Death by Auction

by Alexis Morgan

  It wasn’t exactly a question, so that was probably why Tripp didn’t respond. After a few seconds, Gage took a bite of the muffin and washed it down with some coffee. “I’m pretty sure you knew I didn’t want Abby near the Pratts or any of their friends.”

  This time both Abby and Tripp nodded.

  “I’m guessing the friends you met there were most likely Spence and his buddies.”

  Abby’s mood brightened instantly. “And their wives, too. We had a great time.”

  Tripp grimaced. “You’re not helping, Abby. But she’s right, Gage. We played a little pool, ate a few burgers, and hit the dance floor. It was just a nice time out on the town right up until the fight broke out. We immediately stashed the women behind some tables and waited it out.”

  “So Deputy Chapin told me. It was also one of the biggest brawls in recent history. At least ten idiots were arrested, and three others besides Gil Pratt ended up in the emergency room.”

  They all sat and pondered how close they’d skated to disaster last night. At least Gage hadn’t brought up the threat of jail time again. That didn’t mean they were out of the woods yet.

  Despite all of that, it was the best adventure Abby had been on in ages. Maybe ever. She supposed now wasn’t the time to ask Tripp when they could go back again.

  She thought of another question. “Did Deputy Chapin also tell you that Gil didn’t start the fight?”

  “Yeah, he did, although that might’ve been a first for Gil. As promised, we didn’t include your name in the report, though. If anyone asks why he didn’t get locked up with the others, it’s because he ended up with some cracked ribs and a possible concussion. The doctor wanted to keep him awhile to make sure there weren’t any complications. Most of the others will make bail long before Gil gets out of the hospital. We’re still investigating what started the fight in the first place, but he’s free to go home.”

  That was good. Now, on to the next touchy subject. “So, Valerie mentioned you stopped by again.”

  “I did.” Gage looked up at the ceiling before continuing. “I assume she’s still staying here for the time being.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Abby didn’t bother to point out that could change at any moment if the barnacle didn’t learn how to control her mouth. Something in the quick look Tripp gave her made it clear that he was thinking along the same lines.

  “I’ll tell you what little I can. Bryce died from an overdose. What that involved is being kept confidential for now. As far as why I was talking to Ms. Brunn again, she hasn’t been exactly forthcoming on what happened that night or her relationship with Bryce Cadigan.”

  Tripp frowned big-time. “What relationship? She swore she’d never been near the man before the night of the auction.”

  Gage suddenly looked pretty tired. “Maybe that much is true, but she knew him all right. We have the e-mails and texts to prove it. While I won’t reveal the content of those messages, you can take my word for it that they were pretty inflammatory.”

  Abby had a bad feeling about this. “But why would she lie about something like that? She has to know that only makes her look more guilty.”

  Another voice joined the discussion to answer. “Well, isn’t this cozy?”

  All three of them turned to face Valerie, who stood in the hall just outside of the kitchen glaring at each of them in turn. As usual, she was dressed fit to kill, although under the circumstances that probably wasn’t the most appropriate way to describe her. And why put on that much makeup just to hang around in Abby’s dining room all day? Then it occurred to her that the clothes and makeup might be the barnacle’s armor against a world that might not feel all that welcoming right now.

  Valerie finally ventured all the way into the room. After helping herself to a cup of coffee, she sat down at the table across from Abby and next to Tripp. Her calm demeanor in the aftermath of being caught out in such a massive lie was impressive. She made a pretense of choosing the best muffin from the few left on the plate before speaking again.

  As she peeled off the wrapper, she ignored both Abby and Gage to speak directly to Tripp. “I came here to Snowberry Creek to see if you could help me convince Bryce to return something to me. Something very personal. I’d been watching for a chance to confront him at a public appearance because he refused to meet with me privately. When I found out about the auction, I figured it was as good a time as any. That you were also going to be there was just icing on the cake.”

  Tripp looked skeptical. “If you didn’t know him, what did he have that belonged to you?”

