by Неизвестный
He leaned down and kissed her, smiled and then set the remaining treasures onto the nearest table.
“I bought what we’ll need for our office.” He grinned at her.
She smirked. “Our office? I thought it was going to be my office. Who gave you squatters’ rights?”
“I figured we’d share it for now, at least until the mystery is solved.” Devin shrugged, his face a mask of innocence.
“Uh, huh. Sure,” Luna said. “Where else did you go today?”
“Just around and about. I drove along the coast and checked out the homes. There aren’t many places that fall into that category, I’m afraid.”
“Whose homes do fall into it?” Luna asked.
“Ida’s is one of them, but most of the others are summer residences owned by people who winter in warmer parts.”
“Did you come up with any potential suspects?” Luna asked, searching the contents of every bag before dumping them onto the tabletop. She smiled at the array of office supplies. “You did have a good time, didn’t you?”
He gazed at her for a few moments before he reached out to draw her close. His lips covered hers, arousing her passion in a heartbeat. With an effort, she stepped back. “You didn’t answer my question. So, before we get carried away, I need to know about the suspects.”
His eyes dark with emotion, Devin rested his hands on her hips. He leaned back a bit, meeting her gaze.
“It occurred to me the culprits may be closer than we think. Not only does Arvi live on the same road as Ida, his house overlooks the sea.”
“Go on.”
“When I drove past, I saw a stocky man enter the front door without knocking. He had a key to let himself in. His hair was short and dark, but I didn’t see his face because he moved too quickly. Somehow he seemed familiar, but like I said, I only saw him from behind.”
Interesting.” Luna left his arms and toyed with a lock of her hair, deep in thought. His information had caused her passion to flee as fast as it had arrived. She considered what they knew.
With a glance at Devin, Luna said, “I’ve heard Arvi’s interest runs to men instead of women. He lives on the edge of the woods, facing the sea. He was in also in cahoots with Thomas over this land deal.” Counting what they knew with the tips of her fingers, Luna continued, “Thomas worked for Rille Corporation, which is suspicious in itself. Rille was my maiden name, you know.”
His brows hiked in surprise. “I wasn’t aware of that. Do you have relatives with that name who are in the business?”
“I don’t have any living relatives, as far as I know. I was an only child. Relatives never came to visit, so it’s safe to assume that I’m the only Rille left.”
“An odd coincidence, wouldn’t you say? You move here without telling anyone about your past and start what is now a thriving business. Your ex-husband shows up working for Rille Corporation. He’s then murdered while planning to scam anyone he could and take over your business.” Devin shook his head at the mystery, realizing there was a common denominator, but he was unable to see how it worked.
Luna fiddled with the file folders Devin had bought while she thought about Dilly’s business offer. She tilted her head at Devin and said, “Dilly, Annie and I had a discussion this afternoon after I closed up shop. It seems Arvi approached Dilly with an offer to become a stock holder in my business.”
“Where would she get the idea that Junction stocks were an option?” Devin asked.
“Thomas mentioned that our engagement was a sham just before the offer was made. I think the two of them, Arvi and Thomas, planned to bilk Dilly out of her savings with a stockholder promise. Then when the business failed as they intended, of course, they would walk away with Dilly’s money, the Junction and all the land that goes with it. Thomas worked for Rille Corporation and would make sure he’d be in on the purchase of all this.” Luna’s arm swept wide, encompassing everything.
“Did they offer her a contract?”
“They did, but she refused to sign, since she was unsure if our commitment was a sham or real. She mentioned Henry had no idea of the offer, and he’d be quite put out with her should he find out. I hope he keeps the information I gave him to himself. I wouldn’t want Dilly to think I’m a tattletale.”
“The mystery has begun to unravel,” Devin observed. “If we could only identify the man who I saw enter Arvi’s today, I think we’d have a large piece of the puzzle. Why don’t we take a ride tonight and see what we can find out about Arvi and his pal?”
