Need You by Blake Pierce

Author:Blake Pierce [Pierce, Blake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blake Pierce
Published: 2022-12-13T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Daisy had thought that the Vandiveer estate was extravagant and over-the-top, what with its sheer size, gilded statues, and many fountains. But it was a shack compared to the Lafayette estate. Perched on the coastline, the compound featured an imposing, brick wall with actual turrets. The main feature of the house was the giant white belltower. The clock on it struck seven as she approached the gatehouse.

Thankfully, since there had been no murders at the Lafayette estate, the security there was much more relaxed. When she asked to speak with Mr. Hardy, she was buzzed in immediately, and a security guard took her to the main house.

A moment later, the man appeared, dressed in a polo shirt and khaki shorts, looking every bit like an attorney on vacation. He was balding, though tan and not necessarily as mole-like as she’d expected from Coco’s description. In fact, his smile was charming, as was his formal British accent. “Good afternoon, Ms . . .?”

“Fortune. Daisy Fortune.”

“Ah.” He motioned for her to come into a windowed parlor area. Where the Vandiveer’s rooms were light and airy, this was anything but. The walls were dark, paneled mahogany, and there was an abundance of red velvet everywhere, especially on the furniture and heavy drapes. It did nothing to let the beauty of the outside in. But what immediately drew her attention were the various life-size, golden lions situated around the room. Zachary must’ve noticed that she couldn’t tear her eyes away, because he said, “Yes, the Lafayettes have rather interesting tastes. Mr. Lafayette collects things from all over the world.”

“Oh, they’re . . .” hideous was on the tip of her tongue, but she remembered her manners, just in time. “. . . Lovely.”

He chuckled some more. “Hideous. That’s okay. You can say it.”

She laughed.

His face turned serious. “The guard out front said that you were a private eye. Are you working for Gireau?”

“No, actually, Natasha Blake hired me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. I suppose she’d trust a fellow American more. And how are you getting on?”

“Well, still working through the facts of the case, interviewing witnesses. You were there on the night of Jacob Vandiveer’s death?”

He nodded. “I’m glad you said death, and not murder, because it was an accident. That’s all. The coroner’s report confirmed ingestion of fentanyl.”

“You seem so sure of that.”

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

“But a witness said that you were seen outside his room, shortly before he was murdered, and you looked . . . nervous?”

He blinked. “Who said that?”

“Were you there?” she pressed, ignoring the question.

He nodded, then pulled at the collar of his polo shirt. “Yes, I was. Vandiveer had asked me to come aboard because I had papers for him to sign for Vandiveer Holdings. He was in the process of acquiring a mining outfit in Pennsylvania, and I’d been trying to get in touch with him to finalize the documents for weeks. But when I got there, I found out that he was having a pre-wedding party with his close friends and was already three sheets to the wind.

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