Who Glares Wins (Lexi Graves Mysteries) (22 page)

"I was there that night a woman got shot. Tanya Henderson. Went by the name of Tallulah."

Ruby tapped her pen on her notepad and stared intensely at me. "I remember you now," she said. "Stuck out like a sore thumb. You were with that cute guy."

"That's me."

"And I was working the door that night," said Lily. "I remember you too.
I’m Lily. This is Lexi Graves.
"

Ruby nodded enthusiastically
as she introduced herself
.
"
Ruby Kalouza.
You wore that rockin' dress. Cool. Well, enjoy your meal.
If I find any bodies, I’ll let you know,
"
she quipped as she walked off.

"Small world," I said as Ruby moved off to the next table.

"But a better dressed one," said Lily. We both shuddered at the memory of Flames' dress code. Less was more there.
Literally.
"Back to boyfriend. When are you going to tell him about your duplicitous lifestyle?"

"It's not duplicitous." I bit into my burger and chewed sullenly. "Okay, it is a bit
,
but I'm not lying."

"You are,
"
said Lily, not looking at me as she salted her fries.

"Fine. It is a bit lying."

"And he's going to be really cross when you tell him you're working a case."

"I haven't told my family either."

Lily sang, "Everyone's gonna be mad at you."

"It's not like they tell me everything. Maddox doesn't tell me anything about his cases. My brothers don't tell me what they're working on. It's none of their business."

"If you say so."

"I do."

Lily chomped on some fries. "Maybe when this job is over
,
you could just say temping definitely isn't for you
,
and you're going back to the agency."

"I did just tell them things were quiet at the agency. I didn't say I left forever."

"Perfect." Lily chomped a few more fries. "But Maddox is still going to be pissed."

I decided not to think about it.

We stayed for another drink
,
then I drove us home, grimacing at the time blinking on the dashboard. I still had my notes to write up for both the hotel case and Marissa's, and I needed a shower. I cried off a nightcap and went upstairs to do my duty.

My answering machine blinked as I entered the cold apartment and I paused to hit
“
play.
”
There was a message from my mother
,
asking how I was getting on with
“
you know what
,”
and reminding me that family dinner was now tomorrow night and
I should
bring Lily. I deleted it because I
was
getting on with it
,
and not talking about it
,
per Serena's request
.
T
hen
I
reached for my cell phone to text Lily about family dinner.

My cell phone had messages too
,
which I hadn't noticed as the ringer had been switched off all day. There was a text message from
Lucas
to call him back, and a
“
wink
”
face from Maddox
,
that must have arrived shortly after we left Marissa’s
. My answering service had a message from Garrett
, saying
that he had Marissa's case file and that there wasn't much in it
,
but if I could give him a reason to
re-
activ
at
e
it
, he would make sure it
was re-opened
. No messages from Solomon
,
which was good because I still didn't have anything to tell him. I sent him a text message
,
saying there was no news yet, feeling guilty that I'd now skipped two update calls in a row. He didn't call back
,
so I had to assume he didn't mind.

I finished my notes, showered and went to bed
.
M
y head
was filled with
sabotage and missing people and puzzles with
missing
pieces.

Chapter Nine

Interviewing suspects was starting to get
old
. It was no use. As soon as any of the employees knew I was Edward Killjoy's new assistant, they shut down. I could understand why. For all they knew, I might be feeding information back to him that would go in
to
their personnel reports. Of course, I
was
feeding information back to him
,
but as far as I knew
,
Solomon was charging a small fortune to do it. At least
,
I hoped it was a small fortune; I had a percentage at stake.

I checked the hallway was clear
, Louisa
obviously
on the phone as her voice sounded in a one-sided conversation,
and walked the few paces to Edward's office. His door was open and he
too
was on the phone as he waved me in. I entered quietly, shut the door and waited.

"Sorry about that," he said
after hanging up
. "What can I do for you?"

"I want you to have a go at me."

Killjoy raised his eyebrows. "Pardon?"

"I want you to have a go at m
e
publicly. I want you to be a total ass."

