I couldn't help but smile. I had no idea how long this new grateful Kendall might last, but it was a nice change, if even for a moment. Especially since I was pretty sure her father wouldn't be sending us any flowers once he received our bill for services. Oh yeah, I was totally charging him. This was going to end up being the most expensive party he'd ever hosted. Maybe he'd think twice about hiring living ambiance next time. Probably not…but at least he was paying our rent for the next three months.
"Any other business?" I asked.
"Just the Hampshires coming in a few minutes. Final reports are on your desk."
"Thanks. Show them in when they arrive," I called over my shoulder as I headed into my office. I closed the door behind me, hung my purse on the wall, and took another sip of the almost-too-hot coffee as I scanned through the documents. Ten minutes later, I was impressed with what a thorough job the girls had done as Maya knocked on my office door.
"Colleen and Erin Hampshire," she announced, ushering the ladies in.
"Thanks, Maya," I told her as she slipped out again and the two women settled themselves on the chairs in front of me. Colleen sighed audibly as she folded her hands in front of her on her lap. Erin perched on the edge of her chair, her posture tight and filled with anxiety.
"Maya said you have some news?" Colleen asked. "About Harold."
I nodded, hoping what I was about to say was good news and not bad. But, honestly, I wasn't sure what they were hoping to hear. "You were right. It does appear as if he's been seeing other women."
"Scouting," Colleen corrected.
"Right. Uh, scouting is what it felt like."
"Women?" Erin jumped in. "More than one?"
"Two that we have uncovered. I've had my agents watching him pretty closely, so I'd be comfortable saying it's just the two, but I couldn't swear to it."
Colleen nodded. "I understand."
"Tell us about the women," Erin said, her thin eyebrows pulling together.
I cleared my throat, picking up the first report even though I already knew what it said. "The first one is Janice Holbrook. She's a seamstress, lives alone in Los Feliz, and goes to church regularly."
Colleen smiled for the first time, nodding her head. "That sounds like Harold."
"What church?" Erin wanted to know.
"First Congregational Church. It's a nondenominational in Silver Lake."
"Nondenominational," Colleen said, churning that over.
"The pastor is very nice, and they do lots of community work," I added. I didn't mention I'd witnessed that firsthand.
"I like her," Colleen decided.
"I have my reservations," I told her.
Colleen stopped smiling. "Oh?"
"She's in financial trouble. She's got a lot of credit card debt, which speaks to living above her means. I witnessed a couple of moments that made me question her sincerity. And from what we could ascertain, she is the one who initiated contact with Harold."
"You mean she hit on him?" Erin asked.
I nodded. "She met him at the bank and asked him out for coffee."
"Well, that doesn't sound like Harold's type," Colleen mused.
"Wait—at the bank?" Erin asked. "Do you think she overheard him talking about his accounts?"
I shrugged. "I don't think there's any way to know for sure."
Colleen shook her head.
"Who is the second woman?" Erin asked.
"Tara Owens." I paused, almost hesitating to give the ladies the stats on this one. "She's twenty-seven and lives in North Hollywood."
"Kind of young," Colleen mused, turning to Erin.
Erin nodded.
"She also works as a cocktail waitress at The Spotted Pony."
"Is that a bar?" Erin asked.
"Strip club."
Colleen gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. Erin's frown deepened.
"What would Harold be doing there?" Erin asked.
"From what we could tell, he was just there to talk with Tara," I assured them. "According to her, they met when she had car trouble in the parking lot of a Vons grocery store. He offered to give her battery a jump. She mentioned where she worked, and he showed up there a few days later. They've been chatting ever since."
"Is she after his money too?" Colleen asked.
I paused. This was a bit out of my purview to pass judgment on. But in this case, I went with my gut feeling. "I don't think so. From what we've uncovered, it seems Harold has offered to pay for a few small things here and there. Mostly having to do with her aging car. She's turned him down every time."
"Is she interested in Harold?" Erin asked. "I mean, can you tell if she's attracted to him. Or…our lifestyle?"
"That I could not tell you for certain." I paused. "But Maya did uncover that Tara's aunt is living as a polygamist in Wyoming and Tara spent every summer on her ranch growing up."
That was the clincher. Suddenly Erin's frown evened out, and Colleen smiled again.
"I guess twenty-seven isn't that young," Colleen said.
I gathered the reports into a neat pile and slid them across my desk to the two women. "Obviously, I can't tell you what's best for your family or advise you as to who Harold may be more attached to. But I hope this information helps."
"Oh, it does," Erin said, gathering the papers.
"Thank you," Colleen told me.
"Any time," I said, shaking each one's hand as they stood and left my office, stopping only long enough at Maya's desk to hand her a check. I had to say, it was refreshing to give the wife information of a straying husband that actually made her happy.
* * *
I spent the rest of the day catching up on messages and paperwork I'd put aside for the past week, before leaving early to keep a date with a bottle of Merlot and my bubble bath. Saturday morning I turned off my phone and unwound by binge watching an obscene amount of reality TV. By Saturday evening I finally felt rested and ready to face Derek's surprise for Elaine. I could promise Maya's party would be a success…Derek's surprise? Well, that was out of my hands.
