Page 29 of Little Dark Deeds (Georgiana Germaine #12)

I slept in until nine , waking to find a note on my nightstand from Giovanni.

He’d taken Luka to the park and had made me a souffle, which was waiting for me in the oven.

I grabbed my robe out of the closet and walked to the kitchen, pleased to find the souffle was still warm.

As I ate at the bar, I made my game plan for the day.

Goal one was to meet with Landon Fairfax, the man who’d accused Tiffany of ruining his life.

After learning about him a day before, I’d asked Hunter to get some information on him.

I was now the proud recipient of his phone number, address, and a few other pertinent details.

Hunter had also been in touch with Tiffany’s former client, Rylie Fairfax, who filled her in on Landon’s daily routine.

I drove to a popular cycling trail that he biked around almost every morning, hoping I wasn’t too late.

I parked, waited a while, and then I spotted two men, one fitting the description Hunter had given me.

He was lifting a bike over a rack onto the back of a high-end truck.

Mission accomplished, he turned to the man next to him and gave him a high-five.

The men parted ways, and I exited the car, hurrying over to catch him before he left.

He looked, in a word, douchey, as expected—clad in a sleek, bright, form-fitting jersey that hugged his torso. His padded cycling shorts were tight, ending mid-thigh, and they did the perfect job of emphasizing his muscular quads.

I approached, saying, “Landon Fairfax?”

He seemed startled as he looked my way, but as our eyes met, a flirtatious smile formed. “Who’s asking?”

“My name is Georgiana Germaine, and I—”

“I know who you are.”

“You do?”

“I’ve been following the case, or should I say, my people have been following it for me.”

His people.

A way of establishing his status from the get-go.

We were off to a smug-worthy start.

“And what have your people reported so far?” I asked.

“Let’s just say I know just about all there is to know about the case. From what I hear, you’re a tenacious one. I’m glad to meet you.”

He extended a hand.

I looked at it, but I wasn’t in the mood to shake.

“Before Tiffany died, you threatened her,” I said.

“I’m aware.”

“You said she ruined your life.”

He leaned against the truck. “I may have been a bit more dramatic than I intended, but in a way, she did ruin it. What’s your point?”

“Your threat places you at the center of my investigation.”

“I suppose it does.”

We stared at each other, blinking in turn, neither of us saying a word.

“I expected you to be a lot more defensive,” I said.

“Why should I be? I knew I’d be questioned, by you and the police, which is the exact reason I have people keeping tabs on what’s going on.”

“What do you mean by ‘keeping tabs’?”

“I’d prefer not to answer.”

I moved my hands to my hips. “And I’d prefer you did.”

He let out a low, chilling laugh. “It’s in my best interest to know what rabbit holes you and the police, are going down.

I see the dangling carrot has led to me at last. Six days.

I’ll admit, I thought I’d see you sooner.

If you’ve concluded I was in some way involved in Tiffany’s murder, I regret to inform you the carrot has fallen from your stick. You’re raising it at the wrong man.”

I was beginning to tire of his carrot-and-stick analogy.

“Why did you confront Tiffany in the way you did?” I asked.

He slid a hand inside his pocket, removed some lip balm, and applied it to his lips. “After Tiffany won in court, my relationship with Vivienne, the woman I was dating, fell apart.”

It surprised me.

“Why? With the case in the rear view, the divorce could finalize, and you and Vivienne could move forward.”

“You’d think so, but she ended the relationship.”

“And you ... what? Blamed Tiffany? It makes no sense. Rylie didn’t ask for much in the divorce—a few million. A drop in the bucket compared to your family’s overall worth.”

He shook his head. “You think I was upset over the money?”

“Weren’t you?”

“I would have given her the money she wanted and more, if she’d asked for it.”

“Then what was the problem?”

“It was the way she tried to slander my reputation in court, going on and on about the husband I once was, the man she thought she’d be with forever. She topped it off by discussing my ‘numerous’ affairs.”

“Did you have numerous affairs?”

“I slipped up on occasion. Who doesn’t?”

“I don’t.”

“Then you wouldn’t understand. It’s not like I woke up one day and decided to have an affair when everything in my marriage was fine.

Affairs, they have a way of creeping up on you.

One day you’re making a polite comment to a woman.

The next, you’re flirting. Before you know it, you wake up one morning, and they’re in your bed, or you’re in theirs.

Infidelity’s been around since the dawn of time, and it always will be. ”

I wasn’t sure how to take his candor.

