Page 12 of Loving a Billionaire

“Kurt,” she said with a sigh. “I’m not a perp. I’m your partner, remember?”

He chuckled and sat across from her. “Fine. Is this better?”

“Much better.” She forced a smile as she expelled a disheartened sigh. “I waited for you to meet me at the hotel, but as I waited outside of his penthouse suite, I heard a thump from inside. Because the front door was ajar, my gut told me to go in and check it out. I worried there was a robbery in progress, or worse... that someone was trying to kill him.”

Kurt nodded. “I would have probably done the same thing.”

“Good. Thankfully, it wasn’t a robbery in progress, or someone trying to end his life. But he walked out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a bathrobe.”

As she explained, she left out a few things, mainly because she didn’t want Kurt to know all the nitty-gritty details like how incredibly handsome Austin was, and how sweet he seemed at first, and how her heart skipped a beat whenever he locked gazes with her. She especially didn’t want Kurt to know how she’d lost control over her mind and actions when he had kissed her hand.

Kurt sucked in a fast breath. “What?” His voice lifted. “He thought you were a call girl?”

She shrugged. “What else was I to think? The questions he aimed at me led me to believe that I was being paid for by some guy named Ariki or Mr. Reeder, himself. Regardless, apaymentwas mentioned.” She huffed. “And of course, you forget what I was wearing. It’s no wonder he thought I was a hooker.”

Kurt shook his head. “Hookers are different than call girls. I thought you knew that.”

She scowled. “Well, yesterday when I was placed in that situation, I didn’t see a difference.”

Kurt’s mouth quirked, but thankfully, he didn’t laugh. She would have slugged him hard if he had.

“So, the only thing you found out about Kalama Kane was that she and Reeder were involved in a relationship?”

“Yes, I think. He mentioned knowing her, but they were just friends. He dropped the subject after that and wouldn’t answer any more questions. When I tried to bring it back up, he... um, well, he tried to dissuade me from talking about it. I left there upset that he thought of me as a call girl, and of course, that I couldn’t get him to talk.”

“Perhaps if he thought you were a police detective, that wouldn’t have happened.”

She silently growled. “Hamill, you know as well as I do that suspects are more open with people who aren’t connected with the police. Or have you forgotten that?”

“Now, now.” He held up his hands in surrender. “There’s no need to get irate with me.”

She took a deep breath and slowly released it as she counted to ten. It was true, she was getting upset, but Kurt didn’t have anything to do with it so she shouldn’t take it out on him.

Her partner left his side of the table and walked around to her, sitting on the desk right beside her.

“I’m sure you know Mr. Reeder has a reputation with women, right?”

She folded her arms and lifted her chin. “I think he’s an egotistical, male chauvinistic jerk, and if I ever see him again, it’ll be too soon.”

Kurt groaned and rubbed his forehead. “Really? Most women I know fall madly in love with him, or his money, at first sight.”

“Well, I’m not like most women.” She really hated lying, but she detested looking like a fool, even more.

He frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Why?” she hesitantly asked.

“Because yesterday while Gibbs and Tyrone were investigating the victim’s apartment again, you’ll never guess what they found.”

“What?”

Kurt pushed his fingers through his thick wavy hair that almost brushed his shoulders. It was getting long, and he needed it cut.

“They found several receipts from a drugstore, where she’d purchased contraceptives and hygiene items. Not only that, she had a monthly prescription of birth control pills.”

Talia shrugged. “Kalama was a woman who likes to be extra careful. After all, she was seeing Romeo Reeder.”

Kurt chuckled. “There’s more. They asked the neighbors if she had any boyfriends, and nobody saw her with anyone. Gibbs and Tyrone discovered that she had made large deposits in her bank account in the last two years.” He arched an eyebrow. “They showed Kalama’s picture to the store manager, and he said she’d been a regular customer for about two years.” He licked his lips. “And didn’t you just tell me Reeder said he’d known Kalama from his past?”