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“You’re right, Lottie.” She sniffs into her tissue. “This is terrible. Who do you think would have done something like this? I mean, they killed her in cold blood.”
Danya averts her eyes. “Knowing Bella, she did it to herself.”
“You think she committed suicide?” I ask, stunned by the thought. Certainly, it never crossed my mind. “I mean, she was shot in the chest—in an alley—at her own birthday celebration. It seems highly unlikely, don’t you think?”
“I’m not being serious.” Danya sighs as she looks to the body. “But honestly, I wouldn’t put anything past Bella. She was ever the drama queen.”
Marlena bucks. “Can’t you put a cap on it for one night? The woman is dead.”
“You’re right.” Danya holds herself as she shudders. “I’m sorry, Lottie. And I apologize to you as well. I can’t help it. My mind is running amok just seeing her like that. A part of me refuses to believe any of this is real.”
Marlena nods. “It all feels like a very bad dream.” She drops her face into her hands and sobs insensately.
“I’ll help her get home,” Danya offers. “Please tell your mother we said goodnight.”
“I will,” I say as I watch them hobble their way to the parking lot out back.
I do a quick search of the area and note it’s void of any security cameras. But I already knew that.
Last week, I suggested to Jed that we install them in an effort to catch the perpetrator involved in the drug runs being conducted through the illegal casino on the premises, but he insisted otherwise, citing the fact the drug dealer would never come back and we’d never be able to catch them.
He’s right, of course.
Another quick search of the premises yields Jed himself with a leg propped up against the building as he watches the caution tape go up and the coroner’s office snapping pictures of the scene.
I’m about to head over when I spot the redhead with the short hair, the one that was with my mother’s group. I think her name was Crane. I step her way just as she’s about to take off toward the parking lot.
“Crane, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Her eyes expand as she examines me for a moment.
“I’m Lottie,” I tell her in haste. “My mother introduced us earlier in the evening. I just—”
“Oh, that’s right.” She bats a hand through the air. “I’m sorry. My head is all over the place. I would never imagine the night would end this way.” She forces a smile, and something about that facial action strikes me as odd. “It’s a real tragedy.” She wraps her arms around herself and shrugs. “Well, I’d better get going. I just saw my friends leave. No need for me to stick around. I’m sorry this happened, and that it happened at your restaurant.” She takes a step away then pauses. “I hope it doesn’t impact business. I certainly wouldn’t want your new restaurant to suffer.”
“Believe me, I’ve seen situations like this have the exact opposite effect. Unfortunately.” I shiver despite the balmy night air.
“I guess that’s the nature of this world we live in.” She gives a cold glance back at the crime scene. “And unfortunately, it seems Bella was a victim of the very same thing. Goodnight, Lottie.” She traipses off into the night before I can stop her.
She’s not exactly wrong. I sigh as I turn back to the crime scene myself.
Bella Hall was indeed a victim of the world we live in.
But why would someone want her dead?
And why gun her down at her very own birthday party?
The more suspects the merrier, I suppose.
I’m about to head over to Noah when a dark shadow crosses my path.
“Jed,” I say, nodding at the devil I’ve inadvertently crawled into bed with. “Anything new going on in the casino that I should know about?”
He shakes his head as a chuckle strums from him. “Look at you. You’ve got a murder on the premises and you’re still hell-bent on stopping that dealer in his or her tracks.”
“You think the dealer could be a woman?” I ask, and personally, I’m shocked that I did. Certainly, a woman is capable of committing any crime a man is capable of—and with more finesse, if I do say so myself.
“I don’t know who it is, but Jimmy has sweetened the pot for me to find out. He’s giving me fifty grand to speed things up. He thinks the sheriff’s department is going to come sniffing around.”
