“And there was nothing at all about the fireplace in his thoughts,” Vincent added. “It really doesn’t seem like he was trying to kill Nicole. That’s why we stopped here on our way back to California. We thought we’d be bringing good news.”
“But then we got here and Dante told us about the car trying to run Nicole down, and then the hot tub and the car accident, and it seems like you really do have a problem,” Jackie said on a sigh.
“So the incidents that made Marguerite concerned enough to hire you to protect Nicole weren’t murder attempts at all,” Elaine murmured slowly.
“But the hot tub and car accident were,” Jake said firmly. “And Rodolfo seemed like the most likely culprit. He had the most to gain from her death.”
“No he didn’t,” Nicole said at once, and Jake glanced at her with surprise.
“Certainly he did,” he argued. “He would have got everything instead of just half.”
“How stupid do you think I am?” Nicole asked irritably, sliding out from under his arm to go to the cupboard and grab a coffee cup. He noted that she took several deep breaths as she carried it to the coffeepot, as if to calm herself, and then she admitted, “The first thing I did after I left Rodolfo was to change my will and the beneficiaries on my insurance.”
So, despite her protests that Rodolfo wasn’t trying to kill her, she’d protected herself . . . and she was obviously annoyed that they would think she hadn’t. Jake watched her pour herself a coffee and then asked, “Who did you make your beneficiary?”
“Joey and Pierina get everything,” Nicole answered and then glanced around. “Do you want a coffee? I—”
Something in his expression must have told her what he was thinking, because she stopped and scowled.
“Oh, come on!” she protested. “You can’t be serious?”
“What is he not serious about?” Roberto asked curiously.
“He’s thinking Joey must be behind the hot tub and car accident,” Elaine murmured, obviously reading his mind. Jake was only surprised Roberto hadn’t.
“Do they know you put them in your will?” Jake asked, ignoring the pair.
Nicole sighed wearily. “Jake—”
“Do they?” he insisted.
“Yes, but Joey has his own money. He made a fortune in land development. That’s why he was able to retire.”
“And he’s running through his retirement like water,” Dante said quietly, drawing Nicole’s startled gaze.
“What?” she asked with surprise.
“That bitchy beauty of his is expensive,” Dante said with a shrug. “He’s spent a good bit of his retirement on making her happy.”
“And once she’s gone through it all, will no doubt move on to a new sucker,” Jake said dryly. He really hadn’t liked the woman.
“It doesn’t matter. Joey wouldn’t try to kill me,” Nicole said firmly. “He’s my brother.”
“What is this about Dad’s selfish a**hole gene?” Elaine asked suddenly.
Jake glanced to his mother uncertainly. “What?”
“Please stop reading my mind,” Nicole said stiffly.
“What did you read?” Jake asked with interest.
“Dammit, my brother is not trying to kill me,” Nicole snapped before his mother could answer. She then headed for the door, weaving her way through the group to get out of the room. “I’m going to my studio to work.”
“You’re supposed to be relaxing,” Jake growled. “And what about the lunch I was making you?”
“I’m not hungry. And working is a hell of a lot more relaxing than standing here listening to you guys accuse everyone in my life of wanting me dead,” Nicole snapped, heading for the stairs.
“Let her go,” his mother said gently, catching his arm when he started to go after Nicole.