“You know that isn’t why we’re here.”
“Well, it won’t hurt. Two birds with one stone and all,” Charles said.
I exchanged a look with Charlotte. She tilted her dark head back, silently saying we shouldn’t be listening, and I shook my head. A journalist didn’t get anywhere by walking away from conversations.
“There must be someone who has caught your eye,” Charles said.
“You are dancing with the prettiest woman here, although she smiles too much.”
“Jane is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.” I could hear the smile in Charles’s voice. “But her sister Lizzy is pretty too. Why don’t you dance with her?”
A snort. “She isn’t my type. Besides, I didn’t come here to entertain women who can’t catch anyone else’s attention.”
I flushed. I deserved that after eavesdropping, but then again, why did I care what he thought of me? It would’ve been more of an inconvenience if Darcy liked me.
“You okay, Lizzy?” Charlotte put a hand on my arm, shooting a glare over my shoulder at Darcy.
“I’m fine. If I let every conceited comment get to me, I’d go crazy.”
“I wouldn’t recommend getting involved with anyone in that family before you ensure that they aren’t gold diggers, or worse,” Darcy’s deep voice warned.
My stomach dropped. Hehadheard. I risked another glance to find Darcy’s lips twisted in distaste.
“Jane wouldn’t care about that,” Charles said.
“You hardly know her.”
My gaze fell on Caroline at the other end of the club, now talking to another woman with the same straight nose, high cheekbones, and flawless skin. They even shared the same red hair, though the second woman’s was chopped to her chin and her expression seemed more severe than Caroline’s. Louisa, most likely. The two sisters must’ve been talking about Jane, because they both glaredat her from across the room as she left the restroom and made her way over to us.
The doors to the club flew open, letting in a gust of crisp air and two police officers. Silence rippled outward from their entrance like dropping an ingredient into a cauldron.
“What are the police doing here?” Charlotte whispered.
My pulse picked up. If they arrested Darcy, I’d be here for the scoop.
The officers scanned the room, their gaze flicking over Charles and Darcy before moving on again. They started toward the opposite corner of the room, closer to the DJ, who turned the music down.
Disappointment settled across me, but I detached myself from the bar and followed them, determined to figure out what was going on. If they weren’t after Darcy, why had they come?
They made it across the dance floor and stopped in front of a group who silently watched their approach.
I picked up my pace, dread stealing the warmth from my fingers as they stopped in front of Mom.
“Mrs. Bennet?” The first officer, a dark-haired man with a curled mustache, faced Mom.
“Can I help you, officer?” She batted her lashes at him.
“We need you to come with us.” He folded his arms across his burly chest.
Mom’s eyes widened. “If this is about the building permits for the shop, can you come tomorrow during business hours?”
I gritted my teeth. Mom was always cutting corners to save money, but it seemed excessive for the cops to come find her in the middle of the night for a permit infraction.
“This isn’t about that.”
“Then what is it about?” Mom put her hands on her hips.
The officer looked her square in the eyes. “The death of Easton Hancock.”
