“Or after dark,” Maddy chimed in. “We can’t wait here all day. I’m starving.”
“Here.” Lainey pulled a small package of doughnuts from her purse. She’d picked them up that morning at the 7-Eleven, then quickly decided her stomach felt too queasy to chance it.
“Give me one of those,” Deena demanded, grabbing the bag out of Maddy’s hand.
“Hey!” Maddy protested.
For a minute, Lainey took her eyes away from the binoculars they’d picked up at Walmart on the way over and watched her older sisters bicker over the doughnuts. This is what she’d missed the most when she’d left Vineyard.
If they had time for lunch later, she’d spring and take them to the new Olive Garden off the interstate. It was Maddy’s favorite restaurant, and she owed them for hanging out with her today. Besides, there was nothing like eight hundred breadsticks to take the edge off her hangover, which was finally starting to feel like just a nuisance headache.
Lainey tried to focus on the front door of the post office again, but she was distracted by all the Mercedes and Beemers passing by. She’d always known Lakeview had a higher median income per family, but she didn’t realize just how wealthy this community was.
Situated about ten miles north of the airport, Lakeview had a population of nearly forty thousand. Several of the Dallas Cowboys and a few Mavericks lived in this small city, known for its many high school football championships. Lainey said a prayer whoever was coming for the money wouldn’t notice her rental car which stood out like a tall blonde in a roomful of short brunettes.
She glanced at her watch. It had been ninety minutes since Roxy had dropped off the money. They’d used a bright green envelope, hoping it would be easier to spot from this distance.
She put the binoculars up to her eyes again. “Ohmygod!” she exclaimed as she saw a familiar face going into the post office.
“What?” Both Deena and Maddy said in unison, scooting close enough to Lainey to blow her hair into her face.
“Hold on,” Lainey pleaded, pushing her hair back and motioning with her hand for them to back off. “I want to be sure.”
As they watched in silence, Lainey was aware of her own breathing, slow and audible. The minutes ticked off as they stared at the front door of the post office.
“There,” Maddy shouted as a lone figure exited the building and walked to a blue Jaguar.
“Is that who I think it is?” Deena asked, leaning over the front seat so far, Lainey could smell doughnuts on her breath.
“Yep.” Lainey handed off the binoculars to Maddy, slumped back in her seat and stared in disbelief.
Even without the glasses, there was no doubt they were watching Carrie Phillips slide into the driver’s seat of Tessa’s old car, the bright green envelope protruding from her purse.
EIGHTEEN
I’LL BE DAMNED! If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Lainey twisted her head around in time to see Tessa plop down next to Deena in the back seat. “It’s about time you showed up.”
“She’s here?” Maddy nearly pretzeled her neck to look, then eyed Lainey suspiciously. “She’s not up here with us, is she?”
Lainey smiled. “She’s cuddled next to Deena.”
And if I say so myself, Deena, you’ve plumped up a bit. She made a face. Move your fat ass over and give a girl some room.
“She wants you to scoot over, Deena,” Lainey repeated before she faced forward and looked into the binoculars again.
Carrie had backed the Jaguar out and pulled into the flow of traffic. The three sisters slid down in their seats when she passed.
Follow her, Tessa shouted before her lips twisted in a cynical smile. I shouldn’t have left her my Jag. We’ll never catch her in this piece of shit.
“Wanna bet?” Lainey started the ignition, shifted to drive and burned rubber pulling away from the curb, cutting off a Lexus SUV.
Damn, girl!
Lainey glanced into the rearview mirror to see Tessa shaking her head, a huge grin on her face as the outraged Lexus driver laid on the horn.
Oh, blow it out your ass!
Lainey made a U-turn, thankful there were no cops around and jammed her foot on the gas pedal. She figured Carrie was on her way back to Vineyard and headed the rental car in that direction.
As they rounded the corner of Main and Carroll, Maddy cried out, “There she is getting on 114.”
Although they kept Carrie in sight, Tessa was right. The rental car was no match for the blue Jaguar, and they quickly fell back eight or ten car lengths.