Thankfully, it was a pleasant starry night with a cool breeze shifting through the palm trees outside the venue Maya had booked. The party was held outside on the terrace, where a jazz trio was playing soft, inviting music. Half a dozen round tables with white tablecloths and matching chairs were placed strategically. Fairy lights were draped along the canopy over the tables, and lit tea lights on each table made the space look dreamy.
The girls were already there, as well as Charley and a few people I didn't recognize and assumed were friends of Derek or Elaine. I was mildly surprised to see Apple and Candy, though I knew they'd had interactions with Derek in the past. The far past, I hoped, for Elaine's sake. I was happy to see them laughing and smiling as they giggled over champagne glasses together. Those two needed a night out that didn't involve pool parties and sleazy movie producers.
I found Derek looking surprisingly put together in a black suit and navy blue tie. In fact, he looked downright handsome. I told him as much as I approached.
"Thanks, kid," he responded. He looked nervous, rubbing his hands together, lightly pacing. He wiggled his collar and grimaced. "I feel kinda overdressed."
I glanced around the room, seeing cocktail dresses and suits. "No, you look fine. When is Elaine arriving?"
He blew out a mouthful of air. "In a few minutes."
"And why does she think she's coming?" I asked.
"Dinner with Charley."
It was a good excuse. As far as Elaine knew, Charley was the only one who had remembered her birthday.
I reassured him it was going to be fine, although the longer I stood around him, the more my stomach jumped and his nerves rubbed off. I prayed the night went well for him. If not? Well, there looked to be a well-stocked bar to ease his pain. I patted him on the shoulder and left him to his pacing.
I drifted toward Candy and Apple. I had to say, Apple looked well-rested, relaxed, and like she'd bounced back to her old
self in record time.
"You look good," I said to her.
She had color in her cheeks, her eyes and smile were bright, and she and Candy wore matching minidresses. Candy's was cherry red, and Apple's was granny smith green.
"I feel good. In fact…" She paused, looking to Candy. "Should we tell her?"
Candy nodded, her smile practically bursting.
"Tell me what?" I asked.
"I quit my job!"
I blinked. "At The Spotted Pony?"
Apple bobbed her head up and down in response. "And Candy is quitting too, right?"
Candy did a repeat of the bobbing. "I am. We're hanging up our g-strings for good."
She and Apple giggled together.
"I'm…wow, that's…that's great," I told them, their excitement contagious. I hated to rain on their parade, but I had to ask. "What are you planning to do now?"
Apple shrugged. "I dunno. But we'll figure something out."
"We're going to move in together to save money for a while," Candy added. "And Kent said he might be able to get us something at his country club."
My gaze moved to Candy. "Kent said? As in Kent Perkins?"
Candy bit her lower lip and nodded. "Uh-huh."
"When did you discuss this with Kent?"
Candy looked guiltier than a kid with a hand in the cookie jar. "Last night. Over drinks."
I shot her the look of the mom who'd caught the cookie eater.
"Well, I felt so bad about drugging him when he was just an innocent victim in all this," Candy rushed on. "I mean, someone committed a crime in his house. Totally not his fault, and, well, he's kind of a nice guy when you get to know him. Lonely, though. I thought he could use the company."
Apple smirked. "Plus, you kinda like him."
Candy blushed. "We'll see."
I shook my head. My instinct was to warn Candy off, but the truth was, she was right. Kent had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Who knows? Maybe after going through two nasty divorces, he'd learned his lesson and would treat Candy well.
They walked off to find the restroom, and I grabbed a glass of champagne myself from a passing tray. The patio door opened, and several heads turned, expecting Elaine.
Though the figure that walked through was not the birthday girl. Most people looked away quickly again, resuming their muted conversations.
But my eyes were riveted on the newcomer. Danny.
I gulped my champagne as I watched him survey the room, find Derek, and walk over with a jovial looking greeting. I couldn't help glancing behind him to where I expected to see his plus-one—the leggy young model who'd sealed my humiliation. Luckily no sign of her. Maybe she was late? Probably spending too much time trying to find the prefect little scrap of fabric to wear to cover her perfect little hiney and perfectly perky breasts.
Nerves clearly made me snarky.
I took another healthy swig of sparkling wine as Danny looked my way and nodded in greeting.
I nodded back.
Luckily before Danny walked over, Derek held up his phone and shouted, "She's here! Places everybody!"
I let out a breath, quickly turning away from Danny and moving toward the edge of the patio where we'd all been instructed to gather as Elaine came in. I crowded next to Candy and Apple and a guy in a sport coat with an anchor tattoo on his neck. Clearly one of Derek's friends.
The crowd hushed, all eyes focused on the glass doors. A beat later they opened, and Elaine walked unsuspectingly out to the terrace.
As one, the crowd yelled, "Surprise!"
The stunned look on Elaine's face was priceless. It was quickly followed by pure glee as she took in the scene, and I could tell Derek had done a good job. Well, he and Maya and Tasty Catering.
We cheered, she laughed, and Derek surged forward, pulling her in for a hug. I was happy to see her not only hug him back, but also plant a big, wet kiss on his lips, leaving her pink lipstick stain behind.
