by Jenna Harte
"That's not what you said to Shelby."
"I was trying to protect your reputation."
During dinner, Tess could feel herself being drawn in by Jack, despite her desire to keep some distance. They'd only been reconnected a couple of days. Too soon to think they had a real relationship. Yet with each look, each touch, he pulled her in deeper. How could she protect herself from heartbreak if she couldn't keep her heart from soaring each time he looked at her?
"You think too much," she heard him say.
"What?"
"I can see the wheels turning in your head."
"Just a lot on my mind."
He reached across the table and took her hand. "We don't have to decide right here and now where this thing is going with us."
She knew where it was going. The question was when. And how much would it hurt?
"I can tell you-"
"I need to use the ladies room," she said. It was cowardly to avoid the conversation. Fortunately he let her go.
Tess' hands straddled the basin as she looked at herself in the mirror wondering how she'd gotten there. No, she knew how'd she gotten there. What she didn't know was what she was going to do about it. It was too easy to like this man. To love him.
When she'd left Washington DC for Jefferson Tavern three years earlier, she'd made two promises to herself. One: never fall in love again. And two, if she broke rule one, never be with a man who could ruin her. It hadn't been that hard to keep her promises. No man had peaked her interest enough to fall in love. She might have entertained thoughts of Daniel at one time, but they didn't last long. By not breaking promise number one and by being her own boss, she could pretty much guarantee that promise two would be kept.
But in a matter of a few days, she was on the verge of breaking both of those vows. She was standing on the cusp of falling for Jack. Actually, she'd already tipped over the edge and was gripping the ledge with all she had to keep from falling any deeper. She had a choice to make. Based on her past experience and the promises she'd made to herself, she knew the best course of action was to climb back up on firm ground and send Jack packing.
But his pull on her was strong. Or maybe, if she was completely honest with herself, she wanted what he could offer, even if it was just for a short time. For so long she'd been moving through life, but not living. Jack awakened something in her that she wasn't quite ready to make dormant yet again. And he could be good for her. He had a way of putting things in perspective and reminding her to enjoy life. Then again, fairy tales only happen in books. And if she let go and fell, she'd get hurt. Even more hurt than when her relationship with Brad ended. She wasn't sure that was a risk she wanted to take.
Then there was her career to consider. She hadn't done anything wrong in dating Jack. Had they been together before Asa's murder, she would still represent him. Many lawyers helped family and friends. But she supposed it still looked bad. Like a cliché, although it was usually a male lawyer sleeping with his female client. She wondered if her other clients would think there was something sordid about her representing and dating Jack.
A hacking sound from behind her pulled her from her thoughts. She lifted her eyes to the stalls reflected in the mirror. She heard the sound again, this time sounded like gagging.
"Are you okay?" Tess asked.
There was another gag and then, "I'm fine." But the woman continued to gag. Tess thought she should give the women privacy. It was bad enough to be sick, but to know someone was listening to you made it even worse. Tess knew that first hand. Then again, the woman sounded bad and Tess worried she needed help. She waited quietly and a few minutes later the stall door opened and the woman emerged.
"Shelby?"
Shelby's eyes widened. Her expression surpassed surprise or embarrassment and went right to horror with a tint of anger.
"Are you okay?" Tess asked.
"I'm fine," Shelby said with a wave of her hand as she made her way to the sink. "I must have eaten something that didn't agree with me." She set her Donna Karan metallic purse on the countertop, opened it and pulled out a travel toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste. In college, Tess remembered that women who carried such supplies in their hand bags either slept over at their boyfriends house or were bulimic. She wondered if Shelby carried her toothbrush for one or both of those reasons.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Tess asked.
"I'm fine. Really. I just ate something bad. Now that it's out, I feel fine. You know how it is."
"Do you want me to call Philip-?"
"No!" Shelby's toothpaste spattered the mirror. "No, thank you. I'm okay. I'll just clean up here, have a glass of water and then head home."
Tess wasn't convinced, although it was more her reaction to calling Philip than being sick that bothered her. In fact, with the color coming back into her cheeks, Shelby looked fine.
"If you're sure then," Tess said as turned to the door.
"Wait a minute." Shelby turned and leaned against the counter. "You and Jack. Are you really old friends?"
She knew that Shelby was fishing for something Tess wasn't ready to admit to herself much less talk about. Taking her question literally, Tess could answer without lying or sharing more than she wanted. "Yes. We knew each other when I was in Washington."
"And there's nothing going on between you two?"
Since Tess wasn't sure what was going on between her and Jack, she felt it best to stick to the old line. "We're friends."
Shelby's face suggested that she didn't believe Tess. "You know Daniel has him at the top of the suspect list?"
"I know he's a person of interest."
"So, what's it like dating a possible murderer?"
Shelby's excitement over the possibility of going out with a murderer was odd. "I don't actually think he is the murder. Otherwise I wouldn't be dat- having dinner with him."
Shelby frowned. "Well, then who do you think did it?"
"I don't know. It could have been anyone in the house."
"Like who?"
Tess shrugged. "I don't know. Who do you think did it?"
