by Diane Capri
There was just one more piece of the puzzle that needed to be found and placed into position.
“June, you knew what Brittany and Tyler were doing with the drug formulas, didn’t you?”
She nodded.
“How about Simon? Did he know?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor, and I thought maybe she was going to tell me some story. “I think so. He mentioned that soon Brittany would be able to buy him out. He said she’d promised to pay twice what he was owed if he could wait a little longer. He promised that once he had the money, we would run away to the Bahamas and get married on the beach.”
I nodded. “Did Simon ever mention exactly what they were producing? Any specifics?”
“He asked me a lot of questions about plant-based drugs, what could produce what. So, I assumed they were playing around with the genetics of several plants to produce different compounds. At first, I thought they were just growing medical-grade marijuana. There’s a lot of money to be made there. But after I overheard a few phone calls, I knew it was more serious.”
“Phone calls from who?”
She shrugged. “I’m not sure, but Simon started to get paranoid. He said people would come for him.”
“What people?”
“I don’t know. I figured he was just being silly. Anxious about what Brittany and Tyler were doing.”
I put my hand on top of hers and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Do you know where Simon is?”
She sighed. “He has a boat at the marina. He’s been staying there when he hasn’t been at my place.”
“Thanks, June. You’re doing the right thing. Hang in there.” I gave her clasped hands a little squeeze and stood. I knocked lightly, and Sheriff Jackson opened the door for me.
Before I walked out, June asked, her voice low and small, “He set me up, didn’t he? Simon. He put those ground seeds in my workroom, knowing the sheriff would find them.”
I didn’t say anything. I had no idea how to comfort her after a massive betrayal like that. I was still trying to soothe my own heart and soul from the wounds I’d suffered with Jeremy’s betrayal, and I’d never given him my heart. Not like June had given hers to Simon.
I left the cell, and the sheriff closed and locked the door behind me.
“Simon’s got a boat docked at the marina,” I said to him.
Chapter 23
While the sheriff made calls over to the mainland and Paige was on the phone to the judge, I headed back to the hotel. I had news to deliver to Lois, and I needed to actually sit down and eat something. I’d been on the go for the past six hours without so much as a pee break.
As I crossed the lobby, I waved to Lane, who was covering the concierge desk. He was in his glory, beaming at the guest he was talking to. I suspected I was going to really have to keep my eyes open. He had ambition written all over him. Ambition wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I didn’t need him aimed at usurping me. Not when I still had Casey Cushing to deal with, too.
I was about to knock at Lois’s office door, but I heard voices inside and lowered my arm. This time, she wasn’t talking to Henry the imaginary ghost. That would have been easier to handle. Instead, Lois and Samuel were having a lively debate. About me.
Lois said heatedly, “Andi is an asset to this hotel. She is friendly, efficient, organized, and goes above and beyond the call of duty. She cares about this hotel and especially the people who run it. Besides, you’re open to the idea of having two concierges, not one. Problem solved.”
“That may be, Lois. But Casey has seniority here. He’s been with us for years. Loyalty counts for something with me. We planned to hold his job for him. We owe him his job back once he returns from his extended personal leave. I don’t expect this two-concierge thing Andi came up with to work. And when it fails, we’ll be back to Casey. Simple as that,” Samuel replied with as much gusto.
“We’re not contractually obligated to give Casey the concierge job when he returns. We said we’d have a job waiting for him. And if having two concierges doesn’t pan out, we will find a place for him. Somewhere in the company,” Lois insisted.
“Be reasonable. We gave him our word. Our word means something here at the Park, Lois,” Samuel said sternly, like his was the only word that mattered.
Which was when Lois played the trump card. “Henry agrees with me about Andi. He likes her. He’s always liked her. And you damn well know Henry never liked Casey Cushing one whit.”
I could hear Samuel’s huge exhalation of breath. I could just imagine the withering look he gave his daughter-in-law for thinking she could still rely on his dead son to win any kind of argument.
