Page 85 of Kiss Marry Kill

“I’m not sure I agree. She knows you’re concerned about her.”

He wrinkled his brow. “Are you suggesting she faked her panic attack? Just to get me there?”

“Maybe? She might’ve planted the shoe earlier, hoping to convince you that she really is seeing Kimora.”

“How would she know that I’d go look in the garden?”

“I mean, you did go look, didn’t you?”

“Yes, but I didn’t go look in the garden because I was concerned. I went to look because I saw someone lurking. When I went to investigate, I found that shoe.”

“You saw someone?”

He nodded. “Yes. Well, to be more accurate, I saw movement.”

“Maybe it was a tree moving in the breeze?”

“A tree that wears high heels?”

I laughed. “Okay. I see what you mean.”

He snapped his fingers. “Oh, also, the shoe was warm inside when I found it.”

“Was it?”

“Yes.”

“Still doesn’t mean that shoe isn’t Janelle’s.”

Max shook his head. “You actually think she snuck out and tried to trick me by running to the fountain as I was leaving?”

“Well…”

“No. There’s no way, Royce. She was a mess last night. I gave her a shot of Valium because she was so hysterical. She was sleeping like a baby when I left.”

“Okay. Maybe the shoe belongs to Angela Raiden.”

“Even if it is hers, it was warm, remember?”

“Yes.” I frowned. “What about it?”

“Angela let me out of the house. Since the shoes were warm, she’d have had to be wearing the shoe right up to the moment I found it. As I recall, she was wearing slippers, not heels. Not to mention, she’d have had to sprint right by me to get to the fountain, and I’d have seen her.”

“Fair enough.”

Some tension left him when I agreed.

I sighed. “I’ll take the shoe to the station and see if we can find any prints or anything like that.”

“That would be great.” His smile was relieved. “I wore gloves when I touched it. I did my best to maintain the integrity of the evidence.”

My lips twitched. “Good job.”

“I’ve picked up a few things since dating a cop.”

“I’m proud of you. You’re an excellent pupil.”

He moved to the sink to rinse his coffee cup. “You’re short-staffed. Maybe I should become a cop.” He glanced over at me, looking like he was trying not to laugh. “We could solve crimes, side by side.”