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Santiago tilted his head to the side. “This is only going to work if you’re 100 percent honest with me.” He had to know everything about Ace’s actions over the past few months, even the details that might be considered embarrassing.
Ace’s eyes widened. “I’m telling you the truth! I have no idea who she is. She could walk right up to me and I wouldn’t know her.”
“Okay.” He decided to take Ace at his word. The man didn’t appear to be lying; in fact, the whole time he’d been talking he’d seemed genuine and sincere. It was still possible Santiago was being played, but if that was the case, Ace Colton was a terrific actor.
“Any chance you know her by a different name?”
Ace shook his head. “How would I know that?”
Santiago took a sip of coffee. “I’m asking you if you’ve taken a woman back to your condo
for personal reasons. Maybe someone you don’t know very well, or only just met? A professional, perhaps?” Ace looked aghast, so Santiago held up a hand. “I’m not here to judge you. I’m just trying to find out if this woman got inside your condo by pretending to be someone else.”
“That’s not possible,” Ace said flatly. “I’m not in a relationship, and I don’t need to pay for companionship. The only woman who has regular access to my place is the maid, and Maria has worked for me for years. I doubt she’d do something like this.”
“Fair enough,” Santiago said easily. “Let’s switch gears. Who found Payne after he’d been shot?” He hadn’t had time to pull the police reports this morning before coming to the diner. It was on his to-do list, but given the time crunch he was facing, he’d decided to prioritize talking to Ace and hearing his side of things. He wanted to gather as much information as possible before Saturday, when he and Ainsley had their appointment at The Marriage Institute. The two of them were going to have to share a room for the duration of the retreat, and bringing a pile of work was a surefire way to keep both his hands and his mind occupied.
“The Colton Oil cleaning lady found him,” Ace said. “Her name is Joanne Bates. She’s worked for the company for the past five years. I don’t have her contact information with me, but I know Ainsley can get you her number.”
Santiago nodded. “Sounds good.”
The waitress delivered their food. Santiago asked Ace a few more questions between bites of pancakes and eggs, getting to know the man’s temperament. He’d done some online research last night and had learned from several industry articles that Ace had a reputation as a ruthless businessman.
“Have you ever double-crossed someone in a deal?”
Ace shrugged. “I’m sure it probably felt that way to some people, but I’m always careful to do things by the book. My actions are always legal, even though they might not be nice.”
“Can you think of anyone who would want to frame you for Payne’s attempted murder? Any enemies in your personal or business life who want to see you suffer?”
Ace took a bite of bacon and chewed, his expression thoughtful. “Not off the top of my head,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday, when the cops found that gun. Ainsley thinks maybe someone is trying to get me back for a business deal gone wrong, but I can’t come up with any people who would feel that way.” He took a sip of coffee and shrugged. “The people I deal with all know the score. I do what’s necessary to advance my company. They’re the same way.” A shadow crossed his face. “At least, it was my company.”
Santiago felt a pang of sympathy for the guy. It had to be hard, losing his job, his family, his identity all at the same time.
They finished up and Santiago signaled for the check. He had a lot of work ahead of him, and the sooner he got started, the better.
“Thanks for meeting me on such short notice,” he said as he signed the credit card receipt.
“Of course,” Ace said. “I appreciate you taking my case.”
“I’ll probably have some more questions for you,” Santiago said. “I know the police already told you this, but you need to stay in town. Don’t give them a reason to suspect you more than they already do.”
Ace nodded. “I know. I’m just tired of getting blamed for something I didn’t do.”
“I can understand that,” Santiago replied. “And I’ll do my best to prove you’re not the one who shot Payne.”
They stood and headed for the door. “Let me know what you need from me,” Ace said, shaking Santiago’s hand once they’d stepped outside. “Anything I can do to help you, I will.”
“Thank you,” Santiago said. “I’ll be in touch.”
They parted ways, and Santiago glanced down the street. The police department was only a few blocks away, at the end of Mustang Boulevard. The sun was bright, but the heat of the day had yet to settle over the town. A walk would help him organize his thoughts, so he set off in the direction of the one-story brick building.
He walked past a few storefronts, his mind ticking through options and making a mental to-do list. A kid on a bicycle careened toward him, so he stepped to the side to let the child pass. The move brought him up against the display windows of a jewelry store, and he was confronted by the sight of dozens of diamond rings, all sparkling in the sun.
Santiago’s stomach dropped as he realized he needed to buy Ainsley—and himself—rings. They were supposed to be married, after all, and married people wore wedding bands. But would she do that for him? Or was that taking things one step too far?
He remained rooted to the spot, indecision keeping him from walking away but also preventing him from going into the store. They would make a more convincing couple if they had wedding rings. If he’d hired a woman to play the part of his wife, he wouldn’t hesitate to supply the necessary prop. But Ainsley wasn’t just any woman. And this wouldn’t be just any ring.
Santiago shook his head, wishing for the millionth time there had been some way to preserve their relationship. But given his own dismal family history where love was concerned, he’d known his best option was to focus all his energy on his career and making a name for himself. At least he’d have some fulfillment in his life, even though legal briefs didn’t exactly keep him warm at night.
