by Trout, Linda
“I don’t remember the exact address. I think it’s on a street by the name of Chester something.” She could hear him scribbling. She was about to offer to check the deed for the exact address and had risen from the couch, but he cut off her thoughts.
“I’ll see if I can find it. I’ve got to go now, Sara.”
“Oh. All right. You’ll let me know as soon as you find it?”
“Hmm? Of course I will. Leave everything to me. I really have to go. I’m late for a meeting.” Then he added, “I’m glad you called. Family has to stick together. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
The next instant, she heard the dial tone. Strange. She’d never known Leo to be so flustered before. But he was in charge of the company now, and that was a big responsibility. It could weigh heavily on a person. Living with it had left an indelible mark on her life. One she’d gladly scrub off if she could.
****
He watched the monitor a few more minutes, then shut it off. Sara didn’t seem to be going anywhere and look what she’d given him. Granted she hadn’t said the exact address, but it wouldn’t take him long to find it, and he already knew the general area. Not somewhere he would’ve thought to look for the backstabbing bitch. Plus, who would’ve thought dear ole’ Jason would buy her a house? He snorted. Jason had been dumber than he’d thought.
After all these months he’d been looking for the other woman, the information practically landed in his lap as if on a silver platter. Perfect. He didn’t like being double-crossed and when the woman had dropped off the grid, he knew he was in trouble. She’d probably even been the one to clue that dumb ass Jason in on what was happening right under his nose. He wondered if she’d admitted to her starring role in the whole setup? Doubtful. Adams thought he could go to the cops and get away it. “Too bad it backfired on you, sucker.”
As for Jason’s mistress, he’d have to think of something extra special for her. Considering the woman’s background, he could think of several interesting scenarios. “Pay back is gonna be a bitch, bitch.”
He stood and walked out the door, looking forward to the hours, and his fun and games, to come.
****
Sara took another couple sips of wine. She started running over and over in her mind what she’d say to this Melissa Long, face-to-face, if given the chance. If only she were familiar with the part of town where the tramp lived, so she could find her. It hadn’t been that long since their phone conversation, but waiting to hear from Leo was becoming unbearable. Then it hit her. Jason had insisted on having all the latest gadgets when he’d bought her the Lexus so it was equipped with GPS. If she could figure out how to use it and get the address entered, she could find the woman’s house on her own, no need to wait on Leo.
Thrilled with her realization, she started to call him back to tell him, then remembered his meeting. “I can do this. I don’t need anyone else. Besides, it’d probably be better if I did go on my own. Woman to woman.” Yes, she could do this.
The thought of pulling the mistress’s hair out without a witness also had its appeal.
****
Morgan slumped in his chair, staring out the window, not seeing anything. He hated how Sara had left. Surely she understood he was just doing his job. The one he was hired to do before she’d asked him to find her baby. He winced. He’d looked for Kaycee. Really. There had been a couple of leads, then they had fizzled out. The kid had simply vanished. He thought again about the baby in the grave. Sara was so sure it wasn’t hers. He hadn’t told her Reece was doing a DNA match between the baby and Jason as well as Sara, hoping to get a hit.
“Boss.” Charlene stood in the open doorway with a folder in her hand. “Been digging on the Internet for anything related to either Andy or Jason Adams. Didn’t find much on Andy until after Jason’s death. Seems moving in to the CFO position for that company throws you into the spotlight. I printed the stories out for you.”
Morgan held out his hand, knowing he wouldn’t have to do much reading. Charlene would only bring him relevant information. “Thanks.”
She slipped out of the room. For once, she didn’t give him any grief about anything. Guess she sensed his mood. But a couple minutes later, while he was still going over the first article on Jason, she was back.
“Tox report on Andy is in.” Silently she handed it to him and waited.
He quickly scanned the results and jerked his head up. “Digoxin.”
