Indigo Rain

by Elise Noble

  “We’ll have to do this again sometime, Penny.”

  Emmy didn’t bother to get up. “I don’t think so.”

  “Huh?”

  “I switched our glasses when you went to get the swizzle stick. I don’t know what you just drank, but unless you pay a visit to the emergency room pretty fucking fast, I don’t suppose you’ll be around for much longer.”

  Holy fuck!

  Zander resisted the urge to (a) pump a fist in the air and (b) make popcorn as Meredith turned the colour of Vina’s oh-so-deadly face cream. After a moment’s hesitation, Meredith made a dash for the door, only to find it firmly locked.

  “Good luck with that,” Emmy said. “I had my buddy in the security office override the locks.”

  Fear turned to outright panic as Meredith grabbed the stubby knife she’d used to slice the lemon. Emmy slowly got to her feet, relaxed, even smiling.

  “What did you put in my drink, Meredith?” One swift kick and the knife went sailing across the room. Emmy twisted Meredith’s arm behind her back and propelled her into an armchair. “Something that takes a while to kick in, obviously. Did you plan to be out of the way when I carked it? Set yourself up with an alibi?”

  Meredith’s silence gave Emmy her answer.

  “Was it hemlock? That would give you half an hour before your muscles weaken and paralysis sets in. How about arsenic? Do you have stomach pain? Strychnine? Is there a little stiffness in your jaw? Come on, tell me.”

  “Ethylene glycol,” Meredith muttered, almost too quietly to hear.

  “Ooh, nasty. Vomiting, seizures, and renal failure. You really need to get to the emergency room for a good dose of fomepizole.”

  “Let me out of here, you bitch.”

  That was a bit rich, considering Meredith had just tried to kill Emmy.

  “Sure. But first I need answers for my client.”

  “Your client?”

  Emmy’s grin was best described as malicious. She was enjoying this. “Yeah, my client. I’m a private investigator, and Travis Thorne hired me to find out why his girlfriends keep dying. So talk me through it. Let’s start with Marli.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Tick-tock. How do you like being doubled over in pain? I saw a guy in the later stages of ethylene glycol poisoning once. I’m not sure they ever did get the blood he puked up out of the carpet.”

  Meredith glanced at the door again, both arms wrapped around her stomach. Emmy had her, and everyone knew it.

  “Marli?” she prompted again.

  “I never touched Marli. She just gave me the idea. That whore was a waste of space, an addict, and Travis still wanted to spend time with her. Why? She couldn’t do anything for him.”

  “Well, maybe he wanted to do something for her?”

  “Bullshit. He didn’t need to run around after women. They lined up to please him.”

  Meredith totally missed the point, probably because she was a selfish witch. Not everything in life was done with an expectation of repayment.

  “So Marli was the catalyst. Then you moved on to Jae-Lin.”

  “They’d split up. She couldn’t keep coming back for another go. Every time that happened, he shut me out for days.”

  “Perhaps he was having fun with her?”

  “Fun? Music is his life—he’s said that since he was a teenager. And now that he’s got his dream career, he doesn’t need any complications.”

  “So you did this for him?”

  Her head bobbed. “Exactly.”

  Zander had never heard logic that warped. Meredith’s elevator clearly didn’t go all the way to the top floor.

  “How?”

  “I dropped one of my green-lipped mussel capsules in her drink. Everyone knew she was allergic to shellfish. She never stopped bleating about it.”

  “And Reagan? What did she do?”

  “Reagan was nothing to do with me.”

  “Then how did she fall down the stairs?”

  “Who knows? Probably couldn’t walk in those stupid shoes she bought. She was sleeping with Gary too, you know.”

  “Gary? Euuuch.”

  “How else do you think she got the job?”

  “By being a good PA?”

  “That’s not how Gary works.”

  “Yuck. Okay, so skip Reagan. Vina?”

  Meredith checked her watch. “She should have been a one-hit wonder, but Travis offered to help with her album. Write her songs in secret. Those were supposed to be my songs.”

  “Perhaps he could’ve helped both of you?”