"Why?"

"None of your employees will open up
as long as
they think we're chummy. I want you to
be
a complete asshole so someone will sympathize with me. I want to g
ain
their trust."

"And you think this will do it?"

"It will when I burst into tears and run out
of
the room."

Edward leaned back in his chair
,
but looked far from relaxed. "I've never chewed an employee out publicly before. Wouldn't that be out of character?"

"You don't have to scream at me. Just call me a stupid woman or something. Be stressed out and rude. I'll be emotional and weak."
I mimed rubbing my eyes and pulling a face.

"What kind of stuff
shall I
say?"

"Just pick on me for silly things. Say you don't know why you hired me. Say I'm getting everything wrong
,
and I'm too dumb to be your assistant."

"Okay," Edward said slowly. "What if someone says something to me... like Louisa?"

"Just say you snapped because you're stressed
out
over
everything
that’s
going on
. Everyone will believe that. Say you'll apologize
. Then I'll be aloof and snivel
ing
for a couple of days, okay?"

He gave me a skeptical look as he leaned back in his padded chair.
"And
you believe
this will really get people talking to you?"

"Absolutely," I assured him.

"Okay, fine,” he sighed. “
When
shall we
do this?"

"This aft
ernoon would be good.
We can't do it in the guest areas
,
so let's do it in the kitchens, maybe. The wait staff can spread the gossip."

Edward sighed. "I hope you're sure about this."

I returned for Edward mid-afternoon,
with
two large folders in my hands.

"What'
re those
for?" he asked.

"Props," I said. "Where's the most obvious place to
stage
this? Where
are
we most likely to be overheard?"

"The staffroom. Most of the wait staff will take a
short
break now
that
lunch is over
before they start getting ready for the early evening covers
."

"Lead on."

I followed Edward as he navigated the corridors.

"What kin
d of car do you drive?" I asked as he held a door open for me to step through, the large folders
becoming
heav
ier
in my arms.

"A Lexus, why?"

"Just wondered." I filed the mental note away.

"The staffroom is just through here. I guess I could be getting us coffee?"
he suggested.

"That's the spirit. Just follow
my lead, okay
?
Uh, you go
th
r
ough
first
and walk quickly, like you're cross.
Try and look sour.
"

Edward nodded
and his face settled into a heavy frown
. "You got it. But I am uncomfortable about this."

"Whatever you say, I forgive you.
" I nodded to the doors,
urging him
,
"Go!"

Edward strode through ahead of me and I shortened my stride, making it look like I was hurrying to catch up with him
. I
stumbl
ed
when he came to a stop, causing me to bump into him. It wasn't part of the plan
,
but the bumbling was.

"Lexi!"
Edward snapped as I stepped back.
With an audible squeak, I
dropped the folders I was holding and
Edward sucked in a breath, his jaw hardening.

"Sorry!" I
inefficiently made
a fuss
at
picking up
the folders, except somehow
,
I “inadvertently”
flipped open the metal rods inside
,
which held
everything together and the papers spilled out. "Oh no!" I dropped to my
hands and
knees a
s I
hurriedly gathered everything together, stuffing the papers into the folders every which way. "I'm so sorry, I'll clear this up,
Mr.
Killjoy.
I promise,
"
I wailed as
I looked up in time to see him do an exaggerated shake of his head.

"You're such a klutz,
"
he said loudly.

"I know. I'm really sorry
!
I am, honestly."

"Lexi, you have to get a grip. You're my executive assistant
,
not an intern. You need to act like one," he said
, getting into the spirit of things
as he stared down at me
.

I took a furtive glance around, seeing the
intrigued
looks
cast our way
as I scrambled on the floor while
Edward
loomed over me
with his arms crossed
.

Edward
continued, "You messed up my filing system. You don't get here on time every single day
,
and you have to be here on time
!
And don't think I don't know about that extra long lunch you took yesterday."

"
It won’t happen again
. I promise."

I got to my feet, the files clutched to my chest
,
and we both watched as a piece of
white
paper slipped free
, floating
back to the floor
like a
waving flag
of surrender
. I grimaced.