The seconds ticked off as neither said anything. Finally Charlene broke the silence. “Didn’t you say Sara’s grandmother had congestive heart failure? They use that medication for treatment, right?”
He slowly nodded.
“So, this means, what?”
“It means if you give it to someone without a heart problem, and it’s left untreated, it gets extremely dangerous for them.”
“As in…”
He didn’t answer. Something niggled at the back of his brain. He twisted it around, trying to get a hold on it. Finally it settled, creating an ugly smear he didn’t want to acknowledge. Andy and Jason Adams both died supposedly of the same thing, a heart attack. Would they find trace evidence of the same drug in Adams’s system as well? One way to find out. After locating the phone number for the Adams Company, he was soon connected to the company doctor. Several long minutes later he hung up.
Morgan slowly tapped his pencil against his desk, digesting the phone call.
“Well?” Leaning her hip against the desk, she’d crossed her arms across her chest, lips pressed into a thin line. “I want to hear what he had to say.”
Eventually he laid the pencil down and looked up at her. “Doctor Weatherby said Sara had asked him for Digoxin. Said her grandmother kept losing her pills.”
“What? You know, that just doesn’t sound right.”
“No, it doesn’t,” he said slowly. “Supposedly grandma would leave the pill bottle at the bingo hall or she’d spill them while at the park when Sara wasn’t around.”
Charlene huffed out a breath. “Still sounds weird to me. And why would he give them to her so easily? He could lose his license.”
“Precisely. He sounded hesitant to tell me. Said he didn’t want to get in trouble, but because she was the owner’s wife, he reluctantly did what she asked. He asked her to not to tell anyone.” Leaning back in the chair, he steepled his fingers under his chin. “There’s still a piece missing.”
“If Sara had been slipping the drug to her husband…”
Morgan finished the thought for her. “Would that have led to Jason’s death?”
“Yes, it would. But how did the drug get into Andy’s system?”
“Good question.”
Charlene snapped her fingers. “Didn’t you tell me the company doctor signed the death certificates saying he’d been treating the men for heart problems?”
Morgan nodded.
She leaned closer. “Neither man had one, at least according to their primary cares. So why did the company doc lie?”
“Believe it or not, he said Sara pleaded with him to falsify the cause of death. Said she’d been frantic to save the company and didn’t know what else to do. He guessed they needed the insurance payout to cover some bad debts or something so he went along. Apparently he preferred to not ask questions and save his job.”
Charlene closed her mouth. “How stupid.”
“To top it off, he admitted lying to the police, saying he’d been treating them for heart problems when he hadn’t. He said he was trying to keep his stories straight since that was how he signed the death certificates.”
“He’ll lose his license for sure over that.”
The tox report lay open before him, but Morgan continued to stare into space. None of the puzzle pieces seemed to fit. Or was he just overlooking the obvious? Regardless, he didn’t like it. Not one little bit.
He swiveled his chair again toward the window and ran his hands through his hair. The clock on the wall ticked as an old truck backfired in
the parking lot. The evidence was damning. Long ago, Morgan had learned to trust his gut and right now, his said to not trust his eyes. Or was he simply listening to his dick?
Last night had been a mistake, but given the chance to redo it, he wouldn’t change a thing. Logic seldom made a difference where emotion was concerned. He’d seen it numerous times in his clients. Now he knew how they felt.
He turned back to Charlene. “There has to be an explanation for this.”
“Boss.” She shook her head, her dark brown hair gently swaying with the movement. “You of all people should know—”
Holding up his hand, he cut her off. “You don’t need to say it. Even though she fired me this morning, I’m still going to look out for her. I’m not sure I buy the doctor’s explanation.” Even if she was implicated in Jason’s death, they hadn’t found a connection to Andy.
“And?”
He had to give her credit for being persistent. “And I’ll find her kid if it’s the last thing I do. I think she’s clean. I’ll find a reason for this.” He waved the tox report in the air.
