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“How’s it going?” Dan asked. “Did you find La Rocca yet?”
She didn’t really expect me to say yes. Her tone was light, and she had a cupcake in her hand. I recognised the kitchen behind her—she was over at Emmy’s place. Riverley Hall was a Gothic-style mansion nestled among the trees and pastures of a sprawling estate to the west of Richmond. And Mrs. Fairfax, Emmy and Black’s housekeeper, made the best cakes and pastries, although La Bella Farina in Little Italy gave her a run for her money.
“Not yet, but we have several new leads.”
“Good job, sister. Did you update Nico?”
“I’m planning to call him tomorrow. Things moved quickly, and we’ve spent most of the time since I arrived talking with potential witnesses.”
Emmy strolled into view and reached forward to grab a pink-frosted cupcake.
“Hey, honey,” she said. “How’s the Big Apple?”
“I understand the ‘big’ part, but where does the ‘apple’ come from?”
“Buggered if I know.”
“Something to do with horse racing,” Dan said. “You found the roommates?”
“Both of them, plus Kaylin’s agent and her boss at the events company. We think there was a man involved, a boyfriend, and we’ve narrowed the time period down to?—”
“What the fuck?” That was Emmy, and the sound of retching followed.
Dan reached over to thump her on the back. “You okay, sweetie?”
“I just swallowed a damn feather.”
“That was a dumb thing to do.”
“It was on the freaking cupcake. I thought it was a decoration.”
“Oh, dear. It must have floated on there.” Mrs. Fairfax appeared in the background. “Bradley was making his wings in here earlier.”
“Wings? What the hell are you talking about?”
“They weren’t wings; they were fans,” Dan told her.
Another cough. “The question still stands. He has a craft room, so why was he messing around in the kitchen?”
“He spilled a bottle of neroli oil in the craft room when he was making scented candles, and he can’t get the smell out of the carpet.”
Emmy walked past again, this time with a red face and a phone clamped to her ear. “Bradley, you can’t do crafts in the kitchen.” A pause. “I don’t care. Get a new carpet. … A what? No fucking way. I’m not doing a burlesque workshop. I run a security firm, not a cabaret club.”
Dan started laughing, and I covered my mouth with my hands so I didn’t do the same.
“I don’t need to unleash my inner goddess. Tisiphone’s already in residence, and there’s no room at the inn. … No. Just no.” Emmy hung up and glared at Dan. “I don’t know why you’re sniggering, tassel tits. He expects you to join in too.” She turned to the camera. “And you.”
But my mind was far away. Feathers… Who else had mentioned feathers recently? Charlotte. Charlotte said Kaylin had been making a costume for an audition. Jewels and feathers…
“Collier, the Cavallaros own a cabaret club. Which of them runs it?”
“That I don’t know, but I’ll see if I can find out.”
“The Cavallaro family?” Dan asked. “One of your leads involves the Italian Mafia?”
“Uh, maybe?”
She paused for a moment, considering. “That’s a fun development. I guess it fits—if Kaylin’s alive, then whoever helped her to hide has money and connections, and if she isn’t…well, they have experience with that too.”
