Blood Score (17 page)

Could a woman fall in love with a man, simply because he played a violin like an angel? Angel had never thought of herself as a hopeless romantic, especially after Manny had died, but she was a believer now. She hadn’t felt this way since her first childhood crush, when a young girl’s fantasy burned hottest.

Her thoughts of Gabe and Ethan got jumbled into a yearning for love in her life. She missed that feeling, the personal connection to a man she loved with all her heart. Gabe would be a dangerous line to cross, one she could never recover from, but Ethan felt like a once in a lifetime adventure, a trip that would never feel real.

Manny had been different. He’d won her heart with the simple grace of his loving nature. Falling in love with Manny had come naturally, like taking a breath or opening her eyes to a new morning.

But seeing Ethan play had stirred fire under her skin and touched her heart in an intense way that made her yearn for something more in her life. He played with passion that she felt to her toes. He made his violin cry with such haunting emotion that she’d wondered if his feelings for Olivia had inspired his moving performance. He channeled the beauty of his music through the profound sadness deep in her soul. She’d shed a tear in the dark, sitting alongside countless others who were drawn to him like she was. The shared experience with the audience had blown her mind. Ethan had touched her on a level no one had before, through music.

She saw how
any
woman could fall in love with him.

When his performance was over, she couldn’t wait to see him, but the scene backstage was pure chaos. Orchestra members were packing up their instruments while stagehands took care of their duties. The concert hall still buzzed with the crowd milling in the aisles, unhurried to leave.

Creating a bottleneck, two men dressed in tuxedos stood backstage to compare passes to a master list of names and control the crowd. No one would get by them without showing ID. There was a line of eager people waiting to see Ethan after his brilliant performance. Local celebrities, politicians, and other high society types stood in line like everyone else.

Angel craned her neck and looked for Gabe, but didn’t see him anywhere.

She’d never seen so much cleavage, and her head spun with the heady mix of perfume in the air. The media was out en masse too, but they’d been told Ethan wasn’t speaking to reporters—not tonight. Wisely, he’d declined the coverage, knowing they would only want to talk about his murdered lover. Tragedy always made for good ratings.

Ethan couldn’t handle the unsympathetic onslaught of the media, and Angel didn’t have a hard time imagining that. Thinking of the talented musician made her remember the darker side to her own life. He’d brought back painful memories of losing her husband, and she felt like Ethan’s kindred spirit in grief, but he’d also reminded her that there had been redemption in loving someone. He made her realize the hole in her life where Manny had been.

As she came through the line, Angel heard raised voices ahead. Bryce Peterson’s angry face snared her attention. With Rachel Blevins looking on with an amused smile on her face, Bryce had been yelling at a guy who stood near the men in tuxedos.

“I’ve told you. We’re neighbors. Ask Ethan about me. My name’s Tim McFarland. He’ll tell you. He gave me this pass. It’s legitimate, I can assure you.”

A short man with dark hair in a navy suit stood his ground and waved his arms. No one could get by the guy. Frustration showed on the faces of the people standing behind him, but it wasn’t until he shoved by the suits that things got rowdy.

“Bryce, please. You’re making a scene.” Rachel stepped in, only making a half-hearted effort to curb Bryce’s watch dog behavior.

“
No one gets backstage without being on the list. Not tonight. That’s what you said.” Ignoring Rachel, Bryce braced the man’s shoulders to stop him and lowered his voice. “Ethan told me all about your good neighbor policy. I don’t care if you
do
have a pass. I’m not letting you in. Now beat it.”

Without taking his eyes off the man, Bryce tore up his backstage pass and tossed it in the air.

“Bryce, come on. Surely this can be handled another way.” Rachel grabbed his arm, more for show than making any real effort. Her attempt to intervene looked uninspired.

After a swarthy man dressed in a tux took interest in the disturbance and stood behind Rachel to watch the altercation, Angel had heard enough.