“Great idea,” Luna said. “I’ve nearly finished here and could use a bite to eat. Cupcakes just don’t make the grade, I’m afraid.”
“We’ll stop on the road for food before we snoop around. How does that sound?”
“That works for me,” Luna said with a grin, and set to work.
Devin called across the room, “I’ll be downstairs setting up our new equipment.”
With a chuckle over his proprietary words, she unpacked the last of the faerie sun catchers and hung them in the windows. A movement at the edge of the woods near the rear of the shop caught her eye as she hung the last sun catcher. A pixie gazed toward the window where she stood.
Luna waved her hand and raised the window. “Pixie, why are you here?”
“A word if you will, human.” He bowed with his leafy cap in his hand.
“One moment, and I will join you.” Fascinated by the creature, Luna tossed the empty boxes into the closet and closed the door. Before she hurried outside, Luna grabbed a scrap of beaded wire and tucked it in her pocket. She stood on the bottom step near the garden path, waiting for the pixie to speak.
“The ribbons we liked, thank you.” His head bowed before he glanced up with mischievous eyes.
“It was my pleasure to offer you such gifts, Pixie. What brings you from the forest?”
“Metal cans clanged, the human we know of.”
The pixie’s backward speech pattern caused Luna a moment’s pause. Metal cans, metals cans, what metal cans? Her eyes wide, Luna stared at the pixie. He knew who had crashed through the garden the other evening.
“Which human would that be?” Luna asked.
“A familiar human unkind to pixies, and a faerie non-believer. Skinny, he is.” The tip of the pixie’s long nose quivered.
Luna nodded and pulled the beaded wire from her pocket. Settling onto the step, waiting for the pixie to continue, she held the wire tight within her hand.
“Tell me more,” she coaxed.
As his almond-shaped slanted eyes darted here and there in search of something, Luna wondered if he worried Riddles might attack him. She glanced around and reassured the wee man not to fear.
He nodded and said, “Lives in the wood by the sea, he does.”
His bright eyes fastened on her hand, his excitement obvious. She realized he waited for a gift and offered the bauble in her outstretched palm.
“In honor of your words, I wish to offer you this token,” Luna said in praise.
He collected the scrap, dipped toward her in a bow, and Luna did the same. When she looked up, he had disappeared.
A cough from behind brought her attention around. Devin stared out the window at her, a wide grin on his face.
“Taking up with the pixies again?” he asked and strode out the door toward her.
She rose from the step to meet him on the porch.
“Arvi was the one who stumbled through the yard the other night. The pixie says he’s mean and a non-believer.”
“The skinny part must have been the telling clue, huh?” Another chuckle met her own, and they entered the building to secure it before setting off in search of Arvi and his unknown friend.
Chapter 22
Her dark sweater and slacks matched the night to perfection as Luna and Devin hid behind brush near the edge of the road, across from Arvi Gribblederd’s conservative home. The only one of its kind on the road, the other homes were spacious and palace-like by comparison.
“This house is so out of place,” Luna observed.
“It’s a family home built long before any of these others. His family is old town stock, not like the newer, financially secure residents who built these monstrous places along the coastline. It must be annoying, since he isn’t in their class.”
“That would account for his attitude.” Whenever Luna met Arvi, she felt slimed and soiled. Arvi swaggered, and treated folks with little money as though they were beneath him. He had no right to do so, since he lived from one land deal to the next, or hand-to-mouth, so to speak.
A car drew to a stop in front of the house. Arvi left the driver’s side and sauntered toward the front door, his clothes flapping in the incessant offshore wind. Before he shut the door, he glanced around and across the road toward their location.
Luna sucked in a deep breath and blew it out after he disappeared inside. She glanced up to find Devin’s dimples deepened with soundless laughter.
“You wouldn’t make a very good spy, Luna Devere.” He hugged her to him as they knelt behind the scrubby bushes. A chuckle emitted from her as she agreed.