"I need the notes I gave you yesterday on my desk this afternoon. Not tomorrow, Lexi, this afternoon."

"Got it. Notes. This afternoon."

"And your report is late."

"It's almost finished!
" My lower lip wobbled.

Edward
ran a hand over his head, seemingly forgetting he didn't have any hair to ruffle. "I
refuse to
keep on staff who can't perform," he said, his voice a little louder than necessary. "You're either on the team
,
or you're
out
looking for a new job." And with that, he turned on his heel and
left me
. "Coffee, Lexi," he snapped over his shoulder.

The whole room was silent, everyone pretending not to look or hear, and privately, I gave Killjoy an A-plus for his performance.

"Here, let me help you with that." I looked around and spotted Louisa picking up the stray piece of paper from the floor. "Those folders look heavy. Why don't I take one?" she suggested, tugging one out of my arms
.
M
y shoulders sagged in relief, which wasn’t an act. I’d really over
packed. I just hoped Louisa didn’t decide to open the one she grasped because inside, bar a few typed pages, was nothing but white paper, commandeered from the photocopy room.

"Thanks. I'm trying, I really am
,
but there's so much to do." My jaw shook
as my voice edged to a higher pitch
. "But I can carry them. I just wish I had enough hands to get
Mr.
Killjoy's coffee too!"

"Don't worry about that. I'll make him one. Come on. Let's drop these folders off and then we'll get a coffee in the bar.
You and me.
My treat." Louisa grabbed a cup from the open shelving and hit a button on the machine,
waiting for the hot liquid to gush out. She
moved towards the exit opposite the one Killjoy had taken and I toddled behind her, the folder bouncing off my chest. If I w
ere
n't careful, I would drop it for real this time.

"Oh, I don't know about coffee," I chattered. "
Mr.
Killjoy was pretty angry about lunch yesterday.
"

"Edward is a lot of bark right now," said Louisa. "I don't see why you should be spoken to like that."

"Is that why his last assistant left?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Louisa shrugged. "I do know that I wouldn't let him speak to me like that. You have to stand up for yourself."

I heaved a breath and gave her my feeble face.
"Do you think?"

"Absolutely." Louisa nudged my office door handle open with her elbow and bumped the door open with her hip. I slid past her and heaved the files onto my desk. "Wait her
e," she instructed a
s she
walked
to
wards
Edward's office.
I heard a few words exchanged
,
and when she came back
,
she was coffee free. "Our turn," Louisa said. "And I won't take no for an answer."

"Well, okay, i
f you're sure." Score one to me! I had definitely gotten Louisa’s sympathy vote.

"I'm sure." Louisa ushered me out
,
and I hurried along after her, having trouble keeping up with her purposeful strides.

"What if
Mr.
Killjoy gets mad at me
?
I've got that report to write and..."
I trailed off, wondering if I’d laid it on too thick.

"Lexi, stop worrying. If he's cross,
send
him to me. If it gets that bad, write a complaint."

"Oh, I couldn't do that!"

"Of course
,
you can. If a boss oversteps the line, I need to be made aware of it."

"But he's your boss too."

"Technically, no. I work for the hotel group, not Edward."

"Oh."

Louisa led me to the coffee bar th
at flanked the conference center
and found us a seat
in the window. "Normally, I'd s
ay let's get a coffee from the kitchen
’s machine
, but a change of scenery is nice, isn't it?"

"Yes, thanks. I guess I need to calm down."

"Of course
,
you do." Louisa patted my knee and
signaled
to the waiter, ordering two cappuccinos.

I wanted to say the coffee was a lot like my mood: bitter, despondent and lukewarm
about the idea of success
.
B
ut it was rich and creamy with just the right amount of chocolate spr
inkles over softly whipped foam
,
so I decided to match my mood to it as I brightened.

"I'm serious about making a complaint," said Louisa before licking foam from her lip. "We can't have
anyone of the
staff spoken to like that. I will do everything I can to support you."