Heard it Through the Grapevine

by Lizbeth Lipperman

  He dialed voice mail and smiled as he heard Lainey’s voice. When she said she was at the office and reminded him not to wait up for her, the smile vanished.

  So much for steak and baked potatoes.

  _____

  “Don’t come any closer,” Roxy said, waving the gun to direct Lainey to Carrie’s side.

  “What are you doing, Roxy?” Lainey asked, baffled. “Why aren’t you in jail?”

  Roxy laughed, one of those sarcastic laughs having nothing to do with humor. “It pays to know people.” She jerked the gun toward Carrie when the woman moved slightly. “I said don’t move, bitch, or I’ll blow your lying head off.”

  Lainey reached deep into her interviewing bag of tricks for something to calm Roxy down. The rage in Jerry’s wife was unmistakable, not to mention the gun in her hand, which was terrifying.

  “Can’t we talk about whatever it is that’s got you so upset?”

  Roxy turned sharply, swinging the gun toward Lainey. “Don’t try your psychobabble on me. I wasn’t born yesterday.” She nailed Carrie with a look that was almost venomous. “This bitch ruined everything for me.”

  “I know you’re upset because Jerry’s dead.” Lainey tried again to diffuse her. “But Carrie had nothing to do with that. Someone with access to his pills put the cyanide on them.” She clamped her lips shut before mentioning that someone was probably Roxy. “Maybe someone at the pharmacy screwed up,” she suggested.

  Okay, that was a stretch, but Lainey’s cache of investigative maneuvers was just as empty as her interviewing one. She had to find a way to calm this mad woman down before her shaking fingers pulled the trigger and someone got hurt or worse.

  “She killed him,” Roxy screamed, raising the gun level with Carrie’s head. “The bitch killed your sister, too. Did you know that?”

  Lainey’s mouth flew open before she realized how absurd that was.

  “I already told you I had nothing to do with either murder,” Carrie said, her voice catching slightly. “Tessa was my best friend, and Jerry was my bread and butter.”

  “Shut up!”

  Carrie’s body jerked back, her face unable to hide the fear.

  Lainey had to do something to keep Roxy talking. “Why would you think that? Carrie had nothing to gain.”

  “I haven’t figured that part out yet. All I know is those hours alone in the police interrogation room got me thinking. Who else had access to Tessa’s computer and credit card? I know I didn’t order the cyanide. For a while I believed it might be Jerry.”

  “It was Jerry,” Carrie said, a hint of hope returning to her voice. “He was working a deal that would have put several million dollars in his bank account, and Tessa got in the way.”

  “Right.” Roxy huffed. “And I suppose Jerry poisoned himself for the same reason?” She forced a laugh. “How stupid do you think I am?”

  “Everybody in this room knows you’re not stupid, Roxy,” Lainey said, “But think about it. Carrie didn’t have access to Jerry’s pills.”

  Roxy’s face hardened. “That’s where you’re wrong. Jerry didn’t want anyone to know he couldn’t get it up. She usually picked up his prescription.” Roxy used the gun to point to Carrie. “I know she killed him.”

  Just then Lainey’s cell phone rang, startling Roxy. In that split second, Lainey lunged for her and knocked the gun out of her hand, sending it skittering across the floor. As she fought with Roxy, the gun went off and Roxy’s body went limp in her arms.

  Sliding her to the floor, Lainey bent down to check her pulse.

  “Get up, Lainey.”

  Lainey whirled around to see Carrie standing over her holding the gun.

  “We need to call an ambulance fast. She has a pulse but she’s barely breathing.” Lainey stood and reached for the phone on Jerry’s desk.

  Carrie stepped in front of her, blocking the way, hatred in her eyes. “I said let her die.”

  “Carrie,” Lainey started. “You don’t want to do this. I know you’re pissed because she accused you, but let Colt handle it.” Lainey glanced down at Roxy, noticing the stream of blood now flowing from the right side of her head. “We have to hurry, or it will be too late.”

  Carrie laughed out loud. “Tessa always said you were the smart one. I’d say she grossly overrated you.”