It didn’t matter if the man’s pass was legitimate or not. Tighter security meant the confirmed list of names would be final. These men were causing a disturbance that could turn uglier. Bryce looked as if he had another agenda, and his wild eyes made his aggression appear more threatening. She stepped forward and interrupted before Bryce took his act to the next level.

“
What’s the trouble, Mr. McFarland?” Angel asked.

When the gate crasher turned to face her, the look of surprise on his face caught her off guard.

“
You’re that cop,” he said. “What are
you
doing here?”

Angel did a double take. She’d never met the man in her life, yet he acted as if he had seen her before. When she smelled liquor on the man’s breath, she narrowed her eyes and took in the details of his face.

“Don’t worry about what
I’m
doing here.” She glared at McFarland. “Considering that we’ve never met, how is it that you know I’m a cop?”

The minute Angel intervened, Tim McFarland dropped the attitude and looked as if he’d turn tail and run. His change in outlook triggered her cop’s curiosity even more.

“
Call it a lucky guess. So what if I know you’re a cop. Big deal. I didn’t mean anything by it. I must have seen you on TV. You’ve got a face a man would remember.”

McFarland turned to leave, but Angel reached for his arm.

“No, you said I was ‘
that cop
’ like you knew me,” she argued.

The guy rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Look, why are you making a federal case out of this? I’m not breaking any laws. I had a pass, and that belligerent jerk didn’t honor it. Someone could check with Ethan. He’d clear things up, but no one will bother. The pass was slipped under my door. It
had
to come from Ethan himself. Apparently that means nothing to these people.” McFarland wiped his forehead with a handkerchief.

“
Did I hear you right, that you’re a neighbor to Ethan Chandler?” she asked.

“
Yes. He lives next door. We pass each other in the hallway sometimes.”

“
And you didn’t know the man who stopped you back there?”

“
No and I wouldn’t care to. He’s rude and pushy.” McFarland dabbed under his chin with his hankie. “Can I go now?”

Angel had no reason to detain McFarland. She’d run his name by Gabe and would do a background check.

“Yes. Have a good evening, sir.”

Tim McFarland pushed his way through the crowd, and Angel lost sight of him as she heard her name called.

“Angel. I’ve cleared you. Show your pass and come through.” Gabe waved to her from the front of the line, but after she got past the gatekeepers and a smug Rachel Blevins, she stopped in front of Bryce Peterson.

“
That testosterone flare-up looked like you two had history. What’s the story?” she asked.

“
Nothing. I hate people who say they know Ethan and expect special treatment. That’s all.”

Angel didn’t bother to point out the irony of Bryce’s own words.

“The guy’s his neighbor,” she said. “Maybe he
does
know him.”

“
He’s not on the list,” he argued with a dose of surly. “Rachel said no one gets past these guys if they aren’t on the list.”

Angel turned her attention on the publicist.
“You looked as if you enjoyed your front row seat.”

“
Leave her out of this.” Bryce came to Rachel’s rescue without hesitating. “She’s only looking out for Ethan.”

Rachel didn’t bother coming to her own defense. She didn’t have to. She only shrugged and smiled, but Angel wasn’t buying any of it. Bryce had downplayed his beef with McFarland. It looked personal, and the fact that the man lived next door to Ethan had put the neighbor on her list of suspects—a list with Bryce and Rachel’s names on it. They hadn’t been ruled out, in her mind.

“I lost my temper,” he added. “That’s all.”

“
You losing your cool, Bryce? Hard to imagine.” Angel let it go—for now—but not before glaring at Rachel for her part in adding fuel to the fire of Bryce’s temper. Her manipulative move came way too easy.

***

When Joaquin Salazar fixed his eyes on Rachel, she noticed. His sexy good looks were amplified in a tuxedo, but his dark eyes were the best feature in his arsenal. He pulled her aside with a touch of his hand on her elbow, but the way he stared at her held her where she stood.

“
That scene between Bryce and Ethan’s neighbor, it looked as if you enjoyed it.” He kept his voice low. “Don’t try to deny it. You strike me as a woman who likes to be in control. I like that.”

“
Do you have a point, Joaquin?”

