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Brook didn’t even have a basic wreath hanging on her condo door, and she relied on her employees to decorate the offices. That didn’t say much for her holiday spirit. For a brief moment, she thought that the faint holiday music was in her head, but then she caught sight of hidden speakers that had been strategically placed around the large porch.
When the front door swung open, Brook had fortunately finished her inspection of the Jameson estate. The last thing she wanted was for the firm’s client to think that they were being judged by their amount of holiday cheer. She needed them to be open and honest about Bella, because they were key to understanding the victim’s life and any hidden motives that could potentially lead them to her killer.
“Brook, I can’t tell you how happy I was to hear that you were starting the investigation earlier than planned,” Lorelei greeted as she stepped back so that Brook could enter the house. “Please, come in.”
“Thank you,” Brook replied before stepping into the spacious foyer. Once again, snowflakes seemed to be this year’s theme, because there were several hanging from the vaulted ceiling. There also happened to be a Christmas tree right in the middle of the large space that had to be at least fifteen feet tall. “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you,” Lorelei replied with pleasant smile. “May I take your coat?”
Once Lorelei had placed Brook’s coat on a hanger in the front closet that had doors matching the front entrance, she gestured to a large archway to the left.
“Robert is waiting for us in the living room.” Lorelei held up her hands with a grimace. There was a bit of dirt underneath her manicured fingernails. “I apologize for my appearance. There was an outside plant that I’d brought in before winter that had outgrown its pot. My manicurist isn’t going to be happy with me come tomorrow morning.”
Brook couldn’t recall the last time that she’d had a manicure. She’d attended a business function when she’d been with the Bureau about four years ago. She’d opted for a French manicure at the time, but she hadn’t been back to the nail salon since. There had been no point, and the reason had nothing to do with her profession and everything to do with time management. She could put that time to better use by strategizing ways to keep Jacob behind bars.
As the two of them entered what had to be the Jameson’s formal living room, Brook took note of the blazing fire that crackled in the fireplace. Embers were being sent into the air with every pop, and the flickering flames danced high as it attempted to escape through the chimney. The large room exuded luxury but lacked comfort. Plush cream-colored sofas and armchairs had been arranged around a gleaming mahogany coffee table that matched built-in bookcases on the far wall.
“Robert, this is Brooklyn Sloane,” Lorelei introduced as she came to a stop next to her husband’s side. “As you know, her firm comes highly recommended by Jordan Miles.”
“Any friend of Jordan’s is a friend of ours,” Robert said with what appeared to be a genuine smile as he shook Brook’s hand. “I was just about to make us some after dinner drinks. Would you care to join us?”
“No, thank you.”
While Brook would normally have said yes for the sake of being polite, she decided against it. She would only nurse the alcoholic beverage since she needed to drive back to the Airbnb across town.
“Please, have a seat,” Lorelei invited warmly before gesturing towards one of the chairs. Brook skimmed the room once more, noticing a grand piano on the opposite side of the built-in bookcases. Framed photographs adorned the polished surface, and one of them happened to be of Lorelei and Bella at what appeared to be the younger sister’s college graduation. “Have you spoken to Detective Hartley? Do you know if Piper’s murder is connected to my sister’s case?”
“I spoke with Detective Hartley briefly today, but we are meeting tomorrow morning to discuss both investigations.” Brook waited for Robert to hand Lorelei what looked to be a mimosa if the green mint leaves were anything to go by. Robert had decided to go straight for the bourbon. “I was hoping that you could tell me more about Bella, like who her close friends were, her hobbies, and anything that would give me better insight into her life.”
“Bella was close to Harper Ginsel, but Harper moved away around a year before…” Lorelei’s voice trailed off until Robert reached over and held her hand. For all intents and purposes, the two of them seemed to have a loving relationship. “Harper was offered a job in Houston, I believe. She designs jewelry, and there was a prominent family business there that made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Anyway, Harper and Bella were very close. Childhood friends all the way through high school and even college. They spoke to each other on the phone often. I’ll make sure that you have Harper’s number before you leave this evening.”
“Was Bella seeing someone?” Brook asked, broaching a subject that she intended to expand upon soon. She thought she’d heard what sounded like someone else in the house, but it wasn’t her place to ask. “I realize that she broke off her relationship with Michael a few months prior to her death. Had she started dating again or had she decided to take a break?”
“No, Bella hadn’t started dating again, and I’m sure it was because she was coming to regret breaking things off with Michael,” Lorelei said before looking to her husband for agreement. He nodded before taking another sip of his bourbon. “Bella loved Michael.”
“Even after he cheated on her while on a business trip to Baltimore?”
Robert’s motions became still. It took him a moment to gradually lower his glass after he had absorbed the meaning behind Brook’s words. Lorelei had compressed her lips together in disappointment.
“Michael made a mistake, and one that cost him dearly.”
“Michael is young, and he acted without thinking of the consequences,” Robert added in frustration. “No one is perfect.”
“Michael is only five years younger than you, Mr. Jameson,” Brook pointed out, pushing the couple a little more on a topic that they clearly didn’t want to discuss. “As a matter of fact, you went to school with Detective Hartley. I’m surprised that you and your wife opted to hire a private investigations firm when you have such close ties with the local police.”
“Detective Hartley has been given a year to find Bella’s killer,” Robert replied tightly. It was evident that there was no love lost between the two men. “We believed a different route was necessary.”
“Back to Michael, is it true that you attempted to convince Bella to get back together with him?” Brook asked, directing her question toward Lorelei.
“Who told you that?”
“My team and I have spoken to a lot of people today, Mrs. Jameson. We’re simply gathering as many facts as we can before we start to put the pieces of Bella’s last days together.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Lorelei replied evasively as she switched her focus from Brook to the flickering flames. “As I previously remarked, people make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean they deserved to be shut out of our lives. I was giving my sister advice on how to best handle the situation, that’s all.”
Brook figured that the subject of Michael had been worn thin, so she switched to Bella’s professional life. Doing so might allow Lorelei to relax somewhat with the conversation. Had Robert been the one to push Lorelei into advising her sister to give the relationship with Michael Davis another try?
“How well did Bella get along with her colleagues at the art gallery?”