To his surprise, she smiled. “That’s more like it. Now, I’m taking a late lunch. If you need me, just sit on it till I get back.” She pivoted, leaving him alone with his thoughts. A minute later, the front door clicked shut.
Realizing there was nothing else he could find in the report, he went back to the articles Charlene had given him earlier. There was nothing in the first three pieces, but when he flipped over to the fourth, his fingers froze. Coming out of a restaurant was a candid shot of a smiling Sara Adams, whose arms were linked with her dates in a cozy embrace.
Andy.
Morgan sat there for several minutes trying to absorb this latest bit of news. What was it she had said? She knew Andy from work because of his position and from the country club. Not once did she happen to mention they knew each other well enough to have dinner together. Maybe this was a fluke. He quickly scanned the rest of the articles. After her husband’s death, the person she’d been seen with the most happened to be Andrew Ford, The Adams’s Company’s newest executive.
And Andy had died exactly like Jason.
He pulled the toxicology report out from under the articles, looking from one to the other. “I’m an idiot.”
Snatching the phone off its cradle, he dialed her number. He should’ve faced her in person, but he couldn’t wait that long. He had to hear her excuse now.
“Hello?” She sounded breathless.
“You lied.” He had to work to keep the fury out of his voice, failing miserably. He didn’t care.
“Morgan?” An instant later, she said, “I have nothing to say to you.”
“What? Can’t stand to tell the truth for a change?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Did you think you could keep it from me—didn’t think I’d find out?”
“What are you talking about?”
Her confusion echoed over the phone. He’d learned his lesson. He wouldn’t fall for any more of her tricks. His fury, his self loathing, fueled his tirade. “Sleeping with me kept my mind occupied elsewhere. For a while. You had to know I’d catch on to you eventually, though. For what’s it’s worth, you’re a damn good lay.”
The line was silent for several seconds. “How dare you,” she hissed.
“Me? Lady, you’re the one who seduced me to throw me off the trail.”
“I sedu—? Not hardly.” She paused. “Do you think I misled you about finding my daughter?”
“Hell, any things possible. But that isn’t what I’m talking about. You deliberately lied to me.”
“You are accusing me of lying? After this morning’s revelation of you being nothing more than a money grubber? Isn’t this the pot calling the kettle black?”
“Listen—”
“Just what is it I’m supposed to have lied about, Mr. Daniels?”
Morgan gripped the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white. “I specifically asked you how well you knew Andy and you said only from the office. You failed to mention you’d dated him.”
Silence. Finally, her frosty voice responded. “I had every intention of telling you last night, but then you so expertly distracted me. Besides, we were just friends so I don’t see how it’s relevant to anything.”
Likely story. Morgan had trusted her. Like he was sure Andy had. He hated the fact he had been more than willing to give her the benefit of the doubt earlier. “Why’d you have to kill him, too? Do you get some sick pleasure out of seeing men suffer and die?” He’d let Sara’s pretty face and supposed vulnerability cloud his judgment. The sight of her standing naked in front of him flashed across his mind. Despite his anger, his groin hardened.
Traitor.
She gasped. “You think I…that I…? My God, Morgan. What kind of person do you think I am? I loved Jason! I’d never do anything to hurt him.”
“Yeah? What about the mistress? Maybe you didn’t want any other woman to have him or all your money. Getting rid of him ensured you’d get the insurance money, the house, everything.” He wanted to hurt her as badly as he’d been hurt.
“I didn’t know about her until today. And I don’t care about the stupid money.” She sounded sincere, but he’d already been down that thorny path.
“So you say. Seems kinda convenient to me. You just happen to come crying about her when I’m getting close to uncovering the truth.”
“How would I know where you are on your investigation? I can’t even get you to tell me about any progress in finding Kaycee. Or was that merely a smoke screen?”
That hurt. Not that he’d admit it.