“
Only an observation.” He let his gaze trail down to her lips. “Bryce is a hot head and he’s in rehab. That can’t be good for Ethan’s reputation, yet you know how to pull his strings when it matters. I like that, too.”

“
Ethan considers Bryce a friend. Nothing I can do, except look after Ethan’s best interest.”

Joaquin crooked his lip into a lazy smile.

“Who do you think killed Olivia?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “Someone did. And with Bryce’s temper, anything could happen. If he did it, and the cops try to link the killing to Ethan, that won’t be good for our boy’s stellar reputation.”

Rachel crossed her arms and said,
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what happened to Olivia. What are you getting at?”

“
My benefactor, Evelyn, wouldn’t want to see Ethan harmed in this. If there is anything I can do to help you, please…call me. I can be very discreet. No one has to know. Not even Evelyn.”

Joaquin reached for her hand and kissed it, not taking his eyes off her. He didn’t wait for her reply before he drifted into the crowd, and she lost him.

Rachel clenched her teeth.

***

After Angel joined her partner, Gabe escorted her through the backstage. Ethan’s dressing room had bodies to the rafters—all of them talking and drinking champagne—with dozens of roses that filled the air with a heady floral scent. A cluster of people across the ample room gave Angel a clue of where Ethan could be found.

“
It’s that woman detective,” Rachel said as she caught up to Angel and stepped around her to touch her client’s arm.

“
Angelica. Good of you to come.” Ethan’s face lit up with a strained smile. “Please…someone get her a glass of champagne.”

Before she had a chance to decline the alcohol, a man shoved a crystal flute of champagne into her hand.

“Angelica?” When Gabe whispered in her ear, Angel nudged him with an elbow before she inched closer to Ethan.

“
Your performance, it was…breathtaking.” Standing next to the violinist, Angel struggled for words. “I’ve never—”

“
He is truly one of a kind.”

Ethan smiled and blushed as an older woman with silver hair interrupted Angel. Dazzling in shiny couture and dripping in diamonds, the woman kissed his cheek and left her mark of bright red lipstick.

“Drink, darling,” she said to Angel as she raised her glass toward Ethan. “It’s not every day that you’re graced by such an angelic presence.”

“
Don’t be so quick with the halo, Evelyn,” Ethan said. “I’m not feeling very worthy these days.”

Angel caught a glimpse of the sadness she’d seen the day she first met the violinist, after he’d found out about Olivia. He’d put on a show and for the sake of everyone in his dressing room, he still had his game face on.

“Who was that horrid man trying to barge through the backstage line?” Evelyn asked, turning to Rachel.

“
Apparently he’s a neighbor of Ethan’s,” Rachel said. “He’s a bit obsessed, if you ask me. Bryce was only being a good friend to our boy here.”

“
You can fill me in later. I love juicy gossip.” The older woman raised her glass to the publicist and winked.

The wealthy woman was accompanied by the same young Latino man dressed in a tux who had taken an interest in McFarland’s attempt to get backstage. The woman didn’t have the sensitivity to pick up on Ethan’s dark mood. Being the center of attention, she carried on as if nothing bad had happened to him. Even if Angel could get Ethan’s attention now, the dowager and her escort dominated the crowd surrounding the violinist, distracting the musician with their abrasive behavior and the familiar way they both touched him. Angel backed off.

Ethan must have known them well.

“
Detectives, I’d like you to meet Ethan’s agent, Harrison Reeves.”

At the sound of Rachel’s voice, Angel turned as the publicist made introductions and a distinguished looking man in a navy suit stepped forward, not bothering to offer his hand.

“I’m surprised to see you here, Detectives. Taking in a concert? I thought closing this case would take priority.” The tall man with gray at his temples glared in judgment.

“
We’re here at the request of Ms. Blevins,” Gabe intervened. “Otherwise I’d be bowling. League night.”

“
Is that intended to be funny?”

“
Only if you’ve seen me bowl.”

Angel rolled her eyes.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Reeves. Did you know Olivia?”

