Part 23 (1/2)

Not really. I didn't like to be left out of the party. I wasn't exactly a wallflower type.

Malone unfolded from his car and made his way toward us. I liked to describe his walk as legal danger.

”Did you arrest her?” I asked as soon as he was close enough to hear me. I thought it was better to take control before the lecture started.

He stopped in front of us. His wide-legged stance kept us from escaping before he was finished with us. We were about to be royally scolded. ”She's being taken in for questioning.”

”What the heck was all that stuff?” Darby asked.

Malone shook his head. With his expertise at the neutral expression, I was hard pressed to guess if he was confused or appalled by Gia's hidden treasures. ”Those are the items that won't fit in her house. She also rents two more units here.”

”She's a shopaholic. That would explain the Eriksens' financial issues. You should have seen her at the boutique. She acted like a junkie getting her fix by binge-shopping.”

He gave me a pointed look.

Yeah, yeah. I was theorizing. ”What about the gun? Is it Richard's?”

He didn't answer right away. ”She says it's not, but we'll run the serial number for verification.”

”Of course she's lying,” I said. Malone didn't respond. Not a blink of an eye, muscle twitch, or clenched jaw. A silent Malone meant a ticked-off detective.

”Is it the murder weapon?” Darby asked.

”We won't know that for a couple of days,” he explained.

The midday sun peeked out from behind a gray cloud. Darby s.h.i.+elded her eyes from the sudden burst of bright light. ”Can you at least tell if it's been fired?”

I shook my head. ”You can't tell if a gun has been fired recently by looking at it,” I explained.

Malone raised an eyebrow. ”Care to enlighten me on how you know that?”

I shrugged. ”I grew up in Texas. My daddy taught me how to shoot and care for my gun. I know you can tell if a gun is dirty, but you can't tell if it's been shot recently.”

He studied me closely. I made myself hold steady under his scrutiny. Maybe he'd take me a little more seriously with his newfound knowledge.

I smoothed my hair back from my face. ”Did she tell you what she was going to do with it? Was she going after Hagan?”

He shook his head. ”She said she planned to sell it.”

It was possible she was telling the truth. Depending on the type of gun, she could get a large chunk of money quickly. It was also possible she intended to shoot Hagan first. A girl has to have priorities.

Malone s.h.i.+fted his weight. ”Since you're here, does that mean you didn't find Betty?”

Darby and I exchanged a look. Man, I hated that I felt like I was tattling on my grandmother. ”She drove off the same time as Gia. We had to make a choice.” I shrugged. ”Is Zippy okay?” I inserted, to stave off the reprimand I felt coming, and to make sure an innocent dog hadn't been forgotten.

”He's fine. Don't do this again,” Malone ordered.

I bit the inside of my check to keep from smiling. I wasn't sure which ”this” he was talking about. There were a few choices. Although, I didn't think Malone was asking me a multiple choice question. ”Do what?”

”Follow a murder suspect. You're not the police. You could have been hurt. Or could have gotten someone else hurt.”

Darby nodded solemnly. Her blond hair caught the sunlight, casting a glow around her head. ”We know. We're very sorry. I also have more photos from today's event if you'd like them.”

I kept my trap shut and let Darby handle the apology. Her Midwestern sincerity was hard to resist. Plus, she had potential evidence. Evidence was a surefire way to get on Malone's good side.

He walked to Darby's side of the car and opened the door. ”Get out of here and go home. Get me those photos first thing tomorrow.”

Darby scrambled inside. Malone didn't bother opening my door. Instead he glowered at me, silently communicating to keep my nose clean, then strode back to his s.h.i.+ny Camaro.

Chapter Twenty-Six.

IT DIDN'T TAKE long for Darby and me to return to Laguna Beach. Funny story, Detective Malone followed us the majority of the way, much to Darby's chagrin. I was proud of her. Other than repeatedly checking her rearview mirror, and sitting perfectly erect in her seat, she didn't let the fact the Malone was tailing us freak her out. I had to wonder if that was his way of ensuring we followed orders.

While Darby concentrated on not committing a traffic violation, I worked at piecing together the day's events. I couldn't pinpoint what it was, but I felt like we were missing something.

”Mel, I need to stop by the studio really quick. I'll only be a couple of minutes. I want to download my photos for today. Once I do that, I can drop off the memory card to Detective Malone. Now that there are two murders, I'm sure he'd like them as soon as possible.”

I smiled at her. ”No problem.”

Darby's photography studio was conveniently located right next door to Bow Wow Boutique. We pulled up to the shop, and, lo and behold, there was Betty's Mini Cooper-parked haphazardly in front of the boutique.

”I can't believe it.” I yanked my bag from the backseat. Betty had some explaining to do.

”Be gentle with her.” Softhearted Darby grabbed her messenger bag and got out of the car.

She walked to her studio. I, on the other hand, headed for the boutique with brisk steps. I opened the door and entered. Betty was preoccupied, digging through a stack of chew toys.

I carefully set my bag on the floor. ”h.e.l.lo.”

Startled, Betty jumped a mile high, dropping a handful of toys. ”Don't sneak up on an old woman like that. You want to give me a heart attack?”

I waved away her dramatics. ”If anyone around here has a heart attack, it'll be me. What are you up to?”

She jutted out her chin. ”I had an errand to run.” She sounded like a petulant child.

”I noticed that when you hot-rodded away from the dog park. Had you stuck around, you would have learned Malone found your gun.”

A triumphant smile danced along her mouth. ”I told you that filmmaker had it. I guess that wraps up that.” She resumed her search, dumping the toys onto the floor.

”Not by a long shot. Malone wants to talk to you. You left without a word to anyone. Don't you realize that makes you look guilty?”

Betty scooped up the toys and dropped them back into the bin. Apparently, she hadn't found what she was looking for.

”Look, Cookie. No offense, but I got stuff to do. You head back to the park without me. I'll meet you there.”

I sighed. ”Not happening. There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight. Besides, my Jeep won't start. You'll have to take me back.