Page 11 of Little Hidden Fears

“We’ve talked to Zoey and Lucas, of course. Talked to the husband a few times, and his sweet daughter.”

“That was hard,” Whitlock said. “Always is when it comes to kids.”

“We’ve also spoken to the neighbors on her street,” Foley said.

“Any chance one of them has a security camera?”

“The couple living across the street from Noelle’s house has a security camera. It was on and recording the night of the murder. Problem is, during the time we believe Noelle died, the video doesn’t show anyone coming or going from her house. All it picked up was a stray cat.”

Whitlock raised a finger. “Which brings me to my theory. The back of Noelle’s house butts up against a mountainside. I think the killer hiked up to the house, snuck inside, and then after the murder, he made his escape the same way.”

“What I don’t understand is, why kill Noelle during the party, when so many other people were around? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Unless... the killer could have been making a plan to murder Noelle, but hadn’t decided when the murder would take place. Perhaps something had set him off that day, and he couldn’t wait any longer.

Secrets had a way of doing that to a person.

Was Noelle keeping a secret, one she was getting ready to tell?

CHAPTER 5

I stopped by Dominic’s home, hoping he was there so we could talk. I noted two sedans in the driveway—a Maserati and a much older sedan that had seen better days. Based on the upscale neighborhood, one of them didn’t belong.

I rang the doorbell, and a woman with long, blond, bouffant hair and a big smile came to the door. She was dressed in a fitted red dress which was a bit too small, but it did a perfect job of accentuating her every curve.

She gave me a once-over, pointing at my black-and-cream, drop-waist dress as she said, “Vintage. I like it.”

I considered returning the compliment, but given I didn’t share the same fervor for her dress as she did mine, I did not.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“I’m here to see Dominic.”

“He’s not in the best of moods. Does he know you’re coming?”

“He will in a minute.”

She stood a moment, saying nothing.

“Who are you, and how do you know Dominic?” I asked.

“Who areyou,and how doyouknow him?”

“I’m Georgiana Germaine. I’m investigating his wife’s murder.”

She moved a hand to her hip. “Huh, I met the detective working on her case. He didn’t mention he had a partner.”

“I don’t work for the police department. I’m a private investigator.”

“Someone hired you?”

I nodded. “Zoey Morgan.”

“Ahh, figures. Sounds like something she would do.”

“You still haven’t told me whoyouare,” I said, “or what you’re doing here, or why you came to the door instead of Dominic when it’s his house.”

“I’m Lenore, and he asked me to see who was at the door, so I did.”