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“If the altercation wasn’t about business, was it jealousy?” The snide smile on Stuart’s face gave me the urge to punch him. “Were you retaliating for a relationship between Ms. Morelli and the deceased Mr. Randolph? It’s well known you’re very possessive of your lovers.”
Lovers? He knew about my lovers, did he?
Well, why wouldn’t he after Maria’s brother accused me of killing her in the middle of a gala not so long ago?
“Sorry to disappoint you; I sleep next to the woman Randolph wanted and wouldn’t give him the time of day. Why would I feel a kernel of jealousy toward him?”
“Then were you protecting her from him?” Stuart leaned back in his chair. “She did make some serious allegations against him a few years ago. There are rumors that you’re a dangerous man.”
So they’d done their research. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
“Are there? That’s very interesting?”
“There are also rumors you were involved in Maria Williams’s death.”
“Was that a question or a statement?”
I noticed a look pass between Hatch and Stuart and realized this was all a game to them. They wanted to see my reaction to them. Hatch acted the calm, quiet one, while Stuart acted the dick. Well, fuck them. I could play their game.
“You don’t seem phased by accusations made against you. What does Lucian Morelli think about your relationship with his sister? You aren’t the ideal boyfriend, considering your past lover was found dead.”
“I’ll ask him when we meet for drinks in an hour.” I leaned forward in the same way Stuart had done earlier. “I know what you are doing. It won’t work.”
Hatch asked, “What are we doing?”
“You’re wasting my time and trying to find evidence to pin a crime on an innocent woman.”
“Is any Morelli innocent?” Stuart smirked.
I shook my head. “That’s like asking if all cops are on the take. I believe it’s time for the two of you to do some real detective work and stop working off rumors. Watching TV shows isn’t considered learning on the job.” I held Stuart’s gaze, letting my barbs rain down on him. “Perhaps shadowing some real detectives may be a better option for you.”
He clenched his jaw, and I couldn’t help the smug satisfaction I felt.
The dick shouldn’t dish it out if he couldn’t take it.
My phone beeped in my pocket, telling me it was three o’clock and time to hit the road to beat rush hour traffic.
I never thought I’d see the day when I’d thank God for an order from Lucian to meet.
And here I was, happy to leave these assholes for a lecture Lucian planned about something he wanted me to do or how I needed to fix this or that for Sophia.
“Gentlemen, it’s time to cut this short. I have a meeting to attend. Next time you have questions, contact my attorney. He will set up an appointment where we can answer every question to your satisfaction.”
Irritation flashed across Stuart’s face, but I couldn’t give two shits. I gave them more than the courtesy of my time.
When I rose to my feet and started to gather my papers, the men took the hint and left without another word.
Fuckers.
I gripped the back of my neck. It wasn’t just the Morellis the cops wanted to strike at by going after Sophia. I was on their list, too.
She was my weakness. The one person that meant more to me than anybody else.
Dammit.
I only added to her trouble instead of shielding her from it.
I grabbed my jacket from the back of my chair and exited through the office doors.
