Page 87 of Black Orchid Girls (Detective Amanda Steele)

“It is,” Amanda agreed and answered.

“Got in touch with the detective. Leah was a classmate of Annie Frasier’s, and the two of them were apparently seeing each other.”

“Ooh, the reason for the red rose is becoming clearer—if Leah did kill her.” Not that Amanda had any doubts that she had. And red roses symbolized passion and romance, which was a well-known representation of the flower and something Leah would be very familiar with. She’d have chosen it because it was how she’d felt about Annie Frasier, though it would seem at some point Annie had let her down. “Competitors and lovers? It must have worked for them.”

“Until it didn’t? Anyway, the detective had interviewed Leah but never really considered her a suspect, so she wasn’t on that list they’d sent over.”

“She’s a good actress. The detective needs to question her again. Did you tell him she’s under arrest for her involvement with two murders?”

“Yep, and he’s going to revisit the cold case.”

“Good news.”

“Yeah, it is.”

The line went silent, but it was one of those voids that felt electric. Trent had something else to say, but she broke the silence.

“I have more good news.” She became aware of Zoe beside her again, and she couldn’t say what she was going to. “I’ll text you. I can’t say it right now.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll look for it.”

They ended the call, and she texted Trent, Colin not going for custody. Zoe may officially be mine by Christmas!

Not five seconds later, she received his response.

I knew it! Congratulations. X

Her heart paused beating. X? Did he mean to send her a kiss? No, it had to be a finger slip.

She shook her head and tried to laugh it off. Yep. Surely it had just been a mistake. She silenced her phone and put it in her pocket. No more interruptions. Whatever happened in the world today could wait for her until tomorrow.

She looked at Zoe, who had her head tilted back, her mouth open in a wide grin, showing off the gap where she’d lost that tooth. The Tooth Fairy had visited on Sunday. “Want to get some ice cream now?” It didn’t matter it was pretty much dinnertime.

“Yes, please!” she squealed.

They left the aquarium and stepped outside. Amanda took in a deep breath of the cool fall air. She supposed this would be considered “the end” in that old adage, but everything was far more than okay. It was absolutely fantastic.

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