Page 90 of It's a Wonderful Knife

Max’s dark brows rose. “Even when his bossisa woman?”

Mona’s face was pinched. “One reason Jax brushes me off is because you don’t back me up.”

“Back you up, how?” Ezra scowled.

“When I tell him not to do something, you should agree with me. But you just turn a blind eye to his bad behavior.”

“Pfft.” Ezra smirked. “You want to be liberated, but you still want me to fight your battles? Sorry, it doesn’t work like that.”

“We’re supposed to be a team. I’m not asking you to fight my battles, I’m asking you to have my back. It’s different.”

Max looked uncomfortable, and I didn’t blame him.

I cleared my throat. “Um… getting back to yesterday afternoon, was there anyone else who stood out to you other than Penelope and Gerald?”

Mona still looked annoyed with Ezra, but she let out a shaky breath and said, “Not really. But like I said, I was in the kitchen a lot.”

I studied Mona, unsure of how she’d react to my next question. “Rumor has it you threatened to fire Jax yesterday, Mona.”

She stilled. “Who told you that?”

“Someone overheard your conversation with him.”

The blood seemed to drain from her face. “Really?”

“Yes.”

She swallowed and shot a quick look at Ezra. “How much of the conversation did they hear?”

“Just enough to know you weren’t happy with Jax.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“Was it the gambling that made you want to fire him?” Max asked.

Mona gritted her teeth. “It’s the gambling, the brawling with Leo, the flirting with Chloe. There are so many reasons I’d like to fire him. He basically does what he pleases, when he pleases. I’m tired of trying to make him toe the line.”

“Oh, hell’s bells. She threatens to fire Jax at least once a month,” Ezra grumbled. “He’s not going anywhere.”

Ignoring Ezra, I said, “But you didn’t fire him. As angry as you are, you didn’t fire him?”

Red spears appeared on Mona’s cheeks. “One of these days, I will. I’ve had it with him. I won’t put up with it much longer. I’m frustrated is what I am.” Mona’s eyes glittered with resentment. “He works for me, not the other way around. You wouldn’t know it though.”

Ezra rolled his eyes. “Trust me, Jax will be here when you boys come back next year.”

Max winced at the mention of returning next year.

Mona said, “I guess we’ll see.”

Max’s expression was confused. “I guess I don’t understand why he’s still here? If Jax is more trouble than he’s worth, youshouldlet him go.”

Mona sounded robotic as she said, “When the busy season is over. That’s when I’ll do it.”

“Yeah, right.” Ezra snorted.

The tension between husband and wife was so thick, it crackled in the air. It was awkward to be in the cramped space with them. I didn’t think either one of them had killed Santiago. They were obviously stressed-out, but I didn’t believe the strain was from murdering anyone. They were deeply unhappy with each other. It was as if being near each other was physically painful. The fissures had always been there, and no one would ever have accused them of being madly in love. But this was different.

Frankly, I wanted to get away from the two of them. “I… appreciate you both coming in.”