Tonia's POV
His next question caught me completely off guard. "Did you happen to encounter her before the party?"
"Are you serious right now?" Lucien's voice turned razor sharp. "Why would she have any reason to meet an Executioner beforehand?"
"Could you please allow us to conduct our investigation?" The female investigator's tone was ice cold.
"Sure, as long as you take your investigation somewhere else instead of harassing someone who's clearly unwell."
"Lucien, please." I cut through the tension. "I can handle this."
His protective instincts were admirable, but if he continued this aggressive stance, we'd draw exactly the kind of suspicion we needed to avoid.
I focused on the lead investigator again. "Yes, we did meet. It was at the shopping center when I was picking up gifts for the twins."
Those midnight-dark eyes studied me with unnerving intensity, revealing nothing of what he was thinking.
"What was discussed during this encounter?"