“Lois…” he warned.
“I know. I know.” I imagined her putting her hand up, palm out toward him in the universal gesture to stop. I’d seen her do it during countless conversations when she simply didn’t want to hear. “Henry is dead. Don’t think I don’t know that, Sam. I do. Every blasted day, I know it, feel it. But it helps me to talk to him. It helps to know he hears and replies to me, too, even if he doesn’t communicate with you. And I know, without a shadow of a doubt, he’d want Andi here. She was like a second daughter to him.”
Tears pricked at my eyes, and a lump formed in my throat. I had fallen in love with Ginny’s family years ago. From the moment I’d met them during our first year of college. They had taken me in so easily when they knew that my parents were absent in all kinds of ways. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’d spent with the Park family. Henry had been so full of life and joy. I could still hear his rumbling chuckles echoed in his son’s laughter. And Henry had laughed a lot. Missing his funeral was one of my biggest regrets. But like Lois, I remembered Henry when he was vibrant and so alive. He was impossible to forget, even if we wanted to. Which we didn’t.
If Lois wanted to pretend Henry was still alive, she was hurting no one. Even if she thought his ghost was still here, so what? There was no reason not to indulge her. Her behavior didn’t necessarily mean she’d lost her grip or anything.
As I stood there contemplating whether to knock or to leave and come back later, a puff of warm air brushed against my face. The scents of vanilla, cinnamon, and orange filled my nose. I looked around me to see if someone had passed by, but I was alone in the corridor. The smell came again, stronger, as if someone wearing Old Spice aftershave had enveloped me in a warm hug.
Henry was the only man I’d ever known who wore Old Spice. I remembered burying my nose in his sweater every time he gave me a welcome or goodbye hug, simply because the smell was singularly his.
“Henry?” I whispered.
Suddenly, the door to the office opened, and Samuel looked out. “Andi. How long have you been standing there?”
I shook my head free of the memories. “Just got here and was about to knock.”
He eyed me, knowing full well I’d been standing outside the door the entire time. “I’ve made a decision about your job.”
“Great.” I gave him a tight smile.
“As you know, when Casey returns, you will both be involved in the concierge duties.”
I opened my mouth, but he glared me into closing it quick.
“I’ve talked to a few bigger hotels. Other duties will be incorporated into the job description. Ginny has been asking for some help with event planning, so when one of you isn’t on the desk, you will be assisting Ginny with whatever needs done.”
“Sounds fair.”
He gave a sharp nod. “Good. So, we’ll hear no more of it.” He patted my shoulder. “I may not have my son’s affable disposition, but I know a good worker when I see one.”
“Thank you, Samuel.”
He dropped his hand and marched away. Since I’d overheard the whole conversation he’d just had with Lois, I knew this wasn’t the end of the discussion. But my situation had advanced. Now, if the two-concierge thing didn’t work out, at least Lois would be on my side.
I went into the office and closed the door behind me.
Lois sat at her desk with her head in her hands. “Arguing with Samuel is like wrestling with an alligator, Henry always said.”
“You are the finest alligator wrestler I’ve ever met.” I sat in the soft leather chair.
She steepled her fingers and gave me a weary smile. “Please give me some good news.”
I smiled. “Happy to oblige. I’m pretty sure June will be out of jail soon and the charges against her dropped.”
“That’s great news.” She slapped her hand down on the desk. “I knew you’d fix it.”
“Well, there are some things the sheriff needs to take care of, and it’s not a done deal yet. But I suspect by this time next week, June will be back to making her beautiful floral arrangements for the Park Hotel.”
“Fantastic. Like I told Samuel, you’re a real asset to the Park, Andi.” She paused. “We’re lucky to have you.”
“Thank you, Lois. That means a lot to me.” I stood, eager to return to my suite and maybe have a little nap. Before I left, though, I turned to her. “I wanted to tell you that I regret not coming to Henry’s funeral. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. To be with you. To support you.”
