Chapter 10
“Ihate that this might ruin our Valentine’s dinner,” Zane said as he waited for me to ward the Quinn house, “but would you like to interview Sasha Carter and get her take on the relationship she’s having with Hunter Quinn?”
“We might as well. Everything will hold for another hour with our dinner. The spell I cast was a four-hour warming spell.” I followed him to the Aston, and we got inside.
“I’ll see where she lives.” I pulled out my phone and called up the PADA app that listed every citizen’s address and place of business. “Oh, bingo.”
Zane pulled out of the circle drive and onto the street. “What?”
“Do you know where Sasha Carter works?”
“No idea.”
“According to the app, she owns Fairy-Kissed Confections. The chocolate shop inside Supernatural Sport Resort.” I glanced over at him. “Crystal gave me a box of goodies from there at our Galentine’s party last night.”
Zane snorted. “So that’s why Hunter’s going out to the resort for the next few nights.”
I wrinkled my nose. “Tacky, right?”
“It does reek of salaciousness.”
I smiled at his word choice. Only my Fallen Angel. “PADA app says her home address is 294 Seawell Drive.”
Zane took a right at the end of the road and headed into Mystic Cove.
As we cruised down the winding two-lane road, I glanced out my window to the ocean I knew was on my right.
It was too dark now to see, but it still brought me comfort.
Zane slowed the Aston down when we reached the town limits and took a right at the second intersection off Main Street.
“Let me drop off the evidence bags real quick,” he said.
A few minutes later, he parked in front of the limestone building and hurried over to the security alarm. A while back, PADA had installed a biometric system. Zane and I had both chosen to have our palms scanned instead of a retinal scan.
I’d seen too many scary movies for that to ever go right.
It didn’t take long before he was back outside and sliding behind the wheel. “Next stop, Sasha Carter’s place.”
Three blocks later, he made a left onto Seawell Drive.
It was a quiet residential street with tidy front yards and glowing porch lights.
Sasha’s place was a single-story sage cottage with white trim and glowing yellow shutters.
A stone pathway led to a covered front porch, and two potted evergreens flanked the door.
“Cute house,” I said, shutting the Aston’s door. “I like the enchanted shutters.”
Zane and I walked up the stone walkway, and Zane knocked on the door.
“Just a minute,” a voice from inside called out.
The door was opened by a woman with shoulder-length brown hair and large doe eyes. She was dressed in cream lounge pants and a red cashmere sweater. She was also holding a martini glass filled with green liquid and a floating apple slice.
“Yes?” She took a sip of her drink, and my eyes dropped to the bracelet on her wrist. “Can I help you?”
“Sasha Carter?” I asked.
“That’s me.”
“I’m Detective Kara Hilder, and this is my partner, Zane. We’re with PADA. Would you mind if we came inside to talk?”
Sasha’s eyes flickered between us. She hesitated for half a second before stepping back and opening the door wider. “Of course. Come in.”
She led us into a small but tastefully decorated living room. Hints of her fairy lineage came through with her dozens of woven baskets, plants, and crystals. A candle burned on the coffee table, and I was pretty sure it was lavender-scented.
“Do you know why we’re here?” Zane asked.
Sasha shook her head and motioned for us to sit on her sage sofa. “No. Is everything okay?”
“I’m afraid we have some bad news,” I said. “Mari Quinn is dead.”
Sasha gasped, and her hand with the drink flew to her chest, nearly spilling the green liquid. “What?” She blinked back tears. “No. That can’t be right.”
I watched her carefully as she spoke. The gasp had been just a little too loud, and I was pretty sure the tears weren’t real either.
“Are you sure?” Sasha demanded.
“We’re sure,” I said.
She shook her head and sat down on the flowered chair across from us. “I just can’t believe this.” She set her drink down on the end table next to her. “Why would someone murder Mari?”
I glanced at Zane. “Who said anything about Mari being murdered?”
Sasha’s eyes went wide. “Well, I mean. I guess I just assumed she was murdered. Why else would PADA be here, right?” She smoothed her hands down her leg. “I’m not sure why you’re here though. I mean, I know the Quinns, yes. We were very close in high school, and we keep in touch still, but…”
I’d had enough of her games. “Tell me about your relationship with the Quinns. More specifically, with Hunter Quinn.”
