Cynthia Hamilton - Madeline Dawkins 02 - A High Price to Pay

by Cynthia Hamilton

  “Madeline,” he said as she came to a halt in front of him.

  “How is she?”

  Ross labored over his breathing as he searched for the words. “Physically, she’s going to be all right. Emotionally…” Ross shook his head. “She just can’t make sense of what’s happened to her life. I can’t blame her. I feel the same way. She’s petrified about being arrested and held until the arraignment tomorrow.”

  “Is there anything the doctors can do to postpone the process?”

  “I haven’t had an opportunity to speak to them about that yet. I need to talk with Liz and get her reading on the situation,” Ross said, his eyes straying down the hallway.

  “She was in the emergency waiting room when I was brought up. I think she’s working remotely until she has a chance to see you.”

  “Good. I’ll see if there’s a place we can meet,” Ross said, scouting around for the helpful brunette.

  “Can I see Cherie now?” Madeline asked as she tried to peek inside the private room.

  “They just chased me out while they check her over. It shouldn’t be too much longer.”

  “There is something I need to talk to you about,” Madeline said as Ross raised his hand to get the facilitator’s attention.

  “What is it?” Ross asked, dropping his hand to his side, his attention now solely on Madeline.

  “I’d like to have your permission to do a thorough search of all the structures on your property.”

  “Sure, of course. What are you hoping to find?” Ross asked, folding his arms across his chest, his eyes probing Madeline’s with great interest. Madeline was afraid to get his hopes up too high, and she wasn’t sure exactly how to spin her somewhat desperate hypothesis.

  “I’d rather not point any fingers until we can back up our suspicions,” Madeline said tactfully.

  “Does that mean you think you’ve figured out who killed my mother?” Ross asked eagerly. Madeline opened her mouth to hedge her position, but Ross cut her off. “So, you believe someone else besides Cherie is responsible?” Ross was smiling ear to ear, a sight Madeline had never witnessed. It rendered her temporarily speechless. Fortunately for her, the doctor emerged from the room in time to make a reply unnecessary.

  Ross made the introductions and then Dr. Burgess gave Madeline permission to see Cherie, with caveats.

  “Please try not to excite her,” Dr. Burgess warned. “She’s weak and in a very fragile state of mind. We’re monitoring her closely to make sure her body has no adverse reaction to the transfusions.”

  “I understand.”

  “Good.” The doctor checked the time on his electronic tablet. “You have ten minutes,” he said. With a nod to Ross and Madeline, he went about his rounds.

  When Madeline entered the room, she was shocked by the sight of her former client. For a moment, she thought she’d gone through the wrong door. Besides appearing as small as a child, the woman tucked into the hospital bed bore no resemblance to the Cherie she had come to know. What she saw before her was the stripped-bare version of the glamorous Hollywood persona. Her hair had dried in thick, wavy strands that seemed oddly unruly compared to her almost angelic features, scrubbed free of all traces of cosmetics.

  At first she thought Cherie was asleep. It wasn’t until she turned to leave that Cherie opened her eyes and spoke.

  “Madeline.” Cherie’s voice was thin, barely above a whisper. It froze Madeline where she stood. “Please don’t leave,” Cherie begged.

  With Cherie’s fragile condition, Madeline wasn’t sure what help they could offer each other. But the look of despair in Cherie’s eyes compelled Madeline to cross the room and sit in the chair beside her.

  An inscrutable smile flickered across Cherie’s face, striking Madeline as alarming, if not sardonic.

  “I guess I should be thankful for all the protective measures they’ve taken to make sure I don’t croak,” Cherie said, taking in all the monitoring devices surrounding her. “I certainly won’t get this kind of kid glove treatment where I’m headed.” If the remark was designed to illicit sympathy, it was wasted on Madeline.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Like I wish I were dead,” Cherie said. She must’ve regretted the flippant remark; her expression softened and her eyes teared up. “I don’t really,” she amended, choking up at the grim reality she now found herself in.