  Her composure slipped a little, making it clear she was nowhere as calm as she was pretending to be. “Actually, it belonged to Becca. She dated him for a short time. Seems Bryce liked to film certain, uh, shall we say ‘activities.’ Once she broke off with him, he threatened to post the videos online if she didn’t start making regular payments.”

  Tripp looked shocked. “That jerk was blackmailing her?”

  She shook her head. “Me, actually. My sister isn’t the one with deep pockets, and he knew I’d do whatever it took to protect her.”

  At that comment, Gage went on point. “Ms. Brunn, before you say another word, I would suggest you contact an attorney.”

  Then he stood up, grabbed his hat off the counter, and stalked out the door.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Stunned didn’t even come close to describing how both Tripp and Valerie looked after Gage’s grim suggestion and abrupt departure. Abby suspected she looked much the same as the other two. Yeah, on some level she’d known that Valerie was right in the middle of the crosshairs when it came to the investigation into Bryce’s death, but it hadn’t really hit home that she could actually be charged with the crime.

  Abby might not like the woman, but she couldn’t quite picture her as a murderer. On the other hand, it was clear that she was protective of her sister. Maybe she really had meant that she would do anything to protect Becca. But did her determination extend to murder?

  Tripp wasn’t happy with his ex-wife’s behavior, but Abby knew him well enough that he would stand by the woman as long as she was being threatened. It didn’t surprise her one bit that he left his chair to kneel in front of Valerie, who was doing her best to maintain a brave front even as she blinked back an onslaught of tears. He grabbed a tissue out of the box on the counter and pressed it into her hand.

  Valerie dabbed at her eyes. “I didn’t kill him, Tripp. I swear I didn’t.”

  “I know, babe, but Gage is right. It’s time we get you a lawyer. If you can’t afford one, I can help with that.”

  His offer clearly surprised Valerie, but she was already shaking her head. “I can handle the expense as long as this doesn’t drag on forever. I’ll call an attorney friend of mine who works in Seattle and see if she can recommend someone for me.”

  It took her two attempts to stand up, another sign of how badly shaken she was by the morning’s events. Tripp had stood up and moved back to give her room but immediately reached out to steady her. “Let me know when you’ve set up an appointment. I’ll go with you if it would help.”

  She sniffed again. “I don’t want to take up any more of your time.”

  Abby almost choked on the sip of coffee she’d just taken. As lies went, that one was a whopper. If Valerie wasn’t interested in spending time with Tripp, she wouldn’t have reacted with so much anger over him going out with Abby yesterday evening. Her original reason for reaching out to her ex-husband really might have been to elicit his help in dealing with the threat to her sister, but that wasn’t the only driving force behind Valerie’s interest in Tripp. Yeah, for now she needed his help dealing with Gage and the investigation. However, whether either of them realized it or not, Valerie wanted more from Tripp than that.

  That was his problem, not Abby’s. She took another sip of her coffee only to realize it had gotten cold. Evidently she’d been so lost in thought that she’d missed out on more of the conv
ersation. Valerie was on her cell phone talking to someone, presumably her lawyer friend. Tripp looked on as she disconnected the call and immediately started dialing again.

  Rather than just sitting there listening, Abby cleared the dishes and wiped down the table. It didn’t take long for Valerie to set up an appointment with the defense attorney for early that afternoon.

  As soon as she hung up, Tripp said, “Allowing for traffic, we should leave here no later than eleven thirty. If we end up getting there too early, we can always grab a cup of coffee somewhere beforehand.”

  Valerie was already looking more composed. Abby didn’t know about her, but in her own life just having a plan of action in place made any situation, no matter how dire, easier to face. Abby folded the dish towel and hung it to dry on the oven door handle. “Let me know if you need me to do anything.”

  Valerie actually gave the matter some thought before finally shaking her head. “Thank you, Abby, but I don’t know what that would be. I wouldn’t expect us back for dinner, either. I don’t know how long this meeting will last, but traffic could be awful by the time we get out of the attorney’s office.”

