Page 34 of Scripted for Love and Poison
“Yes, Emily,” said Sol, irritated. It occurred to Luke then—they didn’t actually know Emily’s last name. “And I suppose that a giant house such as that must employ at least two or three people to help run it.”
“More like half a dozen between a housekeeper, two cleaners, one chef, one trainer, and a gardener,” Detective Owens said.
“And they were all in the house?” Luke asked.
“Now, now, Mr. Contadino. You’ll have to figure that out. I can’t tell you everything, can I? Not when you still haven’t fulfilled your part of the bargain. Quid pro quo.”
“Not a bargain,” Luke cut in. Detective Owens was grating on him.
“What were you doing at Mr. Zit’s house, Ms. Novo?” Detective Owens asked.
“I went there on behalf of my editor in London. She’s worried about Simon Smith’s disappearance. Jason was Simon’s editor.”
Luke feared the policeman would realize then she’d been the woman who was at Simon Smith’s apartment building a few days before. But he didn’t, and Luke didn’t know what to make of it. It didn’t reflect well on the man’s investigative abilities.
“Did Mr. Zit offer you any helpful information?”
“Not really. He thought Julie, that’s my editor, was exaggerating and that Simon would probably be drinking in a bar somewhere.”
“Was—isMr. Smith a heavy drinker?” Detective Owensasked. “See, I’m also tasked with finding that other peer of yours.”
“Emily implied he drank like any other journalist.” Sol shrugged, palms turned upward at her sides.
“Which, in your professional experience, means?”
“Anything from being able to hold his liquor exceptionally well in a professional setting to functional alcoholism, I guess,” Sol said. “But please don’t quote me on that.”
“Swell. Journalist joke.” Hearing and seeing his attempt at a pretend laugh was a bit painful. “Did you or Mr. Zit eat anything when you were at the house today?”
“Emily served some delicious Viennese biscuits and tea, and we all had a bite,” Sol explained.
“Was the tea any good?” Luke managed to ask her.
“Best I’ve had in the city so far,” Sol said, turning to look at him with a mischievous smile.
“And you really had to go there without me, right?” Luke returned the playful grin, and for a moment he managed to forget where they were and that they weren’t alone.
“Ahem, hello! You two want to get a room, perhaps?” Detective Owens interrupted.
If only you knew.
“At what time did you leave Mr. Zit’s residence?”
“A bit before eleven?” Sol answered.
“And Mr. Zit was feeling okay when you left?”
“As far as I could tell,” said Sol.
“And you haven’t been feeling unwell yourself?”
“Unwell?” Sol looked panicked.
“Mrs.—erm Emily said she’d felt nauseous and dizzy all morning,” Detective Owens said. “We did some blood tests and can also do that with you.”
“Right now I have a massive headache. But I’m sure it’s all due to annoyance and hypochondria,” Sol said.
“So no blood test?” Detective Owens pushed.