  “Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “Find out who’s doing this to us,” Cherie pleaded. “This has to be some kind of vendetta by some crazed lunatic.”

  “Why do you think that?” Madeline asked, hoping there was some concrete reasoning behind this supposition. What she and Mike needed most of all right now was a motive to work with.

  “What else could it be?” Cherie asked crossly. Madeline leaned back in the chair and regarded her calmly. “I’m sorry. I don’t…I’m so confused, and scared and frustrated. I just don’t understand how this can be happening.”

  “Do you know of anyone who has a grudge against you or Ross? Has anyone ever threatened to get even with you? Is there anyone you’ve ever had a falling out with who would be vindictive enough to go to these lengths to bring you down?” Throughout the questioning, Cherie bit her bottom lip thoughtfully and shook her head as her eyes stayed trained on Madeline’s.

  “There were an awful lot of people at that party Friday night, a lot of people with fragile egos. Maybe there was someone in that crowd who’d do anything to trade places with you…” This scenario caused Cherie’s features to cloud over as she mentally went through the guest list for possible cutthroats.

  “I don’t know,” she said, bewildered.

  “And you don’t know of anyone who had it in for Vivian…?”

  Cherie shook her head adamantly. “Everyone adored her. Even me, though she thought I was a self-centered ditz.”

  “I don’t think that’s true,” Madeline said.

  “How would you know? She loved Linda, not me. I was just a third-rate replacement, as far as Vivian was concerned.” Madeline gave her a look that said she knew better.

  “Like I told you yesterday, I was working for Vivian at the time of her death. I know that she was very fond of you.” Cherie pouted, unconvinced. “You don’t pass on a treasured heirloom to someone you don’t have true affection for,” Madeline said, catching herself as soon as the words left her mouth. This admission now hung in the air as clearly as if it were written there.

  “What are you talking about?” Cherie asked, squirming into a more upright position.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything,” Madeline said, coloring at her faux pas.

  “Tell me!” Cherie demanded without raising her voice. Madeline looked toward the door while she wrestled with her dilemma.

  “I don’t want to spoil the surprise,” she said, causing Cherie to laugh out loud.

  “Umm, I think now would be a good time for some major cheering up, don’t you? Besides, I may never get to see whatever it was Vivian was planning to give me,” Cherie said, a peek of that winning charisma showing through her wretchedness.

  In that split second, the answer hit Madeline like a lightning bolt, as several pieces aligned themselves, presenting such a conclusive, convincing scenario, she could barely control her urge to run out of the room.

  “Did you set up a heating duct cleaning service a week or so ago?” Madeline asked.

  “A what?”

  “Did you arrange to have the heating ducts cleaned?”

  “Of course not. That’s not my job,” she said sharply. “Why in the world would you think that?”

  “Never mind. It’s unimportant,” Madeline said, as a wave of heat washed over her. “Cherie, listen to me…I think I understand what’s behind all this. I can’t tell you now,” she said, standing up and raising her hand to ward off Cherie’s protest.
“I’ve got to move fast. I’ll keep Ross informed. But please, whatever happens with the police, don’t lose hope.”

  “Madeline! Where are you going?”

  “Stay calm. And remember what I said. Vivian did love you, more than you realize.”

  Only the uniformed policeman was outside the door when Madeline came charging out. She grabbed her phone and placed a call to Alice as she went in search of Ross. When Alice answered, Madeline wasted no time on pleasantries.

  “You logged all the gifts Cherie received, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, but only a handful were opened,” Alice replied after missing a beat.

  “How about Miss Story? Did you log a gift from her?” Madeline asked anxiously as she reversed direction and went down the corridor toward the cafeteria, her eyes darting everywhere.

  “No, but she did come to me the day before the party, asking if I wouldn’t mind wrapping a gift for Cherie. I told her I’d be happy to.”

