by P. Creeden
A long sigh expelled from over her head, forcing her to glance up. Curtis Page continued to frown, but this time his scowl was pointed in Mr. Wright’s direction. “If you have no further need of me, I’ve got other things I should be doing.”
The lawyer nodded. “Of course. We’re fine as we are. Right, Felicity?”
She blinked up at him. “Right. I’ll just need a few more minutes to read through all this.”
A warm hand settled on her shoulder. She looked up into Darren’s brown eyes as he smiled at her. “Take your time. No one is trying to rush you.”
Mr. Page cleared his throat, and then started away, his lips clamped together. Before he’d gotten too far, however, he flicked on the overhead lights recessed in the wood of the covered porch. Inwardly Felicity thanked him, as the words on the page became clearer and easier to focus on in the improved lighting.
She read through the pages and found nothing that she disagreed with terribly, so after several minutes, she put the pen to the page and signed where red ink had circled. The moment she’d finished, another car came rushing into the lot—one of those luxury brand sedans that nearly looked like a sports car, kicking up a gravel dust cloud behind it.
It pulled up next to the three vehicles that were already in the lot in front of the covered porch. Jay sat up taller next to Felicity, and she stroked the top of his head to comfort him at the surprise.
A tall, handsome gentleman in sunglasses stepped out of the vehicle, his longish brown hair had a bit of a stylistic wave to it, and the cowlick at the front made him look boyish. His tie was pulled down and the top button of his shirt was open. In three long strides, he was up on the porch, pulling his sunglasses off. His face was contorted with worry as he grabbed the lawyer by the shoulders. “Lucian, tell me it’s not true. This has to be a nightmare. Where is Lizzy right now?”
Mr. Wright took hold of the man’s shoulders and shook his head. “I’m sorry to say it, Heath, but it’s true. Elizabeth is already at the funeral home. Her daughter here identified and released the body.”
Heath froze for half a second, his brows knitting together as he turned toward Felicity and Darren. “Daughter?”
The lawyer gestured toward her. “Yes, this is Felicity Stilton, Elizabeth’s daughter, and Detective Willis from the Redwood Cove Police Department. Felicity, this is Heath Anderson, the vineyard’s vice president.”
Felicity stood up slightly and nodded to him while the man took hold of Darren’s hand and shook it. She was struck by how young and handsome the vineyard’s vice president was. He couldn’t have been more than thirty, but he seemed to know her mother intimately enough to call her Lizzy. She knew that Liz hated when people called her that, even though she knew little else about her mother.
Heath offered Felicity a wide smile and took her hand to shake as well. “It’s a pleasure to meet Lizzy’s daughter.”
His green eyes sparkled, and when he took her hand, a bit of electricity went up her arm, and her heart rate sped up a little. A blush reached her cheeks and she found herself smiling awkwardly and looking away. Her gaze landed upon Mr. Wright’s.
The smile that didn’t leave his lips once the whole time that they’d been there widened just a little. “Are you finished with the paperwork, Miss Stilton?”
She nodded quickly, gathered up the papers, and handed them back to the lawyer along with his pen. “Of course.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you both. Heath, Darren, Felicity. If you have any questions or I can assist in any way, feel free to call me. Otherwise, my wife just texted me. I’m late coming home for dinner.” He chuckled and started toward the late model sedan.
It pained Felicity to see the man go. She wanted to ask a million questions, but not one of them would form enough in her mind to come out on her tongue. They were like wisps of smoke in her mind. If she tried to grasp one, it would disappear.
Heath took a seat at the table with Darren and Felicity. Felicity sat back down, and Darren sat down with her. She needed his support, and he was going to give it.
The vice president’s smile returned, and then his gaze slipped over toward Darren. “So, you’re the detective on this case?”
Darren couldn’t have sat up straighter if he’d tried. Even though the man across the table slouched in his seat, Darren’s senses were telling him he needed to be careful with how he answered each and every question. In fact, it would have been better if he could turn things around and ask a few questions of his own. “That’s correct. The lawyer said that you were on a business trip. Where were you last night? This morning?”
He blinked, but his smile didn’t falter at all. “Napa Valley. There’s a winery convention going on there. Lizzy was supposed to go, but she came down with a cold, so I went alone.”
Darren nodded. “And there are plenty of witnesses to attest to this.”
“Of course.” That smile didn’t falter, but Heath’s eyes narrowed just a bit. “Am I a suspect in a murder case, Detective? I thought Lucian said that Lizzy had taken her own life?”
“On first glance, that’s what it appears to be, but the case isn’t closed just yet.”
Felicity glanced Darren’s way with confusion flickering across her face. Darren could have kicked himself. Sure, he was just pressing this man’s buttons in a show of police dominance, but he hadn’t thought how his words would affect the girl next to him.
He rested a hand on her shoulder. “What would you like to do now, Felicity? Would you like me to take you home?”
Her worried eyes searched his for a moment, the blue in them seeming to deepen in the fast fading light. “I’d like to go up to the main house, if I’m allowed? But I hate to tie you up since you gave me a ride here.”
