Mrs. Carlyle's Second Honeymoon

by L. K. Campbell

Celeste grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “I believe you.”

  Chapter 9

  At ten the next morning, Celeste sat in her office drinking her third cup of coffee and trying to stay awake. Sleepless nights will plague me until this ugly affair is over. So far, the police had made no move to make an arrest, and Detective Woods hadn’t revisited the hotel. She felt sorry for Emma. Beverly had stayed with her most of the previous day, and Emma had called a moratorium on any conversation related to the investigation.

  Her phone rang. Abby’s name appeared on the screen.

  “Celeste, I just saw some breaking news that might interest you.”

  “Is it a follow-up on Wes Carlyle’s death?”

  “No, but it may have some bearing on how the coroner thinks he died. I’ll read it to you. ‘Police in Charlotte, in cooperation with DEA officers, staged an early-morning raid at the home of Jerry Hardison, owner of H&M Vitamins and Herbal Medicine. In an upstairs bedroom, they found a meth and heroin lab and a large quantity of banned OTC drugs and supplements’.”

  “Well, that’s all very interesting, Abby, but what would it have to do with the matter at hand?” Celeste had to wait for her answer when she saw Detective Woods come in the front door. “Abby, the police are here. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Even though her door stood open, he rapped his knuckles on the frame. “Celeste, I need to do a couple of follow-up interviews in light of some new information I received this morning. May I use the conference room again?”

  “Of course, but I must tell you that I couldn’t accommodate the whole family for another night, and two of the couples spent the night at the Evergreen Bed & Breakfast.”

  “Are Roger and Jessica still on the premises?”

  “Yes, they stayed here last night,” she said. “I’ll call their suite.”

  She picked up her phone receiver but put it back in the cradle when she saw the couple exiting the elevator and walking to the pool access door.

  “Turnaround, Detective. Roger and his wife are in the lobby.”

  He spun around and hurried toward them. At first, they both seemed startled by his appearance and downright uneasy as they followed him into the conference room. I’d love to be a fly on the wall. Her phone chimed to indicate an incoming text message from Abby.

  Are you sitting down?

  Using a stylus, Celeste tapped out, Yes. Why?

  Jessica Carlyle is the office manager at H&M Vitamins.

  She keyed in, Detective Woods asked to see Roger and Jessica.

  Do you wonder if it has anything to do with the raid? Abby responded.

  IDK.

  Keep me posted. The plot is thickening.

  Celeste touched the end call icon. Through her boss, Jessica might have been able to procure amphetamines. But why would she give her father-in-law a substance that might kill him? Did she have a motive?

  Celeste laid down the phone and wiggled the mouse to bring up her desktop computer’s screen. In the browser search bar, she typed in H&M Vitamins and Herbal Medicine. She opened the website and clicked the “About Us” link. Jessica’s picture appeared alongside that of a man who looked like the last person one would suspect of being a drug dealer. He reminded her of a guy who had graduated from one of the best universities, started out in business with a six-figure salary, and went on to become a politician. The caption under his picture read, Jerry Hardison, Owner. Jessica’s caption read, General Manager. Throughout the weekend, Jessica hadn’t exhibited the type of temperament that Celeste would expect from a manager. Perhaps, she displays a different personality with her employees.

  Her attention shot up from the screen when she heard the conference room door open. Roger came out and made a beeline for the elevator. Brad Woods walked into the lobby and motioned to someone waiting outside. Celeste rotated her chair toward the window. She saw a Charlotte police car parked at the front door. A female police officer entered the building and escorted Jessica outside. She took note of the fact that the officer hadn’t handcuffed Jessica or Mirandized her.

  “Celeste.”

  Brad had called to her from his position in the doorway.

  “Is Jessica in some kind of trouble?”

  “She’s being taken to Charlotte for questioning concerning another case,” he said.

  Celeste glanced at her computer screen. “There’s a possibility that she had nothing to do with her boss manufacturing and dealing in illegal drugs.”

  Brad tossed her a peculiar glance. “Let me guess. It’s already made the news.”

