CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The sunlight caught the windows of the Warehouse District late Wednesday morning, glittering like ocean spray. Even this far inland, miles from the brilliant Pacific surf, away from the luxurious playgrounds of the lucky and the carefree, it looked like it was going to be another beautiful day in Neptune, California.
Veronica slammed the door of the BMW shut behind her, then stood for a moment looking up at the office building. It’d been less than twenty-four hours since Adrian and Aurora’s arrest. Her body ached all over with bruises and her eyes were dry and tired from the run of sleepless nights. If she’d ever deserved a day off, it was now—but she knew there’d be plenty going on at the office. After a major case, things usually blew up in the PI business, and while the Chamber of Commerce’s money would keep them solvent for a little while, she had to be on point and ready to snatch up anything else that came her way. She took another breath of fresh air and started inside.
She was almost to the door when it swung open and Petra Landros stepped out, sleek and smooth in a plum-colored sheath dress and spindle-heeled Louboutins. As ever, she seemed to be stepping from some luxurious alternate reality, somewhere between perfume-scented pages. Her lipsticked mouth turned up when she saw Veronica, and she lifted her oversize Jackie O shades off her face to meet Veronica’s eyes.
“Ms. Mars. Congratulations on another case closed.” They shook hands. “I was just dropping off the check with your assistant.”
“Mac’s not really my assistant; she’s more of a …” She paused for a moment, realizing she’d almost said hacker. “Colleague,” she finished vaguely.
Petra waved one hand as if it didn’t make any difference. She leveled her dark brown eyes on Veronica, suddenly thoughtful.
“You know, you’re a remarkable young woman.” She tapped the corner of her mouth with one manicured index finger. “Bright, resourceful, and about as dogged as anyone I’ve ever met. I have to confess …” She smiled more warmly. “I feel safer knowing that you’re in Neptune, looking after us all.”
Veronica met the woman’s gaze. “Thanks, Ms. Landros. I’m grateful for the work. But I have to wonder: Wouldn’t it be cheaper in the long run for the Chamber to back a competent sheriff than to rely on me to fix Lamb’s screwups?”
She expected the woman’s smile to fade, but if anything, it broadened.
“Still not a saleswoman, I see.” She put her shades back on, hiding her eyes once again. “Like I said, Ms. Mars. You’re bright, resourceful, and dogged. All admirable qualities, I assure you. But sometimes, it’s good to have someone around who does just as he’s told.”
With that, she walked past Veronica and toward the street to her black Mercedes-Benz. Veronica watched her fold her legs into the car and shut the door before she turned to climb the stairs to her office.
On the landing outside the office, she caught the sound of Trish Turley’s clipped syllables coming through the door. She sighed and went in to find Mac sitting at her desk staring at her big monitor.
“… speaking to Dan Lamb, the sheriff of Neptune, California, who made several arrests late last night in the Aurora Scott case—including, in a surprise twist, Aurora Scott herself! Tell me, Sheriff, how exactly did you find Aurora?”
Lamb’s voice was the height of smugness. “Well, Trish, to be honest, it was just some good old-fashioned detective work.”
“Oh, God, turn it off before I throw up,” Veronica said, throwing her bag onto the couch. Mac muted the computer and stood up. She grabbed a handful of small pink notes from a basket near her desk and shoved them unceremoniously into Veronica’s hands.
“Messages,” Mac said. “For you. That’s what came in before ten. I turned off the ringer after that. Some of them are news outlets, but there are about six potential clients in there. I’m guessing there are more on the voice mail by now. FYI, you’re going to have to find someone with people skills if you want a receptionist.” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against her desk. “You might want to call a few of those reporters back. Lamb’s busy telling anyone with a microphone that he broke the case. His numbers are already rebounding in the polls.”
Veronica sat down on the couch and slung her feet on the low table in front of her. “Let the idiots vote for him. You get the government you deserve, right?”
“Ah, the misanthropy levels are high in here today.” Mac picked up a check from the desk, snapping it briskly. “This should cheer you up. You can pay rent and afford a technical-analyst-slash-super-hot-secretary for the next few months at the very least.”
Veronica smiled. “That does cheer me up. We might just be okay, Mac.”
“We’re always okay,” Mac said. She went to the coffeemaker and poured herself a mug. “I still can’t believe Aurora was in on the whole thing. I mean, parting a fool from his money? I respect that. But piggybacking on an actual victim is pretty … tasteless, even for Neptune.”
Veronica didn’t answer. It was all too easy for her to imagine Tanner and Aurora, back before they’d gone straight. Back when they’d each been all the other had. She could picture the way he’d reward her with that warm Midwestern smile when she’d pulled a swindle off. Could picture the way he’d ignore her, then, for weeks at a time, drunk between jobs, no use for the needy child who watched him so closely. It’d been inevitable that Aurora would decide that love was just another way to use someone—just another long con.
She stood up and stretched. “I’d better get on some of those phone calls, I guess. You want to go to Doriola’s for lunch? My treat.”
“Sure.” Mac watched, a strange expression on her face, as Veronica went to the door of her inner office. “Sounds good.”
Veronica glanced at her friend over her shoulder as she opened the door. She was just about to ask what was with the weird look when she saw something that stopped her in her tracks.