Advice of Counsel (The Samuel Collins Series Book 1)

by Trueman, Debra

  “You son-of-a-bitch!” my voice said on the recorder.

  “What’s wrong?” Maddie said, coming back into the room. She stopped short when she realized it was a tape.

  It was Landra’s voice. “That’s the button off my dress. Where’d you get it?”

  “Where you left it.”

  It was all there. The whole conversation. Maddie and I stood there, fixed in place, just staring at the recorder as it played on.

  “And you’re a murderer,” I was saying. There was the sound of a scuffle and then my voice again, “You won’t get away with it.”

  “Sure I will. I already have. Twice. And when you’re out of the picture, I’ll finish up with Sara. By the way, she told me you were over there tonight. I understand you shared a glass of wine.”

  The machine kept going until the tape ran out.

  “Oh my God!” Maddie said. “You got it on tape.”

  “It wasn’t me. It was the cat. He jumped from up there,” I point to the top of the armoire, “and knocked the lamp over. He must have hit the memo button when he landed.”

  “How in the world did he get up there?” Maddie wondered.

  “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

  I flipped the tape out the machine and stuck it in my pocket. “Let’s get out of here,” I said.

  * * * *

  We’d gone over to Maddie’s house and she was walking her mother out to the car. I was sitting at her dining room table eating enchiladas, watching her out the front window. She had the baby on her hip and he was waving enthusiastically to his grandmother. I wasn’t sure what Oliver was doing, but it involved a very loud toy of some sort back in another part of the house. I was hoping the batteries would die.

  I needed to get someone started on cleaning my house so I could be back in as soon as possible. It was such a hassle to have to stay somewhere else. I liked my own bed and my own things and I dreaded staying anywhere else even for one day. It made me think that a month’s vacation might not be a good idea after all. Maybe I’d make it a week, two at the most.

  Maddie had put Max down and she was chasing him back to the house. They were both laughing as they ran and when they came in, Maddie was holding him upside down and he was giggling out loud. She set Max down on his feet and he held his hands up to her.

  “Again,” he said.

  “No more,” Maddie said laughing. “Mommy needs to rest.”

  She sat down across from me and when the baby followed her, she shooed him towards me. “Go bother Samuel,” she told him.

  He gave me a six-tooth smile and came over and stood by my chair. “Up,” he said.

  His hands were grimy, but the rest of him was okay. “Come on up,” I told him and I helped him up by the back of his pants. “Can he have some beans?” I asked Maddie.

  “Sure.”

  I loaded up my fork and aimed it at the kid’s mouth but he grabbed onto it before I hit the target. We struggled over control of the utensil but the kid was bound and determined, until I finally gave in and let him take over. He was making a hell of a mess, but most of it was on himself so I wasn’t too bothered.

  I was aware of Maddie watching me and I wished that I could stare at her just as openly, but I couldn’t do it without giving away my feelings.

  “How did you end up finding me last night?” I asked.

  “Boy, you really were out of it. Do you not remember anything we talked about last night?” she asked, and when I shook my head no, she went into her story again. “I was bringing you a bowl of spaghetti and I noticed your cat going bananas in the front window. I could smell the smoke, so when you didn’t answer, I called 911.”

  “I knew you’d bring me dinner,” I said. “I thought it was you when Landra knocked.”

  “I know,” she smiled. “You told me.”

  This wasn’t good. I couldn’t remember a thing past her finding me by the pool. “What else did I tell you?” I asked skeptically.

  She got a funny look on her face like she was trying not to smile. “That was pretty much it,” she said.

  I narrowed my eyes and studied her face. “You’re such a liar,” I finally said. “What did I do, spill my guts? I told you it wasn’t a syndrome, didn’t I?”

  “Now that, you didn’t tell me,” she laughed.

  “Well its not. For your information. There’s no such thing as post traumatic crisis syndrome.”

  “I never said there was. I’ve never even heard of that,” she said.

