Page 59 of XO Karma

“What did you find out so far?” I ask.

“Victim’s name is Karolyn Heinzel. She was twenty-eight. Cause of death is obviously unknown since there was no body. It’s been ruled a homicide given the photos from the Kodak Killer, and you and I know that’s true.”

A man passes by, and once he’s out of earshot, I ask, “Anything else?”

“According to the police report, she was attending the Blue Heart Charity Benefit in the city hours before the photo was received.”

My eyes fly to his. “What?”

“That’s what the report says.”

“But that’s⁠—”

“A bald-faced lie? Yep.”

“Aren’t they worried someone from the art auction will come forward mentioning they saw her?”

He shakes his head. “The people at the event last night are all wealthy. Untouchables. They wouldn’t risk involvement in a murder investigation. Especially not if it puts them in the crosshairs with the Westerfords. That theory was proven when I went and talked to Vetrel this morning.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, but he didn’t give me shit. He assured me Karolyn left right after I’d seen them together.”

“Do you think he did it?”

Aster shrugs. “Nah, if anything he’d probably have one of his goons do it. He doesn’t seem like the type of guy to get his own hands dirty.”

“But why the Blue Heart benefit?”

“There were hundreds of people there. It wouldn’t be possible for someone to say they knew for sure she wasn’t.”

“So, Karolyn was murdered. Her body was relocated for a photo shoot. Then there’s some bogus story about her whereabouts. Why? Why all the deception?”

“Well, my assumption is someone really doesn’t want it known she was killed at the Westerford estate.”

“But who? We know Jude and Isla were in the auction room when it happened.”

“Maybe? We don’t know when the auction started, and”—a wide smirk spreads across his face—“we were a little distracted for a few minutes there.”

“Hey!” I smack his chest. “That was purely a save-our-asses make-out session.”

“You grinded against me.”

My mouth falls open. “I did not!”

He nods, biting his lower lip between his teeth. “You did.”

“That was acting.” I wave jazz hands for dramatic effect. “Or did you want to get caught?”

“You’re a good actress,” he says with a dangerous smile. “But you’re not that good.”

My stomach flutters, cheeks burning. “We’re never talking about this ever again.”

“That’s fine.” He reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, then grazes his thumb against my neck, and I shiver. “When we kiss for the first time, for real, that’s the one I want you to remember.”

My heart thumps like a bass drum, and I nudge him away, desperate to regain the ability to think clearly. “Did you forget the friend zone to serial killer to lovers talk we had last night? Or do you need a refresher?”

“Ohh,” he hums. “So we’re on the ‘to lovers’ track then?”