  “And…?”

  “She told me she’d have it ready for me soon, but then I forgot about it until the day of the party.”

  “So, she didn’t bring you a gift to give to Cherie…?”

  “No. It occurred to me while I was logging the gifts as the guests arrived that she hadn’t brought hers to me yet. So I went up to see if she still needed me to wrap something for her.”

  Madeline stopped in her tracks when she heard this, giving Alice her full attention. “Did you speak with her?”

  “Yes. I thought she’d be getting ready for the party, but when she opened the door, I could tell she hadn’t started to dress or anything.”

  “What did she say about the gift?” Madeline asked, resuming her search for Ross.

  “When I asked her if she still needed me to wrap something for her, she seemed really distracted, like she didn’t know what I was talking about. Then she told me she would take care of wrapping it herself. I offered to do it quickly for her, but she became sort of flustered and said that wasn’t necessary.”

  “Alice, this is very important—did Vivian bring you the gift before the party?”

  “No.”

  “Could she have put it in the gift room later?”

  “I guess so. But I didn’t see her do it.” Madeline abandoned her search and headed for the nearest nurses’ station.

  “Can you meet me at the Alexanders’ right away? It’s very important,” Madeline stressed. “I’ve got to make sure if there’s a gift from Miss Story or not.”

  “Sure, I can be there in about ten minutes,” Alice said.

  “Great. If you get there before me, start looking for something that snuck in without you seeing it.”

  “Okay…”

  “And don’t let anyone at the house know what you’re doing there. Just tell them you’re doing something for Cherie. Be as vague as you can.”

  “Okay.”

  “Thanks,” Madeline said, ending the call. She paused at the nurses’ station and asked if they knew where Mr. Alexander was. When all she got was shaking heads, Madeline thanked them and looked his number up on her phone. Ross answered on the first ring.

  “Are you still with Cherie?” he asked.

  “No, I just left her.”

  “How does she seem to you?”

  “Okay. She seems pretty even, under the circumstances,” Madeline reported.

  “Oh, thank God. That’s such a relief.”

  “Ross, yesterday, when you were looking for those missing pieces of your mother’s jewelry, did you happen to come across an art deco diamond and sapphire bracelet?” The line went silent for a moment while Ross grappled with her question.

  “Does that description ring a bell?” Madeline prompted.

  “Oh sure, I know exactly the piece you’re talking about. I don’t remember seeing it, but I was pretty out of it at the time. Why are you asking about that piece? I didn’t think it was one of the pieces taken.” Madeline steeled herself before replying.

  “Ross, I hate to ask, but I need you to meet me at your house so we can be certain if the piece is missing or not.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes,” Madeline answered matter-of-factly.

  “You just need me to open the safes, is that it?”

  “Yes, and identify the bracelet, if it’s there.”

  “I can get Helen to open the safes for you. She has access to all the combinations, in case of emergencies. It sounds like you know what you’re looking for…” Madeline felt a clammy chill run through her body.

  “I thought Helen took a couple days off to visit her son…”

  “She’s back, bless her. She said she couldn’t relax knowing what we’re all going through.” Madeline fought down a strong feeling of nausea.

  “Ross, I can’t go into it now, but it’s very important that Helen not know I want to check the contents your mother’s safe.” There was a pause during which all she heard was Ross’s labored breathing. “Ross, you’re going to have to trust me on this. Don’t let anyone know. Not even Liz or Cherie. Do you understand?” Madeline asked as she headed for the elevator.

  Ross hesitated for a moment. “Yes, I understand. All right. I’ll get back to the house as soon as I can. I need to check in with the doctor and Cherie, then I’ll head over, if I can get through the mob of reporters.”

  “Please hurry. Alice is meeting me there to go over the gifts. If we find what we’re looking for, I’ll let you know.”

  “If you find what you’re looking for, do you still need me to go home?”

  “No. But I have a feeling that’s not going to be the case.”

