Page 40 of Scripted for Love and Poison (Sol and Luke Mystery #2)
“ W e’ve been in this bloody place a day short of two weeks,” Luke grumbled. “But let’s start looking for return tickets, because we’re wrapping up this case today.”
“It would be fantastic to no longer be on Officer Hunky Dory’s no-leaving-the-country list. I really need to go back to London,” Sol said.
“Because of the appointment with your colorist,” said Divya, as she had also heard Sol complaining about the unmissable rendezvous.
“No, because my editor really wants me back in London. I’ve been neglecting work for way too long. Plus, I miss home. And yeah, the appointment with the colorist,” Sol admitted.
The three of them were enjoying an outdoor breakfast of frittata, pastries, tea, sun, and the odd celebrity sighting—they’d seen one of the original cast members from CSI on their way there—at Gjusta in Venice.
The sunglasses were on, the weather was a temperate seventeen degrees Celsius—even if Sol was still wearing one of Luke’s cozy knits (it smelled like him: lavender and smokey wood)—and their return home looked closer.
Although she had always loved traveling, she cherished her time at home every bit as much.
Right now, Sol was starting to feel tired of so many meals eaten out, and she was missing her cozy Georgian cottage South of the Thames River.
“You sound as if you’re also a bit homesick for London,” Luke told her with his most seductive grin.
“I am homesick,” Sol admitted.
“I thought you loved traveling,” Luke said.
“I do, but like you said, we’ve been out for almost two weeks for a trip that was supposed to last four days. I’d like to go back to the comforts of my own house, my own closet, and the city I learned to love,” she said.
“After that, I think he’s even more in love with you than he already was,” Divya said.
“What she said,” Luke agreed with a smile.
“Alright, people, let’s pack you back to London soon, then. Let’s make it possible,” Divya said, getting into her working mode.
“Aren’t you also coming once we wrap up the case?” Luke asked, furrowing his brow.
“He’s worried you may find yourself alone in such an inhospitable place,” Sol joked.
“I won’t be alone. Moon is coming for a couple of days for work, and I’ll stay with them. They’ll show me around since you two have been very inconsistent hosts,” Divya explained.
“I’m sorry about that. I promise to do a better job next time,” Sol said .
“Next time?” Luke said in horror, but he was only half joking, and Sol and Divya couldn’t avoid laughing out loud.
But the moment of perfect happiness felt like the calm before the storm.
They still had a suspect to catch, and Sol couldn’t help but wonder if Luke was being too optimistic in thinking the case was nearly done.
Emily had proven to be an extremely smart person who got away with murder because everyone either ignored her or failed to recognize her existence
They shouldn’t do the same and keep underestimating her.
“Officer Hunky Dory is returning my call,” Luke said then, and he put the police detective on speakerphone—there were no people at the tables around them. “Detective Owens, good morning.”
“Morning, pal,” Hunky Dory said. “Everything good?”
“Yes, we’re focusing on the Jason Zit investigation and were wondering if he and Emily had a prenup. Would you happen to know?” Luke asked.
“I do happen to know. Do you want to share anything?”
“Not right now, but I promise you’ll be the first one I ring if we unearth anything,” Luke said.
It wasn’t lost on Sol that Luke had never been a big fan of the police detective, which was probably why he was approaching the chat in the wrong way.
He had been too straightforward and hadn’t even asked if the officer was doing okay.
“Yeah, like you did with Simon Smith? That’s not gonna cut it, pal,” Hunky Dory said.
“We still got your job done for you,” Luke replied, and Sol thought he sounded as patience-deprived as she normally was.
“My, my, my. And to think, I always believed the saying about British people being blunt and too direct was just a cliché.” Sol could practically hear Hunky Dory rolling his eyes.
“Detective Owens, Divya Bakshi here, Luke’s more reasonable and nicer colleague. Nice meeting you,” Divya intervened before Luke could further importune the police officer. “How are you doing?”
“Nice meeting you, as well. Doing fantastic, but I’m afraid the answer is the same, even if you sound much more tolerable than your colleague,” Hunky Dory said. Luke opened his mouth to protest, but both Divya and Sol glared at him in a way that shut him up. He raised both his hands in surrender.
