“But her family still could’ve insisted.”
“Maybe they did. Maybe Granddad out-insisted them.”
She gives me a look. “Granddad wasn’t as influential as the Pryces.”
True enough. He did okay in construction, but he never rose to that level of influence or reach. Most people don’t.
“After seeing Liza today, I feel like maybe she didn’t want to cooperate. Maybe she managed to hire a lawyer who could help her get out of Aunt Dorothy’s clutches,” Kristen says.
“Then why didn’t she hire somebody before?”
Kristen shrugs. “Didn’t want her parents to know?”
Most likely, they never gave a damn, my mind whispers, reminding me of her father’s snide and cruel attitude. Julian is the type who’d give a DA a folder full of all the things Elizabeth did wrong, including every time she went over the speed limit or forgot to signal before making a turn.
I shake my head. “You’re reaching.”
“And you’re being stubborn, Dominic. Something doesn’t add up. I can’t help but think maybe she had no choice and she still feels bad about what happened.”
“You know you spout a lot of nonsense when you’re tired?”
“I get my best ideas when I’m tired.”
“Nope. You just think you do because you lose your filter and good taste. Go to bed. You know nothing.”
Kristen makes a face. “Stop treating me like a kid and listen…or you’ll be sorry.”
I kiss her on the forehead and shove her upstairs. “I know. Thanks for advising me on my wardrobe.”
She flushes. “That’s not what I mean!”
“But that’s all I’m going to take your advice on.”
Kristen is too sentimental to see the puzzle that is Elizabeth’s recent behavior clearly. But I’m different.
My phone pings. I pick it up and see a text from Antoine.
Found Tolyan.
My heart pounds. Who is he? I text back fast, mistyping almost all the words. Thank God for autocorrect.
One of Elizabeth’s personal assistants. He’s been with her for three years.
A PA? Then why did she bring him up when Nate proposed marriage?
That’s all? There has to be more.
Finally, Antoine’s response comes. He was her grandmother’s personal assistant until she died. He accompanied Shirley Pryce everywhere, and he does the same for Elizabeth now. Other than that, I don’t have any info, not even a last name.
I frown. Then how did you find out who he was?
Charmed it out of her housekeeper in Virginia. The pride in his text is palpable. It wasn’t easy. Elizabeth’s foundation work assistant also corroborated.
My phone rings. It’s Antoine.
“Yeah?”
“Dominic, man. I don’t want to put this in a text.”