  “That’s because I made it up! I only wanted it to be a syndrome because it would have made my life so much simpler.”

  “You’re as nutty as your cat,” Maddie said.

  “I am not. Just hear me out. You gave me a whole list of reasons why you and I wouldn’t work. Well, you’re not my client any more, and I’m not your boss, and I definitely don’t have a girlfriend. And it’s not a syndrome – it never was. That just leaves your kids, and they’re no big deal; I can handle them.”

  “So . . .” she said, leading the conversation.

  “So I want to take you out on a date.” There. The cards were on the table.

  “You want to take me out on a date?” Maddie said.

  “Will you go out with me?” It wasn’t exactly a whine, but it was pretty damn close.

  Maddie smiled. “You’re so funny. Of course I’ll go out with you. How about Friday night, to Niki’s party that you already invited me to as your date?”

  Say what? “That would be perfect,” I said. “Is there anything else I told you that I should know about? I didn’t ask you to marry me or anything, did I?”

  Maddie laughed out loud. “No. I think that was pretty much it. But I’ll let you know as things come up.”

  “I bet you will.”

  Chapter 31

  It took two days for three cleaning crews and two construction workers to get my house back to living condition. They blocked off the fortress from the rest of the house with plywood so that I could live in the house while I renovated, and by Friday afternoon, I was moving back in. I’d spent the two nights at the Holiday Inn right by my house, which I found preferable to staying with my parents. Maddie had offered her spare bedroom but I felt like I needed to get some rest and I knew that her kids would be all over me at the crack of dawn.

  Earlier that morning, Niki had brought me the results of the hair analysis performed on Mrs. Howard’s hair. It confirmed that Landra had been poisoning Mrs. Howard with Rohypnol, the same drug that was found in Drake Reeds’ system in his autopsy.

  “Landra would give it to her for a few weeks,” Niki said, “probably in her wine every night, and then when Mrs. Howard was firmly addicted, she’d cut her off cold-turkey and Mrs. Howard would go into withdrawals. Three or four days into it, she’d have a seizure and end up in the hospital, but by then the drug would be out of her system. Then Landra would start the whole process over again. It would have eventually killed her. Landra had her up to a huge dosage in the wine that you drank. Mrs. Howard would have built up a tolerance, but it must have kicked your butt,” he said.

  “Slightly,” I said. “I fought like a grandmother.”

  “You have any idea where she went?” he asked.

  “None whatsoever.”

  It was extremely creepy thinking about the whole thing. I actually had nightmares for the first two nights after she’d tried to kill me. They were those chasing dreams where you never know what you’re running from – you just know if you stop, you’re going to get your butt kicked.

  I knew that I needed to talk to Mrs. Howard, but it took me until Friday to get my nerve up. I had no idea what to say to her, and I had no idea what she would say to me, but it finally got to the point where I couldn’t put it off any longer. I knew the police had talked to her, so she would already know the story, but somehow that just made things harder. Like if it had come from me in the beginning, I could have somehow softened the blow.

  I took a plant that someone had give
n me in the hospital as a conversation starter, and I rang the bell. It took Mrs. Howard all of two seconds to answer the door and I had the distinct impression that she’d seen me crossing the street.

  “Hello, Mrs. Howard.”

  “Sam. I was just thinking about you.”

  “Well, I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I meant to come over sooner, but with the house and everything . . . This is for you,” I said, holding out the plant.

  “It’s beautiful. Will you come in?”

  We went back to her kitchen and she placed the plant in the center of the table.

  “I was just going to make some coffee. Would you like a cup?”

  “Only if you let me make it. The last time I drank your coffee, it kept me awake for three days.”

  Mrs. Howard laughed. She sat down in the chair next to mine and patted my arm. “I’m so sorry, Sam. I feel like such a fool.”

  “You and me both.”

  “I just can’t believe that she could do that. I loved that girl like she was my own flesh and blood. And to think that I almost got you killed over it . . . well, it’s too much to take.”