  Confused, Lainey made a second attempt to reach for the phone. This time Carrie smacked the back of her hand with the butt of the gun. The sharp pain made Lainey scream.

  “You don’t get it, do you? You’re as dumb as your slutty sister.”

  I came back as soon as I figured out Carrie had something to do with my murder. I hope I’m not too late to prevent yours.

  TWENTY-SIX

  LAINEY’S HEAD SNAPPED BACK when she heard her sister’s voice. Tessa was standing near Carrie, glaring at the woman she thought had been her best friend.

  Ask her why she killed me.

  Unsure that was the right strategy to get out of this room alive, Lainey’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure you want me to do that?”

  “Who are you talking to?” Carrie took a step closer. “Give me your cell phone.”

  Lainey reached into her jacket pocket and handed the phone to Carrie.

  Tell her I’m here, Tessa instructed.

  “She won’t believe me.”

  “God damn it, Lainey, quit talking.” Carrie’s eyes had changed from half-crazed to totally deranged.

  “Tessa wants to know why you killed her?” Lainey held her breath, expecting to hear the gun go off, waiting to fall to the floor beside Roxy’s now-dead body.

  “Ha! Good try, Lainey. I happen to know you haven’t spoken to Tessa in years.”

  “She’s right beside me,” Lainey said, trying to remember the words of the Act of Contrition.

  Dammit! Why had she drifted so far away from her childhood religion?

  “Another good one. You’re stalling, and it’s pissing me off.”

  “I know you plan to kill me, too, but at least tell me why you killed my sister.”

  “Tessa was a whore, just like you. If I hadn’t screwed up, you’d be dead, too.”

  “You were the one who set off the explosion?” Lainey asked, incredulous.

  Jesus! She’s wacko. We gotta get you out of here.

  Carrie’s smile was evil. “Roxy said you spent the night with Colt, then jumped right into the arms of another man. You’re just like your sister, always trying to steal what isn’t yours.”

  Lainey scrunched her face, confused. “What are you talking about?”

  “I know you had your eye on David.”

  “What? The only time I’ve seen that man was at my sister’s funeral.”

  “Quit lying. David tells me everything.”

  Lainey took a step toward Carrie. “I swear I had no contact with him,” she argued, but Carrie wasn’t listening. She watched in horror as the woman threw back her head and laughed, an evil, spine-chilling sound that left no doubt she was mentally unstable.

  “The night Tessa died, I snuck in and put the poison in the wine while she showered. Then I stayed on the patio to watch her suffer. It was sweet revenge.” The smile faded and her face grew hardened with rage. “It wasn’t enough your sister stole Colt from me and totally humiliated me. She had to go after David, too. Both of you are conniving whores.” Carrie shook her head. “I couldn’t let her do that to me again.”

  Lainey glanced to her left. “Did you make a play for David?”

  Not no, but hell no. I have no idea why she would think that.

  “Tessa says she never had a thing going with David.”

  “You are a Looney Tune if you expect me to buy into the talking to Tessa thing.” Carrie paused, moving toward Lainey. “David admitted she called him one night when I was out of town, and they met for dinner. He said Tessa confessed she’d never stopped loving him and wanted to pick up where they’d left off a long time ago.”

  That’s a goddamn lie!

  “Te
ssa says that isn’t true.”

  “Yeah, well, I know for a fact she met him on several occasions. I started getting suspicious after I couldn’t reach him whenever I was out of town. When I confronted him with a receipt from the downtown Sheraton, he came clean about Tessa. He said he wasn’t sure how he felt about her and needed time by himself to think.”

  “Is that why you killed her?”

  Carrie’s face flamed. “How would you feel if you discovered your best friend had screwed you over not once but twice?” She stopped to swipe at her tears. “I followed him one night when he thought I was on a business trip. My heart broke when I saw him and your sister at an intimate bar laughing like they were lovers.”

  “Tessa?” Lainey waited for an explanation.

  It’s true. I did meet him for drinks one night, and dinner another time.

