The Dupont home looked as brooding and melancholic as ever as I pulled up that afternoon. I parked on the smooth stone driveway as usual and climbed out with my purse slung across my shoulder and my phone in my hand. I rang up Alexis and leaned against my car.

          She answered quietly. "Hello?"

         "It's Evie Harper. I'm outside. I wanted to ask some questions."

          "Sorry, I'm not home."

          "Oh..." That's what I get for being spontaneous.

          "My sister's there, I think."

          This might be my only chance to question Destiny. "Alright."

         "Don't forget to keep me posted, Ms. Harper."

          "Of course." My finger hovered over the end call button before I remembered the question I wanted to ask her specifically. "Oh, one more thing. I was wondering if I could search your mother's office."

          It had occurred to me on the drive over that whatever business Diana had, Robert was involved. It might be prudent, then, to find out what I can.

          "Sorry. Lawyer said to lock down all moms' important documents. We're going through this weekend to box up anything relevant to our case but until then he didn't want anyone messing with it."

          Damn. "Alright. I'll call if I find out anything."

          As I tried to stuff my phone down into an overstuffed purse (I really need to clean this thing out) the phone buzzed with activity. I checked the caller I.D and almost threw my phone against the stone underfoot out of frustration. Remember Evie, boyfriends can be annoying, but phones are expensive—and this one's not paid off yet.

         There was an edge to my voice when I answered. "Yeah?"

          "Evie! You answered!" Manny's relief seemed to breathe through the line.

          "Listen. You have to stop calling."

          There was a level of pleading in his voice I'd never heard before. "You can't just end it like this."

          "I could. But I'm not breaking up with you."

          "You're not?"

          I sighed deep and started my walk up the driveway. "I just need a couple days. You got to chill, okay. Respect my need for space."

           "Okay." There was an awkward pause as he searched for the right words. "For the record, I'm sorry."

          I rung the doorbell. "I know. For the record I'm not mad anymore. But next time I see you we need to talk about that shit."

          "Okay."

          "Now, stop playing on my phone."

          "Okay," He laughed.

          Damn it. I didn't mean to make him laugh. Why is it so hard for me to stay mad? Why can't I keep my tone firm? Why can't I not be cute?

          Most days my inherent cuteness was a benefit to me in every way except getting constantly carded. But then there were moments when I tried to be stern and no one took me seriously because of these doe eyes, round face, and dimples.

          Sometimes I want to scream; I'm not twelve, I'm twenty-eight! Respect me!

          Deep breath. I'll deal with him later. For now, I need to focus on the task at hand. It was unlikely that Destiny had had a part in Malik's conspiracy but there was a chance she'd seen something that could help me crack this case.

          While my wheels were turning on the porch, the door flung open. I plastered a smile on my face and put my doe eyes and dimples to work. "Hi, Destiny. I was in the neighborhood and was wondering if we could talk for a bit."

          She looked me over; her immaculately tailored blouse and slacks hung from her slim frame as well as it would on any super model. "Aren't you Lexi's friend?"

          "I am. But I'm also a private investigator." I'd only had as much time as it took to get from my car to the door to rehearse my next line. "Alexis thought that might help with your case."

          Destiny was still unaware of the murder plot as she and Alexis weren't prone to sharing, but hopefully her desire to win their pending lawsuit would help her open up.

          "She's smarter than I thought she was," she said with a smirk. "So, you can figure out how Malik did this?"

          "That's what I aim to do." And find a murderer.

          She opened the door wider, then gestured beyond the entrance. "Come in, come in."

          She walked me to a gray and white sitting room not far from their living room and gestured for me to sit down on a deep charcoal colored sofa.

          "Tea?" she asked as she sunk down into the matching armchair across from me. "I could ask our maid, Este, to brew some."

          "No, thank you."

          She leaned back and crossed long leg over long leg. "So, what do you want to know?"

          "My first question is why did Malik and Diana have their falling out."

         She took a liberal moment to think and then rolled her eyes to the back of her head. "He was always trifling to tell the truth. There's a conniving streak to him. He gets vicious too." She snorted. "Mom was still surprised about the hostile takeover."

         "Hostile takeover? Of Dupont Cosmetics?"

          She nodded. "This was a few years ago. Business was floundering—recession or some such. Then this other company wanted to buy Dupont. Mom of course said no. It was her baby."

          "Let me guess, Malik tried to force a sell?"

          "He tried to buy enough stock to have majority vote. I hear there was an excellent pay day if he would have succeeded." She shook her head in disapproval. Apparently, she had a limit to what she'd do for money. "Well, anyway. She found out and pushed him out of the business and out of the family."

          "Probably wasn't too happy about that."

          "Definitely not." Her scoff puttered out into a light chuckle. "Soon as he heard she was dying he came running of course. Trying to suck up to get in the will."

          He wasn't the only one. "Seems it worked."

          "Doubtful. She wouldn't even see him at the end."

          Which made his ascension to number one heir all the more suspicious. "Is there any way Malik could have gotten into the house in the last few months?"

          "Of course. He had a key. He used to live here." Her foot started a mindless bounce. Either she was nervous, or she had somewhere else to be. "But I wouldnt put it past that nurse either."

          "Did you suspect Corrine would do something like that?"

          "I didn't pay her much mind to be honest." She shrugged. "She was mostly hired to give her pain meds, you know. It was the end. She wasn't curing her, she was medicating."

          "What sorts of meds was she on?"

          "Hell if I know."

          "Did Diana seem afraid those last few months?

          "She rambled from time to time about the government and whatnot. It was crazy but they warned us it could be like that."

          "The doctors?"

