleazy reasons.
A deep red flush crept up Amelie’s neck and cheeks. She looked toward the hallway and called in a high, soft voice. “Nothing, darling! Don’t trouble yourself about it.”
She stomped back to us and pointed a trembling finger at me. A finger with an enormous onyx geometric ring on it. “I have no idea what you’re insinuating! How dare you—”
Daisy interrupted her. She growled, tail still, ears flattened. She’s lying.
22
LIAR LIAR
Amelie blinked at the intimidating dog and edged back toward the twisted driftwood chair behind her.
“My partner here says you’re lying.” Peter lifted a brow. “Care to try again?”
I tapped my fingers on my knees. What kind of seedy photos? “Were you there for a little boudoir photography, hm?”
Amelie pressed her lips tight together, her nostrils flaring with each quick breath.
I lifted a shoulder. “Something to spice up the ol’ marriage, perhaps?”
“Leave.” She pointed a long, thin arm toward the front door behind us.
Peter spun to face me, his voice low. “You’re on the right track, but—we’re missing something.”
“Out!” She stomped her foot.
“What’s that, dear?” Her elderly husband’s voice drifted in from down the hall.
Peter and I rose, his eyes still locked on my face. “Why would she go all the way to Darkmoon for boudoir photography?”
A pink blush colored his cheeks, and I bit back a grin. What a good boy.
He scratched his neck, voice still quiet. “I mean, it’s not that racy to give your husband pictures of yourself, right?”
I snapped my fingers, a huge grin on my face. “Peter, that’s it!” I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Leave now!” Amelie’s blazing eyes bored holes through the two of us. “I’ll be speaking with your inspector.”
Peter turned his wide eyes to me, but I just winked back. It was going to be fine—I had this now.
“The pictures weren’t for your husband, were they?” I arched a brow.
The lady’s face slackened.
“That’s why you went to Bim. There are plenty of well-known photographers who could have taken sexy, but tasteful pictures of you, especially with your connections to the art world.” I grimaced. “But people talk. And you didn’t want it getting back to your husband that you were taking pinup pics for your secret lover.”
“Preposterous!” Lady Amelie glanced over her shoulder toward the hallway… and her husband in the back of the house. She turned back to me, teeth bared. “Keep your voice down!”
She lowered herself back into the seat and arched a thin brow. Peter and I did the same, and Daisy plunked her haunches down onto the ground.
“Will you answer our questions truthfully now?” Peter stared her down.
She sneered. “What I’ll do is consider not insisting your inspector fire you immediately based—”
I raised my voice. “A well-to-do socialite spotted in the Darkmoon at night outside a murder scene?” My words echoed through the enormous space. “I’m sure the tabloids would go wild for a story like—”
“Shh!” Her knuckles grew red and splotchy where she gripped the arms of her crazy driftwood chair. “Shush!” Her wild, pale eyes darted between Peter and me. “Fine! Yes, alright. You’re correct.” She gave a jerky shrug. “What do I have to do to get you to leave?”
Peter and I exchanged looks. His eyes danced. He turned back to Lady Amelie. “Give us Bim’s studio address.”
With her fiery eyes glued to Peter, Lady Amelie snapped her fingers. “Manson!” Footsteps sounded from the next room, and then the black-clad butler hurried up beside her chair.
“Madame?” He inclined his bald head.
She turned to him and spoke behind her hand. He nodded and left. Only the ticking of a clock from another room and Daisy’s panting broke the long, tense silence that followed.
I shifted in my seat. “So… how ’bout that weather, huh?”
Amelie rolled her eyes, and Peter’s lips twitched toward a smile.
The butler returned with a small silver handbag, then bowed and took his leave. Lady Amelie dug through the bag and pulled out a black-and-red business card. She rose and offered it to Peter, arm stretched long, the rest of her body angled as far away from us as possible.
“Take it!” She shook the card, her gaze up and away from us.
I leapt to my feet and snatched it, then turned it over in my hands. Peter rose and read over my shoulder.
BIM’S BOUDOIR
Discreet Photography for the Discerning Lady
THE BACK HELD THE ADDRESS—I had a pretty good idea where it was. Another spot in the Darkmoon District.
Peter’s brows pinched together. “Why didn’t you meet Bim at this location? Why were you at the office?”
Lady Amelie hissed at us, her voice barely above a whisper. “The woman said there was some issue with her normal place and asked me to meet her there. When I arrived, there was a body in the street and a police signal up. I didn’t even realize it was her under that tarp, I just knew that agreeing to go anywhere near that rotting fish dump had been a mistake and I left.” Her eyes blazed. “End of story.”
Peter inclined his head and pocketed the card. “Thanks very much for your time, Lady LeBec.”
Her nostrils flared, jaw set, and we showed ourselves out.
Daisy led the way back down through Bijou Mer. The afternoon light was already waning. Soon, Darkmoon would be enveloped in dark shadows and
