LeSalle straightened in the chair placed in front of a large blue and white painting in a modern, abstract style. “Let’s just say D-Chop didn’t always hold that same perspective.”

“You mean he didn’t trust you were doing what was best for him?” Nevaeh’s sweater sleeve brushed against Branson’s arm as she leaned in more.

“That’s a good point.” LeSalle nodded as if he were answering the question. “Trust is important between a manager and his client. Once that’s gone, even if through no fault of the manager’s, it’s hard to rebuild the relationship.”

“So you would say D-Chop had no reason to mistrust you?”

LeSalle’s gaze drifted down a bit, maybe to where Branson appeared on his screen. “Of course, he didn’t have a reason. Not a good one.” An edge lined LeSalle’s voice. “Certain…influences around D-Chop convinced him I couldn’t be trusted. But that was never true. I always did only what was best for his career.”

“D-Chop said you were pressuring him to give up his interest in fashion design.”

Branson glanced at Nevaeh. How did she know that? Maybe the tabloids.

“I may have suggested it was too far of a departure from his brand and primary revenue. That’s sound business advice. Not pressuring or misguiding.” The edge returned with the last words. LeSalle definitely wasn’t okay with what had happened.

“So based on the way D-Chop wouldn’t listen to you and misrepresented you to the press, you probably wouldn’t even want to manage him again if he asked you.” Branson kept his eyes locked on the screen, homing in on every detail of LeSalle’s response to the question.

The man forced a smile that held longer but didn’t reach his eyes. “I would be delighted to represent D-Chop.”

“Why?” Nevaeh threw out the perfect question—quick and to the point.

Enough to catch LeSalle by surprise, judging from the way his smile faltered. “Even the closest of families have little tiffs now and then. But if we didn’t forgive and move on, where would we be?”

“Good point.” Though Branson didn’t buy this guy having any familial affection for D-Chop. More like a love of D-Chop’s profit margin. “Speaking of where you are, I understand you’re in Paris right now?”

“Yes.”

Branson wasn’t about to take the word of the manager’s secretary for it. “Can you verify that somehow for us?”

“Why would I do that? You don’t suspect me of something, do you?” The man’s brown eyebrows lifted. “Did something happen to D-Chop?”

News of the attempted kidnapping of D-Chop’s kids had leaked out and was being featured on all the major news sources. How would his ex-manager have missed that? Unless he really was overseas and wasn’t staying in touch with events back home. Or he could be faking.

“I wondered why his security personnel were conducting his interviews.” LeSalle’s eyes narrowed. “I thought it was some kind of clearance procedure D-Chop wanted.”

“In a way, that’s true.”

“Well, look at my social media. I’ve been posting photos of Paris. Or check my flight itinerary. Isn’t that how these things are done?”

“Sure.” It was a good sign the man didn’t seem reluctant to have his alibi investigated. Though he could be bluffing.

“Now, when do I talk to D-Chop?” The manager’s gaze tracked downward again, probably looking at Branson instead of the camera lens.

“You know D-Chop. I can’t say for sure.”

“I see.”

Even if LeSalle was in Paris, that didn’t eliminate him as a suspect. He could’ve hired someone to carry out his threats and the kidnapping. Someone from D-Chop’s staff, if it was an inside job as Branson was starting to suspect. “Do you know D-Chop’s current staff members?”

LeSalle blinked, silent for a moment. Covering something or genuinely surprised? “Do you mean his personal staff? I don’t know if I’m familiar with all of them.”

“Which ones do you know?” Nevaeh’s question prompted the man to move his gaze to the right, perhaps where she was on his screen.

“Well, the housekeeper. And his assistant, of course. I believe his hired chef changed with his move.”

Interesting that LeSalle seemed confident Marsha and Peter were still on staff. As if he’d kept tabs on them or on D-Chop.

“Do you know the groundskeeper?”

Source: www.seynovel.com