“I can drive you home if you’d like,” Heath said, jumping in before Darren could answer.
Felicity looked back toward the vice president with surprise, “Oh, I really don’t want to put anyone out. I hate causing trouble.”
Darren shook his head at the man and squeezed his hand that still rested on her shoulder. “It’s no trouble at all. I don’t mind staying with you as long as you need.”
A smile spread across her lips when her gaze met his again. “I’d appreciate it if you did.”
Warmth spread through his chest. Her vulnerability was evident in her expression, as well as relief because of his offer. He was suddenly tempted to hug her. The poor girl had a lot going on, several surprises that could put anyone into a shocked state, but she was handling it all well. He squeezed her shoulder lightly again and stood. “Let’s go ahead and get started toward the house.”
Darren couldn’t see mirth in Heath Anderson’s smile, but still it didn’t falter. The man’s eyes remained on Felicity, and he stood when she did. He bowed slightly toward her, and then scratched his head, looking up at her between his lashes in a boyish manner. “I may as well tell you now, because you’ll find out as soon as you head up to the main house. Lizzy and I were in a relationship. We ended it last week, but several of my things are up at the house that might clue you in on that, and I didn’t want things to get awkward between us.”
The news didn’t surprise Darren at all. The vice president of the vineyard was much too relaxed and seemed to treat the place as though he’d owned it himself. Darren narrowed his eyes at him.
“Oh,” Felicity said, blushing a bit and breaking eye contact with the vice president. The news didn’t appear to be a complete surprise to her. “That’s really none of my business. I wouldn’t judge you or let things get awkward because of that.”
Mr. Anderson stepped forward and grabbed her hand in both of his.
Her blush deepened.
Darren’s hand slipped toward his gun, but he stopped before it reached the handle. What? Was he going to shoot the guy for touching Felicity? He was being ridiculously overprotective. Why did this situation bring those feelings out in him? He wasn’t normally so touchy.
The man smiled wider, his eyes s
parkling in the recessed porch lights. “I’m so glad to hear it. I really hope that we can become friends. You can feel free to ask me anything and let me help you in any way as you take over your mother’s position at the vineyard.”
She blinked and shook her head, the coloring leeching from her cheeks. The girl’s every emotion seemed to display like a neon sign on her face. “I don’t know about that. I have a job already. I’m just here to settle things in the fairest way possible.”
“Oh.” Heath’s brows knitted with exaggerated worry. “I do hope you won’t sell the vineyard, I’d hate to see the many employees here get laid off because of new management.”
She swallowed, her eyes growing wider for a moment. “Oh no. I wouldn’t want that either. I will try to find the fairest solution for everyone. You can trust me on that.”
His smile returned, and he leaned forward, pulling her hand to his lips. “Just like your mother,” he said, and then squeezed her hands openly, seemingly oblivious to Darren’s glare.
Darren didn’t like the effect that the vice president had on Felicity. She seemed to react to his every whim, and he played her almost like a puppet. He was too charismatic. Is this how he got to her mother as well? He certainly was a smooth operator. Darren slipped an arm slightly around Felicity’s shoulders, and they both turned together toward the path that led to the main house. Her Golden Retriever ran a few feet ahead of her, tugging playfully at the end of the leash.
The warmth of her skin under his fingertips sent a little tingle up his arm. He smiled at himself and then frowned. This wasn’t good. He was getting close to having feelings for this woman … but maybe it was just because he knew her from his past. She was in a vulnerable state and needed someone to rely upon. He would do his best to help her tonight, but then close the case and put distance between them in the morning.
Nodding slightly, he decided that truly was the best course of action. It was his first case, and he couldn’t go falling for the victim’s daughter.
Chapter Four
Felicity had never been inside Liz’s home. She used the keys that were with her mother’s personal effects. As she walked through the immaculate living room, she was struck by the scents of vanilla and lavender—the same smell that she remembered Liz always wafting when they walked together. Nothing in the house seemed out of place. The pictures above the mantel were of Liz on vacation in several exotic places. A couple of them had Heath in them with her. Not one picture was of Felicity, but then, Liz hadn’t ever asked for a picture, and Felicity hadn’t thought to even offer one. And as far as she could tell, Liz didn’t have one thing in the house that showed she even had a daughter at all.
Darren has trailed behind her several feet, allowing her space to visit her mother’s things without feeling crowded or rushed. She appreciated that about him. On the outside the house appeared to be a common farmhouse, but inside the furnishings were much more modern and conservative than the country feel one would have expected. The couches were brown and leather, and the coffee table was made of glass with an antler base. Artwork and vases decorated the walls and tops of the stands.
They meandered into the kitchen. Felicity took a deep breath, turning back toward Darren. “So, this is where they found her?”
He nodded. “Today was the new housekeeper’s first day at work. She found the body and called 9-1-1.”
A half-laugh escaped her. “She probably quit after that.”
“Probably.” He shrugged.
Sitting on the table were a few pill bottles and a bottle of cough medicine. “So, you think this was a suicide because of the pills? But Heath said something about Liz having a cold, right? Could it possibly have been a medicine interaction?”
