Page 20 of The Perfect Deception
“What about her?”
He gave her his best “you know what I’m talking about” expression but answered anyway.“When are you going to come clean with Hannah about Finn?”
Jessie sat with the question for a while.
“Not yet,” she finally said.“I need to know more about where things stand before I bring her into it.And right now, I just don’t know enough.”
Ryan didn’t seem especially satisfied with her answer, but before he could drill down any further, Michael Dominik stepped out the elevator.They watched as he entered Cordy’s and joined a woman seated at a small table.She stood up and gave him a hug.Jessie noted that she was well put-together, in black slacks and a dusty pink blazer.She had flowing silver hair and looked to be in her fifties.
They sat down and immediately dived into what looked like a pretty intense conversation.The woman was sipping a cocktail as Dominik spoke animatedly.When the server came over to offer him a menu, he waved her away and resumed what he was saying.
The conversation was punctuated by passionate remarks by Dominik, contrasted with the woman’s much more restrained responses.Jessie was surprised when, after about five minutes, Dominik stood up, gave the woman a polite peck on the cheek, and walked out of the bar.He returned to the elevator, looking fidgety until it arrived and he stepped in.
Back in the bar, the woman seemed far calmer, as she scrolled through her phone and continued to sip her drink.She didn’t seem to be in any rush.Jessie turned to Ryan.
“Since it looks like Dominik isn’t going anywhere, maybe we should talk to his companion.It seemed like she elicited strong emotions in him.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Ryan agreed.
They stood and headed over.As they did, Jessie noted a rush of adrenaline coursing through her.Unlike the recent widowers they’d questioned, she didn’t the feel the need to be as diplomatic with whoever this woman was.In fact, she was looking forward to taking off the gloves a bit.
When they got to the entrance to Cordy’s, a tall, skinny host with a wispy mustache stepped into their path and gave them a pinched smile.
“May I help you?”he asked in a tone that suggested that he wasn’t all that interested in helping them.
Jessie could guess why.Neither she nor Ryan was dressed for the upscale bar.And even though it was just after noon, the place was hopping.She didn’t see a single unoccupied table in the whole bar.But she didn’t care.They knew what table they were going to and she didn’t especially like the host’s vibe.
“No, you may not,” she said, brushing past him.
As she did, some little part of her hoped he might try to grab her arm or otherwise prevent her from entering.When he didn’t, she was almost disappointed.
She immediately chastised herself.What about box breathing?What about the guided imagery?It was going to be a real challenge to employ the techniques she’d learned outside of the safe confines of the Ionian Center, but she needed to at least try.Otherwise, what were those two months even for?
Got to work on controlling that confrontational vibe, she barked to herself.If she couldn’t, she wasn’t sure how much longer she could do this job.Or how much longer they’d let her
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jessie was also a little irked when, after she passed by the host, she heard Ryan whisper to the man.“We’re meeting her.”
She glanced back, first to see that Ryan was pointing at the silver-haired woman, but mostly to scowl at him for avoiding a scene she was happy to cause.She returned her attention to the woman, who looked to be on her last sip.Pulling out the chair that Dominik had been sitting in, Jessie plopped herself down in it and plunked her elbows on the table, making a loud thud that drew the attention of several other patrons.
“How the hell’s it going?”she asked the woman, who appeared briefly startled before quickly regaining her composure.
“I’m quite well,” she replied coolly.“Just enjoying the last of my cocktail.How areyou?”
The emphasis on the last word was pointed.Jessie could feel the woman judging her, which was fine.If her attention was on Jessie’s inappropriateness, she’d be less prepared for the questions coming her way.
“Well, I guess I’m a little confused.”Jessie leaned in close as if she and the woman were best girlfriends.“I just saw a man whose wife died last night chatting it up with you.It seemed a little odd so I thought I’d find out what’s up with that.”
The woman’s expression went from amused irritation to guarded intensity.Ryan, who had borrowed a chair from a nearby table, sat down between the two women.He placed his ID and badge on the table and flashed a smile.
“Detective Ryan Hernandez, Los Angeles Police Department,” he said warmly.“This is Jessie Hunt.She works for the department as well.”
“Oh, I definitely recognize the famed Jessie Hunt,” the woman said acidly, having regrouped from the shock of having the police sit down at her liquid lunch.“I actually missed you, Jessie.I’m so used to seeing you on my local news, solving cases.But that hasn’t happened in a while.I was starting to get worried.Good to see you out and about.”
“You have me at a disadvantage,” Jessie replied, not commenting on the reference to her celebrity.“Who might you be?”
The woman flashed a wide, wholly insincere smile.“My name is Elise Prager.”
