Page 39 of Protecting Chaos

“You said Gretchen’s roommate drove her to more than one appointment. It’s possible.” Detective Morrison rubbed at the stubble on his chin. “Anyone else?”

There was a hint of something in his eyes. Something he wasn’t telling us.

“No.” He swallowed.

Liar.

I turned to Detective Morrison with a strained smile. “Can you give us a minute?”

The detective glanced between both of us. “Yeah, sure.”

“Who else?” I asked. The door barely had time to shut.

“No one.”

I pulled out my badge and flashed it. “I’ve known Stella since elementary school. She’s in danger, and if I find out that you withheld vital information from me, I’ll make it my life’s mission to destroy you and ruin whatever reputation you think you’ve created.”

“Ashton, right? You’re the brother’s best friend.”

“Exactly, and you don’t want either of us on your bad side. Trust me.”

The guy started laughing and then cringed in pain.

I crossed my arms over my chest, unsure what this creep thought was so funny.

“Some best friend you are. Maybe you should be looking closer to home or interrogating her brother. If you were truly his best friend, then you’d know that her brother is the one bankrolling her customers and paying them to buy all her paintings. Maybe it was one of those creeps behind all this. Maybe her brother, Grant orchestrated the whole thing to send her running back home. That’s what he wants, right?”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?” He smirked.

I moved my jacket out of the way and rested my hand on my gun. “Are you?”

“Listen, I’m telling you the truth. She’s not talented. Her brother, Grant, sent his fiancée down here when we got engaged. She wanted me to help find people willing to help with the farce.”

There was no deception in his thoughts. He believed what he was saying.

“Look, man, that chick was there that day. Come to think of it, the roommate was standing in the hallway while we were discussing the payments.”

“What chick?”

“That blonde. I think her name was Jenny, Grant’s fiancé. She looked down her nose at everyone. You know that kind of person, right?”

“Yeah, I know the kind.”

“Jenny was complaining that Stella was going to bleed her brother dry. She said that I should break up with Stella so that she’d go running back home and give up on this dream of being an artist. I told her if the money was right that I would. Yeah, yeah, now it’s coming back to me. Gretchen’s roommate followed her out when I pulled the first model into my office for a thorough evaluation, if you know what I mean.”

“Are you telling me that Grant and his fiancée were funding the money for others to buy Stella’s art?”

“And I think Gretchen’s roommate was in on it. What was his name, Conrad or something? He works over at that pizza place. Grant was supplying the money, the girlfriend was the go-between with the money, and me and several other people, including that kid, Conrad, were in charge of buying up all the art.”

This didn’t make any sense. Why would Grant risk Stella finding out? All of this could have backfired on him and he could have been the one being blackmailed. What the hell had Grant been thinking? No, this Marcus guy was a cheater and a liar. No way I’d believe Grant capable of such deception, not toward the people he loved. I shoved the thoughts aside and continued.

“You said, Conrad. Do you mean that the Conrad from Stella’s art class is Gretchen’s roommate? You’re sure?”

“That’s what I keep telling you. Conrad is Gretchen’s roommate. Have you not been listening to anything I’ve said?”

“Why did he attack you?”

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