“More tolerable and more generous,” Divya countered Detective Owens.
“You see, we happen to think Emily could have been the person poisoning Travis Wise and Jason Zit. And forgive me, because we don’t seem to have a last name for her.
Is it also Zit? Not to be rude, but it does sound proper daft that someone’d pick that last name on purpose. ”
“Uh, I think so. Not sure, though,” Hunky Dory said absentmindedly, as if rummaging through his notes. “Of course, we checked into her. The spouse or partner always makes for the most probable suspect.”
Sol went back to two nights before, when she and Luke were having dinner and she made an unfortunate comment that had finally jogged his mind into realizing Emily was probably the killer.
It was the obvious first conclusion. Why didn’t we think about it before?
he’d said. All that time, they’d all been paying no attention to Emily.
Sol couldn’t remember having met her years before.
She didn’t know what Emily did, what she liked, or even her full name.
Had Emily simply gotten tired of being the transparent woman married to Jason Zit ?
“And you ruled Emily out?” Divya continued her conversation with Detective Owens.
“She, herself, was also poisoned by the chocolates that killed him. She ate a minimal amount but still enough to put her out of commission for a couple of days. She had no reason to get rid of the husband. The money was all hers already, some family inheritance. It’s not like she had to kill him to take it.
There could have been no crime of passion, because there was no cheating and she knew it,” Owens said.
“And I don’t know if you’ve met her, but the woman is nice and pleasant.
I don’t think she could hurt a fly, honestly. ”
“We still think she could be our killer, and we think we’ve been underestimating her this whole time,” Divya said.
Sol realized she wasn’t the only one to have reached that conclusion.
She knew Luke was thinking exactly the same, the way he was looking at his colleague and nodding.
“Now, chances are we’re going to look into this and reach the same conclusions you already have. You’re the veteran LA detective here.”
Luke rolled his eyes, and Divya sent him a threatening stare. Yes, some strategic flattery was crucial if they wanted to get the information they needed, her eyes seemed to tell him.
“That I am,” Hunky Dory said, and Luke rolled his eyes a second time.
Sol had to admit she was having way too much fun observing her partner in such a bizarre professional setting.
It was as if he couldn’t think completely straight since they’d landed in Los Angeles, and he wasn’t his most proficient and efficient self at the job.
No wonder he was so adamant about getting back to London.
“But would you mind sharing some of the details about the situation between the Zits? We believe there was a prenup,” Divya continued tentatively, trying to confirm what had only been a suspicion on Sol’s part.
“There was, but like I said, it didn’t change things for Emily. She was rich when she married, she remains rich now,” Detective Owens said.
“What would have happened in case of divorce?” Divya asked.
“She’d still have kept everything. I think the only way he had to get some of that money was if Emily left him. But not if he was the one asking for the divorce,” Detective Owens said. “But that’s hardly of any relevance now.”
“Of course,” Divya conceded something everyone at the table knew wasn’t true.
“And, by any chance, would you happen to know what Emily did before she stopped working? I’m sure you did a thorough interview with her, and that may have come up.
We’ve got a bit of friendly betting going on among ourselves.
My mate Luke thinks she was a librarian. I say political aid.”
“Neither.” Detective Owens chuckled. “I think she was a journalist, same as the husband. They worked together for a time.”
“Thanks so much,” Divya said. “That’s been incredibly helpful. And like I said, I’m sure this will be nothing. But, if it is, we’ll make sure to ring you and let you know. Have a nice rest of your day, Detective Owens.”
“And you, too, Miss Bakshi. No need to give my regards to that curt colleague of yours.”
Divya hung up, and only then she put her full attention on Luke.
“What’s your problem with the charming Detective Owens exactly, mate?”
“Let me see ... He stood me up, he implied I was too young for Sol, he told Sol she can’t leave the country.” Luke ticked each item off on his fingers. “Oh, and he’s basically an arse. Thanks for dealing with him, though.”
“Any bloody time,” Divya said, smiling. “We got what we needed.”