Her Billionaire's Murder Mystery - Stephanie Fowers Page 0,34
been caught up in the drama. He shook himself free from the spell he’d created and got back into character so he could glare back at Aaron. “I say you’re more than what you’re letting on, Mr. Mills.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Aaron said. “We all know the mayor’s death was no accident... but I think you know more than what you’re saying, you lowlife.”
Just as he said it, the police came rushing out from the back room by way of the tunnels as they replayed the old hotel’s grand history of raiding gangsters’ parties to take down smugglers. Charlize jumped, seeing Uncle Price amongst them. He grinned at her just before tackling Mikey down.
Veronica let out a squeal of concern. Mikey’s eyes lifted to hers. “It’s okay,” he whispered. Then he raised his voice, “What’s it for this time, coppers? Breaking curfew or getting my hair cut?”
All around them, the gathering spectators pushed around Charly to get a better view of Mikey’s arrest. Charlize stumbled, trying to keep her balance. “Take him away, lads,” Charly’s uncle shouted happily. His gaze ran through the crowds, though Charly wasn’t sure if he ever caught sight of her in the chaos. “Nobody go far,” Uncle Price warned. “He’s working with an accomplice and we’ll figure out who you are soon.”
“You can’t prove nothin’!” Mikey shouted happily.
A hand found the back of Charly’s necklace and tugged. Charlize let out a scream, feeling some of her hair come out as the necklace tore from her neck. Someone had just stolen her rubies! She tried to twist around, but the thief shoved her into the crowd. By the time she pulled herself free, she saw that whoever had done it was long gone. Her hand went to her collarbone. The thief had snapped the necklace off so hard that it stung her neck.
“Mikey!” she called. He was fake struggling with the coppers just ahead of her. “You should’ve told whoever took my necklace to be gentle. They ripped it right off.”
He looked confused. “What?”
“My replica necklace. The one you gave me for the game. It just got stolen.”
The cops, including her uncle, began to drag Mikey out the door with them. “Tell Aaron.” Mike shouted at her.
“I will!” she cried. Was Aaron behind this? This game was getting ridiculous. They were playing too rough. An annoyed flush burned her cheeks. If Aaron had given her the necklace, only to have it ripped viciously away like that, she’d give him a piece of her mind.
She tried to find him in the crowd. Before she could, Mollie grabbed her hand. “That was fantastic. We should do our yearly bank robbery re-enaction like that. Mikey, he’s... he’s great! I’d give him the lead role.”
Mollie should’ve taken a role in the Murder Mystery instead. Charly wasn’t willing to sacrifice her body for the show. Her neck still throbbed. “Did you see where Aaron went?” she shouted. “He is so dead! He took my necklace.”
Mollie’s eyes widened and she pointed to the elevator. “That way,” she whispered. “He just left.” Charly’s hands curled into fists and she watched where the floor numbers ended up on the old elevator. The sixth floor. That was where the Barefoot Ballroom was. Half of the floor where the Rooftop Billiards used to be was under construction. Mollie lifted her voice, “Hey Char Char, now’s a good time to remember what I said.”
“What’s that?”
Her friend smiled mischievously. “Make Aaron Mills sorry he was ever born.”
Gladly.
CHAPTER TEN
Aaron stared down the line of pool balls on the billiard table, trying to vent his frustrations as he cracked the cue ball straight into the colorful balls. The sound echoed through the practically empty room as the balls spread around the table, none of them going into the pockets. The move wasn’t satisfying in the least.
He was alone in a warmly glowing room with purposely weathered wooden floorboards and stained glass windows letting in the darkness of the night. New paint spattered against flaps of plastic hanging from the ceiling, and more were spread across large sections of the floor. Aaron only knew the place existed because of the tour Barnett had given this afternoon when Aaron had been trying to forget about Charly.
He’d dragged off the plastic from the last remaining billiard table not moved to the Lucky Seven room downstairs. Here and there, comfortable sofas were scattered across the lonely floor, though most everything else from before was gone. No one would think to come up here, which was