“How did I supposedly kill Jason and Andrew? They died of heart attacks from stress. A doctor verified it, for heaven’s sake!”
Oh, no you don’t, lady. “You gave both men small doses of your grandmother’s Digoxin. It was just a matter of time before they had a heart attack. I can see why you did in your husband, but why Andy? What’d he ever do to you?”
Now he wished he had confronted her in person so he could see her expression. He wanted to see if she was able to keep a straight face as she weaved her web of lies. Maybe she could talk her way out of one of the deaths, but both of them? No way. Morgan could give the missing pieces of the puzzle to Reece, and Sara Adams would be locked up before she could blink those pretty baby blues of hers.
There was another long silence. Yep. She was trying to concoct a plausible story.
“I don’t care whether you believe me or not. Your mind is made up. Fine.”
“Damn straight.” He ground his jaw so hard it hurt.
“Regardless of what you do, I’ll be proven innocent because I am. You can go back to your pathetic life of spying on people who don’t trust each other, telling yourself you’re helping them. As soon as I wrap up some loose ends and get my daughter back, I’ll be out of this town forever.”
A knife twisted in his gut while hair stood up on his neck. “What loose ends?”
She barked out a short laugh. “How have you managed to stay in business so long? The mistress, of course.”
“I told you to stay away from her.” He didn’t know why it was so important Sara keep her distance from the other woman, only that it didn’t feel right. Something was “off.”
“You do not tell me what to do, Morgan Daniels! Not now, not ever.” She paused, then blew out a heavy sigh. “You do what you have to, and I’ll do the same thing. Oh. And for the record, I didn’t have any of Nana’s medications.”
He was about to contradict her with the evidence when she hung up.
Morgan stared at the phone a long while, listening to the dial tone. When it began the beeping disconnect sound, he slowly lowered it back into the cradle. The woman had guilt written all over her. The evidence said so. Her last comment was just another example of her persistent and continual denials.
Wasn’t it?
****
The house was a stucco and brick two-story Tudor. A manicured
yard and flower bed presented a warm welcome to visitors. Not formal as Sara’s. Resentment boiled to the surface. If Sara had been able to choose what type of house and where they lived, this would have been her choice over the hulk of a monstrosity Jason had insisted on.
She began to shake, suddenly feeling unprepared. “I can’t do this,” she said to the empty car. She reached for the ignition, ready to turn the car around and go home. Where she belonged.
Her hand paused a fraction of an inch from the key. “Wait. That’s Jason talking, not me. My place isn’t in his precious house. It’s wherever I want it to be.” She narrowed her eyes. If she didn’t do this now, she’d hate herself for the rest of her life for being a coward.
A car that looked a lot like Leo’s sat in the driveway. He didn’t have any reason to be here so it couldn’t be his. As she walked past, she noted the Adams Company sticker in the window. It was Leo’s! Why would he be here? Like an explosion, it hit her. He’d come on her behalf. She shook her head, pressed her lips together.
“No. I’ll fight my own battles from now on. No more men taking care of me.” Sara turned to storm the house. She appreciated his concern. After all, what was family for? Nerves or not, she could—and would—face her husband’s mistress.
Raised voices filtered around the partially open front door. Ready to shove the door the rest of the way open, she stopped. The woman sounded afraid, not mad that she’d been found. Leo sounded… Sara froze, unable to fully absorb what he was saying.
“—knew I’d find you, slut. It was only a matter of time. Tell me, Bonnie, why’d you double-cross me?”
A pause, then, “Leo, baby—”
Double-cross? Baby? What was going on? And who was Bonnie?
“—you know I’d never do that. I’ve been waiting for the right time.”
Slap! Thud.
Sara gasped, quickly pressing her fist to her lips to keep from being overheard.
“Don’t give me that crap. You can’t lie worth a damn. You were so glad to get out of the strip club you said you’d do anything.”
“I’m grateful, Leo. Really I am.” Desperation clung to her voice.