With a stern face, Reeves glanced toward Ethan and made sure his client looked distracted before he answered.

“Yes, I knew her.”

When Reeves didn’t say anything more, Angel noticed the grimace that flashed across his face at the mention of Olivia Davenport’s name.

“But you didn’t approve of Ethan’s choice in girlfriends.” She furrowed her brow. “Why?”

When the agent tightened his jaw, she wasn’t sure he’d answer.

“That girl was a scandal in the making. Despite outward appearances and her family’s pedigree, Olivia had no discretion. Ethan could have done better.” Reeves heaved a disapproving sigh and added, “If you’ll excuse me.”

When the agent cut a path through the crowd and disappeared, Rachel shrugged and shook her head.
“He wasn’t a fan. And Harrison’s very protective of his cash cow.”

“
Sounds like you have a dose of bovine envy,” Gabe mumbled under his breath to Angel.

“
What?” Rachel cocked her head.

“
Nothing. Does Ethan need that much protecting?” Gabe asked the publicist. “I mean, between you and Mr. Warmth, I’d say that’s overkill for one blind fiddle player. You two ever disagree on what’s best for him?”

Before Rachel answered, a woman’s voice nabbed Angel’s attention.

“Don’t I know you?”

The older woman, who smelled of cash and had been with Ethan, broke through the crowd waggling her finger at Gabe. She sidled next to him with her boy toy on her arm.

“I never forget a handsome man, especially one with delicious bruises on his face. You were at Simone Moreau’s place the other night,” the woman said. “I sat behind you two in the theatre. Simone is very picky about who she invites to her bed. You must be very special.”

“
Simone Moreau,” Angel whispered to her partner. “Isn’t she—”

Angel never got to finish. When she looked at her partner, Gabe stared at the woman and the young Hispanic guy until recognition registered on his face. With it came a rare splash of color. Gabe blushed.

“You remember him, don’t you, Joaquin?” the woman said with a wicked smile. “He’s the one I said would make a scrumptious seven course meal.”

The guy in the tuxedo chuckled with their inside joke.
“And I said I’d stay for dessert.”

Rachel stepped in with an amused look on her face.

“This is Evelyn Carmichael, Detectives. She’s a generous patron of the arts and Ethan’s number one fan. Her escort is Joaquin Salazar.” Without mercy, the publicist stared at Gabe and twisted the knife. “How do you know each other again?”

***

All eyes were on him, even Angel’s.

Cronan suspected most of the cops on the force knew Simone Moreau by reputation. Even without the high-profile murder that took place on her estate, Simone and her exotic
sexploits
had earned her well-deserved notoriety within CPD, despite her desire for discretion.

“
I worked a case at the Moreau estate. That’s how I know Simone. That’s it,” he explained.

Evelyn Carmichael and her
mansickle
looked at him as if he were a porterhouse with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. Rachel Blevins raised an eyebrow, and Bryce Peterson glared, but Angel had his attention. She clenched her jaw and did her best to remain unreadable, except for the palpable tension he felt between them.

“
What?” He shrugged. “Simone is a…friend.”

No doubt his partner had figured out he had carried on the investigation without her. Although she had done the same by meeting with Chandler on the sly, they had enough history with the problem of him going rogue, that he knew she wouldn’t let this one slide. Even if it made sense that Moreau might have insight on the vic’s preference for bedroom acrobatics and sex toys, Angel would be pissed for different reasons.

“Can we be friends, too?” Evelyn Carmichael didn’t know when to quit.

Cronan didn’t answer her.

He vaguely remembered the woman from Simone’s. When she mentioned the theatre, a gong went off in his brain. He’d been so focused on talking to Simone—doing his best to ignore the mind blowing glimpses of sexual deviancy in every corner of the Moreau mansion—that it took a moment for the gray-haired woman’s face to register.

Someone else within Ethan’s tight circle of protectors and fans had a connection to Simone Moreau, a coincidence he didn’t like. But for tonight, the damage had been done with his partner. Cronan didn’t have to be a mind reader to see that the rift between them had split wide open.