They sat for another hour, whispering back and forth in an effort to come up with a scenario that put the puzzle pieces together. Without the third person, their pieces refused to fit.
The night turned cold, and Luna shivered. She hadn’t brought a jacket. Chilling Atlantic winds blew in off the Maine coast. She shook so much her teeth chattered until she thought she’d end up with pneumonia if she didn’t get inside soon.
He whispered close to her ear, “Let’s get back to the car. I don’t want you to freeze to death.”
She agreed, and they scooted under cover of the scrubby trees to the car parked at a home construction site beyond Arvi’s house. Once free from the chilling wind, Luna warmed up. Rubbing her hands together, she flexed her fingers.
They drove a quarter mile when a single car, headed toward Arvi Gribblederd’s, passed them on the road. Devin cast a glance at Luna.
He remarked, “I’ll bet you the driver of that car is the human the pixies mentioned. Nobody lives past Arvi yet. The house being built isn’t habitable at this point.”
“Do you want to turn around and go back?” Luna asked.
“Nah, you’re cold, and besides the driver will have arrived and gone inside by the time we got there. I’d like to stop at Ida’s for a moment, I’m curious about a few things.”
Surprised by the suggestion of the spontaneous visit, Luna couldn’t help but wonder what Devin was up to. The reason didn’t take long to become known.
They shuffled up the front steps of the lovely home and rang the bell. When the door swung open, Ida Gregory stood inside, staring at them. Dressed in a long, purple robe with beads edging the collar, it sparkled in the light. A small, silver faerie pin glistened against the lapel.
Ida’s eyes widened in surprise as she backed into the house and welcomed them with a wide smile.
“I wasn’t expecting company, but do come in, my dears.”
“Are you alone, Ida?” Devin glanced around.
“Why, yes, Rudy has the night off. He’s going to the opera with a friend. He’s quite cultured, you know.”
“Is he?” Devin asked, his brow cocked.
“Yes, he loves the opera and Porcini is his favorite.”
“It’s always good to be cultured, I guess. Strange in a houseman, though, don’t you think?”
His brow hiked.
“Not at all. Marilyn Scotty once had a maid who not only loved music, but she became a singer in a summer stock play outside Portland. Interesting, wouldn’t you say?” Ida grinned, her eyes moving from Devin to Luna and back again.
She led the way into the living room and motioned for them to be seated. She offered a drink while Luna glanced around the lovely, well-appointed room.
Luna shook her head, as did Devin.
“I’m driving, so I’ll pass,” Devin remarked. “Would you happen to know anything about Rille Development Corporation?”
Ida blinked with surprise. “Why, yes, I owned that company some years ago and sold it off when developing took a nosedive. No sense in losing money.” She shrugged. “Why do you ask?”
“Who did you buy it from?”
“I acquired it after someone tried to take me for a half million dollars. He was quite the scam artist, but as you know, I’m not exactly stupid. I never met him face to face. All our transactions were done by fax and phone. I am overwhelmed with financial matters as of late, though.” Ida’s brow wrinkled, and she seemed to mentally leave them for a moment.
Devin coughed lightly to interrupt her thoughts.
She smiled.
“Sorry about that. I wandered for a second there,” Ida admitted, sheepishly.
Luna glanced at Devin and then narrowed her gaze toward Ida.
“That person wouldn’t have been my ex-husband, Thomas Devere, would it?”
Her mouth gaped open and she became breathless. “You mean, the man who was just killed was your ex-husband and a shyster as well?” Ida exclaimed.
“He’s one and the same.” Luna leaned back into the soft, cushioned sofa, her gaze locked onto the woman. “He not only used you, but he took my maiden name for his business. I guess he knew Rille was a well-respected name, though not within developer circles.”
“To be truthful, I never put the two names together,” Ida remarked and got up to pour herself a drink. She tossed back the shot of whiskey like it was water and never blinked as it slid down her throat.
Ida’s face held a stricken look as she turned to Luna and Devin. She crossed back toward the chair carrying another glass of amber liquid.
