Candi couldn't stop laughing. Nessa sat across from her in a hula-girl outfit at Candi's Coffee. Under the grass skirt and coconut bra, she wore a flesh-colored body suit.
A ring of colorful flowers crowned her dark hair and a lei adorned her neck. Puka shell bracelets decorated her wrists and ankles.

"It's not funny," Nessa snapped. "This is what I have to wear at the Tiki Photo Hut. As if the dinosaur outfit wasn't frightening enough. Can you imagine having to hitch a ride with a group of Mariachi singers?"

"Why do you think I'm laughing?" Candi asked.

I'm going to get that Knox Marsden if it's the last thing I do," Nessa swore..

She tapped her fingers against the table in Candi's coffee shop. A group of teen boys were trying to take a picture of her with their camera phone and she picked up a butter knife. "If you take one more picture, I will cut a kid!"

The boys chuckled but turned back to their lattes.

"Someone's in a mood." Candi giggled. "Why did you take the job if you don't like their uniform?"

"This," Nessa said pointing to her coconut bra, "is not a uniform. It's discrimination. The guys who work there get to wear Hawaiin shirts. Why do I have to wear a fruit bikini? Are coconuts fruit?"

"I don't know but if you feel that strongly about it, don't go in. They can't possibly pay enough to put you through the trouble of dressing like that."

"I'm still a hundred short for rent. I have to make ends meet, remember? If not, my mom will come out here and drag me back home. She called me this morning all hot and bothered because Tate's dad said I was cheating on his son."

Candi scowled. "Are you serious? After what he did to you?"

"She wanted to know all about Knox Marsden."

"What did you tell her?" Candi asked.

"That Tate's father needs his eyes checked and is possibly suffering from Dementia."

Candi laughed. "You're joking, right?"

Nessa shrugged. "I like Mr. Montgomery but telling my parents that I'm cheating on his son is a bit overboard. It's just another area in my life I don't want them butting in."

"I swear you're so weird. Let them help you. They're rich, remember?"

"They are but I'm not. They still talk about how my great grandparents came to America with a dream and made a fortune. As long as they won't accept me as I am, I can't depend on them."

"Speaking of which," Candi whispered. "Have you heard from your ghosties lately?"

Nessa nodded. "I'm ignoring them for the moment. They keep talking to me about Knox Marsden."

Candi's brows rose. "What are they saying?"

Nessa shook her head. "You don't want to know. I'm heading to work. If you see a random woman on the news dressed as a hula girl who went postal at the Tiki Photo Hut-- it's me."

Detective Rick Conners played with the Newton's Cradle on Knox Marsden's desk. He grinned at the row of silver balls hitting one another. "This is neat. Does it do anything else?"

"It's not a magician," Patrick Marsden answered dryly. "That's all it does."

Patrick stood to one side of Knox while Jason, Knox's assistant, stood on the other. Knox l studied Detective Daniel Chavez before asking, "You said you found my business card in her purse?"

"Wallet," Rick said, hitting the silver balls once more. "Or clutch if we want to be specific."

"Will you stop it?" Daniel muttered to Rick, staring at the knick knack.

"What?" Rick mouthed, pushing the silver balls against one another once more.

"You said her name was Valerie Cole?" Knox asked.

After Detective Chavez nodded, Knox glanced at his assistant.

Jason nodded. "You do know her, Mr. Marsden."

"That's right!" Patrick snapped his fingers together as though it suddenly dawned on him who Valerie was. "She's that sexy wine seller. The one who helped us stock our inventory this past year. She gave us a great discount."

"Wine cellar?" Rick repeated. "She was a person not a-"

"She sold wine," Daniel hissed. "Seller as in someone who sells not a cellar that's part of a house."

"That makes more sense." Rick grinned. He turned to Knox, "Were you sleeping with her?"

"Excuse me?" Knox jerked his head back in surprise.

"She was a beautiful woman. I wouldn't blame you if you mixed a little personal with the professional." Rick winked.

"I didn't have any relationship with her beyond meeting her twice to negotiate a deal over the cases of wine we purchased," Knox said. "I can't imagine my card was the only one you found in her purse."

"Wallet or clutch," Rick corrected him.

