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Yeah, she’s going to be less grateful if I tell her this, but there are enough lies between us. “There’s not a whole lot to go on in recent history, because Dell isn’t renting anywhere and he doesn’t own anything. That car he’s driving belongs to a cousin and whatever loans he’s taken out haven’t been with a bank. The only real records she could find were from back when the two of you were working together. The guy was a real con-artist when he was with you, scammed a fair amount of money out of people, but not long after your name disappears from the lease you were sharing, he gets caught and spends a couple weeks in prison.”
She shakes her head, her gaze going distant. “He got greedy.”
This confirms what I suspected. “You kept him from being overly ambitious.”
She meets my gaze and chews on her bottom lip, thoughtfully. “Dell was never the con artist, Mac. I am. I mean I was. I’m not anymore.”
I’m so shocked, I’m actually speechless. All along, I figured she’d gotten caught up in Dell’s schemes, not the other way around.
“I’m only telling you so your PI will know who she’s dealing with. Dell can be charming and he’s amoral, but he’s no mastermind.”
“You’re the con artist.” My entire perspective on this woman shifts and re-molds. “That’s what you were trying to do when we met. You were trying to manipulate me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Yep, I’m the devil.” She narrows her eyes. “And if you tell my sisters, I’ll destroy you.”
“I won’t tell your sisters.” I’m still trying to take all of this in. “Your father was a con artist, too, right? That’s what Clover said.”
She shrugs. “Where do you think I learned it?”
I wait, but she taps her fingers on the counter, mouth pinched tight.
“You know I’m not letting this go, right? I want to know more.”
She sighs heavily. “It’s really not that interesting. I got into some trouble as a teenager. Mostly because of Maya and Dell. Mom shipped me to Vegas to live with my dad for a while to get me away from my ‘bad crowd.’” She laughs wryly. “My Dad discovered I have a gift for reading people’s moods and intentions and he thought it would be great fun to teach me the con game. Really, I’m just a good listener and nosy, but he called it a gift.”
I lean forward, dragged into her magnetic field. “Was it fun?”
Her eyes light. “It was so much fun. Dad took me to these fancy parties, and I persuaded grown men to buy into whatever Dad’s latest scheme was. I felt so powerful. The men we conned were all rich and most of them were the kind of assholes who hit on a teenage girl, so I didn’t feel bad about what we were doing.” She shakes her head ruefully. “I might still be doing it today, but I let it slip to Mom after I convinced this incredibly savvy businessman to buy into one of Dad’s more ludicrous ideas. I felt so powerful, I just had to tell someone. Mom was so pissed she made Dad put me on the next plane home.”
“Did he share the proceeds of the scams with you?”
She smiles fondly. “Not a penny. He was a selfish bastard, but, man, was he fun.”
For the first time, I wonder if I was wrong about her. Maybe she wouldn’t judge me for the ‘cheating’ scandal. But it’s too late to tell her the truth now. “And not only did you fall back in with the ‘bad crowd,’ you taught them about the con game.”
She shrugs. “Mom tried to explain to me how wrong it was to con people, but I didn’t get it. I was seventeen and thought I was invincible. Dell and Maya had a rough upbringing, and they barely had enough money for food and rent from week-to-week. I wasn’t hurting other people, I was helping Dell and Maya, two people I loved. I taught them an easy con, and it worked so well. The money that was coming in was life-changing for them.”
“But something happened.” Otherwise, wouldn’t she still be scamming people?
She chews on her lip and nods. “Sure. Yes. Something happened, and I got out. The scam was easy and they should have been able to keep it going with no problem, but after I left, but Dell ended up in jail and I don’t know what else happened. I’ll find out from Maya when I see her.”
“You’re going to see Maya?”
Her eyes go wide and it’s clear she’d told me more than she’d meant to. It probably slipped out because she doesn’t want to tell me about whatever happened that ended her crime spree with Dell and Maya. Since I have my own secrets, I’m not going to push.
“When are you going to see Maya?” I ask, because Honey has gone still and silent.
She focuses on me and gives me that fake smile that means she’s going to try to pull one over on me. “I’m meeting her in a public place. It’s no big deal.”
“A public place here in Catalpa Creek?”
“What difference does it make?” She studies her fingernails, picking at a bit of clay stuck to one of them. “It’s nothing for you to worry about. Based on her social media, Maya has gone straight. She’s married and has a kid. She’s not dangerous.”
Which means she’s not meeting with Maya locally. "I’m going with you.” I’m fully aware of the risk to my secrets, but I’m not letting her do this alone.
Her brows rise but, to my surprise, she nods in agreement. “I’d appreciate that. We’ll leave on Tuesday at noon.”
“I’m at your service.”