Lois got up and came around the desk. She hugged me. “Everyone understood why you couldn’t make it, Andi. Please don’t feel guilty.” She patted me on the back. “Henry knows you care about him.”
That warm air and Old Spice scent enveloped me again, and I accepted that it was Henry forgiving me. Why not? Lots of old buildings had ghosts. Merely enhanced the reputation and appeal of the hotel. It might even become a tourist attraction—who knew? I left Lois’s office feeling a bit lighter than I’d felt before. Lighter than I’d felt since arriving at the Park, honestly.
When I returned to my suite, I immediately collapsed on my bed and fell asleep. I’d intended to only nap for an hour, but three hours later, I finally blinked open my eyes and rolled off the bed. My stomach growled its annoyance at having been neglected for so long.
It was such beautiful evening, I decided to treat myself and order in room service and eat out on my patio. When my food arrived, I took it out to the patio table, sat, and savored every morsel of the grilled steak and lobster with asparagus and salad. A nice red wine complemented everything perfectly for my taste.
My cell phone buzzed at me, and I checked to see several texts from Daniel. He’d called and left a message this morning. I had expected annoyance over my antics at Brittany’s greenhouse, but he didn’t sound angry, just maybe a bit disappointed and possibly fed up. I was being a coward by not returning his call, but I knew what I had to do, and I simply didn’t want to do it yet.
Daniel’s texts made it clear I might not have to do anything at all.
I want to make sure you’re okay.
I heard about the break-in.
This isn’t working between us, is it?
And there it was. The toughest question. The one I’d been ignoring because I didn’t want to answer it.
After I put the last bit of lobster in my mouth, chewed, and swallowed, I picked up my phone and dialed Daniel. It was time to be a grownup about this and stop dangling the carrot in front of him. The stick was quicker, and the sharp thwap of it would be over in minutes. My answer would sting for a bit, but the sting would fade. A man like Daniel already had a long, long line of women waiting for the chance to treat him like he deserved.
“Hey, you,” he answered on the second ring.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier.”
“It’s okay. I imagine you’ve been busy.”
“Yeah.” I scraped the fork across the plate to distract me from what I had to do. “So, I was thinking…”
“That doesn’t sound promising.”
That made me chuckle, and I lifted my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted fast movement not far from my patio on the pathway along the bluff. Squinting into the dark, I made out a male quick-walking, every now and then glancing back over his shoulder. As he passed under the lamp, I saw that it was Tyler.
“Andi?”
“Oh, sorry…”
Behind Tyler, coming at a fast clip, were the two German bioengineers. This was not a moonlight stroll by either party.
“Oh crap. I’m sorry, Daniel. I’ve got to go.” I disconnected and slid my phone into my pants pocket as I was getting to my feet. I jumped up onto the partition separating my patio from the grassy knoll and ran out onto the path.
I jogged along the main pathway, looking left and right toward several trails that branched off. The sun had fully set, the twilight ended. The spattering of lamps here and there gave off pools of light, but if the men had veered off into the grass or behind some bushes, I wouldn’t be able to see them.
I should’ve called the sheriff, but it would take him time to get here. Time I didn’t think Tyler had. I was unarmed. I didn’t even have my purse, so no pepper spray. But I had my wits and determination. Hopefully, that would be enough. Although neither wits nor determination would stop a bullet, if they had guns.
To the right, I spotted three dark forms. One of the shadows was on the ground, the other two loomed over. I bolted toward them. Tyler was the one on the ground. Trent was leaning over him, his hand going into his coat pocket.
“Stop! Don’t hurt him!”
Trent and Keith twisted toward me as I charged forward, my arms extended. I pushed Keith hard, and he stumbled to the side.
“Hey! Why did you do that?”
“You were going to kill him.”