  “Like he has time for that.”

  “Why didn’t you have a go at writing your own tracks?”

  “I did, but the label hated them, okay? It’s not like I’m totally lazy.”

  No, she’d clearly put a lot of effort into trying to kill people.

  “And so you what? Snuck into her room and swapped out her jar of face cream?”

  “It wasn’t exactly difficult. She always left her key in her jacket pocket.”

  “So, now we come to Caitlin. That was you as well, I take it.”

  “Travis dated her for two years. Two years of his life, wasted. She ditched him, and still every time she snaps her fingers, he goes running. She doesn’t deserve him.”

  “In your opinion.”

  “Everyone’s entitled to an opinion. And you need to let me go now. We had a deal.”

  “Where’s the car you used to run her over?”

  “I borrowed my neighbour’s truck. And I’m not a thief—he gave me permission.”

  “Permission to use it in a felony?”

  “He never specified, just gave me the keys and said to use it whenever I wanted because I offered to water his plants while he was on vacation. See? I did that because I’m a nice person.”

  Good grief. Meredith was insane.

  “Didn’t he ask about the damage?”

  “I told him I hit a deer.” She fidgeted in her seat. “Now let me go. You promised. You promised.”

  “Yeah, I did.” Emmy tapped away on her phone, all pretence because it was Black who gave the order to Mack. “The door’s unlocked now. So long.”

  Meredith leapt to her feet, ran across the room, and yanked the door open. Emmy was letting her go? It seemed that way, but Meredith wasn’t done yet. She couldn’t resist turning back as she stood on the threshold, poised to run.

  “You’re so stupid. Nobody’s gonna believe a word you say, and when I tell everyone you poisoned me, you’re going to jail.”

  “Stupid? Yes, of course I’m stupid. Dumb as a box of rocks.” Emmy barked out a laugh. “I didn’t switch the glasses, pumpkin, and while I doubt the ethylene glycol will have done the potted plant much good, I’m not sure its death is a criminal offence. But attempted murder is. Quarter of a glassful of the evidence is still sitting on the table.”

  Meredith’s mouth dropped open.

  “Smile, sweetheart. You’re on candid camera. From several different angles, and I’m wired for sound too. It’s all transmitting remotely. Ain’t technology great? Now, because I’m a nice person, I’m gonna give you the chance to turn yourself in before I call the cops. The judge might look favourably on that if you show remorse.”

  “But…but…”

  “I’ll give you an hour to consider your options before I pick up the phone.” Emmy pulled the door open wider. “Bye, Felicia. Enjoy jail.”

  When Meredith didn’t move, Emmy gave her a little nudge.

  “Off you fuck. What’s wrong? Did I stutter?”

  Meredith took a step forward, and Emmy pushed the door closed, forcing her out into the hallway. Shit. Emmy could be a devious bitch when she put her mind to it, and Zander sure was glad to have her on their side.

  “What now?” he asked as Black switched CCTV feeds to get a better angle of Meredith. “We take the tape and what’s left of that Pepsi to the police? Can we get someone to find that truck before the neighbour gets it repaired?”

 
; “No. Now, we wait.”

  “Wait?” Why? “How long for? The full hour?”

  “I’m betting on less than ten minutes.” Black tilted his head slightly. “Five minutes? Okay, Diamond. Fifty bucks.”

  Meredith still hadn’t moved her feet, but she looked both ways down the hallway. Nervous. Twitchy. She was the only one there, and instead of walking towards the elevator, she headed for the roof terrace at the far end. Did she need some thinking time? Zander couldn’t blame her for that. Her grand plan had been derailed, and now she’d want to keep her ass out of a prison cell.

  But Meredith didn’t stop at the glass-topped table or one of the squashy sun loungers. No, she carried right on to the waist-high rail around the edge, leaned forward over it, and swan-dived off the building.

  “Holy shit!” Zander leapt out of his chair, eyes fixed on the screen where Meredith had been standing until a second ago. “Did she just jump?”

  He’d seen it with his own eyes, but he could still hardly believe it.