  THIRTY-NINE

  Madeline left the hospital through a side exit on Pueblo Street in order to avoid the throng of reporters still hanging around the main entrance. As soon as she pushed through the door, she called Mike.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m on the 101 heading south, in Camarillo, just about to go up the Conejo Grade,” Mike said. “I caught up with Kris’s car just in time to see him leaving a pack of very dodgy-looking miscreants. He seemed pretty agitated, scared I’d say. I’ve been following him ever since, though it appears he’s trying to set some land speed record. Had I known I was going to be shadowing Al Unser, I would’ve rented something with more spunk.”

  Madeline listened to this accounting as she walked around to the back side of the hospital, where her own rental car was parked. It took effort to follow Mike’s story; she could barely keep up with her own thoughts. Somewhere in the coursing information, the two scenarios intersected.

  “Listen, I think you need to stay on the kid,” she said. “I just found out from Ross that Helen’s back at the estate. Not only is she back, but she is now at the top of my list for both murders.”

  “What did you find out?”

  “Nothing conclusive yet, but while I was talking to Cherie, I recalled a conversation I had with Vivian about a bracelet she planned to give Cherie for her birthday. It had recently been appraised at nearly fifty-grand. I just got off the phone with Alice, and it appears that Vivian’s gift never materialized.”

  Madeline unlocked the rental car from a distance as she waited for Mike’s response. Instead, she heard four beeps, signaling the call had ended. Annoyed, she got in the car and started it before she called him back. The call went to voicemail.

  “Shit!” she swore as she whipped out of the lot and headed for the freeway. Her phone rang as she sped up the onramp. She cursed again for not taking the time to set up the Bluetooth. She merged with the traffic and answered the call just before it went to voicemail.

  “Sorry, I must’ve gone through a blackout area,” Mike said. “What were you saying?” Madeline growled in frustration.

  “I’m headed to the estate to see if I can prove Helen is the murderer,” she said, keeping her voice as st
eady as possible.

  “Should I come back?”

  “No, stay on the kid. If my hunch is correct, he may be on his way to fence another hot bracelet.”

  “Are you sure you don’t need me there?” Mike asked. Madeline weighed the pros and cons of having some backup versus having Helen’s son tailed, but only out of courtesy. “Hey, why don’t you give Lauren a call? I’m sure she’d drop whatever she’s doing to help out.”

  Madeline let out an exasperated huff. “I don’t need her help,” she snapped.

  “C’mon, how long are you going to blame the girl for what happened to Vivian? She didn’t lag intentionally,” Mike argued.

  “Look, I don’t have time to mollify an employee. And I don’t need her or anyone else under foot. If I’m right, I’ll call Slovitch.”

  “I didn’t hear that last part,” Mike said, his voice coming in faltering bursts. “You’re breaking up again.” Madeline ended the call, barely resisting the urge to hurl the phone out the window. Instead, she stuffed it back in her purse and changed lanes to exit at Hot Springs Road.

  By the time she pulled up to the security gates, Madeline had managed to get thoughts of her coworkers out of her head. Her mind was completely focused on the task ahead. Only a faint flicker of doubt kept her emotions in check.

  As she got out of the car, Alice pulled up behind her. Madeline waited for her and they fell in step together as they neared the front door.

  “Helen’s back,” Madeline warned under her breath. Alice looked at her inquisitively.

  “I didn’t know she was gone,” she whispered back.

  Madeline considered this. After the party broke up on account of Vivian’s sudden demise, there was no need for Alice’s services, especially since Cherie was the prime suspect in her mother-in-law’s murder. That also meant she was completely in the dark about so much that had happened.

  “We can’t let on to Helen what we’re doing here,” Madeline said quietly as they mounted the front steps. “By the way, Cherie is in the hospital.” Alice looked at her aghast. Madeline cut her off with a raised hand. “Just follow my lead. What we’re looking for is vitally important.”