Page 90 of Pretty Poison

“No. Obviously, I was interested the first time I heard about Tess going into labor. Bob, who was allegedly calm and cool under fire, had acted out of character. He was comically anxious and worried, according to their friends. Tess, the one going into labor, had been the calm one. She also had to drive herself to the hospital because everyone else had been drinking. They talked about how Bob paced the floor after she left.”

“Why not call an ambulance?” Asher asked.

“Here’s the only place where their accounts varied,” Rocky said. “A few said a bad storm had recently passed through, taking out the phone lines. Another said Tess was stubborn like that, and the others couldn’t remember why. Oh, and one said they didn’t even know anything about it until after she’d left.”

“That doesn’t explain why no one went with her, especially Bob.”

“She was a trauma nurse,” Rocky explained. “I imagine she was pretty tough under pressure.”

“Why didn’t someone stay sober just in case?”

“Tess’s due date wasn’t for another month,” Rocky explained. “Bob probably thought it would be okay. Maybe Tess’s first three kids were born on time or late, but she was forty when she got pregnant with Grant and not twentysomething like when she’d carried her older children. Maybe her uterus was like ‘enough, bitch’ and kicked his ass out early.”

“If the story was rehearsed, who were they protecting, or what were they trying to cover up?” Asher asked.

“Exactly.”

Asher hummed again. It reminded him of the noises his husband made when Rocky found an especially sensitive spot on his body. It wasn’t too late to turn the car around.

“I’m curious if the same thing happened with Felix and Jonah,” Asher said.

“We each called a different group of friends,” Rocky replied. “I called the folks in Augusta to interview them about Bob and Tess’s relationship. Felix called the folks in Albany to chat about Donald and Tess. We let Jonah call Arnold Hamilton’s family because it was a bit more of a delicate dance since there was a trial and an acquittal.”

“Even Arnold Hamilton’s family had nothing bad to say about Tess?” Asher asked.

“Nope. Mr. Hamilton’s kids said that Tess had made their father very happy and she’d taken good care of him.”

“What about the life insurance fraud? They wouldn’t be singing the same tune if she’d gotten the inheritance.”

Rocky shrugged. “I have to listen to the recordings, but Jonah said they’d forgiven her. They said her actions were derived from fear, not malice. In fact, they’re the ones paying for her cruise.”

“Oh my God. The Hamiltons probably hired someone to push Tess overboard.”

“What?” Rocky asked, jerking his head in Asher’s direction.

“Watch out,” Asher said, leaning across the car and jerking the steering wheel to the right. “You swerved into the other lane.”

“You just implied the Hamiltons hired a hit on Tess.”

“I was joking,” Asher said. “But seriously, she tried to take all their money, and they send her on a cruise?”

“Who said Tess tried to steal all the money?” Rocky asked.

“No one said it, but it’s been implied in the media coverage. So, Tess allegedly just tried to steal some of the money?”

Rocky nodded. “She was set to inherit a hundred thousand dollars, and the rest went to his children. To be honest, that’s barely a dent in the man’s assets.”

“Huh.”

“What?” Rocky asked.

“I think forging a document for only a portion of the money was genius,” Asher said. “It shouldn’t have raised any flags. Most husbands would make sure their wives were cared for after their passing, especially if they knew their death was imminent. Are you sure the document is even a forgery?”

“No,” Rocky admitted honestly. “Jennifer Blossom had been ready to pay out the proceeds until an anonymous phone call tipped them off.”

“It could’ve been nothing more than a disgruntled kid,” Asher scoffed. “It’s really easy for them to imply they don’t hold a grudge against Tess because they’ve robbed her of the money. They send her on a cruise to cover their guilt and tell you guys how amazing she is. What was the DA’s basis for bringing charges against Tess?”

“The handwriting expert said Arnold Hamilton’s signature was forged.”