"Seeing as how Mr. Marsden didn't have a relationship with Ms. Cole, I think you're wasting your time here, detectives," Jason said, gesturing towards the door. "I'll be happy to make sure your parking is validated on the way out."

"Is he trying to get rid of us?" Rick asked Daniel.

"I'm a very busy man," Knox said. "Ms.Cole's death is unfortunate. Considering the deal she gave us previously, she was someone I would have looked forward to working with again. If I can be of any help, do give my lawyer a call. In the meantime, Jason will see you both out."

Jason led them to the exit before Rick turned around. "One last question. Do you happen to know a Kelly Vitali?"

Knox's brows rose and he turned to his brother who looked equally surprised.

"I can tell by your expression that you do." Rick gave them both a fat smile. "Were you sleeping with her?"

"No," Knox said firmly. "Has something happened to her?"

"You tell me."

"Listen." Patrick had his hands on his hips. "If you have something to say, then say it. Don't beat around the bush. We're not psychics."

An image of Nessa Cruz flashed in Knox's head and he closed his eyes to shake the memory of her flipping him off, while in a dinosaur costume, away.

"The thing is," Rick said slowly. "Kelly Vitali is dead. Just like Valerie Cole. So how did you know Ms. Vitali?"

"We went on a few dates together. Nothing serious," Knox answered.

Daniel and Rick exchanged glances. Daniel side-stepped Jason. "Your fiancée...the one who left you at the altar-- she hasn't turned up, has she? I remember it being on the news."

Knox stared at Daniel, his eyes glaciers ready to freeze anyone who stared too long at him.

"Jessica Spencer stopped being my fiancée the moment she didn't show up to our wedding. I have no idea where she's at. Nor do I want to know. If you're really interested, you can ask her family."

As if on cue, his phone dinged and a message from Chrissy Spencer, Jessica's sister, appeared.

"It's your fault Jessica isn't here."

Knox deleted the text and placed the phone in a drawer. "I'm sorry but I'm going to have to ask you both to leave. If you have any further questions, Jason will give you the number to my lawyer."

The two detectives were dismissed as Jason forced them to leave. Patrick turned to Knox when they were alone, a look of suspicion in his eyes.

"Knox, is there something you're not telling me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're my brother," Patrick said. "You're a pain in the ass...but you're a related pain in the ass. Don't tell me you don't think it's weird that two women you knew were murdered."

"You knew them too," Knox reminded him.

Patrick frowned. "That's true but you knew them better. Still, if you ever need to talk or want my help, all you have to do is ask."

Knox nodded. "Actually, there is something. Can you get me the whereabouts of Nessa Cruz."

"The donut licker?"

Knox gave a terse nod. "I need to see her today."

"Sir, I told you yesterday." Nessa pushed an SD card across the counter of the Tiki Photo Hut. "We don't develop pornographic pictures."

"These aren't pornographic," the overweight man with a horrible comb-over argued. "These are artistic."

"You, wearing fruit on your privates, isn't artistic," Nessa argued. "It's an act of crime against pineapple slices."

"You're very rude." The man slammed his hands against the counter. "I want to speak to your manager."

"I'm a temp so it won't do you any good. Besides, we have a very strict rule about not printing pictures of naked people."

"I could sue you for refusal of services."

"And I could sue you for almost blinding me after making me look at those pictures. I'm not even getting into the emotional distress or the fact that I may never be able to eat a pineapple again," Nessa said.

The overweight man cursed and took his SD card. "I bet if I were thin and better looking, like one of those actors from Supernatural, you'd develop those pictures."

"Sir, if you were one of the actors from Supernatural, I'd be offering to take the pictures. No pineapples needed."

"Nessa!" Jerry, the manager of Tiki Photo Hut shouted. "What are you doing?"

"I was just informing this customer that we don't develop nude photos but he insists. It's time for my break so I'll let you handle him." She gave a sugary smile to Jerry before scurrying off through the back door of the photo shop.

Her head pounded and she rubbed her temples.

A black car came squealing to a halt in front of her. Nessa took a step back as two men in black suits and sunglasses came forward and dragged her to the car. She tried shouting but they covered her mouth and shoved her into the backseat.