Page 58 of Pied Sniper

“Charade?”

“You know, their relationship?” Grace rolled her eyes.

“It wasn’t real?” My jaw dropped.

“Not. One. Bit. Sure they looked cozy on screen and in photos but their agents set it all up as clickbait for the click revenue. They both could make more money that way and Jonathan figured it was an easy conduit to stash some extra money so he could concentrate on his photography. Tiffany was totally happy until she got more famous than him and equally more demanding. That’s how he and I met, you know? Anyway, Jonathan officially ended it months ago but she wouldn’t let him go. She was driving him crazy. He told her he would tell everyone the truth and that caused her to act super nuts!”

“I don’t understand,” said Solomon.

“Tiffany and Jonathan’s relationship was totally fake,” I explained. “They acted it out on camera and reaped in advertising fees in return.”

“No, I get that. I don’t see why Tiffany went nuts when he ended the arrangement.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “why was that?”

“Tiffany gets what Tiffany wants, and she wasn’t ready to end it. She wanted them to get engaged,” explained Grace. “An engagement, or any true romance, is all great material for an influencer.”

“Why? If it were all fake, he wouldn’t have gone so far as to marry her, surely not?”

“Of course not!” Grace scoffed. “He refused her request. He knew the publicity would be terrible when it eventually ended and it would also be unfair. Plus, he wanted to go public with me, which is when she got really mad. She promised to make my life a living hell.”

“Did she?”

“Oh, yes! One hundred percent. That’s why I told her my granny was dying and I had to fly back to New York urgently. I was actually interviewing for other jobs so I can quit.”

“Why not just quit now?”

“Because Tiffany threatened to blacklist me to everyone. She said she’d tell all the tabloids and news outlets that Jonathan and I were having an affair and ruin my reputation even though I did nothing wrong. Being accused of homewrecking is the kind of mud that sticks when it’s slung, and Tiffany planned to be sure of that. She’s also a professional fake crier. Have you seen her confession videos? Good grief!”

“She does cry pretty spontaneously,” I agreed.

“And she won’t wear waterproof mascara when she films those episodes because a smudgy eye looks better on camera, and she wants to look, and I quote, ‘glamorously tragic’.” Grace rolled her eyes as she made air quotes. “Anyway, I got a job offer yesterday so I’m going to pack my stuff, then I’m out of here. I never wanted to come here anyway but I was under contract. I’ll email my notice the minute I land back in New York.”

“If Jonathan wanted out, how come he’s still here in Montgomery?” I asked.

Grace hesitated and I wondered if she intended to lie. “I don’t know. I didn’t even know he was here until he called me last night,” she said, anger briefly sparking in her eyes, “but I’m sure he has a good reason!”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

“Whatdidhe tell you?”

“Only that he tried to confront Tiffany at her apartment and she screamed at him and called him names. He said he was sick of her games and told her he was hiring a lawyer.”

“For what?”

“I’m not really sure. It was really loud in the bar and I couldn’t hear everything he was saying.”

“Do you think he could possibly be involved with her disappearance?”

“No! Like I said, he wanted out but he would never hurt her. He’s not that kind of man. Plus, I spoke to him after she was kidnapped. Wouldn’t I have heard her in the background? Tiffany isn’t the type to sit quietly or follow orders.”

“She was injured.”

“I saw the video highlights on the news. Can you take me to him? Please!”

Plenty of people firmly believed the males in their lives were “not that kind of men” but since Jonathan was brazenly drunk in the daytime, rather than holed up with a kidnap victim, I guessed Grace was probably right. I nodded at Solomon, indicating I thought we should acquiesce. Plus, I hoped Jonathan would awaken from his drunken stupor soon and give us some answers.

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