“That is still a possibility, but the sleeping pill bottle she still had in her grasp was empty. It appeared she’d taken many of them. Also, she’d left a note.”
Felicity blinked. “What did it say?”
He frowned at her a moment, as if unsure he wanted to tell her.
She held the back of the chair she stood next to. “I’m fine. I can handle it.”
“It’s hard being lonely. I don’t think I can take it anymore.”
Tears welled in her eyes. Liz had lived alone for so long, but when would anyone quite get used to living alone? And didn’t Heath say something about having broken up with her? Her heart ached in her chest. Maybe if she’d reached out to Liz a little more… Maybe if Felicity had tried a little harder to make the relationship between the two of them happen… Maybe she could have done something to have kept Liz from feeling so lonely—so alone.
Warm hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Her cheek rubbed against the soft cotton of Darren’s button-down shirt. She took a deep breath and drew in his clean, manly scent. Tears flowed more easily now that he had his arms wrapped around her. She folded her arms around his back and leaned into him. He patted her on the shoulder. “It’s not your fault. I know you think it might be. I know you’re thinking about all the things you could have done differently to stop her. But you can’t blame yourself for someone else’s decisions.”
His voice vibrated in his chest, and even that feeling soothed her. Behind her, Jay yipped. He was always sensitive to her emotional states. After closing her eyes and taking in another breath of Darren’s scent, she pulled away and swiped the wetness from her cheeks. “You’re right. I understand that, but it still hurts to think that I could’ve—”
“They all think that. Every family that’s ever lost a loved one to suicide. They all think they could have done something differently that would have stopped it. But depression is a mental health issue. If your mother wasn’t getting the help she needed from a professional, nothing you could have done would have stopped this from happening.”
“I have a master’s degree in psychology, Darren.” She frowned up at him. “I could have been the professional that helped her. That saw this coming and pointed her the right direction.”
He frowned back at her. “It doesn’t matter. Everyone has a blind spot when it comes to family. You make excuses for behavior. You fail to see flaws and signs. It’s normal. And sometimes people put on even more of a front with family to convince their family that everything is okay. It’s the reason physicians shouldn’t treat their family members.”
She had no answer for that. He was right. It’s possible that signs were there, even in their brief meetings, but she’d chosen to ignore them. Liz could have been great at keeping up a façade. Maybe that’s why things were always so perfect about her appearance… about her house. Felicity took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. You’re right.”
“Good. Don’t beat yourself up about this, okay?”
Her eyes met his and he smiled down at her, the dimple playing hide and seek in his cheek. What would she have done if Darren hadn’t offered to come with her? Could she have really handled all this alone? Even though she hadn’t seen him in over eight years, she felt comfortable around him, like they truly were old friends and not just acquaintances. “Okay. I won’t.”
His smile widened.
“I’m going to head upstairs,” she said, pointing toward the staircase.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
She shrugged. “It’s okay if I go up alone.”
“As long as you don’t have a pity party…”
Really? She huffed. “I won’t.”
“If I hear any sobbing, I’m going to come right up.”
She rolled her eyes. “What? Are you my older brother now?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
The short banter made her laugh, and she realized that was what Darren was going for. She shook her head at him and started up the stairs, Jay following right behind her. Upstairs there were only three bedrooms. One of them had been converted into a home gym with a treadmill, a spin cycle, and a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. The guest room was tidy and small and hadn’t appeared to have been touched in quite
a while. When she reached the master bedroom, the scent of rosemary grew stronger and the vanilla became fainter. The same shades of brown dominated her bedroom, with dark wood furniture and a beige suede comforter. But the bed was unmade, and several outfits of clothes were thrown on the back of the chair on her vanity.
A suitcase lay opened on the floor next to the dresser, where several of the drawers had been left open with the contents of the drawers hanging half out of them. Felicity blinked in surprise at the state of the room. Everything about Liz was immaculate and perfect, but her bedroom was a mess. Maybe Darren had been right. Liz appeared practically perfect outwardly, where the rest of the world could see her, but in private, she was messy. Maybe this bedroom showed what her mother’s internal state was actually like. Her bedroom made her look more human to Felicity than Liz had ever seemed before.
Felicity took a deep breath and sat on the bed. She really took in the environment of her mother’s inner sanctum. Next to her mother’s bed, on the nightstand, was a turned over picture frame. Felicity picked it up and peered at another picture of Liz and Heath together. This time they were on a tropical beach, and on the bottom a printed banner read “Merry Christmas.” The date on the photo said it was from last year. Maybe this was the reason Liz always declined when Felicity invited her to family gatherings over the holidays. It seemed Liz had plans of her own.
Her messy bun felt loose, and Felicity took out her tie-band and decided to do her pony tail again, even though she needed to wrap the tie one extra time around her blonde hair in order to make it work. It felt a little tight, but it was better than the bun that had been falling out. The action of doing her hair made her look down, and she spied something between the nightstand and the bed that shined in the light. Curious, she pushed the comforter out of the way and found a notebook that had fallen in the crack. The leather-bound notebook was kept closed by an elastic band, which Felicity pulled to the side.
