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Elizabeth decided to answer Amy’s honesty with some of her own. “She’s trying to poach you as a client.”
“Mom trusted you. So do I.”
Elizabeth’s heart stuttered. She shouldn’t have trusted me, she thought, but she smiled a good-bye at Amy then looked around to see what had happened to Connie. The agent was lingering by her white Lexus, probably calculating if there was some way to intercept Amy before she climbed into her Range Rover.
No chance, Elizabeth thought with a renewed spurt of anger. She felt guilty where Mazie was concerned, but she hadn’t asked for her daughter to seek her out as the agent to sell Mazie’s house.
As Amy pulled away and Connie followed her out of the parking lot, Elizabeth gazed after them. Though a glint of sun peered through the high clouds, she felt a sudden chill slip down her back, an icy finger skimming her spine. Again, as if hidden eyes were watching.
She spun around quickly, scanning the lot and the surrounding street.
“Who’s there?” she said aloud, but the only answer was the sound of accelerating cars on the highway at the end of the block and the whisper of the wind through the trees in the lot.
There was no one.
Did you see, Elizabeth? Have you been watching? He got what he deserved and now he abides in whatever special hell is reserved for scum like Channing Renfro. I know there are others working against you. I’ve heard them, seen them, sensed them. But don’t worry, we’ll take them out together, one by one. I’m right behind you, love. Your savior, your soldier . . .
You don’t see me yet, but you will when I’m ready.
All for you, my love. All for you.
Chapter 22
The drive back to Costa Mesa was a nightmare as Rex chose to fight the traffic rather than wait until it was late enough to make the trip with little or no delays. Ravinia reported what she’d seen and heard. Rex called Dorell Cochran and told him his wife was at Casa del Mar with someone whose first name was Donovan and that they’d taken the elevator to an upstairs hotel room.
“Donovan Spinelli, the eternal surfer boy,” Dorell responded in a voice taut with anger.
“So, you know him,” Rex said.
“Oh, yeah. Calls himself a model. Vacant between the ears, but knows how to sniff out money. My money.” Dorell paused, then added, almost under his breath, “She was supposed to give him up.”
“They’re at the hotel right now if you need proof,” Rex told him.
“Can you get a picture of ’em coming out of the hotel together?”
Rex considered. “I could, but I don’t think that’s going to net you what you want. This is an opportunity for you to . . . see for yourself.”
“Jesus Christ. Sounds like you want me to confront them,” Dorell raged, though Rex could tell he was mad at himself.
“Confrontation . . . no. But having the upper hand, and still acting like a gentleman will go a long way to getting what you want.”
“Fuck that.”
Rex inwardly sighed. “You hired me to follow her and find out if she was having an affair, and I believe that’s what I’ve done.”
“All right, all right. I’ll go and nicely confront the bitch. And I’ll send you a goddamn check.” Dorell slammed down the phone.
Though Ravinia wasn’t part of the call, she heard enough from the passenger seat to get the gist. “He’s not happy.”
“Didn’t expect him to be.”
“You don’t look happy, either,” she pointed out.
Rex shrugged. “Sometimes you just wish for something better.” The words were out of his mouth before he realized how naive and hopeful he must sound. He’d followed a lot of cheaters and it was depressing how little love and caring went into most relationships. Not that he was any kind of romantic, but sometimes the job made him wonder if any good was left in people.
“What?” Ravinia asked.