Exiting off William Tate Boulevard, Lainey followed Carrie as she headed toward the winery. Right before the turnoff to Spirits of Texas, Carrie pulled into Starbucks’ parking lot. The sisters watched silently when she exited the car and walked into the store.
Then Lainey eased the car next to the Jag and turned to Tessa. “You coming?”
You’re kidding, right? Not even Brad Pitt in a Jacuzzi could keep me from seeing the look on Carrie’s face when she sees us. Mischief flickered in her eyes. Okay, maybe if he was naked.
The sisters climbed out of the car and walked into the coffee shop just as Carrie paid for her drink and shoved her wallet into her purse.
“Hey, Carrie, what a surprise seeing you here,” Lainey said while the others surrounded her.
Carrie’s eyes widened as she glanced from one sister to the other. “It’s no surprise. Everyone knows I’m addicted to the Chai tea here.”
Ooh, I love Chai tea, Tessa said, moving closer to stand next to Lainey. It’s like drinking a big slice of Mom’s pumpkin pie.
Maddy stepped forward. “Lainey wasn’t talking about being surprised that you’re at Starbucks, Carrie.”
Deena pushed her older sister to the left to squeeze in between her and Carrie. “The mystery is why you waited to get back to Vineyard to get one. Lakeview now has a great new Starbucks.” Her eyes strayed to the display of blueberry scones before she turned back. “Actually, it’s just a block from the post office.”
If this wasn’t serious stuff, Lainey would have laughed at the way Carrie’s eyes opened to full circles. Her eyebrows furrowed as if searching her brain for a response.
“Good to know,” Carrie countered before adding, “As nice as it is to see all of you, I really have to run. I have a bear of an afternoon at the office.”
“I’ll bet,” Lainey said. “It must be hard trying to figure out how you’re going to spend Roxy’s five grand.”
Carrie gasped then recovered enough to attempt a smile she didn’t quite pull off. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Deena pulled the bright green envelope from Carrie’s purse before the smaller woman snatched it back.
She always sucked at lying, Tessa said. Watch how she drums her fingers on the counter.
“It might be a good idea if we all sit down and have a little talk,” Maddy said.
Carrie smiled, but her eyes remained cold. “No can do. That killer afternoon, remember?”
This time Maddy stepped close enough to Carrie that she almost lost her balance and fell into her. “Right now, we’re the only ones who know about this, but I can’t promise I won’t let it slip out when I get back to the station.” Maddy raised her eyebrows. “You understand, right?”
Carrie’s smile disappeared, and she took a deep breath. Without a word, she turned and walked to the far corner of the store. The sisters followed and pulled up chairs while Carrie slid into the fourth. Tessa stood beside Lainey, her eyes burning into Carrie’s face as if trying to figure out what kind of game her friend was playing.
“How long have you been blackmailing Roxy?” Lainey blurted, leaning forward.
Carrie blew out a long breath, sending her bangs upward in the breeze. “Did you know she and Porter were working a deal worth millions?”
When no one answered, she continued, “I couldn’t let that happen to Tessa. Figured I’d get Roxy
to give up some of her money before I went to Tessa and Jerry with the proof.” She tapped the table with her coral-tipped nails.
Yeah, right. How stupid does she think we are?
“What kind of proof?”
Carrie took a drink of her tea, slowly licking the foam from her lips. “Roxy got her hands on a list of all the wine distributors who were tight with Tessa. She gave Porter a few names at a time.” She paused. “Guess she wanted to keep him on a string, keep him as her boy-toy as long as she could.”
Ew!
“Anyway, Porter would get the names and contact them to offer a kickback if they’d quit buying from us.”
“How’d you find out?”
“I got a call from one of our biggest clients wondering what was going on.” She took another sip. “I think Tessa was giving him more than wine, if you get my drift.”
Lainey looked up at Tessa, her eyes questioning. After Tessa scrunched her face and shook her head as if she’d just tasted something sour, she mouthed No way!
