“But?”
She sighed. “But then he starts going on and on about what a connection he feels with Deirdre. How he’s so glad that she reached out to him. How he wants to make up for lost time with her. And I just don’t have the heart to burst his bubble. Besides, it’s not all his fault.”
“No,” I replied. “It’s not all his fault. Deirdre came along and offered him something that no one else could. Anyone would be taken in by her. Even I might believe she was legit if not for Fletcher’s letter to me. Even then, all I really have are the old man’s warnings and this vague, uneasy feeling that slithers up my spine every time Deirdre smiles at me—and especially at Finn. But she can’t keep up this act forever. She’s bound to show her true self sooner or later. All we can do is be there for Finn when it happens.”
“Even if we want to murder him ourselves in the meantime?” Bria snarked.
I grinned and threaded my arm through hers. “Even if.”
*
Xavier entered the rotunda to take the place of one of the other cops, and Bria headed over to speak to him. Owen was still chatting with his business associate, so I got a fresh gin and tonic and wandered through the room, looking at all the jewels again.
I finally reached the center of the rotunda and the pièce de résistance: a diamond choker that featured dozens of exquisite, sparkling carats. Each diamond was shaped like a heart, with a large heart in the center and subsequent hearts gradually becoming smaller and smaller until two tiny hearts hooked the whole thing together in the back. According to the identification card inside the glass case, this necklace actually had a name—Hearts of Ice—and was from Deirdre’s private collection, with an estimated value of more than ten million dollars. Now, that was some nice ice.
“Impressive, isn’t it?” a voice murmured.
Mallory Parker stepped up beside me. The elderly dwarf wore a long-sleeved blue ballgown and was decked out in almost as many diamonds as were in the entire exhibit. Large solitaire rings flashed on every one of her fingers, diamond studs the size of small pebbles glinted in her ears, and an impressive tiara sparkled on top of her head, nestled in the fluffy mound of her teased white hair.
“Mallory.”
“Gin.”
I looked around and spotted Lorelei Parker talking with Bria and Xavier. I waved at Lorelei, who returned the gesture and then went back to her conversation with my friends.
I turned back to Mallory. “I didn’t think you’d be here tonight, especially since you didn’t donate anything to the exhibit.”
The elderly dwarf grinned. “I might not have donated anything, but I’m always happy to lust after someone else’s stones.” She nodded her head at the display case. “That necklace has been in the Shaw family for generations. Deirdre’s mama wore it to plenty of parties. I even tried to buy it from her when I heard that she was looking to unload some of her jewelry, but she was too snooty to sell it to me.”
I had started to respond when the scent of peonies filled the air. I bit back a groan.
“Gin! Honey! There you are!” Deirdre said, walking up to us. “I see that you’re admiring the heart of the exhibit. Hee-hee-hee. Isn’t it lovely?”
“Lovely,” I said in a wry voice.
Deirdre favored Mallory with a dazzling smile. “And Mallory Parker, how wonderful to see you again.”
“I wish I could say the same,” the dwarf replied in a tart voice. “But we both know that ain’t the case.”
Deirdre let out a trilling laugh and waggled her finger at the other woman. “I see that the years haven’t dulled that sharp tongue of yours. Why, you’re just as charming as ever, honey.”
Mallory slapped her hands on her hips and glared up at her. “You can spout your pretty words all you want, but I know it was you who sicced Raymond Pike on my Lorelei. I will get you for that, honey. You have my word. And unlike you, Deirdre, I always keep my word.”
The dwarf nodded at me again, then picked up her skirt and moved over to where Lorelei was standing with Bria and Xavier. Lorelei looked at me and raised her eyebrows. I shook my head, telling her that now was not the time to talk.
“She never did like me,” Deirdre murmured, still staring at Mallory. “Not even when Lily Rose and I were young. I have no idea why.”
“You know exactly why,” I snapped. “She just told you. Or did you forget about that letter you wrote Raymond Pike? The one wishing him happy hunting when he came to Ashland to murder Lorelei? The one with your icicle-heart rune stamped on it?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I see that Mallory has been bad-mouthing me. Not that you need any added incentive to dislike me. Do you, Gin?”