"I think it was Jack. He argued with Asa and he was by himself downstairs with Asa." Which of course went against what she'd told them an hour earlier. Tess wondered if Shelby was trying to get information. Two can play that game, Tess thought. Now was the opportune time to question Shelby about her story that Philip had been with her upstairs.
"As I remember-"
"Remember?" Shelby said. "You were passed out."
Tess had to concede that point. "But I remember people saying that they were spread out through the house. After Jack and I found Asa, he went to the foyer where he spoke with Philip."
Shelby's jaw tightened as she shook her head. "That's not possible because Philip was with me. We came downstairs together. It seems that your Valentine isn't being truthful to you or the police."
"There is definitely lying going on." She watched Shelby to see her reaction.
"You think I’m not telling the truth."
Tess shrugged. "Someone isn't telling the truth because someone in the house killed Asa."
"It didn't have to be someone in the house," Shelby said. "Lauren was mad enough to have snuck in. And although you don't think so, Helen could have come in too."
"I suppose that could have happened, but I don't think so. I think it was someone already in the house. Once everyone is interviewed, I'm confident the police will figure it out," Tess said even though she wasn't actually one-hundred percent sure.
"Everyone has been interviewed."
"Everyone has made statements. But if it were me, I'd want to have a good talk with the help. Especially Sarah." Tess immediately regretted her comment. She didn't want to cause Sarah grief or have her lose her job over a careless remark.
Shelby's confident stare waffled. "The help? What would they know?"
"When I was growing up, if you wanted to know what was going on in my house, all you had to do was ask the help. No one p
ays attention to them, but they see and hear everything." Tess was careful not to let Shelby know that she suspected Sara of having a relationship with Philip.
"I can't imagine they'd have anything to say. Especially Sarah. That girl is about as dense as they come."
Tess began to believe Jack was right about Philip and Sarah. And she was pretty sure Shelby knew about it, if her reaction was any indication.
"I wonder who their alibi is?" Tess wondered out loud. She didn't really think Agnes, Walter or Sarah were murderers, but she wondered what Shelby would say to her question.
Like a small fish without experience in avoiding the bait and hook, Shelby bit. "You know you're right. I don't think Sara has an alibi. Asa was pretty hard on her sometimes. He called her stupid a lot. Which she is, but she is human. Maybe she couldn't take it anymore."
Tess pretended to ponder the thought. "I can't see it. I still think it was someone at the dinner party."
Shelby's features darkened. "Those are pretty strong accusations, Tess. Do you have proof?"
Tess shook her head. "No. I’m just curious. It's like a Christie novel. All of us in the house. A murder. Aren't you curious?" Tess said trying to lighten the mood. She didn't need Shelby racing to Daniel to tattle about being interrogated. "You said yourself that you were reading up on these things. You even told us earlier you thought it was a family member."
Shelby relaxed. "Well, I couldn't very well accuse Jack to his face. And I am curious. In fact, sometimes I don't want to go to that house. What if the murderer is there? What if Daniel is wrong?"
On that Tess could agree. She didn't like visiting the house. She couldn't imagine living there. "Don't you and Philip have another home?"
"Yes, but its way out of town. Too far out of the way. And Philip wants to stay close to the Senator now."
"Yes. I imagine it's very hard for both of them, even though they both had a difficult relationship with Asa."
Shelby shrugged and turned back to her purse. She pulled out a tube of lip gloss. "That's really it, isn't it? Asa brought this on himself by being so hateful. The murderer should get a reward."
"Didn't you say you had a relationship with him?" Tess knew how quickly love could turn to hate. But she couldn't quite see how you could murder someone you once cared for.
"A long time ago. So I should know. He was cold and ruthless. And you know what they say?" Shelby pressed her lips together making sure the gloss evenly coated her lips.
"What?"
"What goes around comes around."
Chapter Thirty
"I was beginning to worry," Jack said as he helped Tess back to her seat. "I thought you fell in. Or maybe escaped out the back."
"No. I ran into Shelby."
"I'm surprised you two found something to talk about for so long."
"Normally we wouldn't. She wasn't feeling well and I wanted to make sure she was alright."
"She looks fine to me," he said looking over at the bar where Shelby and her friends were laughing.
"Apparently it was something she ate."
"You don't sound convinced."
"She didn't want me to call Philip. Not in a "oh it's okay" kind of way but in a "don't you dare call him" kind of way."
"That's odd. Although I don't think that marriage is based on any sort of emotional connection."
"There is some connection though. I confronted her on her story that she and Philip were together when Asa was murdered. She didn't budge. In fact, she thinks you killed him."
"Ah and to think my good looks and charm were working on her."
"Oh, they're working. In fact I think she finds you more attractive now that you're a possible murderer."
"That's disturbing."
"I thought so too."
The waiter interrupted by placing a decadent looking chocolate torte on the table. "With two spoons as you requested."
"Thank you," Jack said taking a spoon. "I took the liberty of ordering dessert."
