Hi, angel,

I’m not going to beat about the bush because Sonny is waiting outside the car and we’re heading into Ava’s to see Eva Foxton and I want to make sure that someone besides me knows how many blue beans make five. This message is insurance, just in case.

OK, Callie, here it is.

George Davison murdered Dan Jeavons. George is … was Dan’s butler. I don’t have any proof, but I’m convinced of it. George’s daughter, Chima, is seventeen and she has a three-month-old daughter named Zelie. I checked Zelie’s birth certificate online with the General Records Office and Jeavons is Zelie’s dad. That man is … was a son of a bitch who told me that he liked his girls ‘fresh’. Ew. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. I think Dan’s mistake on the night he died was saying it when George was present, plus George was the only one Dan would allow to get behind him. I saw it with my own eyes. George gathered up coffee cups or some such from one of the bookcases behind Dan and Dan didn’t even twitch. When I spoke to Patrix earlier today, he said Dan wouldn’t even let him move round his desk, never mind get behind him. If you speak to the other guests at Dan’s dinner party, I’m sure they’ll have similar tales to tell. I guess Dan thought he had nothing to fear from someone who worked for him. Just shows how wrong a man can be.

But here’s the thing, Callie: I don’t know what to do with the information.

I’ve been warned that the case against Tobey is about to be dropped and that the police are going to come after me. Tobey still has the murder weapon that’s bound to have a partial print of mine or other forensic proof that I handled it, like fibres from the blouse I wore on the night. I tried to wipe it clean with my blouse, but I know that in my haste and panic I did a lousy job. And, thanks to an anonymous tip-off, the police now know that Tobey has the real murder weapon. That juicy titbit could only have come from George. He was the only one apart from Tobey and me who knew about the letter opener. I believe this is his way of making sure the police only look in my direction in their search for Dan’s killer. Well, I have no intention of going to prison for something I didn’t do, nor am I going to let myself get locked up for being stupid – which yes, I was. I admit it. But, if stupidity were enough reason to lock someone up, there’d be no one left on the outside. But here’s the problem – I don’t want to land George in prison either. His daughter and his granddaughter need him, now more than ever. Plus, if I’m honest, I don’t blame him. Dan was all kinds of wrong for what he did to Chima.

That man was always a lowlife, no-class, scum-sucking creep.

Mouthing off to me about how he preferred younger girls when George was in the room with us at the time … Well, it makes me wonder if Dan had some kind of death wish or was he just sticking it to George because he could? Am I sorry Dan’s gone? Hell no, I am not.

Anyway, I know Zelie is Chima’s child because I met them both earlier today. As soon as Zelie began crying, Chima started to lactate and it stained her T-shirt. Been there, done that. Particularly with breast pads that don’t work and get saturated within a minute and a half, rendering them pointless.

So I’m letting you know the truth, but you are NOT to do anything with this information without my permission. D’you hear me, Callie? Do not take it to the police or any other authority without passing it by me first. And please, please don’t let Tobey know about my suspicions. I still don’t trust that man, nor what he’d do with this knowledge. Nor do I want him retaliating against George and Chima for the death of his best friend Dan and, quite frankly, I wouldn’t put it past him.

Damn but I’m tired.

This has been one hell of a day and it’s not over yet. I need to get Troy home safely and then I can apply my mind to what to do about George. And I’ll tell you something else, honey. Dan was going to die that night one way or another. He spent the whole evening antagonizing his guests so the atmosphere by the time the starter was served was positively febrile. George just got in first. Anyway, let’s talk later when hopefully Troy is home and asleep in his own bed.

I love you, Callie. You’re still my favourite daughter. Ha!

See you soon.