Mayhem in High Heels by Gemma Halliday Read Free Book Online Page A

his press release or an actual sentiment I'd be hard pressed to say.
    "We know you divorced last year. Had you seen Gigi lately?" I asked.
    "No. No, I hadn't. Not since we bumped into each other at a charity function a couple months ago. Uh, sit, will you?" he asked, gesturing to a pair of leather club chairs as he sank into the executive version behind his desk.
    Dana and I complied, her bare thighs making a little farting sound as she shifted on the leather.
    "Had you had much contact with her?" I asked
    "No. Our divorce wasn't what you'd call a friendly one."
    This piqued my interested. "Oh?"
    Seth frowned, looking out the massive window again as if searching back into a memory he'd just as soon forget. "No. It was... tumultuous to say the least."
    "You fought?"
    "Constantly."
    "About?"
    He drew in a deep breath. "Her health."
    Not the answer I had been expecting. I bit the inside of my cheek. "If you don't mind me asking, what was wrong with Gigi?"
    "Absolutely nothing. That was the problem. When I first met Gigi five years ago, things were wonderful. Life was like one long honeymoon. But a few months after we married, she started obsessing about her appearance. Her wrinkles, her hair, her pores, her skin. Every inch of her body was under constant scrutiny. Finally, I suggested she see a doctor if she was so worried. Huge mistake on my part."
    "Why is that?"
    "She saw one all right. A plastic surgeon. At first, it was just a simple chemical peel. Then it turned into an eye lift, a brow lift, implants in her cheeks. She had so many procedures I can't even remember them all. And after each one I had to watch her go though the agony of a painful recovery, just to hear her pick apart another body part the next month. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore."
    No wonder I'd had such a hard timed determining her age. It sounded like Gigi had gone to the plastic surgeon like most people go the supermarket.
    "Exactly how old was Gigi?"
    Seth shook his head. "Beats me."
    "Wait, you didn't know how old your wife was?"
    "Like I told you, she was obsessed with being younger. She said there were some secrets women never tell. Frankly, it didn't matter to me, so I dropped it."
    "Well, she must have had a good surgeon," Dana piped up. "I never would have known she had all those procedures."
    "Oh, she did," Seth said. "The best money could buy. The revenue from her little wedding business," he said, flicking his wrist as if her million-dollar-a-year enterprise was nothing more than a blip on his radar, "every cent went into her looks. The woman was obsessed with staying young."
    "What about your money?"
    "Ha!" He let out a sharp laugh. "No way. I had her sign an iron-clad prenup."
    I tried to ignore the I-told-you-so look Dana shot me.
    "Gigi didn't see a dime from me once the divorce papers were signed."
    So much for motive. The way he spoke of her, it was more like she was a minor annoyance, like a pesky mosquito that had buzzed through his life more than a passionate entanglement. Our husband theory was sinking faster than the Titanic .
    "Do you know if she was seeing anyone new?" I asked, totally fishing now.
    He steepled his fingers under his chin. "She was with someone at the charity gala last fall." He did a laugh slash snort thing. "Young guy, probably half her age. But I guess that's why her plastic surgeon now drives a Bentley, right?"
    "Any idea who he was?"
    He shrugged. "She said he was a musician or something. I didn't really pay attention. Attention was what she wanted, so that was the last thing I was willing to give her."
    Spoken like a true bitter ex.
    "Well, thanks very much for your time. And, again, sorry for your loss."
    A flicker of emotion passed across his features, and he mumbled a, "Thank you," as Dana and I slipped out of his office.
    Once down the hallway, we power walked past Sweater Vest with our heads down. Luckily, since it sounded like he was simultaneously on four different calls, he didn't even