The Vanishing Stair (Truly Devious #2)(6)

Catalina smiled, too. “Yep. We learned that lesson back at the start.”

Marsha absorbed the small pep talk in silence for a few beats. Then some of the nervous tension seeped out of her.

“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll be careful, but what I’d really like is to see that bastard go to jail.”

“We don’t have the kind of evidence that will stand up in a court of law,” Catalina said. “And none of the people we talked to are willing to testify. Eventually Hopper will cross the line and get caught, but until he does, he’s a menace.”

“He’s also one hell of a con artist, I’ll give him that. Thank you, again, Catalina. I’ll be back if I run into any other dates who seem too good to be true.”

Catalina hurried around her desk and crossed the room.

“Goodbye,” she said. She opened the door. “And please remember what I said. You should thank your own intuition. You saved yourself because you were smart enough to sense that you were being conned.”

“Right.” Marsha gave her a wry smile. Tears glittered in her eyes. “Think that will keep me company at night?”

“I’m sorry,” Catalina said again.

There was nothing else she could say. Sometimes she suggested that clients consult a counselor or a therapist but her intuition told her that Marsha would not take that advice well.

Marsha strode down the hall to the reception area. Daniel Naylor, ensconced behind the sleek receptionist desk, jumped to his feet and opened the outer door for her. She brushed past him and disappeared out into the hall.

When she was gone, Daniel closed the door and looked at Catalina.

“Is Ms. Matson depressed or just mad as hell?” he asked.

Daniel was in his early twenties and possessed the computer skills that Catalina and Olivia lacked. They had grown up in Fogg Lake, after all, where high-tech phones, laptops and other cutting-edge devices did not function well, if at all. Sure, they had picked up a working knowledge of computers in college, and they were becoming increasingly competent with the various programs required in the course of the investigation business, but there was no way they would ever become as nimble on the Internet as someone who had grown up wired to his tech, playing online games and navigating social media.

In addition to his skills, Daniel had a gift for putting tense, nervous clients at ease. He also had style. As if by magic, he made the casual street gear look that characterized Pacific Northwest fashion appear effortlessly cool.

“She’s both depressed and pissed off,” Catalina said.

Olivia emerged from her office. She had grown into a striking woman endowed with an artistic, bohemian vibe. Today she wore rust brown wide-legged trousers that flowed with every step. She had topped it off with a sleek long-sleeved silk blouse in deep yellow ocher. Her auburn hair was cut in an artful wedge that framed her hazel eyes and delicate features.

Next to Olivia and Daniel, Catalina always felt like a fashion failure. She had tried to find an appropriate style; really, she had worked hard at it. Olivia had taken her shopping innumerable times. But somehow nothing had ever felt right except her uniform of basic black. Today she was wearing black trousers, low-heeled black boots and a black crew-neck top. Her dark hair was caught back in a stern twist at the back of her head.

Olivia folded her arms and lounged in the doorway. “Marsha Matson is definitely pissed off.”

“She’s got every right to be angry,” Daniel pointed out.

“Yes, but I worry that she’ll confront Hopper face-to-face,” Catalina said. “I tried to reinforce the idea that he could be dangerous if cornered but I don’t think she was paying attention.”

“You did all you could do,” Daniel said.

“He’s right,” Olivia said. “All we can do is offer advice. It’s not your fault if Marsha Matson doesn’t follow through on your suggestion of how to handle Hopper.”

“Right,” Catalina said. “Now if only I could convince myself of that.”

Olivia sighed. “If only. Well, let’s just hope she calms down before she does anything rash, because I agree with you. Hopper is volatile.”

“I’ll give her a call later and see what sort of mood she’s in,” Catalina said.

Daniel glanced at his watch. “It’s after five. Unless you need me for something else, I’ll be on my way.”

“That’s it for today,” Catalina said. “See you in the morning.”

Olivia waited until the door closed behind Daniel before she turned to Catalina.

“Well, this is the big night,” she said. “Emerson is cooking for me at his place. I’ve got to pick up the wine. Wish me luck.”

“You know I wish you all the luck in the world, but are you sure you want to go through with your plan? Emerson’s a nice guy. The two of you enjoy each other’s company. Why take the risk of messing up a good thing by dropping the bombshell on him?”

“I can’t wait any longer, Cat. Things are getting too serious between us. It wouldn’t be fair to string him along. And to be honest, I need to know if our relationship is going to go somewhere good or if it’s doomed.”

“You think he’s the one, don’t you?”

“Maybe. I hope so. I know he’s attracted to me. He’s kind. Thoughtful. He cares about art and he’s got a good relationship with his dog. A man’s relationship with his dog says a lot about him. In addition, his aura is stable. Healthy.”