  “Yes,” she said. “But when I saw you come in, I was hoping that you were ready to conclude the Wes Carlyle case.”

  “We’re not to the point of reaching a conclusion.”

  “Is there still hope that foul play wasn’t involved?”

  He stared at his shoes. “I really shouldn’t discuss it with you.”

  “I understand.”

  “However it comes out, it shouldn’t affect your business here. It was an isolated incident. It wasn’t as if you had a serial killer running around the place.”

  Her shoulders dropped with the breath she exhaled. “That’s comforting.” Not!

  She wouldn’t be comforted until the case was closed and yesterday’s news. She’d had two canceled reservations for the coming week. They’d left no explanation in the comments, and she couldn’t help wondering if the media attention influenced their decision.

  She caught sight of Roger getting off the elevator with luggage in tow. She heard him tell Maddie that he and Jessica were checking out. What a terrible time for him—his father has died under mysterious circumstances and now his wife might be involved in the dirty business of illegal drugs. She whispered her next question to Brad.

  “Is it possible that the amphetamine found in Wes Carlyle’s bloodstream came from Jerry Hardison’s lab?”

  Brad’s jaw twitched, but he smiled. “Whoever told you that he had ecstasy in his bloodstream wasn’t supposed to make it public. I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself.”

  “Of course, I will,” she said. But Emma had spoken in front of Abby, Henrietta, and more than likely, her sister, too. “Perhaps, you didn’t try hard enough to push confidentiality among the people you interviewed yesterday.”

  The expression on his face caused her to slink into her chair. If she could’ve gone under the desk, she would have. She hadn’t meant to say that last part aloud.

  “The autopsy is being performed as we speak,” he said. “Until we have those results, we can’t say with certainty what killed him.”

  She made a zipping motion across her lips. “And I have a right to remain silent.”

  Even though his lips remained in a straight line, his eyes were smiling.

  “Do you have the phone number handy for Evergreen?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  She scrolled through her contact list, scratched the number on a sticky note, and passed it to him.

  “Thank you, Celeste. I’d also like to have another word with Mrs. Carlyle if you could direct me…”

  “She’s coming this way as a matter of fact.”

  Celeste watched as Emma stopped and stayed a discreet distance from the checkout counter until Roger exited the building. She must not want to cross paths with him. I can’t blame her. When Emma entered Celeste’s office, she looked askance at Detective Woods without greeting him.

  “Celeste, you’re not going to believe this,” she said. “My mom called and said that the Lenoir police found everything that was stolen from Mrs. Hill’s shop, including my wedding gown. It was in a dumpster in the city park.”

  “Does the park have surveillance cameras?” Brad asked.

  “Yes, the guy dressed in black, wore a hoodie, a mask, and dark glasses. They’ll never be able to identify him in a million years,” she said. “And, of course, now that Mrs. Hill has her property back, the police probably won’t put too much work into pursuing him.” She paused when Brad’s
face scrunched into a scowl. “Oh, no offense to you, Detective Woods.”

  “None taken, but I know the Chief of Police in Lenoir, and he’s a very fine man. It sounds as if the perp might have had a grudge against Mrs. Hill and wanted to make her life miserable for a while.”

  Maybe, not Mrs. Hill but someone else. Celeste didn’t like the thought that crossed her mind. The Carlyle sisters-in-law had poked fun at the dress Emma designed. Surely, they wouldn’t have coerced someone into committing a crime to keep her from wearing it.

  “I doubt that,” Emma said. “Mrs. Hill is a wonderful woman. You’d have a difficult time finding anyone who’d want to hurt her. Anyway, what can I do with the dress now? I suppose I could sell it on one of those used clothing websites.”

  “Or save it in case you decide to get married again,” Celeste said.

  “And risk a third widowhood? No, thank you. This is it for me and matrimony.”

  “It’s one thing for me to make a statement like that, but Emma, you’re still young. Don’t close the door, yet.”

  Brad cleared his throat. “Mrs. Carlyle, I have a few more questions for you.”