  Black merely smiled, the sick fuck. “Ten out of ten for effort, but her technique could have been better.”

  CHAPTER 39 - ZANDER

  EMMY KEPT HER camera and microphone on as she lied her way through the police interview, a sincere and heartfelt chat about how Meredith had poured her heart out over a glass of Diet Pepsi. The pressures the young woman had felt on tour, the lack of time to herself, and how she wanted out but didn’t know how to escape. Penny’s advice to find a therapist had gone unheeded, and poor Meredith had sought the most tragic of endings. Penny even threw in tears.

  Of course, there was little the police could do to dispute the story. Emmy had poured the remains of the Pepsi down the sink, and the video footage from inside the hotel suite would remain in Blackwood’s vault forever, along with all the other dirt and secret evidence Black undoubtedly collected. That left the tapes from the hallway outside, which showed Meredith acting alone as she crossed the roof terrace and threw herself over the edge. A clear-cut case of suicide.

  As for Black himself, he actually ate popcorn while he watched Emmy spin her tale. Low fat with chilli and lime, apparently. The healthy alternative to potato chips. Zander tried a mouthful, and it nearly blew his head off.

  “What about the others?” Zander asked. “Shouldn’t we tell someone Meredith was responsible for trying to kill Jae-Lin, Vina, and Caitlin? The police?”

  “For what purpose?”

  “Justice? So people can get closure?”

  “I’d say justice has already been served, wouldn’t you? Meredith’s dead. Is closure for three people worth dragging countless others through a gauntlet of investigations and media speculation? Meredith’s parents, the band, the victims, their families, Alana—a hundred lives would be raked over. What would you prefer? To wake the wolves or let sleeping dogs lie?”

  When Black put it like that… “Point taken.”

  How many other times had the man made decisions like that? More than a handful, Zander was willing to bet. Did playing God take its toll on a man’s psyche? Black always seemed so cold, his secrets locked up tighter than Fort Knox. Zander bet that wanting to protect his wife played a part in Black’s decision-making process too, but Zander couldn’t blame him for that. He’d do anything to protect Dove if the need arose.

  “Good,” Black said. “Then let’s allow this episode to die a quiet death along with its perpetrator, shall we?”

  Zander would never tell, of course. A young person’s death was always shocking, but if anyone deserved to be shovelled up off the sidewalk by the medical examiner, it was Meredith. At least she hadn’t hit anyone else when she landed.

  The media, the talking heads, would of course put their own slant on the tale, one of a talented artist taken far too young. Pressures in the music industry would be examined, which might help Indigo Rain’s cause. But the upshot was, Lanie and Travis would be free to carry on their relationship without fear of grievous bodily harm, and although Zander was sad that he and his sister would undoubtedly spend a lot of time apart, he was also happy for her. Travis wasn’t a bad guy, and he was clearly smitten. Lanie had found her soulmate just as Zander had found Dove.

  “Four out of five isn’t bad,” Black said. “Assuming Marli truly did die of an overdose.”

  “Reagan still bothers me.”

  “Yes. Her death seemed a little too convenient when according to your notes, there was animosity between her and Travis.”

  “That’s putting it mildly.”

  “And yet he took her on a date. Was there more to it?”

  “A touch of blackmail. She threatened to tell Gary that Travis made an unsanctioned trip to the US if he didn’t take her to the awards dinner. And those recent sex pictures of Travis that appeared online? The girl in them was Reagan. She sold them.”

  Zander left out the fact that the sex was non-consensual. Really, that was nobody’s business but Travis’s, and if he wanted to keep it quiet, then that was his decision. Yes, it had crossed Zander’s mind that Travis might have given Reagan a helping hand down the stairs, but given the choice? He’d have probably done that too.

  “Ah. Do you want Blackwood to look any further into her death?”

  “I don’t think so. No.”

  Black nodded once. “Understood. Did you have a question about Courtney earlier?”

  “I’m not sure it’s relevant now.”

  “But it bothered you?”

  “Yes, but that was before Meredith’s confession.”

  “What did you find?”

