“That’s because you’re a good person.”
“Can you call Harper now?” she asked.
“I will in a few minutes. There’s a bit more.”
“I don’t know if I want to know anymore.”
“This part isn’t bad,” I said. She took a sip of her wine and gestured with her hand for me to continue. “Since we know where Lewis Hall and Leah Salt live, we’re going to watch for them to return home and bring them in for a chat when they do. In the meantime, Byte started looking into their backgrounds. He noticed something on Leah’s phone records and wanted me to ask you if the name Victoria Bell means anything to you?”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me!” Daphne yelled. “Victoria Bell?”
“That’s what he said,” I said hesitantly. “I’m assuming you know her.”
Daphne’s face was filled with disgust. “She’s the woman Sean was having an affair with.”
“Was?” I asked. “So they’re not together anymore?”
“I saidwasbecause I didn’t think it would still be considered an affair since he and I are no longer together, but I honestly don’t know if they’re still in a relationship. I do know they have a child together. And since he refuses to divorce me, he’s made me a stepmother against my will!” she fumed.
Unable to stop myself, I laughed, causing Daphne’s angry eyes to focus on me. I held my hands up in surrender, still laughing. “I’m sorry, but that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. He made you a stepmother against your will.”
“Well, that’s exactly what he did. I have a stepchild out there, and I don’t even know its name,” she said and tried not to laugh.
“Did you just refer to your stepchild as it?”
“Itis a gender-neutral pronoun, and since I don’t know that either,itwas the appropriate choice.”
“Oh, I wish Ink was here for this,” I laughed.
“I am,” Ink said, appearing from the kitchen, also laughing. “And thank fuck, because I was about to die in there.”
“I’m glad y’all think my life is amusing,” Daphne said. She was trying to seem mad and failing miserably.
Ink opened his arms wide. “Come here, stepmommy dearest. I think you need a hug.”
She tried to hide her face as she hugged him, but we could both see that she was laughing.
“Sorry,” Ink said. “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“It’s fine. Did you need something?” I asked. We’d had an open-door policy since we moved into our houses, so I didn’t care that he’d walked in unannounced, but I made a mental note to make sure I told Daphne about it.
“Yes. Edge and I are about to start our stakeout, but my nosy ass wanted to know if she knew Victoria Bell,” Ink said without an ounce of shame.
“Clearly, I do,” Daphne said. “I hope you enjoyed the show.”
“It was more than I could’ve hoped for,” Ink grinned.
“She goes by Tori,” Daphne said. “Tori Bell. I always thought it sounded liketerrible, which is how I refer to her, when I must.”
“Tori Bell. Terrible,” Ink said. “You’re right. It does sound like terrible. I wonder if her kid has a stupid name, too.”
Daphne genuinely laughed. “Thank you. I needed that.”
“Let’s call the kid Taco.”
“Taco Bell,” Daphne said, bending at the waist and laughing so hard she wheezed. “You better not make me pee!”
Ink held his hands up in surrender. “I don’t think I have those powers.”