Page 47 of Skeletons in the Closet

“It’s not conclusive.” My voice was a borderline growl, and I had to talk myself down before I lost another client.

Faye huffed and shook her head. “Oh, it probably is. Noah had himself a whole brothel of whores. Pretty ones. Ugly ones. Guess he wasn’t choosy. Just didn’t want his wife. You find me proof, Mr. Krause.” She stabbed a finger on the desk. “I want proof. They destroyed my marriage, and I plan to destroy theirs. Bet their husbands would love to know what they’ve been up to.”

I grunted a nonresponse, wishing she’d end the interrogation and leave. Faye wasn’t the first feisty woman who wanted revenge on her cheating husband. She was, however, the first whose husband wasn’t around to suffer the consequences of that revenge. I would never understand women.

It was Friday night, nearing six. I wanted to be outside Beth’s house before she escaped for her secret nine o’clock rendezvous with the elusive bastard himself. Time was ticking, and Faye was on my last nerve.

Mostly, I didn’t want to be around the office because I knew…

A rap at the door was followed by a cheerful. “Knock, knock. It’s me, cuddle bear. Open up. I come bearing gifts.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Fuck me sideways.”

Faye turned to the door as I shouted, “It’s open.”

Tallus strutted in, arms loaded with a paper take-out bag and drink tray. I couldn’t see his face behind the mountain. “I got paid today, so I thought I’d treat us to—” He peered around the side of the bag and saw Faye. “Oh, hello. I didn’t know you had a client. So sorry. I’m interrupting.”

“It’s fine,” Faye said. “Who are you?”

Tallus smiled his breathtaking smile, set down the drink tray, and shuffled the paper bag, securing it in one arm before thrusting out a hand. “Tallus Domingo. I’m Diem’s partner.”

“You’re not my—” I growled under my breath, stopping the snappy reply before it came out.

Faye, oblivious to my objection, shook Tallus’s hand. “Are you helping to investigate my husband’s infidelity?”

“I certainly am.”

“You’re not,” I snapped.

“Ignore him. He gets ornery when he’s hungry.” Tallus winked in my direction. “You must be Faye. Your case is a top priority. In fact, that’s why I’m here right now. We have some serious investigative work to do this evening. We will uncover all his dirty secrets. Don’t you worry.”

Faye flipped her attention to me. “I didn’t know you had a partner.”

“I don’t.”

“He only calls me in for special cases,” Tallus explained. “Like I said, you are a top priority. As special as they come.”

Faye puffed up, eyes brightening. “Good. I need answers.”

“And you’ll get them.”

“He was cheating on me. I know it. He had a brothel of whores, according to Mr. Krause.”

“I never said—”

“And we’ll sort that bastard out,” Tallus interrupted.

“Hewasa bastard. All those years I gave him. For what? So some bimbo blonde and her brunette friend could claim him? I don’t think so.”

“The audacity. It’s not right.”

“It’s not.”

I must have made a noise because Tallus shushed me, telling Faye it was my stomach. “I should feed him.”

“Oh. Of course. You’ll call me?” she asked, narrowing her eyes. “I have a right to answers.”

I grunted, eyeing Tallus with a look drenched in contempt, ensuring he knew how I felt about his little act.

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