  “It’s what we didn’t find. She’s supposed to be from California, but she’s got no birth certificate in the US.”

  “Moved here as a baby? Born under a different name?”

  “Maybe.”

  “I’ll ask Mack to look into it.”

  As a lowly investigator, Zander didn’t have direct access to Mack, only the research team. But if anyone could ferret out the details, it was her.

  “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

  Sorting out the aftermath of Meredith’s death took the rest of the day, and callous bastard that he was, Gary still tried to make Indigo Rain perform their evening show. Only when Penny pointed out how insensitive the band would look in the eyes of the media did he relent, although it was unclear whether that was due to fear of Emmy or a genuine understanding of the public’s perception.

  Either way, Emmy and a shaken-looking Travis arrived back at Skywater House in the early hours of the morning. He always seemed larger than life on TV, but the last few months had taken their toll and now he looked like a broken man. Lanie was waiting for him, and their silent hug spoke volumes. They’d be there for each other, but she had some fixing to do.

  Emmy stood on tiptoes to kiss Black on the cheek. “You owe me fifty bucks. And since we got the bitch within a week, so do you, Zander. I’ll accept payment in cash or chocolate.”

  Black took a fifty-dollar bill out of his wallet, and Emmy snatched it, stuffed it into her pocket, and turned to Zander. He mock-sighed as he handed over the cash, although in reality, he owed her a hell of a lot more than that.

  “Now will you tell me what the hell happened today?” Lanie asked.

  “And me,” Travis said. “One of my good friends died, and telling me to trust you and keep my mouth shut when the cops turned up wasn’t good enough. I stayed quiet. Now I need answers.”

  “And you’ll get them,” Black said. “After someone’s made coffee.”

  Bradley raised his hand. “Right on it. I picked up an excellent new blend from Whole Foods today.”

  Dove put a hand on Lanie’s back, trying to soothe her. Dove had been through a world of upheaval this year too, and she’d taken it all like the trooper she was. Zander loved her more with every day that passed.

  “Come on, let’s get settled in the dining room,” she said. “We can talk and then get some sleep.”

  When the others disappeared around the corner, Emmy’s sombre e
xpression turned into a bright grin.

  “That went well.”

  Black broke with his usual icy persona to give her an affectionate side-hug. “We’ll make a psychologist of you yet.”

  “Or a detective. I’m thinking I could be a detective instead of shooting people all the time.” She glanced across at Zander. “Only kidding. I don’t shoot people all the time.” A pause. “It’s too messy. Sometimes I get creative, like today.”

  It suddenly clicked what she meant. “You knew she’d kill herself?”

  “I thought there was a good chance, so I figured I’d give her the option instead of calling the police right away. Nobody likes a long, drawn-out trial. Except for the lawyers, obviously.”

  “That’s…that’s…”

  “Ingenious?”

  “Sick.” And it was. It really was. “But also kind of…”

  “Innovative? Clever? Cunning?”

  Zander hated to admit it, but… “All of the above.”

  “I’m out fifty dollars from that,” Black said. “After seventeen years, I should know better than to wager with my wife.”

  Emmy just laughed. “Let’s go talk to the two lovebirds, shall we?”

  CHAPTER 40 - ALANA

  “OKAY, LET’S NOT beat about the bush here,” Emmy said.

  I gripped Travis’s hand. Whatever was coming, it was bad. She’d promised to get to the bottom of this, but instead of targeting Penny, the freak who had it in for Travis had gone after Meredith. I’d been watching the news all day, and every channel showed her plummeting from the building, filmed by a passer-by on a cell phone and quickly uploaded to YouTube. Nobody broadcast the landing, thank goodness. Black and Zander had been cagey, refusing to give me straight answers, and Travis was right. We needed to know exactly what happened.

  “Meredith was responsible for Jae-Lin’s anaphylaxis, Vina’s face cream, and Caitlin’s hit-and-run. As far as we can tell, Marli’s overdose was a genuine accident.”

  “What?” I gasped.

  Zander nodded. “It’s true.”

  “And Reagan?”

  “She denied having anything to do with that,” Emmy said.