Lainey turned back to Carrie. “So, you expect us to believe you figured this out after one phone call?”
“Hell, no.” Carrie shouted. “Three other clients called and said the same thing. It didn’t take long to put two and two together, especially when I noticed how Roxy turned into a horny bitch every time Porter came to the office.”
“So, you found out about the affair and then blackmailed her?”
“I set a trap. It was so obvious. Roxy must have been sex-starved. I guess she’s used to the bigger boys from her porn days.” Carrie winked. “Tessa always said Jerry’s size thirteen boots were grossly misleading.” Her eyes moved from Lainey to the other two sisters. “Any one of you would have done the same thing.”
Maddy and Deena might have, but you’re too much of a goody-two-shoes, Lainey.
Lainey shot Tessa a look before skewering Carrie with the same one. “Did Jerry know?”
Carrie finished her tea, then leaned back in the chair. “Of course he knew. When you marry a woman who has raunchy sex with strangers in front of a camera, you can’t expect her to suddenly become Mother Teresa.” She sniffed. “Jerry wasn’t Mr. Wonderful-Husband himself. He was banging anything in panties.”
Same old Jerry. Tessa sighed. He has two emotions, hungry and horny. When I saw that look in his eye, I’d hurry up and make him a sandwich.
Lainey put her finger to her lip to silence Tessa. They were getting to the heart of this matter, and she didn’t want to start laughing at one of Tessa’s remarks. She pursed her lips then faced Carrie again. “How about you, Carrie? Did you and Jerry have a thing?”
Carrie threw her head back and laughed. “Besides being one of the biggest losers I know, Jerry was off limits to me. I would never go for one of Tessa’s castoffs.”
All three sisters made eye contact before Maddy turned her gaze to Carrie. “Are you forgetting David Rivera?”
At the mention of her fiancé, Carrie’s eyes hardened. “Tessa and David were high school sweethearts.” She forced a laugh. “If I excluded everyone Tessa slept with in high school, I would’ve had to leave town to find a date.”
You bitch!
“Morning, ladies.”
All five of them, including Tessa whirled around to face Colt Winslow, wearing his police uniform and a smile so fake, he could have passed for a car salesman.
“Hey, Colt.” Maddy glanced at her watch. “I still have a few minutes left on my lunch break.”
Colt ignored her and centered his attention on Lainey. “Obviously, you have a short memory. I guess I’ll just have to haul your pretty little ass in for obstruction of justice.”
“Hold on, Colt. There’s no obstruction of justice going on here. We just happened to wander into Starbucks for a pick-me-up after our big lunch, and we ran into Carrie,” Maddy said.
Colt turned his angry eyes on her and she slumped a little in the chair. “Really? I suppose you just happened to be sitting in a parked car outside the Lakeview Post Office, too.”
Carrie’s hand flew to her mouth, but not fast enough to stop the gasp.
Colt turned to her. “I’ll take that green envelope now.” He held out his hand, and reluctantly, Carrie handed it over. “You’re lucky Roxy refuses to press charges, or you’d already be on your way to the station. Blackmailing is a felony.”
My best friend calling me a whore should be against the law, too.
Carrie crossed her arms and glared at Lainey. “As I was telling them, I was only trying to keep Roxy from sabotaging Spirits of Texas. Apparently, Lainey and her sisters decided to get in on the action.”
Hell’s bells! I had no idea she could lie this well. Tessa shook her head in amazement. I’m developing a new respect for her even though she said I was a ho-dog.
Colt stepped closer to the table. “Can the lies, Carrie. Roxy called me the minute she was in her car heading for Lakeview. She told me everything.”
“Why would Roxy call you?” Lainey asked. She’d gotten the impression Roxy didn’t want anyone to know about her afternoon delights with Porter.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’m the police officer, and you all are merely a bunch of Angela Lansbury wannabes.” He pointed to Carrie. “You and I will talk later when I come to the winery.”
Then he spun on his heels to face Maddy. “You, I’ll deal with back at the station.”
I’d forgotten how damn sexy he is when he’s madder than hell.