  “Sure, like I said yesterday, I have nothing to hide.”

  Brad motioned for her to follow him into the conference room and closed the door behind them. I hope that doesn’t have something to do with the papers Emma burned. Her phone rang. Abby’s name flashed across the screen again.

  “Hi, Abby.”

  “I just saw an update. Jessica was picked up in Blowing Rock and is en route to Charlotte for questioning.”

  “Yes, I saw it happen. I feel bad for Roger.”

  “Hmm, well, the news anchor was quick to mention Wes’s death.”

  “Are they trying to make a connection between the two crimes?”

  “Not so far, but I wouldn’t be surprised.” Abby paused for a beat. “Why don’t I order something for lunch and bring it over.”

  “Emma is still with me. I was going to make chef salads for the two of us.”

  “I can buy three chef salads at the deli and save you the trouble.”

  Celeste saw Emma leave the conference room and go outside by the pool access door. She didn’t look happy, but she didn’t appear to be worried, either. Brad smiled and gave Celeste a wave goodbye as he was leaving. She sighed.

  “What was that sigh for?” Abby asked.

  “Oh, nothing. I like your idea. I’ll see you later.”

  From the window facing outside, she watched Brad’s car turn left out of the driveway. Which one of the Carlyles does he want to interview at Evergreen? Her money would’ve been on Kylie. According to Emma, Kylie may have been waiting to replace Wes. But then, I heard Kylie tell Bill that Wes’s death was the last thing she’d wanted. Oh, good grief, and I thought Perry Mason had some convoluted storylines.

  Chapter 10

  Celeste didn’t have to prod Emma to reveal the follow-up questions Brad Woods had asked her. Emma volunteered the information.

  “Detective Woods wanted to know where the food and drinks came from that they found in the honeymoon suite’s refrigerator.”

  She had expressed doubts to Sgt. Nichols that they would find anything useful in their search. Did it prove productive, after all?

  “I told him that it was all leftover from the wedding luncheon,” Emma continued. “Ms. Jenkins gave it to us because Wes had already paid for it.” Emma paused and slapped a palm against the kitchen island. “Oh, crap, I just remembered that Mom and Dad took home some of it as did Beverly and Ryan. Should I call them and tell them not to eat it?”

  “I can’t believe Renee Jenkins tampered with your food,” Celeste said. “The police lab is probably testing samples of everything Wes consumed. Did the police obtain any from the restaurant?”

  Emma nodded. “Officers were sent there at the same time they came here. I was told that the staff had already cleaned up the party room, but they hadn’t run the dishwasher yet. The police confiscated all of the dishes, silverware, and glasses that we used.”

  Celeste hopped off the barstool at her kitchen island and removed a tea pitcher from the refrigerator to refill their drinks.

  “I would say that your husband ingested the drug later rather than earlier so I wouldn’t worry about your parents eating those leftovers,” Abby said.

  “The detective asked for my fingerprints,” Emma said. “I didn’t like it very much but if it helps to prove my innocence, it’s worth it.”

  “That’s a good attitude,” Abby said. “Stay positive.”

  “You’ve given them your full cooperation,” Celeste said. “And more importantly, you had no motive for killing Wes. I still can’t believe that they would view you as a suspect.”

  Emma ate a few more bites of salad before asking a question that took Celeste by surprise.

  “Will you ever love another man the way you loved Mr. Adams?”

  Celeste put down her fork and folded her hands under her chin. “At this point in time, I don’t think so, but the future is a mystery that unfolds day-by-day.”

  Abby looked up. “Celeste, that’s the first time I’ve heard you talk about the future with a positive slant. What’s happening here?”

  “Shh, this has nothing to do with me,” she said. “Emma has a lot of years ahead of her.”

  “As opposed to being on the last leg of the race like us,” Abby said.

  “If you must put it that way,” Celeste said.

  “Speak for yourself. My grandmother lived to be ninety-nine. You remember her, don’t you?”

  To Celeste’s disappointment, Emma pushed her plate away. She hadn’t eaten as much as Celeste hoped she would. Neglecting her health won’t help her through all of this.

