Page 31 of Pretty Little Wife

Chapter Sixteen

FOURTH MORNING WITHOUT AN AARON SIGHTING. TODAYthey’d hit Aaron’s disappearance head-on. Interviews. Document dumps. Search warrants. Lila might be ignoring her phone, but Aaron’s brother and best friend Brent checked in nonstop about the status of the case. Brent kept dropping hints about Aaron not being very happy in his marriage.

Pete looked up from the mountain of paperwork on Ginny’s desk. “Do we need to put out a—”

“Wait...” Ginny’s answer changed just that second, as two people appeared in her doorway. “You’re here.”

Pete spun around. “Who?”

“Your message suggested I get here or you’d send half of New York’s law enforcement officers after me.” Lila delivered her explanation from her side of the doorway.

“Not half.” Ginny got up and held out her hand to the man with Lila. “I’m Ginny Davis.”

He wore a navy-blue suit on his lean frame. Tall with a bright smile. Very much in charge and holding a suitcase. Looked like he was made for desk work and not for outsidelabor, or any labor. The kind of guy who oozed charm but probably couldn’t rewire a ceiling fan.

A lawyer. Had to be.

“The investigator. Right. I’ve heard.” He took a few steps forward, leaving Lila at the door, and extended his hand. “Tobias Maddow.”

He had one of those voices. Low and soothing. She’d bet he could sell anything to anyone with the combination of that pretty face and the inviting tone. “And you are who, Mr. Maddow?”

“Tobias. Please,” he said in that smoothwe can be friendsvoice. “I’m Lila’s lawyer.”

Yep, lawyer. Ginny could spot them a mile away. The slovenly type. The put-together type. Didn’t matter. They all had a look that, to her, said,I’m going to bullshit you now.

She waited until Pete and Tobias exchanged greetings then glanced over Tobias’s shoulder toward Lila. “You hired a lawyer? That was fast.”

Tobias shifted. The move was so subtle Ginny almost missed it. The perfect lean, just enough to block her view of Lila. To cut off the chance to read Lila’s gaze.

“I’m her former law partner and her current lawyer, if that’s actually needed. I’m hopeful Aaron will walk in the door soon and the rest of this nonsense can be forgotten.” Tobias glanced at Lila without losing one spark from his high-wattage smile. “Does she know about your past life in the law?”

Lila nodded. “I’m sure she’s been studying up on me for the last few days.”

Very true, but still. “My main concern is your husband.”

Tobias finally dropped his hand and took a step back. “Ours, too.”

“Really?” Pete asked.

The two men could play whatever testosterone-laden games they wished. This was her case, and she was not about to let anyone interview Lila but her. “We went to your office to speak with you.”

“For the record, I mostly work from home.”

Tobias shot Lila a quick side glance before smiling at Ginny again. “She likely was at the airport, picking me up.”

Lila held up both hands. “See? No big conspiracy to avoid you, though I can see why people might.”

Ginny ignored the glass walls and the audience both inside and outside of the small tension-filled room and kept her focus on Lila. Keeping with her usual people skills, Lila didn’t attempt to put on a show or make a good impression. There was nothing warm and fuzzy about her, and that intrigued Ginny. A lawyer, someone trained who had worked in criminal law, should know how to play this game better. The fact Lila didn’t even try felt purposeful. Like a challenge.

“No, you were busy out there, finding a lawyer. And one from out of state. Interesting choice.”

Once again Tobias responded for Lila. “I’m licensed to practice in New York as well as North Carolina. Call me an overachiever.”

Lila never broke eye contact with Ginny, and that continued as she spoke. “You had questions for me?”

“I’m excited to hear your answers.”

Tobias nodded. “Let’s get this over with so Lila can get back to finding her husband.”

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