  Lainey tried to hide her disgusted look, but Tessa noticed.

  It isn’t what you think. I found out Jerry was talking to a real estate company from New Jersey behind my back about selling the vineyard to a bunch of foreigners. My source said the new company was planning on ripping up all my vines and replacing them with tall buildings and concrete. I couldn’t let that happen, so I called David to see if he’d help me prevent it.

  “Why David?” Lainey asked.

  He’d worked so hard to have Spirits of Texas proclaimed a historical landmark, I thought he’d be as upset as I was when I told him what they planned to do with it.

  “Was he?”

  Tessa nodded. He said he would put an end to that nonsense immediately. I trusted him.

  Lainey took a deep breath before repeating her sister’s words. “Tessa only met with David to ask for his help when she found out Jerry was wheeling and dealing behind her back to sell the vineyard.”

  Lainey watched Carrie’s face as she absorbed this information. “A likely excuse. That doesn’t explain why she slept with him.”

  After turning to see Tessa shaking her head, Lainey said. “There was no sex.”

  “You must really take me for an idiot, Lainey. Anyone who knew your sister was aware of the way she used sex as a weapon, as a bribe. Hell, as everything. She was hell-bent on getting what she wanted even if it meant destroying me in the process. I—”

  “Tessa swears it never happened.”

  Carrie turned her head for a moment then met Lainey’s eyes in a cold stare. “Seriously, do you think I’m buying any of your bullshit? Come on, who believes in ghosts anyway?”

  Tell her you know about the time her dad raped her so violently she couldn’t go to school for several days. Remind her how I played hooky with her, and we both got in trouble. Spent three weeks in detention.

  “I didn’t know your father abused you, Carrie. That must still be painful to think about.”

  “Nobody knows about that,” Carrie shouted, waving the gun at Lainey. “Nobody but Tessa.” Suddenly, her eyes darted around the room as if the realization Lainey might be telling the truth finally hit home. “Tell me how you knew about my dad, and I might let you live.”

  Lainey stared at the gun, praying she could keep Carrie talking. “Tessa appeared to me at the funeral home and has been showing up ever since.”

  “Are you saying she’s here now?” Carrie made another scan of the room. “Not that I believe any of this,” she added, the crack in her voice saying otherwise.

  “She’s right beside me, saddened that you turned on her.” Lainey didn’t know why, but it was working. Carrie had calmed down somewhat, although she was still pointing the gun.

  “Me turn on her?” Carrie’s voice escalated as her face turned the color of her bright red lips. “I told you that bitch was about to humiliate me a second time. You know that old saying—trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me.”

  Ask her about Jerry.

  “Why’d you kill Jerry?”

  “That ass! Somehow he figured out I was the one who ordered the cyanide. He threatened to go to the police unless I talked David into working a deal with him and splitting the money from the real estate guy.”

  “David? What does he have to do with this?”

  “Absolutely nothing.”

  All three turned toward the door as David Rivera walked through.

  “What’s going on here, Carrie?” he asked as he stepped over Roxy’s body.

  “Thank God, you’re here,” Lainey said, letting out a sigh of relief. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”

  _____

  Colt turned down Main Street to pick up something quick from Taco Grande. If he couldn’t have a good juicy steak, Mexican food was the next best thing.

  Waiting in the drive-through lane for his order, his mind returned to Phil Romano and his last words. Why would Phil talk about a river? It made no sense.

  Before he’d left the office, Colt had taken a second look at all the employee’s phone records hoping to find something he may have missed. He’d even pulled the records for the police station and scanned the hundreds of calls that had come in that week.

  Still nothing except several calls from City Hall over those seven days. Probably the DA trying to rush them on a case. But other than the unsolved murders, they weren’t working on anything for the prosecutors. So why all the calls from City Hall?

  Colt paid for the burritos and headed home, resigned to the fact no one would be there to greet him except the dogs. When he passed Spirits of Texas he noticed four cars out front and wondered what was going on so late. He recognized Jerry’s car and Tessa’s old Jaguar, and a city-issued vehicle. The fourth was probably Lainey’s new rental car.

