The woman heading down the black-and-white staircase had her eyes glued to him. She was beautiful in a past-her-prime sort of way. The kind of woman some men might call a cougar, and the way she was eyeing him made Aiden feel like he was prey.
“You can go now, Sabina,” Gabrielle Lyons told her housekeeper without looking at her.
“Sorry for the unexpected visit, ma’am. My name’s Aiden O’Rourke.” He held out his hand, and she held on a bit too long for his liking. She looked him over from head to toe, then back up again, making him feel like he was about to be devoured.
“Lovely to meet you, Mr. O’Rourke, I’m Gabrielle Lyons. What can I do for you?” Her voice was lined in silk.
“I’m a private investigator, ma’am, working on the Sara Valier murder, and I was wondering if your husband was around. I’d like to talk to him. Promise I won’t take too much of his time. I know he’s a busy man.”
The woman crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “What would make you think Zander would be home at this time of day? He’s at work.” Her tone had become icy. “Besides, he’s already spoken to Deputy Deluca and was cleared as a suspect. He wasn’t even in town when that Sara woman was killed.”
Aiden smiled inwardly. He knew damn well Zander wouldn’t be home during the day. What he really wanted was to meet his lovely missus and pop by Zander’s fancy office right after. After all, Gabrielle Lyons had a reason to want Sara dead too.
“Where was he the night Miss Valier was shot? Do you happen to remember?” Aiden asked.
“On a business trip. In Canada…Toronto, I think.”
“I’d like to see something concrete that puts him there. Like a hotel receipt. Do you know if he has anything like that?”
Gabrielle’s eyes flashed with anger for a second, and her lips parted as if she was about to say something. Instead, she smiled. “I wouldn’t have the faintest idea where Zander would keep something like that. All I know is the deputy investigated his alibi, and my husband was cleared.” She reached out and touched his shoulder. “Why don’t you come on in for a coffee. I’ll call Zander at the office and tell him to come home.”
It was his lucky day. Speaking to Zander Lyons at home would be much easier than trying to get past security in his office building, a task he was dreading.
“That sounds great.” Aiden stepped forward off the rug at the door and onto the marble.
“Please remove your boots. Lots of snow out there and I wouldn’t want you dirtying up my clean floors.” Gabrielle laughed, but Aiden noted it was without humor.
The kitchen was huge, the size of his entire cabin. The echoing of their voices bouncing off the granite, marble, and hardwood was unsettling.
Gabrielle gestured to the tall, upholstered stools lined up on one side of a granite counter top. Aiden took a seat. She stood on the opposite side of the counter and leaned seductively over it, her blouse falling open to reveal red lace.
“Sabina!” Gabrielle called. A moment later, her housekeeper, a stout Italian-looking woman, was back, standing at attention like a robot awaiting an order. “A fresh pot of coffee. Use the percolator, not that crappy coffee maker Zander likes. Oh, and bring in the tray of cupcakes. I think you left it in the prep kitchen.” She turned back to Aiden. He’d left his jacket on a bench by the front door, and her eyes now wandered over his arms and chest. One hand lay restlessly on the counter so close to his arm he could feel her body heat.
Gabrielle bit her bottom lip and looked up coyly. Aiden was rarely scared, but this woman was making him wish he had a shot of whisky to down. An awkward silence stretched between them like a small forever until finally, he spoke. “Thought you were going to call your husband.”
Without taking her eyes from him, she picked up the cordless from the counter and punched in a number.
The housekeeper was back, carrying a silver, three-tiered tray filled with cupcakes of various colors. She set it down between Aiden and Gabrielle.
Gabrielle plucked up a red one. Red velvet, he guessed, knowing how popular they were lately, though he’d never had one. She peeled off the wrapper, cradling the phone between ear and shoulder. Daintily, she licked the creamy frosting from the top and then took a nibble. With a sigh, she put the cupcake down. “Zander, come home right now. It’s important.” There was a pause and she said, “Because there’s someone here to see you.” Another pause. “You’ll find out when you get here.” She hung up and resumed her love affair with the tiny red cake.