           "Yeah." Her mouth pressed into a thin line at the uncomfortable memory. "Would say the craziest stuff. 'The government's spying on me', 'They've implanted a chip in my brain', 'Where's Robert, send for Robert'. Talking about how she had to do it, but I had no idea what it was. She just kept repeating herself at the end."

          "How close were Diana and Robert?"

          "Like good old friends. He would often swing by on holidays or be a guest at functions. It went a little beyond business. That's why it wasn't unusual when he came by so often to visit her when...you know..."

          "Did he visit the night she died?"

          "No. He had some sort of work, I think. I called him the next morning. He had to cancel a meeting."

          "Why did your mother and Margaret Scott fall out?"

          There was a slight crinkle in the center of her forehead. She didn't understand the relevance. "Aunt Margie? What's she got to do with this?"

          "Just covering my bases. It's important to have a clear picture for the case."

          "Aunt Margie was mad she sold her shares in the company. Buyer's remorse I guess."

           "Seller's remorse. If they weren't friends anymore, why was she was at the funeral?"

          "Malik invited her." Her eyes drifted to an antique mantle clock above the fireplace. "They stopped talking before Gabe and Lexi were born but way back when she used to babysit me and Malik all the time."

          I nodded. "It's hard to crush that kind of bond."

          "Yeah. We both still talk to her from time to time. Malik even gave her some money a couple of times when she was struggling."

          Malik? Is he fond of someone besides himself? Does our murderer have depth? Well, no. The pocket change he gave her is nothing to the amount she would have gotten in Diana's original will. Keep it in perspective.

          "What about your father?"

          "Not much to it. He's a good dad. Bit of a workaholic but that's standard for this family."

          "Why'd they divorce if you don't mind my asking?"

          "Caught him with the secretary. She was pregnant with Gabe at the time. Divorced shortly after."

          "Then how did Alexis—"

          "Post-divorce quickie. Which led to my father's second divorce. Parents." She shuddered. "He wouldn't have anything to do with it, though. He has his own business."

          "I know. I was just asking."

           She uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. "Are these all the questions you need? I have to get back to researching how to evict a squatter." Gabe's not a squatter, as funny as that was. Technically he's a tenant.

          I braced myself on my knees, then stood. "Oh, yeah. Thanks for your time."

          "You can see yourself out?" She was halfway out of the room as she asked. I wondered what's so important.

          "Yeah, I know the way."

          She left me to continue her crusade to kick Gabe out of the only home he's ever known as I followed the straight path from the sitting room to the front door. Once I hit the foyer the stairs came into view. I looked around. Could I risk it? No one was around. I could dash up the stairs and duck into the office real quick...

          But if I got caught it was over. Alexis had already said no to me going through the office. Do I respect my client's wishes or do whatever it takes?

          As I stood at the bottom of the stairs contemplating, the door to my right pulled open and Gabe tumbled through on wobbly legs.

          I straightened up with a quickness. "Oh, hi Gabe. Fancy running into you here."

          "...I live here. Wait, who are you?" He squinted through bloodshot eyes.

          I held out my hand, as cordial as could be. "Evie Harper. Alexis's friend. I was at the funeral and the will reading."

          He shook my hand with the most disoriented of expressions. "Oh, right. Hi."

          I smiled. "Crazy week, huh?"

          "Oh, yeah."

           "But, hey. You made out like a bandit, huh?"

           "Uh, huh?"

            "Your mother must have really loved you."

          "Hardly."

          "Hmm. Well, see you later."

          "Uh, bye."

          I guess today's not the day for sneaking around. A shame. If I checked the still untouched medical equipment in Diana's room, I might be able to find out what sort of medication Corrine was using to keep her drugged. And if given the chance to search her office, I may find motive beyond millions of dollars.

          But alas, with Gabe walking around drunk and Destiny on a rampage today was not the day, it seemed. So I continued my trek outside, pausing on the porch to shield my eyes from the overhead sun. It was out there, halfway between my car and the house when I heard Este. Her voice was distant and muddled but I was certain it was her.

          I turned on my heel and followed the sound of her voice around the side of the house, past a mid-priced Benz in the driveway and the pool house an in view of a small but painstakingly manicured garden.

          When I saw Destiny, I stopped in my tracks and ducked behind the side of the house.

          Destiny was hunched over slightly; the stress eating away at all gracefulness. "You haven't found it yet?" She whisper-yelled.

          Este looked smaller than she had last time I spoke to her. Like she'd withdrawn somewhat. "No ma'am."

          "Did Alexis find it?"

          "I don't know."

          "Okay." Destiny paced back and forth a bit.

          "Will...will you do what you promised?"

          "I can't afford to now! We're about to go into serious litigations. I could be broke this time next year. Don't you get that?"

          "But you promised!" She almost stomped her foot but remembered at the last second that the woman before her was technically her boss now.

          "And I'm going to keep that promise! But I have to deal with this will issue first."

          "But—"

          "Nothing will happen to you until then. Trust me." She held up her hand to silence Este. The subject was closed. "I need to meet with the lawyer. If you want to help, find that necklace."

          Destiny composed herself and then marched back in the house. When she was gone, Este's face changed from neutral compliance to outright disdain.

          I stepped from behind my hiding place and cleared my throat. "Oh hi, Este. Fancy meeting you here."

          "I live here." She shifted gears easily from disdain back to neutrality. "Alexis isn't here today, ma'am. Did you need something?"

         "Yeah. An explanation for just what the hell's going on here." I crossed my arms over my chest.

         The gesture was wasted; she was unfazed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

          "How about this. You start talking or I start snitching."

          Her eyes grew big with fear. She looked hastily back to where Destiny disappeared into the house. "I didn't know what to do!"

          I looked over my shoulder to make sure there wasn't a wandering Dupont behind me before turning back to Este. "Tell me everything."