Tess looked at the chocolate confection with longing and hesitation. It was similar to the way she looked at him, he thought. That was the difference between him and Tess; he desired her and wasn't afraid to indulge it. As if to prove to her that indulgence could be good, he took a bite.
"Oh Christ that's good," he said understanding why the Aztecs called chocolate the fruit of the Gods..
"Do you need a moment alone?"
"I might. Aren't you going to try it?"
"I don't think I should. One bite probably has five thousand calories."
"We'll burn them off later," he said giving her a wicked grin. The effect was what he'd hoped if the flush to her cheeks was any indication. "Just one bite," he said reaching the spoon filled with chocolate across the table.
She took the bite, her eyes closed as she savored the sweet, rich confection. "If I eat this, I won't need you."
"In that case…" He pulled the plate towards him."So did you resolve anything with Shelby?"
"I just can't figure out why she'd lie and why Philip would go along with it."
"Because she did it?"
Tess shrugged. "Maybe. But why would Philip go along with that? And what motive would she have?"
"I can think of several million of them that are all wrapped in bow with Worthington Corporation embroidered on it." To Jack that made more sense than anything the cops had come up with. He couldn't figure out why no one else wasn't pushing Philip and Shelby harder, especially Philip. He seemed like the type of guy who'd give in easily with properly applied pressure. If Tess' so-called friend Deputy dog would do his job, he could get Philip to admit he hadn't been with his wife while Asa was being murdered. Jack wondered how Shelby would hold up if the cops turned the screws on her. Better than Philip, probably. But she'd need a pretty good excuse to explain why she lied about what she'd been doing and who she was with when Asa was murdered. Why lie unless she had something to do with the murder?
"Money is a motive," Tess said. "Except I don't think that they got much. Asa's shares in the company were divided between Helen and Tom. So there's more money for Shelby if Asa is alive."
"I'm still thinking someone wanted to shut him up," Jack said. "Otherwise why not kill him when he's alone."
"The timing does seem to point to that. But what was he going to say?"
"If I were dying, I'd want to put my affairs in order. Perhaps he was going to announce his plan for the future of the company."
"Which you would expect to be Philip. I'm wondering though if Asa's wishes had been put down in legal terms yet. Maybe he was planning something different, but died before he could put it in place."
"That doesn't sound like Asa. I think he'd have it locked down so the family couldn't change it."
"Maybe it was stolen. Maybe it was on the computer."
"So you're thinking he made some big change to his will, but it was stolen?"
Tess nodded.
"That would support Shelby's theory that Helen did it. Or Tom since they had the most to gain by Asa not making a change."
Tess' face dropped. "You're right."
"And what would that change be? Who else in the family could run the business?"
There was a change in her eyes that suggested he wasn't going to like what she was about to day. "There's...you."
The hole that had nearly taken him down two nights before opened, letting the anger and hurt seep out. "I'm not a member of that family-"
"You might be-"
"Tess." He knew his voice was dark. A warning. Despite his feelings for her, he didn't care. He wasn't ready for this conversation.
"Here me out. If Asa thought the Senator was the father of Delia's baby, and found out that you were Delia's son-"
"There is no real proof of that."
"It doesn’t matter if it's true. It only matters what Asa thought. You said it yourself, that if you were dying you'd be putting your affairs in order. But it had to be killing Asa to think he was leaving the company in Philip's inca
pable hands or Helen's indifferent ones. He needed someone else in the family. You're his half-brother-"
"I’m not-"
"Asa may have thought so and who better to leave the company to? You're even more successful than he ever was. Plus there's the added benefit that he could embarrass his father and completely disrupt the family. Asa would have loved that."
"If that was true, his leaving the company to me would give me a motive."
"No. Because you would have had to wait until it was in writing to kill him. To have a claim on the family's money, you have to have proof, DNA proof. Which we don’t have."
"Unless I killed him to hide the fact I was the Senator's son."
"Come on Jack. You see what I'm saying don't you?"
"Yes." He hated to admit that it made sense. "But it doesn't shed light on who killed him. It could have been the Senator to keep the secret. It could have been any number of people who were tired of his bull." And it still didn't answer why Tom would have taken Asa's computer. What motive did he have to prevent Asa's intentions from being revealed?
And here they were, back on the topic of murder. This was not the night he had planned. His goal was to sweep Tess off her feet. Convince her to give love a chance. He reached across the table and took her hand.
"Earlier we agreed that we wouldn't spend the evening talking about Asa. This whole thing about a secret is crazy and unsettling. In fact, I think I'm going to need another piece of chocolate torte to get me through the funk."
"How about we just work it off?" Tess asked.
Jack's mood instantly lightened at Tess' suggestive tone. "Tess? Or chocolate?" He held his hands out as if weighing his options.
"You could have Tess and chocolate?" she said.
His libido kicked into high gear. "Together?"
"Why not?"
"I knew you were the perfect woman for me."
~~~~
Jack was surprised, but ridiculously pleased when Tess agreed to come to his home. He'd rebuilt nearly every corner of the two-hundred year old home, and it was important to him that she liked it. He watched her as she moved through his house, admiring the work he'd done and teasing him about all the green features.