  “Whoa – what do you mean you almost got me killed? I hope you’re not trying to take the blame for Landra.”

  “I introduced the two of you. And I encouraged Landra to see you, and date you.”

  “I made my own decisions where Landra was concerned. No offense Mrs. Howard, but no 80-year-old woman is going to call the shots for me where my love life is concerned. Landra conned me the same way she conned you. I’m just glad that she was exposed before she did any more damage.”

  “She sure had me fooled.”

  “I know. Have you spoken to the Johnses?”

  Mrs. Howard nodded. “At first, they couldn’t believe it, but once it sunk in, they just felt very stupid.”

  “At least the three of you can use your age as an excuse. People will just think you’re senile. With me, I just look like an idiot.”

  She patted my hand again. “I’m glad you came over.”

  “Me too. Do you have any muffins?”

  I stayed with Mrs. Howard for over an hour and by the time I left, we both felt a little better. If misery loves company, that’s especially true when you’ve been conned. The fact that you weren’t the only one to fall for the scam somehow makes it easier to swallow.

  I left Mrs. Howard’s, but before I got across the street, Mrs. Johns came out to meet me. I changed course and met her in her yard.

  “This is for you,” she said, and she handed me a homemade pecan pie. “We feel so awful about what happened to you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Johns. This looks delicious.”

  “Well it’s the least I could do. How are you getting along?”

  “I’m doing okay. I was just visiting with Mrs. Howard about everything. We need to change your will again.”

  Mrs. Johns looked grim. “Do you have any idea where Landra went?”

  “By now, I’d say she’s probably somewhere in Mexico. But your guess is as good as mine.”

  “You take care of yourself, Samuel,” Mrs. Johns said.

  “You too.”

  Chapter 32

  I had picked up my tux from the cleaners on my way home from the Holiday Inn, and the Siamese was sitting on my bed watching me get dressed. I wasn’t at all in a festive mood and the cat seemed to pick up on that. In fact, if I hadn’t been going to the party with Maddie, I wouldn’t have been going at all. Her company was the only thing I was looking forward to about the night.

  “See ya later, boy,” I told him, and I gave him a scratch behind the ears. He followed me to the front door and when I’d gone, he ran over to the windowsill and watched me walk past.

  I drove over to Maddie’s so she wouldn’t have to walk back to my driveway and she was already outside on her porch.

  “Wow,” she said. She looked me up and down and I wondered why girls could get away with that but guys couldn’t. “You look so handsome!”

  “So do you.” I didn’t do the obvious head movement like she had done, but I definitely checked her out. She was wearing an ice blue cashmere sweater and black velvet pants, and she looked like she’d just walked off the cover of Vogue. “You went shopping,” I said, and all of a sudden I was very glad to be going out.

  “I did! You won’t believe how much it cost.” She looked like a little kid when she said it. “You like it?”

  “It’s worth whatever you paid for it. It looks great on you,” I said. “Why were you waiting outside?”

  “I was excited to show you my new outfit.” She said it like there should have been a duh in there. “Plus, the house is so quiet. The boys are at my mom’s for the night.” Her eyes lit up even more. “I get to sleep-in in the morning.”

  “Good. Then I can keep you out as late as I want.” I was so happy to be with her again that it was making me do a real stupid smile. “You ready to go?”

  “Whale no, not quite. Come in for a minute.”

  She’d been standing outside waiting, but she wasn’t ready to go? Okay. I followed her inside. She was right – the place seemed like morgue. It was so lifeless without the kids. In a previous life I would have mistaken it as peaceful. She went back in her room and came out 15 minutes later. She didn’t look anything different, but she said she was ready so we headed to the party.

  I’d been thinking about our date ever since I’d asked her out, and I’d made a pledge to myself that I would keep my feelings in check for the duration of the night. No sense in scaring her off on our very first date. According to a survey I’d read in some sex magazine, 78% of women consider it wormy for a guy to pour his heart out on the first date. Not that I would ever normally do that, but Maddie had a way of making me do things I wouldn’t normally do.

