“That must be a relief for Bobbie. I mean, on top of losing her husband, she doesn’t have to worry about losing her home.” Plus, she can pay off Diane.
But something doesn’t make sense.
“So you’re saying you did take care of Chip’s financial investments?” I ask. “As in you handled his portfolio?”
His chest expands a moment. “Something like that.” I’ve never had it in me to lie to anyone, let alone the pretty sister of a friend.
But if he wasn’t managing Chip’s funds, why lie about it at all? Unless, of course, the money was supposed to be flowing in his direction and—Chip was diverting it elsewhere? Where could that be…
“How about you?” He studies me a moment. “Are you looking to park your money anywhere?”
“Actually, I just got married.”
The words hardly leave my lips just as Jasper pops up holding a glass with a finger length of brown liquor in it.
“Jasper Wilder.” Jasper quickly shakes the man’s hand. “Great party. I’m Huxley’s brother-in-law.”
“Nice to meet you.” Tiger looks genuinely intrigued. “I was just asking your wife if she was looking to invest.”
“We might be.” Jasper nods. “Hux speaks highly of you.”
I nod. “Tiger knew the Buckinghams. He was good friends with Chip.”
More like a good piggybank to Chip. Tiger frowns a moment. I thought we were friends right up until the guy started to treat me like an ATM. Of course, I bought into it, gave him what he wanted, and it nearly bankrupted me. And as soon as I realized the guy wasn’t good for it, he came to a rather abrupt end.
His lips curve with a malevolent smile, and my blood runs cold just watching.
Suddenly, it feels as if there’s a very real possibility Tiger Caldwell pulled that trigger.
Jasper flashes a pained grimace. “Sorry about your loss. I’m actually the lead homicide detective on the case.”
My lips twist with his announcement, although I don’t suppose there’s a point in hiding the fact since he’ll probably need to haul him in for formal questioning.
Sorry, Bizzy. Jasper glides an arm around my waist. There was no way out of it. If he gives us a vital piece of information, I can’t afford to have his legal team keep it off the case because I wasn’t being honest with him from the get-go.
I nod because I fully understand.
Tiger ticks his head. “It’s good to meet you. Any leads on who could have done this?”
“Nothing worth mentioning.” Jasper swills his drink. And how I hate that it’s true. “How about you? Any piece of information at all on the couple that might help crack this case wide open?”
Tiger’s eyes widen a moment. “I wasn’t close to the two of them as a couple.” He blows out a quick breath. “All right, I’ll tell you something, but if you bring it up in the light of day, I just might deny it.” He gives a quick look around. “Bobbie and Chip were having troubles. Not only was Chip stepping out on her, but she made a few aggressive moves in my direction one time too many.” He examines us both a moment. “After the first incident I said no thank you, I thought for sure it wouldn’t happen again, but she gave it another shot. And after that, I made sure we were never alone in the room together again.”
Wow.
Jasper and I exchange a quick look.
“Wait a minute.” I lean in a notch. “You said he was stepping out on her?” I bet that’s where the money he was supposed to be investing went. But how much could an affair possibly set him back? “Chip had a girlfriend?”
Tiger nods with a gleam in his eye as if he were still entertained by the idea.
“Who was she?” Jasper wastes no time in asking.
“I don’t know.” Tiger shakes his head. “He protected her identity more than he protected his money, that’s for sure.”
My lips part as a thought comes to mind.
“She was a kept woman, wasn’t she?”
A smile glides up his face. “You’re a smart one. That she was. Unfortunately for Bobbie, I think Chip got off on pulling something like that over her eyes.”
“I’m guessing Bobbie gave him money to invest and he invested it right into his mistress.”
Tiger backs up a notch. “Boy, you’re good. I mean, in his defense, that money was more or less an allowance Bobbie gave him. She didn’t necessarily expect him to invest it all, but that’s the truth he was feeding her. Or more to the point, the lie.” He shakes his head at the two of us. “It wasn’t pretty.” He ticks his head toward the crowd. “I’d better mingle. After all, it is my party. If you want me to create a portfolio for you, I’d be more than happy to. In fact, I’ll work at a discount.” He points to Jasper. “You know where to find me if you need anything else.”
“Actually”—Jasper lifts his drink a notch—“just for kicks, if you had to guess, who do you think would have done something like this to him?”
A part of me wonders if he’ll say Keegan. I’m starting to think that cuddling malarkey was a cover for a very special hug she was sharing with Chip Buckingham.
“I don’t know.” Tiger gives the back of his head a scratch. “But I’d talk to Lacey if I were you. She popped up a few years back, and everything just blew up from there. Bobbie and Lacey became an overnight sensation. She knew the Buckinghams better than anyone on this planet. She always seems to have the answers. Cheers,” he says as he dissolves into the crowd.
“I guess it’s back to the beginning,” I say. “Lacey Lovelace.”
Jasper nods. “We’ll get to her soon enough.” He knocks back the rest of his drink and sets the glass down on the nearest table. “Right now,
