“You think so? It makes me wonder what prompted Lamoreaux to hire a new chauffeur. Thank you, Henry. Let’s go upstairs and decide what to do.”
As the elevator doors closed, Alejandro pulled her into a lingering kiss. “Were you trying to scare me to death this morning?”
“No, that’s not my idea of fun.” Ana waited until Fatima had made coffee before she explained how uncomfortable she’d become working with Lucien Lamoreaux. “There was nothing unusual about today’s shoot, but he’s a wealthy man who could have backed Jaime Campos’s nudes, although that doesn’t mean he had anything to do with the murder, does it?”
Fatima brought a plate of hazelnut meringue cookies to the dining table and surveyed Alejandro with a coldly disapproving glance before returning to the kitchen.
“What did you tell her?” he whispered.
“The truth, but that’s a story for another day. Do you think there’s a reason to call Montoya, or should I wait to see what I can discover tomorrow?”
“I don’t know which would be worse, calling Montoya or for you to risk going back.” He reached for her hand. “That Lamoreaux has Mapplethorpe photos might merely be a coincidence, but that he’s hired a new chauffeur could be significant. Montoya could get information on the former chauffeur that might lead somewhere. We ought to tell him.”
“I’d hate to go to the police station.” She picked up one of the light meringues and took a bite of the heavenly fluff. “These are so good, Fatima. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” the housekeeper called from the kitchen.
After worrying about Ana all day, Alejandro had no appetite for sweets. “Let’s make him come here. I still have his number.”
“Let me talk to him.” She gave the detective a call to inquire about the case, and when he had nothing new to report, she told him she might have discovered something. He came directly to her home.
Dressed in dark gray, he looked as smugly proper as ever and paced while Ana described her newfound suspicions about Lucien Lamoreaux. She handed him the limo’s license plate number, and he nodded thoughtfully. “We
weren’t able to get clear prints from the clipboard the man dropped at the hospital, but it’s possible he thought we could and left town. Thank you for the limousine license. I know just how to use it. Tomorrow an officer will go to Lamoreaux’s apartment to inquire about unpaid traffic tickets. They’ll have your address and a time when you were receiving gifts, so a ticket could be plausible. Lamoreaux will undoubtedly claim to know nothing about any traffic tickets, and the officer will inquire about his chauffeur.” He stopped and turned toward her and Alejandro.
“Go back and work with him again tomorrow so he won’t connect you with an investigation of his chauffeur.”
“I don’t think that’s wise,” Alejandro argued. “Maybe Lamoreaux is deep into the porn industry. He could be far more dangerous than a women’s shoe designer.”
“You could come with me,” Ana suggested. “Lucien asked about you today, so he wouldn’t be surprised if you were with me.”
Alejandro glanced between them. “What do you want me to do, search the place while you’re working?”
“No, absolutely not,” Montoya replied. “Just be there so Ana will feel safe while our investigation continues.”
“Ana shouldn’t be used as bait.”
“Of course not,” Montoya exclaimed. “You brought me this information, and I’m pursuing it. Ana won’t be in any danger.”
Alejandro looked at her and shook his head. “I have a very bad feeling about this.”
Things got out of hand for them so often, Ana knew exactly how he felt. “Please give us tonight to think about it, Lieutenant. I’ll let you know what we decide in the morning.”
“I trust you to make the right decision. We need to solve Mr. Campos’s case before anyone else is harmed.”
Alejandro showed the detective to the door and then strolled into the kitchen to talk with Fatima. “I deserve whatever name you might call me, but Ana and I have declared a truce. For her sake, I’d appreciate it if you’d pretend cool indifference rather than open hostility whenever I’m here.”
“It will be a struggle,” Fatima answered tersely.
Certain that was all he could get from her, he rejoined Ana in the living room. He removed her shoe and rubbed her foot. “Despite your suspicions about Lamoreaux, how did the shoot go?”
She wiggled her toes. “That feels wonderful. I looked at it as a day of work, which I need. It went well in that respect. The French photographer was very good, and had I been anywhere else, I’d have been happy with the job.”
“I’m going with you tomorrow, but for now, I need to get back to work. I’ll call you later about dinner.”
“I’d like to stay in.”
He leaned down to kiss her. “I’ll bring dinner.”