Everyone greeted Elaine in turn and began mingling. Drinks and appetizers were served, and I tried to get a moment alone with Elaine to ask her about the potential job before Derek made a public proposal blunder, but she was in high demand. Before I could make my way to her, Derek held up his glass of beer and shouted.
"Can I get everyone's attention, please?" he asked and turned to Elaine.
Oh no, this was it. His big surprise. I cringed, expecting a ring box to appear any moment.
"Elaine, I have something to ask you," he said and took her hand in his.
I bit my lip, steeling myself for the worst.
Elaine cocked a brow and looked puzzled. Whatever he was about to do, she had not seen it coming.
"Elaine, my dear, my darling," he began, "it would be my honor if you would accept my proposal…"
She sucked in a breath. In fact, I'd venture to say the entire crowd sucked in a collective breath waiting for the punch line.
"…to rename my boat Elaine."
All the air whooshed out of me in a gust of relief. Renaming his boat. That had been Derek's big romantic surprise? I should have known. Derek was about as allergic to marriage as I was to Crocs.
But Elaine's smile beamed, and she looked delighted. "I'd love that!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted another big one on him.
Clearly she wasn't let down by the proposal…or lack thereof. Whatever their relationship status was, it looked like they were on the same page. Which was a relief, and I suddenly felt silly for worrying about them. They'd work it out, Seattle job or no.
Everyone clapped and cheered and went back to mingling and enjoying themselves.
As soon as the music started back up and the servers began circling, Danny was at my side.
"Hey, stranger," he said. He gave me a lopsided grin and a friendly elbow to the ribs.
"Hey, yourself."
"You look nice." His eyes gave my emerald blue, sequined cocktail dress a once-over. "Hot, even." The grin widened, and his eyes twinkled mischievously.
I shot him an elbow to his own ribs. "Cut it out, Flynn, or I might think you're flirting with me."
"Would that be so terrible?"
No, it would be so nice. Too nice. I was just starting to get his Dannyness out of my system, and the last thing I wanted was for him to flirt his way back in. Especially now that he was dating Leggy Model Thing.
"Where's the girlfriend tonight?" I asked, pointedly changing the subject.
He shrugged, some of the mischievous light going out of his eyes. "Probably somewhere over Norway by now."
My confusion must have shown on my face as he added, "She's gone back to New Zealand."
"Oh." I wasn't sure what else to say. "For a visit or…"
"Or I was dumped." He shot me a self-deprecating grin. "Turns out, she wasn't that into older guys after all."
I let out a bark of laughter. "Ouch."
"Tell me about it."
"Sorry," I told him, knowing the pain of being rejected all too well.
He shrugged. "Another day, another model, right?"
I rolled my eyes. "Someday you're going to have to settle down, Flynn. Old men like you can't play the field forever."
He cocked his head to the side and shot me a look. "Is that an invitation, Bond?"
My stomach flipped, that old feeling of being drawn into his charms starting to seep back into me. I shrugged, trying not to let it show, and glanced down at the casual jeans and sock-less loafers he'd paired with his open collar dress shirt. "I dunno, Flynn. You're going to have to do better than this if you want to hang with the big girls."
He threw his head back and laughed. "Duly noted." Then he took a step closer, the heat from his body radiating onto my skin in the cool breeze. I shivered as his voice came low at my ear. "Got plans after this, Bond?"
I shook my head, suddenly unable to find my voice.
He took a step back and winked at me. "I think you do now."
And then he walked away.
It took a two-count to get my heart rate back to normal.
Danny was single and flirty again. Aiden was ready to fight for my love and looking to cash in his rain check.
I drained the rest of my champagne glass, mulling that conundrum over as I looked around the room. Maya, Sam, and Caleigh were dancing near the jazz trio. Candy and Apple had their heads together near the glass doors, giggling at a private joke. Derek's arm was planted around Elaine, a grin the size of the Grand Canyon on his face.
I decided there were worse places to be and worse problems to have.
Some days, it was good to be a Bond Girl.
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ABOUT GEMMA HALLIDAY
Gemma Halliday is the New York Times, USA Today & #1 Kindle bestselling author of the High Heels Mysteries, the Hollywood Headlines Mysteries, the Jamie Bond Mysteries, the Tahoe Tessie Mysteries, the Marty Hudson Mysteries, and several other works. Gemma's books have received numerous awards, including a Golden Heart, two National Reader's Choice awards, a RONE award for best mystery, and three RITA nominations. She currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her boyfriend, Jackson Stein, who writes vampire thrillers, and their four children, who are adorably distracting on a daily basis.
To learn more about Gemma, visit her online at http://www.gemmahalliday.com
BOOKS BY GEMMA HALLIDAY
Jamie Bond Mysteries:
Unbreakable Bond
Secret Bond
Bond Bombshell (short story)
Lethal Bond
Dangerous Bond
Bond Ambition (short story)
Fatal Bond
Marty Hudson Mysteries:
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Brash Blonde
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Diva
High Heels Mysteries:
Spying in High Heels
Killer in High Heels
Undercover in High Heels
Fatal Bond Page 20