“What really brings you here?” she asked, staring into the liquid, swirling in her glass.
“Luna’s been the victim of some hateful crimes, and I think Rudy might be mixed up in them. The faeries warned us of troublemakers, and Luna’s been in contact with the pixies about the culprits. They told her the man lives in the woods by the sea.” Devin sighed and leaned forward. “To be frank, Ida, Rudy and Arvi are the only two people who fit the description.”
Her expression one of disbelief, Ida gawked at the couple before her. “I never thought of Rudy as a culprit. What would he have to gain? He’s been in my employ for years and I find him extremely trustworthy.”
“He may be that and more, but he acted odd on the occasions I have seen him,” Luna remarked. “He questioned me about the shop when I delivered your cupcake order. At the time, I didn’t give it any thought, but at the engagement party he stared at everyone in a weird sort of way. He also disappeared for some time. Were you aware of that?”
She blustered, her hands fluttered as she set the empty glass on the table beside her. Ida shook her head. “I was so busy with the guests, and the help I always hire works on well-greased wheels, so I didn’t notice. Besides, he bid everyone farewell as they prepared to leave.”
“I remember that, but—” Devin turned to Luna. “—he was absent for quite some time. Early in the evening, he was all over the place instructing the help on how and what to do,” Devin said and then snapped his fingers. “Then, suddenly, he disappeared.”
“Why would he be involved with Rille, Thomas and Arvi? Why would he murder Thomas Devere?” Ida asked, dumbfounded.
Devin leaned back, his body tense. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. Enough is enough, and if I’m correct in my assumptions, Luna isn’t the only one who is being harangued here, is she?”
With a start, Ida denied, “I don’t know what you mean, Devin.”
“I think you do,” he stated, his voice matter-of-fact. “You mentioned you have some financial matters that are troubling you. Let us help you, Ida.”
Her face held a look of self-loathing and she said, “I’m getting old. I’m not the savvy woman I used to be, and I could use some help. William Kinney and I plan to marry, but I can’t do so until my affairs are in order.” Ida sighed. “I’m being black
mailed, you see.”
Luna and Devin both gave a start of surprise at her words. Luna considered the woman and wondered how Ida could have been duped. She was more astute than Dilly Perkins and a shrewd businesswoman besides.
“Would you like to tell me about it?” Devin asked in a soft voice. His face a mask of concern, he reached toward his former mother-in-law and covered her hand with his own.
A look of worry on her face, Ida explained. “I held the controlling interest in Rille until the company started to lose money. At the first sign of weakening in the housing market, I got out. But, not before I’d finished the last deal. I hesitated too long, probably from greed or pride, I don’t know which, but it has come back to bite me. The contractor used inferior building materials, though he charged for superior quality, and I paid for it. There hasn’t been an issue yet, but the blackmailer has demanded money to stay mum about the whole affair, and I’m afraid I’ve paid him quite a lump sum to date.”
“How do you know the builder used cheap materials?” Devin asked.
Ida rubbed her forehead.
“I’m not really sure he did, but when I went over the accounts, I found discrepancies between the home improvement center, where the materials were purchased, and the invoices I paid to the builder.”
“Ida, didn’t your accountant review everything before you paid the bills? He usually does, doesn’t he?”
Ida paled and glanced away from Devin’s blue eyed stare. “Like I said, the deal had closed on the sale of the firm. I kept this particular contract for my own benefit. I could be held responsible for fraudulent actions and be sued for every dime I have.”
“That’s not going to happen. We’ll find out if there was misuse of materials and in the billing, but you need to give me all the paperwork to do that. Every scrap of it, understand?”
“I will, thank you, Devin, for understanding.” She glanced at Luna and said, “You must be horrified by my behavior. I do apologize, my dear.”
“No need, Ida. We all make mistakes. Look at mine. I married a swindler who nearly had me committed because of my beliefs.” Luna smiled and grasped Ida’s hand in her own.