  Tripp nodded in agreement. “We’ll grab a burger on the way back.”

  Valerie’s expression brightened. “Dinner will be my treat, Tripp. I’m sure we can manage something better than a burger.”

  “As long as it doesn’t take too long. I have homework I can’t put off forever. In fact, I’m going to head back over to my place and see how much I can get done before we have to leave.”

  He’d started for the door when Valerie spoke again. “No insult intended, Tripp, but can you wear something nicer than jeans and a T-shirt to the appointment? From what my friend said, this guy is a full partner in one of the top firms in the area.”

  Tripp just nodded and continued on his way out. While he didn’t seem to take offense at the suggestion that he didn’t know how to dress for the occasion, Abby was insulted on his behalf. Rather than comment, though, she reached for Zeke’s leash. Before leaving, she dug a spare house key out of the drawer and laid it on the counter.

  “That’s for you. I’ll be back in an hour or so. I’ve got my own keys, so lock up if you decide to go somewhere while we’re gone.”

  Valerie acknowledged she’d heard her with a vague wave of her hand. Abby gathered up the few things she and Zeke needed and left. Rather than drive to the park, she led her buddy down the sidewalk several blocks to where one of the trails through the national forest began. It was one of Zeke’s favorite places to explore, and they could walk a long loop without having to backtrack.

  Being out in the fresh air helped banish all the frustrations of dealing with her unwanted guest and everything else that had happened. She was also well aware that her few days of freedom were almost over. Starting Monday, she’d be at a dead run right up until the big dance next weekend.

  While everything was on schedule so far, she was actually dreading the actual event. Too many people had suspected she’d hoped to attend the dance with Tripp. Now he’d be there with Valerie, while Abby would be going solo. Well, unless Gage actually arrested the barnacle for Bryce’s death. No matter how disappointed she was in how things had turned out, Abby wasn’t petty enough to want that to happen just so she’d have a date for the evening.

  It was time to stop stewing about the whole mess. She’d done everything she could to find out what had happened. Gage was well aware of the people who had interacted with Bryce at the auction, and she really did trust him to do his job. Well, mostly, anyway. He’d never told her and Tripp if he’d already known about the old football incident between Bryce and Denny. The man certainly liked to play his cop cards close to the vest.

  At the halfway point in the trail, Abby poured Zeke a bowl of water. He slurped it up in a hurry and then tried to rub his face on her leg, but she danced back out of reach just in time. Whether by accident or design, he often stored some of his water in his jowls, which then ended up slurped all over her pants if she wasn’t careful.

  “No, you don’t, boy. I’m on to your tricks.”

  His efforts thwarted, he resorted to plan B and gave his head a hard shake. That sent the water flying through the air right at her. She tried to brush some of the droplets off her clothes with only marginal success. There was no winning sometimes.

  Deciding she was in no hurry to go home, she tugged on his leash and resumed their walk. The longer they were gone, the less time she’d have to spend watching Valerie get ready for her long afternoon and evening in Tripp’s company.

  * * *

  As it turned out, Valerie and Tripp were about to leave when she and Zeke walked up the driveway. Valerie was decked out in a navy-blue pantsuit with a cream silk blouse. The colors suited her blond hair and coloring. Once again, Abby couldn’t help but applaud the barnacle’s fashion sense, which was stylish without being flashy. It was the perfect outfit for visiting a high-end attorney regarding a possible murder charge.

  Tripp had also chosen his clothes well. He was wearing dark gray slacks and a white knit shirt with a blue sports coat. She couldn’t help but grin at him. “Boy, I’ve said it before. You sure do clean up nice.”

  His cheeks flushed a little red. “The occasion seemed to call for it.”

  She got that. Turning her attention back to Valerie, she said, “I really hope the attorney can help you.”

  Valerie tightened her grip on her purse. “Thanks. I’ll be really glad when this is all over. I’ve got the key you gave me, so don’t feel like you need to leave the door unlocked if you go to bed before we get back.”