  I had also wondered what our relationship would be like now that our employer-employee and attorney-client relationships no longer existed. But once I was with her, I realized that it had been a waste of time. As much as I’d tried to analyze it and dissect it, the bottom line was, nothing had changed at all. She was just the fun, sweet, pretty girl that I’d grown so comfortable with. I was completely at ease with her whether we were talking about my murdering ex-girlfriend, or my made-up syndrome. I could tell her anything and not have to worry about how she’d take it. I figured I could even tell her I loved her on our first date and she’d be okay with that too. She may not say it back, but it wouldn’t affect our relationship negatively in the slightest. Not that I’d ever do that, of course, but if I ever wanted to, I could.

  I checked her out again when I stopped at a red light. She looked over at me and smiled. Don’t be a worm.

  * * * *

  The party was at a ranch just north of town and the place was lit up like it was Christmas. There were white lights wrapped around all the trees lining the caliche road that led to the house and strung from the porch along the paths and sidewalks that wound around the house and through the gardens. The place was immaculate. There was a huge plantation style house with enormous columns that reminded me of the mansions I’d seen in Louisiana. It was as cool a party house as I’d ever been to.

  Maddie was holding my hand when we walked through the entry. “Oh, Samuel. It’s beautiful,” she said, looking around the room.

  “It’s pretty awesome,” I agreed.

  I looked for a familiar face and I spotted Niki and Stacy over by the fireplace, which was big enough to picnic in. We were headed in their direction but were intercepted before we got there.

  “Maddie,” someone said, and I knew without looking who it was.

  Maddie turned around. “Hi, Matt,” she said, cheerfully.

  “You look great,” Matt said, and he kissed her on the cheek, then he turned to me and offered his hand. “Sam. How’re you doing? You’ve had a rough month.”

  I let go of Maddie’s hand and shook his. “Yeah, but it hasn’t been all bad. Things are definitely looking up.”

  “I guess so. Y
ou stole my date,” Matt said.

  I looked at Maddie and she looked at Matt and smiled. “Samuel asked me first,” she told him, and she took my hand and wove her fingers through mine.

  “If I’d known I was going to be in town, I would have asked you sooner,” Matt said in his own defense.

  “Don’t even look at her. She’s mine,” I told him, and I extricated my fingers and put my arm around Maddie’s shoulder and pulled her to me. “Excuse us. We’re going to greet Barbie and Ken.”

  Niki spotted us as we worked our way through the crowd. I hadn’t told him I was bringing Maddie with me, and I could tell by the look on his face that he was very pleased. Somehow, he would convince himself that he was instrumental in getting Maddie and me together. Like it was his idea from the very beginning. Which I guess, in a roundabout kind of way, it was, but I knew he’d take full credit for anything that came from the relationship.

  “You two are together?” he said with a big, gloating smile. “I thought you’d be coming with Matt,” he told Maddie.

  “She’s with me,” I said possessively.

  “Good. Come say hi to Stacy.” I knew he wasn’t going to leave it at that. He let Maddie pass to lead the way then he lowered his voice. “It’s about time you listened to me. Look at all the shit you could have avoided if you’d taken my advice in the first place.”

  I didn’t even dignify it with a response.

  Maddie had already introduced herself to Stacy by the time Niki and I got there and they were yacking away like they were old friends.

  “Hi, Samuel,” Stacy said. She gave me a big hug and lowered her voice. “Where did you find her? She is adorable!”

  “I know. I guess I stole her from Matt.”

  There was a look of recognition. “That’s the girl Matt has been ranting and raving about for the last month?” she laughed. “Man, you’re ruthless.”

  “All’s fair . . .” I said. “Besides, I knew her first.”

  Other guests were trying to get close to Barbie and Ken, so Maddie and I excused ourselves and went to explore the house. She was leading me by the hand from room to room and she had no lack of gumption in entering different areas of the house that were void of party-goers.