  “Why did Detective Woods ask me if I loved Wes,” Emma asked.

  “I suppose he was trying to determine if there were other reasons for the marriage,” Celeste said. “Like money.”

  “I didn’t love Wes the way I loved Dave, but I liked him and cared for him. Even though he was twenty years older than I am, we had several common interests and enjoyed each other’s company. Right now, I’m regretting that I accepted his marriage proposal. Maybe, he’d still be alive if he hadn’t married me.”

  “Emma, what would make you say such a thing?” Abby asked.

  Emma closed her eyes for a moment and seemed to be deep in thought.

  “Leading up to the wedding,” she said. “I had signs that I might not be doing the right thing.”

  Abby exchanged a telltale look with Celeste. “Signs, as in omens?” Abby asked.

  “Oh, no,” Emma said. “More concrete than that. For one thing, his sons didn’t approve of our marriage. Tom tried to get Wes to make me sign a pre-nuptial agreement. It was the standard form. If the marriage didn’t work out, neither of us would lay claim to any money or property that either of us owned before the marriage. I was more than willing to do it, but Wes refused. He said that our marriage would last forever.” She paused and sipped her tea. “What the guys weren’t aware of, I guess, was that in the way of worldly goods, Wes wanted more from me than I wanted from him.”

  “You’re referring to the property you owned, of course,” Celeste said.

  She also recalled the mention of a large insurance policy that Emma had collected, but she opted not to mention it.

  “I haven’t told you what transpired between me and Kylie at the rehearsal dinner. She insisted that I just turn the land over to Wes. She said that it wasn’t worth anything to me, and I’d never do anything with it. She and Jessica were always insinuating that I was lazy and had no ambition.”

  “What reason would they have for feeling that way? You have a college degree, and you worked for two decades in public relations,” Celeste said.

  “I suppose they couldn’t understand why I abandoned my career—my old career—after Dave died so that I could concentrate on writing.”

  “There’s nothing at all wrong with that. A lot of people have what
I believe they call a second act,” Abby said. “I’d say it’s their problem—not yours.”

  Emma smiled. “I wish I had friends like the two of you in Charlotte. To be honest, Dave was my best friend. I haven’t had one since he died, and maybe that’s why I was so quick to fill that empty space with Wes. Anyway, Wes and I had barely cut the groom’s cake at our rehearsal when Kylie started bugging me to sign those damned papers. I couldn’t believe she’d brought them to my wedding, and I told her as much.”

  “She’s nothing if not single-minded,” Celeste said.

  Emma nodded. “When I found out that my dress had been stolen, I was this close…” She pinched her index finger and thumb together leaving a razor-thin gap between them. “…to calling off the wedding, but Beverly told me that it wouldn’t be fair to Wes after he’d spent so much money on it and after all, he hadn’t done anything wrong. Then, when you offered to lend me your daughter’s wedding gown, I realized that she was probably right.”

  Celeste drank the sweet tea in her glass. But, did I do the right thing? It might’ve been better if I hadn’t interfered. The ringing of the landline phone startled all three of them.

  “Do you still have a landline?” Abby asked. “You’re a relic, Celeste.”

  The caller I.D. showed Evergreen Bed & Breakfast. Celeste picked it up on the third ring. A familiar voice greeted her.

  “Celeste, it’s Kristy. Next time you ask me to take your overflow, I’d appreciate it if you’d warn me in advance that I might be raided by the police.”

  “Excuse me? I would hardly consider Detective Woods a raid.”

  “Not Brad Woods,” Kristy said. “The Charlotte Police just left here. They arrested Missy Carlyle.”

  The air left her lungs, and she had to catch her breath.

  “Missy?”

  “Thin, petite blonde. Her husband is Tom.”

  “Yes, that’s Missy,” Celeste said. “Oh, my, this is getting complicated. What about the others?”

  “Tom is on his way to Charlotte. However, Brad asked Alan and Kylie to stay put. I hope you have a room available for them because I can’t accommodate them for another night.”