Page 85 of Pretty Poison

Tess laughed and saluted him with her cup before taking a sip. She set it back down and folded her hands in her lap. Nothing about her demeanor signaled Tess was anxious about the meeting. She was calm, relaxed, and refined, reminding him of his maternal grandmother, Matilda Dutton. Still waters ran deep, and one couldn’t assume a quiet façade meant nothing sinister lurked beneath the surface.

They made small talk while Grant got their drinks. Tess asked a little about their careers and the podcast.

“I’d never even heard of such a thing. I associate the word pod with alien movies.” She shivered dramatically. “Have they been around a long time?”

Felix was most familiar with the history of podcasting since he’d hosted a few over the years, so Rocky and Jonah were happy to let him field her questions.

“Are there podcasts about other things besides crime?” she wanted to know.

“There are podcasts about everything,” Grant said when he entered the room. “If you’d like, I can help you find ones about gardening for your trip.”

“Really?” she asked. “I already downloaded an audiobook for the flight, but I think I’d like the podcast better. Now that everyone is settled with a beverage,” she said, making eye contact around the room, “do you think I killed any or all of my husbands?”

Direct hit. Rocky respected Tess for it. Felix and Jonah both deferred to him since he was the one who pursued the investigation. He could lie and tell her that all three of them thought she was innocent, or he could be brutally honest. One option would probably have a much higher success rate than the other, but which one? Tess tilted her head slightly as she awaited a response.

“The truth is we don’t know,” Rocky said. “We’re approaching this investigation from three different angles.”

“Christ,” Grant snarled, slamming his cup on the table hard enough to make the coffee slosh over the side. “I told you not to make me regret this meeting.”

Rocky met his hostile gaze. “You’d rather I lie to your mother and blindside her later?”

“I’d prefer you weren’t here at all.”

“Grant,” Tess said softly. “He’s being honest, which is more than we can say for most people.” She shifted her attention back to Rocky. She held up a finger. “I’m innocent.” A second finger joined the first. “Or I’m guilty. What’s the third angle?”

“Mercy killing,” Rocky replied.

From his periphery, Rocky saw Grant leap to his feet. “The fuck you say. I want the three of you out of here right now.”

Rocky kept his gaze locked on Tess, and she didn’t so much as flinch. She wasn’t just a cool cucumber; she might be the coolest to ever live. “Mrs. Hamilton?” he asked. If she wanted them to leave, they would go. No questions asked.

“I want to know more.” She broke her eye contact long enough to look at her son. “Really, Grant? They haven’t said a single word I haven’t already heard or read a hundred times.”

Rocky felt the man’s eyes burning holes into him, so he turned his head and met Grant’s gaze. Tess’s son wasn’t just hot under the collar; he was burning with rage. If this were a cartoon, steam would be coming out of Grant’s ears. “What did I tell you a few minutes ago?” Rocky asked.

Grant took a deep breath and sat back down. “You said I wouldn’t always like what you had to say, but your words wouldn’t be spoken with malicious intent.”

“I meant it then, and I mean it now.” He turned his attention back to Tess, who kept her eyes on her son for a few seconds before meeting Rocky’s gaze once more.

“Isn’t a mercy killing still murder?” she asked.

“Legally?” Jonah asked. “In most states, yes. The perception is vastly different, though. One is committed through cold and calculating means, and some consider the other to be an act of compassion.”

“Mom,” Grant said. “Come on. You can’t be serious about participating in this podcast.”

Tess ignored him and focused on Rocky. “Are you going to continue this investigation if I don’t cooperate?”

“Yes.”

She nodded. “Then I’d rather have my say.”

“Mom,” Grant said once more. “What could they possibly do to clear your name?”

Tess looked at her son, but Rocky’s gaze was riveted on her. She was either completely innocent or more talented than any Hollywood actress. “They can help sort out the facts from the fiction, Grant. I’ve already been acquitted of fraud, so they can’t charge me again.”

“Mom, double jeopardy doesn’t extend to new charges. Nothing is preventing a power-hungry DA from filing murder charges against you.”

“Based on what?” Tess asked.