Halfway to the door, Colt turned back. “I’ll see you at the house, Lainey. We’ll settle this matter once and for all.”
Oh, shit! Tessa said. He doesn’t get this pissed often, but when he does … She rolled her eyes.
“Great,” Maddy said. “I have to deal with another one of his talks where he tries to pretend I’m just another employee.”
“You are just another employee, Maddy. It’s been a long time since he and Tessa divorced,” Deena reminded her, pushing her chair away from the table. “I’m starving. Anyone else want a scone?”
Lainey didn’t hear her sisters. She was too busy watching Colt walk toward the door, fixated on the way his butt was outlined against the back of his uniform pants. A warm rush pulsed through her body as a smile crinkled her eyes despite the fact she knew she was in for the mother of all lectures back at Colt’s.
He thinks my ass is pretty!
_____
Colt didn’t know whether he was more pissed because the Garcia girls had become a royal pain in the ass or because they’d found out Carrie was blackmailing Roxy before he even had a clue. When he’d questioned Roxy earlier she’d denied knowing anything about the pictures.
Obviously she’d had a change of heart. When she’d called to say she was on her way to make the drop exactly like Lainey had instructed her, Colt had slammed down the receiver and rushed from the station, wondering what the hell Tessa’s sisters were up to now.
He should have known Lainey didn’t intend to give up without a fight. Hell, she and Tessa hadn’t even spoken in years. Why did she suddenly feel the burning need to solve her murder? Was it guilt? Or maybe she saw herself as an avenging angel.
The angel part would be right, Colt thought as he rubbed his lower lip, remembering how her tongue had slid across it last night.
Christ! What was he thinking kissing her back like that? She was Tessa’s sister. His mind argued he and Tessa had never really lived as husband and wife—if you didn’t count that one fling.
He shook his head to clear his mind, sliding into the front seat of the cruiser to head for the station. He had three murders to solve, and so far, he was doing a piss poor job on all of them. His gut told him they were connected somehow, but damn if he could figure out how.
Why would the guy who in all likelihood murdered Porter get offed the same day at the same hotel? Where did Tessa’s death fit into the equation? Hers was premeditated.
And how did it all connect to Lainey and the “get out of town or else” note?
Right now he had no answers, but he was damn sure going to find them before one or more of the Garcia sisters ended up like Tessa.
He groaned at the lunch hour traffic that put him at the end of a long line stopped for a red light. He was tempted to turn on the siren but decided not to abuse the power.
Instead, he picked up his cell phone and called the station. When he heard Danny Landers’s voice, his anger returned, remembering why Maddy wasn’t there to answer it. He should have known something was up earlier when she’d rushed from the building like it was on fire.
“Hey, boss, where are you? Where’d you get off to in such a hurry?”
Colt ignored the second question. “I’m stuck at the light around the corner. I never got a chance to talk to you and Romano before I left. What’d you find when you checked the convenience stores?”
“A dead-end,” Danny said. “No one remembers selling a prepaid phone to anyone who seemed unusual. Just your average ‘live from paycheck to paycheck’ kind of people.”
“I was afraid of that.” Colt tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “This guy’s too smart to get tripped up by something that simple.” He inched forward a few car lengths, then cursed under his breath when the light turned red again.
“So, what’s next?”
Colt rubbed his forehead. “Try checking the Lakeview and Kendal stores. You might even look at Roanoke.” He sighed. “It’s a long shot, but that’s all we got.”
“Will do, boss. After Phil and I grab some lunch, we’ll head that way.”
“Call if you uncover anything promising.” Colt disconnected when the light finally turned green. He pushed his foot down and raced forward in time to get past before the yellow light turned red again.
Halfway to the station, he debated what he’d say to Maddy to make sure she got the message to give up the ridiculous hunt for Tessa’s killer.
Damn!
He’d forgotten he needed to save his best arguments for Lainey. She seemed to be the one with all the big ideas and the free time on her hands to follow through on them.
Heard it Through the Grapevine Page 17