  Seriously? How long was she expecting her appointment with the lawyer to take? Not that it was any of Abby’s business. Tripp had made it clear he needed to get back home in time to finish his classwork, although he didn’t contradict Valerie on the subject. Zeke chose that moment to decide he really wanted attention from the other two humans. Abby tugged him back out of reach. Contrary to what the dog thought, neither Tripp nor Valerie would appreciate being festooned with dog hair right now.

  “Stay back, Zeke. They’ve got places to go and people to see.”

  The two of them watched Valerie carefully back her car down the driveway and out to the road before going inside. What should she do to fill the empty hours stretching out in front of her? Maybe it was time to spend more time working on the quilt her aunt had started right before she died.

  She’d only made it to the second floor when the doorbell rang. Zeke charged back down the steps to stand at the front door. As she joined him, she tried to interpret his reaction to whomever stood out on the porch. It wasn’t someone he knew, but he wasn’t growling, either.

  She peeked out the window and caught a glimpse of a black leather vest and scraggly ponytail. That was all she needed to see. Her first instinct was to hustle back upstairs and hide. That might be cowardly, but it was probably also smart. She seriously considered whether to call Gage and request backup, but then she spotted the bouquet of flowers in Gil Pratt’s hand. Curiosity won out over caution.

  After grabbing Zeke’s collar to keep him from bolting outside, she opened the door far enough to reveal the dog before letting herself be seen. Gil’s black eye looked worse than it had last night, and the deep lines bracketing his mouth hinted that his ribs were hurting something fierce. His one good eye widened and his eyebrows shot up in surprise as soon as he got a good look at the mastiff mix. Then his mouth kicked up in a quick grin. “Whoa, boy, aren’t you a big one?”

  When Gil held out the back of his hand for Zeke to sniff, the big dog dragged Abby out onto the porch. She tried to act like it had been her idea, but the hint of a twinkle in Gil’s eyes made it clear she hadn’t quite pulled it off.

  “That’s a handsome dog you’ve got there, Ms. McCree.”

  Zeke took the compliment as his due and gave Gil’s hand a quick lick. The biker scratched the dog’s ears before turning his hard-eyed gaze back in Abby’s direction. Then he he
ld out the flowers. “These are for you. I’m sorry for dropping by with no notice, but I wanted to thank you for speaking up for me last night.”

  She accepted the bouquet of yellow alstroemeria. The small lilies were one of her favorite flowers. “This wasn’t necessary, Mr. Pratt, but thank you. I love them. They’re so pretty and last a real long time.”

  He looked pleased with her reaction. “I’m glad you like them. Now, I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing.”

  Maybe it was the surprising gift of flowers or the fact that Zeke obviously liked the man, but she gave in to the impulse to ask him to stay for a few minutes. She had questions only he could answer.

  “Mr. Pratt, can I ask you about Bryce Cadigan?”

  Some of the hard edge she’d seen in him last night came flooding back, but he finally nodded. “You can ask. I might not answer. I have one or two I wouldn’t mind asking you in return.”

  “Fair enough.”

  She pointed toward the two chairs at the far end of the porch. “Have a seat. Talking is thirsty work. I’ll get us something cold to drink and some munchies and be right back. Is it okay if I leave Zeke with you?”

  “Sure thing. He and I can get better acquainted while you’re gone.”

  She liked that he didn’t hesitate. “Do you want iced tea, beer, or a soft drink?”

  “I’d love a beer, but you’d better make it iced tea. I’m on pain meds for my ribs, and the doc said not to mix them with alcohol.”

  Abby waited until he’d slowly eased himself down in a chair before ducking back into the house. When she returned a few minutes later, Zeke had his head in Gil’s lap, his eyes closed as the man slowly stroked his fur.

  “Looks like you made a friend, Mr. Pratt.”

  He nodded. “I like dogs of all kinds, but Zeke here is pretty special. Where did you get him?”