“I’m not so sure you want me leaving these,” I said as I turned to leave, seconds before spotting a framed picture on the dresser. I bent down to get a better look.
It was Carter, Max, Amelia, Petunia, and all of Carter’s staff, only they weren’t dressed in work clothes but in casual clothes. My gaze went straight to Johnny, who was staring at Amelia in the picture. I followed Amelia’s gaze, and it went to Petunia, who was grinning from ear to ear with Chef Robin’s arms wrapped around her.
I grabbed the picture and headed into the living room. “Tell me about this picture.”
Max glanced up from the magazine. “That was taken at the lake house. Carter likes to throw parties for the staff and their families. That was from a barbeque last year.”
I walked into the kitchen and held the picture to the glass. “Chef Robin wears the same color lipstick. Why doesn’t she wear it at Carter’s house?”
“Hell if I know, but the lipstick won’t get us anywhere. A million women probably wear the same shade.”
“Look at where their gazes are going, Max.” I said, pointing at Amelia, Johnny, and Robin.”
Max glanced at the picture. His jaw ticked before he led me out into the living room. He gestured to a magazine on the table before picking up a book from the shelf.
I picked up the magazine and thumbed through it. This one had cut outs just like Kilnery had at his house. A shiver skirted down my spine.
“All of those magazines have cut-outs, and I found this.” He opened the book to show me a partially complete death threat, just like the others Amelia had received. “Looks like Johnny was trying to scare Amelia back into his arms.”
“I’m betting if that didn’t work, he’d planned to blackmail her,” I said and handed him the photos I’d found. “You sure you want me to leave these here?”
I could see the war in his mind. The way his jaw tightened and the moment hopelessness entered his body. I had my answer. The pictures were coming with us, the evidence be damned.
“Judging by the knife in the heart and your sister having an alibi, I’m betting Ambrosia did this.”
“Who?” he asked.
“Lipstick lady. That was the color on Johnny’s collar and it’s the same color on the glass.” I led Max out of the house.
“There have to be a million lipstick colors. How in the heck can do you know what that one color is?”
“I was helping my sister research cosmetics for her shop. I learned everything I could.”
“About lipstick shades?”
“Among other things. Lucky for you, I retain all the information, but that’s not how I know the color,” I said before I jogged down the stairs.
He met my gaze over the hood of the trunk. “How?”
“It’s the one I wear, and there’s only one place in town that produces that exact color,” I said, putting the pictures of Amelia into the trunk along with the death threat and the book.
“Where?”
“This is just a theory, without running the shades through my forensic department to be 100% certain, I’d say whoever is wearing that lipstick, got it from my sister’s shop.” As I slipped inside my car, my phone rang, and I glanced at the caller ID.
“What’s up, Rose? Amelia okay?”
“Cassandra still isn’t answering.”
I shoved the key into the ignition. “They don’t get good reception at the park, remember?”
“I know.” She lowered her voice. “I’m worried, Gwen. None of the team Ms. Delany sent is answering either.”
My blood froze. “Max and I are fifteen minutes away. We’ll check it out, and whatever you do, don’t mention this to Amelia until we have a status report.”
“Don’t tell Amelia what?” Max asked.
“Cassandra is out of cell range, and the team Ms. Delany sent in isn’t answering either, but I’m sure it’s just a phone issue. How much trouble do you think five operatives, a chef, and a five-year-old can get into on a picnic?”