  Roxy must have driven straight to the winery when they’d released her earlier, Colt thought. He’d known there was no real evidence to hold her, but he’d wanted to find out what she’d say after the lawyer arrived.

  Talk about a sleaze bag! The man looked like he’d stepped right out of an Al Capone movie. The way he undressed Roxy with his eyes had even made Colt uncomfortable. But he had to give it to the guy. He had her out of there in under three hours.

  The city car most likely belonged to David Rivera, probably picking up Carrie for dinner. He was reminded once again of his own solo dinner in the bag next to him.

  At the corner of Main and Highway 114, a huge light bulb exploded in his head as sudden awareness stopped him cold. He slammed on the brakes, pissing off the guy behind him who laid on his horn after nearly rear-ending Colt’s car.

  “Shit,” he said aloud as he connected the calls from city hall and Phil’s last words.

  He jerked the car across the lane and headed back in the other direction, his siren blaring.

  He’d always known it was probably so obvious it would bite him in the ass.

  As he pulled into the parking lot, he called for backup.

  _____

  “Carrie, give me the gun.” David demanded, inching toward her. “You don’t want to hurt anyone else.”

  I have a bad feeling about this, Tessa said.

  “She knows I killed Tessa and Jerry,” the distraught woman replied, turning back to Lainey. “I can’t let her tell Colt. It will ruin all our plans.”

  “She won’t, will you, honey?” He smiled at Lainey. “Not after our long talk last night.”

  Lainey watched in horror as tears streamed down Carrie’s face. Why was David pretending he had an intimate relationship with her? Carrie was already beyond a basket case. This wasn’t the way to calm her down.

  “Give me the gun, Carrie, then we can go home and Daddy will love you the way you want to be loved. She doesn’t mean anything to me anymore.”

  Oh, Christ! This is big trouble.

  “No!” Carrie screamed. “She’ll try to take you away from me again.”

  He was almost next to her now. “She won’t, Carrie. I’m only in love with you.”

  Carrie was sobbing now, her shoulders heaving as she stared into David’s eyes, pleading. It was pathetic watching her beg for any scrap of love h
e’d give her.

  David closed the gap between them and took her into his arms. Both Lainey and Tessa breathed a sigh of relief.

  Then the gun went off and Carrie’s eyes widened in surprise before she went limp.

  Oh my God, Lainey. He’s the one, Tessa screamed. David’s the killer. You gotta get away from him now.

  David lowered his fiancée’s body to the floor then turned to Lainey, his face void of all emotion. “Now that was one stupid bitch.”

  He moved closer and Lainey’s entire body tensed and she closed her eyes, waiting for the next bullet. When she felt his breath on her cheek, she opened them.

  David had stopped directly in front of her, sliding the gun from the top of her chest to her cleavage. “Too bad I don’t have time to show you the right way to get fucked. You’d find out in a hurry Winslow is merely a novice in that department.”

  “David,” Lainey started.

  “Shh.” He ran the gun over her lips. “When will you women realize you should be seen and not heard? Let me enjoy the moment.”

  Lainey, you have to get out of there. He’s gone over the edge.

  Lainey’s heart was racing, her mind in overdrive searching for a way to distract him. She forced a smile as she reached with her good arm and slowly began to unbutton her blouse.

  “I like the way you think,” she said, trying to sound seductive while controlling her shaking hands.

  He met her gaze and smiled. “You are just like your sister.” With one hand on the edge of her blouse, he yanked, sending the buttons across the room, exposing her breasts brimming over the top of Kate’s one size too small lacy black bra.

  “You even dress the part.” David rubbed one hand over the swell of her breast. The distinct wail of an approaching siren caused him to flinch, and he turned to look out the window.

  In that moment, Lainey brought her knee up hard between his legs, doubling him over. It gave her just enough time to sprint from Jerry’s office to the front door.

  Her panic mounted when she realized David had dead-bolted the door when he arrived. She switched directions and headed for Tessa’s tiny apartment in the back, knocking over a flower arrangement in the front office when she rushed by.