Trent frowned. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m calling an ambulance. Tyler doesn’t look good.” In Trent’s hand was a phone, not a gun. He made the call to 9-1-1.
I crouched down by Tyler and saw that he was curled into the fetal positon. His skin was slick with sweat, and he’d vomited. I touched his forehead. He was feverish. He’d been poisoned.
“Tyler? Can you hear me?”
He mumbled something and then rocked back and forth.
I looked up at Trent and Keith. “What happened?”
“We met up, and then he just freaked out and ran,” Trent said. “When we caught up to him, he collapsed onto the ground.”
I grabbed Tyler’s wrist and pressed my fingers to it. His heartbeat was irregular. I suspected he would soon have died, just like Brittany.
“Have you seen his symptoms before?” I asked.
Trent nodded. “He’s having a toxic reaction to a substance.”
“Foxglove?”
“Yes, but I’ve never seen a reaction like this. It’s like foxglove poisoning, and oleander poisoning, and hemlock poisoning all rolled into one. This is too fast for just one poison.”
I heard the wail of the ambulance and saw the approach of the whirling lights. I stood and waved my hands. “Here! Over here!”
Trent and Keith took up my cry, waving their arms around, and I saw two EMTs running toward us. Behind them, I spotted Sheriff Jackson fast on their heels. My heart swelled at the sight of him.
While the paramedics worked on Tyler, the sheriff grabbed my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m not hurt.”
He glanced at the Germans, his hand going to his weapon.
I put my hand on his. “You don’t need it. They weren’t trying to hurt Tyler. They just wanted to talk to him.”
The paramedics got Tyler on a stretcher and carried him back to the ambulance.
Trent watched them go, then nodded. “We’ve been trying to connect with Tyler for weeks. He’d stopped returning our calls. We got worried.”
“You work for Nature Path Pharmaceuticals,” Sheriff Jackson said.
“Yes, I do.” Keith took out his wallet and handed the sheriff a business card.
“And I work for Ackerman Biosystems,” Trent said as he fished out the ID card I’d seen in his wallet.
“Tyler didn’t steal proprietary research from Ackerman?” I asked, wondering how I’d got it wrong.
“No, of course not.”
I frowned. “I cal
led, and the woman I talked to said that Tyler Montgomery never worked there.”
Trent made a face. “That’s because he never did work for us.”
“I saw a picture of him in a lab at Ackerman,” I said.
Trent nodded. “I remember that day. He was a guest, on loan from Nature Path.”
“Tyler works for Nature Path?” the sheriff asked.
Trent nodded. “We were in business with Tyler and Brittany. They were making a new drug for us by crossbreeding a couple of toxic flowers. The drug would be revolutionary.”
It all sounded too perfect, too above board. And if it truly was, then why…
I said, “If Tyler was working for both companies, why wasn’t he working in a structured, bonafide lab with rigid safety protocols if the drug was going to be so revolutionary?”
Trent looked at Keith, who dropped his gaze. Bingo.
“He wasn’t working for either company,” the sheriff said. “This whole operation was off the books, which is why Tyler was using a backyard greenhouse for his lab.”
These men may not have murdered Brittany or tried to murder Tyler, but they definitely shared responsibility.
“I’m going to need the both of you to come down to the station to formalize this conversation.” The sheriff tapped his fingers against his belt, where his sidearm was holstered.
Trent put his cell phone to his ear. “I’m calling our lawyer.”
Sheriff Jackson nodded. “That’s probably a good idea.” He gestured for the men to walk toward the main lobby of the hotel where his vehicle was parked. Then he glanced at me. “Do you want me to drop you off at the hospital, or do you want to come to the station to help sort this all out?”
I loved that he didn’t offer to escort me back to my suite or tuck me somewhere safe and sound and far from the action. He knew me well enough to know that such a move wouldn’t stick and I’d be back right in the middle of things.
“Actually I’m going home. I think I may have left my balcony door wide open.”
