“You returned to work so soon after your wife’s death?” Trent asked.
Amanda held up a hand to her partner, and he shook his head.
“Just because she was murdered doesn’t mean everything stops—even if it hurts like hell.” Grief shadowed his face, and Amanda felt the intensity of his sorrow.
“You were at work, doing what?” she asked, just for the record.
“I was reviewing some marketing campaigns and giving final approvals. Ad deadlines are tomorrow.”
“Okay, so you found the letter in your desk drawer… Run us through it,” she said.
“Nothing much more to it.”
“Why did you open your drawer?”
“I needed my approval stamp.”
“That’s where you normally keep it? Which drawer?”
“Top, on the left-hand side.”
If the threat was legitimate, Amanda would surmise whoever placed the letter there knew Tony would be at work and need his stamp. “Who knew you were at work today?”
“Pfft. Everyone I suppose. The front desk people, Scarlett, Harold.” Tony lifted his shoulders. “I’m probably forgetting someone. But I was there yesterday too.”
“Did you have any visitors? Or is there anyone else who might have known that you would need your stamp today and where you kept it?”
Tony met her gaze. “You’re finally taking me seriously.”
“It’s my job to get to the truth and find justice. Please answer my question.”
“No one. Oh, Brad and Leo popped in yesterday when I was finishing up at the office. They stopped by to surprise me. They wanted to go out for dinner, but I’m just not up for that yet.”
“Nice that the brothers are close,” Amanda said.
“It is.”
“They seem to be handling the loss of their mother okay,” she said. That would be the second time the two boys would be out this week.
“Like champs, but I think they’re putting on a tough front, just like me. It surprises me they want to go out in public, but I’m not going to discourage it. You can’t sit with grief all the time.”
Even if it—like misery—likes the company… “We’ll investigate this threat, but we have something far more pressing to discuss.” The energy in the room shifted in its intensity.
“I didn’t kill Alicia or Eve Kelley.”
“From my viewpoint, I see evidence of your guilt. For one, this.” She produced the printout of Alicia’s intended change to her will. She set it on the table, so the wording was facing him. “We got this from Alicia’s computer. She was removing you as a beneficiary, Tony.”
He held her gaze for a few seconds before turning his focus on the page. A few seconds later, he was pushing the sheet away. “No, why would she?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she found out about your affair with Tina?” Amanda stiffened. “You killed Alicia before she could cut you out of an inheritance.” Even as she hurled the accusation, she realized it didn’t implicate him in Eve Kelley’s murder—but something else did.
“I swear I had no idea about this.” Tony was heaving for breath.
She was tired of hearing his lies. “And you knew about Eve’s lawsuit. It could have seriously threatened New Belle’s financial stability.”
“No way. It was all hot air. New Belle’s lawyers would get the entire thing dismissed. Besides, it would take more than one lawsuit to topple what Alicia built. There was no solid proof that Alicia stole that serum formula from Eve. Not a thing.”
Amanda didn’t share that confidence. “Alicia had Eve sign an NDA, paid her to keep quiet. I’m sure that wouldn’t look good to a judge.”
“I don’t think it would have taken a good lawyer much effort to make the courts see Eve Kelley had nothing to stand on.”
“All right, let’s move on,” she said. “I asked you if you ever went into the room with the drugs at your daughter’s vet clinic. You told me no.”
“That’s right.”
“Except that’s a lie.” Amanda leaned back in her chair. “I’ll give you a chance to reconsider your previous answer.”
Minutes ticked off. Finally, she prompted him, “Mr. Bishop.”
“You already know the answer.” Not a question, but a statement, an accusation, a conclusion.
“Talk,” she urged.
“I was at Paws and Claws.”
“And when was this?” Trent cut in.
“Two weeks ago. It was a Thursday.”
“Just days before your wife died,” Trent said drily. “Continue.”