The smile slid off her face. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I think you do, Sasha,” I said. “Can you tell me where you were today around two o’clock?”
“I had an appointment with my accountant.” She stared me in the eye. “And yes, Hunter Quinn is my accountant. I’m not sure what my having—”
“That’s a nice bracelet,” I said. “A gift?”
Sasha slapped her hand over the bracelet and narrowed her eyes. All pleasantness was gone from her face. “I know what you’re getting at. You want to know if I’m sleeping with Hunter. Yes, I am. Did I kill his wife? No. Mari and I were friends before she started to date Hunter in high school.”
“So you knew Hunter and Mari in high school?” Zane mused.
“Yes. There was a group of us who ran around together.”
“Who?” I asked.
Sasha again ran her hand down her lounge pants. “Well, I guess it was Rayna Halter, Mari and Hunter, me, and Reed Masterson.”
I frowned. I’d heard the name Reed when Mari and Rayna were arguing in the parking lot. “Who is Reed Masterson?”
Sasha waved her hand dismissively in the air. “He’s nobody, really. I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw Reed. Maybe a year or two? I don’t know.”
“But you guys were close in high school?” I asked.
Sasha scoffed. “In high school, yes. But not so much now. Rayna and Reed dated for a while before it went south our senior year.”
“Where did you go after your meeting with Hunter today?” I asked. “I assume it ended around two o’clock?”
“That sounds right. I did a little shopping, got some coffee, bought some flowers, and then I went to the grocery store. I was home around three or a little after. I know because I saw my neighbor, a retired teacher, getting her mail from the mailbox, and we get our mail around three. I then went inside, called my assistant at my store, and told her I wouldn’t be coming back, and for her to close down around five o’clock. ”
“On Valentine’s Day?” Zane asked. “You own a confectionery store, right? Weren’t you swamped?”
“No. There are a couple other candy stores in town here that citizens can choose from. I get mostly guests who are staying out at the resort as customers.”
“Did you speak to anyone after three?” I asked. “Maybe on the phone, or did anyone stop by?”
“No. I was by myself planning next month’s store layout until Hunter called me around six-thirty to tell me what had happened and that he was going to Supernatural Sport Resort with Jayla for a few days.”
“So you already knew about Mari?” Zane mused.
She took a sip of her apple martini. “Yes.”
I nodded. “And no one can corroborate you were here between three and five?”
“Look,” Sasha snapped, “I didn’t know I was going to need an alibi, okay. I simply came home and was here. I didn’t kill Mari.”
“Fair enough,” Zane said. “Do you know of anyone who might have wanted to hurt Mari?”
It took everything I had not to add “besides you” to the end of Zane’s question. But antagonizing Sasha wouldn’t get me any closer to the truth as to who killed Mari.
Sasha snorted. “No. I have no idea who would want to hurt Mari. Like I said, we weren’t that close anymore.”
“Her husband didn’t mention anyone to you?” I asked, giving in to my pettiness just a little.
Sasha glared at me. “No. We didn’t spend our time talking about Mari.”
Again, I had to bite back the retort dancing on my tongue.
“Thank you for your time, Sasha,” Zane said.
Zane and I stood, and Sasha did the same.
“One last question,” I said. “Mari and Hunter both received ominous valentines in the mail recently. Did you receive one?”
Sasha’s eyes widened just slightly before she shook her head emphatically. “No. I don’t think so.” She picked up her drink off the table. “I’ll see you out.”
Zane and I followed her to the front door, but we didn’t speak until we got into the Aston.
“She admitted to sleeping with Hunter,” I said. “But I think she was lying about the valentine. What do you think?”
“I think you might be right.” He pulled out of the driveway. “Ready to call it a night and have some dinner?”
I grinned over at him. “And dessert?”
Zane laughed. “And dessert.”
“I wonder if Nyxie liked her gift from Savage?” I mused as Zane pulled out of Sasha’s driveway.
Zane laughed. “I still can’t believe the cats are exchanging Valentine’s gifts.”
“Wait until you see yours,” I said, thinking of the rare book I’d wrapped after making the tuna cakes. “You’re gonna love it.”