wanted to apologize for earlier."
"Apologize?" I asked, turning my full attention to her.
"For lying to you." She set her glass down on the bar before clasping both hands in her lap. "Carl called me. He said you were at his studio this morning."
"I was," I said, nodding.
"He said you know."
"Know what?" David asked, clearly not enjoying being left out of the loop.
Jada cleared her throat, eyes flitting to David. My guess was she'd not envisioned an audience for this particular apology. "About our relationship. Mine and Carl's." Jada turned back to address me. "I'm sorry I couldn't say anything before, but Carl had to keep things quiet."
"Yes, he mentioned that," I said.
"You and Carl Costello?" David asked. "Really?" He looked like he was waiting for the punch line of a joke. "You two are an item?"
Jada nodded. "You have no idea how hard it's been hiding this."
"How long have you been seeing him?" I asked, leaning an elbow on the bar.
"A few months," she said. "I know he can seem a little over the top sometimes, but Carl is so sweet. So devoted. He's just really the kindest man I've ever met." She paused. Her eyes imploring as they turned to mine. "Which is why you have to believe he had nothing to do with Gia's death."
That was an interesting statement, considering I hadn't mentioned believing any such thing. I wondered if Costello had primed her to come plead his case.
"Costello said he was waiting for you in a poolside cabana after the show," I said carefully. "How long was he alone before you joined him?"
Jada averted her eyes, gaze going down into her wineglass. "Not long."
But long enough.
"Did anyone else know about your relationship?" I asked. Like, say, the dead woman. Who had blackmailed Costello over it.
But that must not have been something Carl had shared with his secret lover, as Jada shook her head in the negative. "No. Of course not. Carl said we had to keep it strictly secret." She sighed. "Which has not been easy. So many times I've wanted to spend holidays with him or go out to dinner or even just hold his hand." Her eyes got a faraway look in them, and as much as she and Costello seemed like an odd couple to me, I felt for her. She seemed truly in love with him, and it couldn't be easy to play along with Fabio being the love of his life.
Jada shook her head, pulling herself out of her fantasy. "Look, Carl would never hurt a fly. He just doesn't have it in him. You have to believe me."
While I had the feeling the conviction behind her words was true, I wasn't quite as convinced as she was about the designer's innocence.
However, after the day I'd had, there were other people higher up on my suspect list.
"Jada, I'm curious—you didn't happen to see your agent as you were backstage changing after the Links show, did you?"
"Hughie?" A tiny little crease formed between her eyebrows. "No. Why?"
I shrugged. "Just curious."
David raised an eyebrow at me, and I could feel him mentally wondering what I'd been up to all day.
"Do you know how Smart Models is doing?" I asked, changing tactics. "I mean, financially?"
"I-I don't know," Jada stammered, clearly caught off guard by the question. "I've always been paid on time, if that's what you mean." She looked from me to David. "Why do you ask?"
"I was just wondering how stable Hughie's financial situation is," I said vaguely, trying not to tip too much of my hand.
She frowned again. "I don't know. I mean, my check for the charity show cleared," she offered, raising her eyebrows as if asking if that tidbit was helpful.
"Speaking of the charity show," David cut in, "I assume you both heard about the memorial at the Links?"
I shook my head. "No. A memorial for Gia?"
David nodded. "Not an official service or anything. But I guess the club felt they needed to do something for her. They're planning a cocktail party tomorrow night to honor her."
Jada's eyes went down to stare into her wineglass again. "That's very thoughtful," she said quietly.
"I hope you'll come as my guest," David added.
I wasn't sure if he was talking to Jada or to me, but then he added, "Ava too."
"Uh, sure," I agreed.
Jada nodded. "Carl mentioned going."
Again David had a look on his face like he was having a hard time wrapping his head around Jada and Costello as a couple, but he quickly