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Greer shot him a look. He needed to back off. This was her investigation.
Claire waved a hand. “Some investment that Brian had wanted Dennis to help him with. Dennis told him initially that it looked good and then later told him it was a serious dud. Brian disagreed. He accused his father of sabotaging the deal just to make him fail.” She stopped and then tilted her head. “I think Brian really thought this one might be the one to work. He was livid with his father killing the deal, and he pouted the whole way across the Atlantic.”
Greer took the lead once more. “Are you aware that the polizei think Dennis had a heart attack?”
“Yes.”
“But you think he was healthy.”
“Yes,” she said and gave a little shrug. “I can’t explain it, but I know Dennis was in great shape. He was always exercising. In and out of the bedroom.” She shot Dalton a smile. “I can only assume it had something to do with the race.”
“May I ask how you and Dennis met?” Greer smiled at Claire, hoping it sounded like an innocuous question.
“Las Vegas. He came to a conference I was running. I used to run large functions for an event company. We started talking. He was fun then. Less work and more play. I didn’t see the super serious side of him until after we were married. He would come to Vegas and we would have fun, and then he would go back to L.A. and work.”
“How long did you date?” she asked.
“Six months. Then during a trip to Vegas for a car thing—I can’t remember which one—but all his friends were there, even Brian. Some of the people I saw at the track as well, so maybe a Porsche event? Anyway, someone made a comment how Dennis couldn’t focus for very long on any one thing. He was always getting distracted by the next thing to come along, including women. I was slightly insulted but, honestly, it was true. I knew my time with Dennis was limited, or at least I thought so. He proposed on that trip.
“I think that comment did it. Like he wanted to prove them wrong. Anyway, we just went to one of the wedding chapels that night and got married. To be honest, I think he regretted it the next day, but he stayed true to me until he died. I won’t say we were a match made in heaven, but we rubbed along okay together. Dennis just didn’t like to think he had any weaknesses. Brian has ADHD, and Dennis was always yelling at him about his lack of focus. I think it horrified him to think that he was the same way. Though, where the hell did he think Brian got it from?”
The sound of the door opening and closing reached them, and Joe emerged from the hallway. He looked like a deer in the headlights. He glanced at his sister and then back at them.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
Claire immediately rolled her eyes. “It’s okay, brother dear.”
Greer frowned. He seemed comfortable here. Had he moved in with his sister after Moore died? She was sure he wouldn’t have been staying in the suite when Moore was alive. She glanced at Claire, who looked at her brother and let out a long sigh. Maybe Claire moved him in here to keep an eye on him.
Greer cleared her throat and directed at Joe, “As I spoke to the others earlier, I had to do the same with your sister.” She rose and addressed Claire, “It was kind of you to answer my questions. Again, I am very sorry for your loss.”
Dalton got up as well.
Claire shot him a smile. “Thank you for coming,” she said, not taking her eyes off him. He nodded and then gestured for Greer to walk ahead of him out of the suite.
“See you at the track tomorrow, Joe?” Dalton asked.
“Don’t know. Maybe.” He reached for the bottle of wine on the bar and stumbled.
A bottle of pills fell out of his pocket and rolled toward Dalton’s feet. He bent, picked it up, and handed it back to Joe. Then he just nodded to the other man and followed Greer out of the suite. Neither of them said a word until they got back to Dalton’s room.
“What the hell was that?” Greer asked. “Why does Joe Plover have a key to the suite? Do you think she moved him in to keep an eye on him? Doesn’t seem like she needs much comforting over Moore’s death.”
Dalton shrugged and then immediately made a face. His back must be stiffening up. “No, she doesn’t seem to be particularly upset about her husband’s death. Moore’s friends weren’t sure why he married her. Said maybe she had something on him, but I think her version of events rings truer. Maybe she moved Joe in to watch him, but if that’s the case, she’s doing a horrible job since she’s drunk and Joe was clearly stoned. Both of them seem to have some issues by the looks of things.”
“Did you see what the pills were?” she asked.
“Adderall. ADHD meds. Or, at least, that’s what they’re supposed to be used for.” He walked over to the corner and hit the button on the coffee maker. “I’m more interested in knowing about the incident on the stairs. What the hell is that about?”
“Oh, God, yeah. I’d forgotten about that until I saw Claire. It happened last night before I knew who she was.”
“What happened?” Dalton asked and then raised a coffee mug in a silent ask.
Greer shook her head no to coffee. It was early evening and if she drank it now she wouldn’t sleep, but she leaned against the counter as she waited for Dalton to make his own.
“I was coming out of my room last night on the way to the bar,” she said but didn’t add where I met you. “I saw Claire at the top of the stairs. She was talking on her cell phone, which now that I think about it is very interesting. The way she was speaking…I assumed the person on the other end was her boyfriend or husband or whatever. It was way too over the top to be anything else.” Greer rolled her eyes. “She was making kissy noises.”
Dalton grinned as he placed a K-cup into the coffee machine. “Kissy noises, huh? I don’t recall you ever making kissy noises to me.”
