The Rubys

3| s h o c k

Before he could pinpoint where he had heard the name, Vivian said it out loud. "Senator Sanders' one and only precious son, T.J Sanders."

"Why would he be an unexpected guest? Isn't he dating her younger sister, Remy Ruby?" Bethany asked curiously. Tristan added the new information in his head about the younger Ruby girl.

Vivian threw a disdainful glance towards Beth. "I'm getting there, detective. And yes, because of that exact same reason, the Sanders boy is an unexpected guest. Let's just say the sisters aren't the best of friends." She smiled wryly. "Anyway, Chevelle Ruby left with the handsome young man, leaving us hanging for nearly thirty minutes without a host." She said it as though it was the most outrageous thing that could ever happen.

"They left the ballroom together for thirty minutes?" Tristan muttered as he tried to connect the dots, unintentionally cutting off the woman.

Instead of snapping at him like she did to Beth, she smirked, as if that was exactly the thing she wanted to imply. "Yes. Just the two of them. Alone. She came back thirty minutes later without the boy but left again after staying around for another ten minutes. And let's just say she never came back..." Vivian trailed off.

Cogs started to turn inside Tristan's head. "Are you implying that Mr. Sanders might be somewhat involved in Miss Ruby's death?"

Vivian shrugged. "I'm just giving you some ideas, Detective."

Tristan nodded. "We will remember that Mrs. Alastair. But right now, all we can do is wait for the autopsy results to determine the cause of death. Only when it rules out suicide—"

Vivian's incredulous laughs cut him off. Tristan narrowed his eyes at the older woman, and her laughs slowly faded to be replaced by a sardonic smile. "Suicide? Why would a rich and successful girl like Chevelle Ruby end her life? The inflated pride of that arrogant girl would never allow her to kill herself."

She looked at Tristan with mock sympathy. "Welcome to our world, boy. Where vicious claws are hidden behind pretty faces and expensive riches. If you ever want to crack this case, you might want to learn how our world revolves first."

Vivian cocked her head towards the other side, and Tristan followed to see her eyes set upon Remy Ruby. Vivian slowly turned back and leaned forwards, her lips just hovering near Tristan's ears. "If I were you, I would start with her first."

She straightened back, and brushed invisible dust from Tristan's jacket leisurely with her long manicured fingers. He clenched his teeth, resisting the immense urge to push her wrinkled hand away.

Throwing one last simpering smile at him, she sauntered off towards a gray Rolls Royce where a chauffeur was waiting, the car door already opened. Tristan ran his hands through his dark brown hair, and returned his eyes back on the girl with flaming red hair.

"Are you sure you are okay?" June Chen asked Rey for the third time in less than ten minutes. Rey had adamantly been reassuring the slender young woman that she was fine, but June wouldn't stop worrying about her friend.