It disgusted and astonished me at the same time, for all the wrong reasons.

“Rylie was stating the obvious and speaking her truth. Why did it bother you so much?” I asked. “Were you worried about your reputation? You don’t seem like the kind of person who cares what anyone else thinks.”

He bit down on his bottom lip. “I do when it comes to Vivienne. She was in court the day the affairs were mentioned. I didn’t even know she planned to be there.

She was sitting at the back, taking it all in.

Afterward, when I had a chance to talk to her, she was furious.

I hadn’t told her about the affairs. I tried to explain. I told her Rylie was lying.”

“But she wasn’t lying. You admitted as much to me just now.”

“To you, I admitted it, because it’s true. When it comes to the women I’m in relationships with, you say what you need to say to protect yourself and the relationship. Right?”

Wrong.

“I have no reason to lie to you, and I haven’t,” he continued. “None of it matters now, though. I thought Vivienne was the one woman who could keep me loyal. But I’ve met someone else, someone even better.”

“Why would you take your anger out on Tiffany over your wife’s words in court?”

“Because they weren’t her words. Rylie’s an introvert, a woman who doesn’t like to stir up drama.

I expected her to fight for what she wanted—the money, the dog—and leave everything else out of it.

We’d discussed it prior. She wasn’t going to mention the affairs.

Then Tiffany got to her, and she grew a backbone. ”

I clenched my fists at my sides, the urge to strike him so overwhelming I had to dig my nails into my palms to stop myself.

“How unfortunate it is when a woman grows a backbone,” I said. “I can see now why it angered you to the point of verbal harassment and threats. You have a massive narcissistic ego.”

“I didn’t harass her.”

“Who’s the liar now?”

“I was furious that day, I’ll admit. Thinking back, I don’t even remember what I said. It happens sometimes when I’m angry. I lash out without thinking. If it came across as harassment, she twisted my words because that’s not what happened.”

I could feel my heart thump, thump, thumping inside my chest.

Faster and faster.

If I was to retain my composure, the topic of conversation needed to shift before I lost the ability to control myself.

“Have you been visited by an elderly woman about the murder investigation?” I asked.

“Ah, yes. Queenie, I believe. She claimed to be assisting the police with the investigation, which we both know is far from the truth.”

“Did she tell you about the lighter that was found at Tiffany’s house on the day of the murder?”

“She mentioned it.”

“Did she accuse you of murdering Tiffany?”

“She did.”

“What did you say?”

“I found the whole thing comical. The woman was senile. I bet she had no idea what she was getting herself into. If she had, maybe she wouldn’t be dead.”

“I didn’t find her to be senile, though I’ll admit she was out of her depth.”

He blew out a long sigh. “I’m not saying she asked for it, but she brought it on, and someone saw to it that she was shut down. Now then, I’ve enjoyed this little conversation of ours, but it’s time for me to go. If there’s nothing more ...”

Bite your tongue, Georgiana.

He’s not worth it.

“If you’ve done your research on me, you know my track record,” I said.

“I have, and it’s impressive, for a—”

“ Woman ?”

He pointed a finger gun at me, then clicked his thumb like he’d pulled the trigger. “Your words, not mine.”

“I’m closing in on Tiffany’s killer. I can feel it. If it turns out its you, it won’t matter how many spies you have running around town. I’ll be coming for you, and not even you will be able to stop me.”

Pleased with my parting remark, I spun around, signaling an end to our conversation. I hadn’t taken a single step forward when I felt it—a quick, stinging smack across my backside.

I whipped around.

The time for keeping my composure was over.

Grinning, he said, “I have no doubt you’ll solve the case. That’s the spirit!”

My hand sliced through the air and landed on his cheek with a crack !—red fingerprints blooming in its wake.

I hadn’t felt that satisfied with myself in some time.

“If you ever lay a hand on me again, you’ll lose it,” I spat.

“I was just teasing. Lighten up.”

Leaning forward, I drilled a finger into his chest. “It’s no wonder you can’t keep a woman. You don’t know how to treat one.”

“Careful, now. I could report this little harassment of yours to the police.”

“You won’t.”

“And why’s that?”

“You may think you know about me, sure—and about my interest in the investigation—but that little stunt with my rearend tells me you missed researching one crucial detail: my husband. You should ask your people to do a little digging on him while they’re at it.

My husband’s family ... well, they’re a fascinating read.

One might even say frightening. Not for me, but certainly for a scumbag like you. ”