by Emily Selby
Katie laughed. Well, he was changing his approach. This was pretty good. Even excellent compared with Barry. If only she had time and energy for a romantic life ...
But she didn't. Not yet.
Maybe once she made her mind up about the new house.
But not before. Definitely not.
'Katie?' Jack's deep voice cut through her thoughts. Her cheeks burned. He must have been talking to her all that time!
'Yes? Sorry, I was just thinking about the questions I have for you,' she blabbed, desperate to cover her embarrassment.
'What would you like to know?'
'Did you find any matches between Sofia's fingerprints and the vials or the pen?'
'No, the pen was clear, except for yours and Zuza's prints. But the glove prints were likely hers.'
'Did she admit to the crime?'
'It was hard-going at first. She denied everything and got a lawyer, but once we had the glove prints and started re-checking things, the iron-clad fortress started to crumble.'
'Her alibi?'
'She lied and, as you suspected, she asked her friend to lie the first time around. She didn't arrive in Scotland on Friday night, as her ticket showed, but Saturday morning. She killed-'
'No, don't tell me!' Katie raised her hand to stop Jack. 'Let me guess how it happened, okay?'
Jack chuckled. 'Okay, Detective Hunch. Fire away!'
'She told him it was a burglary and that all she wanted was my ring. They got in. Her ring must have broken off during the break-in. She killed him on the roof and left him there.'
Jack nodded. 'Good guess! She insists they had a heated argument. I bet her lawyer is trying to argue it wasn't premeditated, but-'
'But it must have been!' Katie protested, giddiness swirling in her head. Everything was becoming clear now. 'She stole the vials many months before that. And my pen.'
'That's what I think. This was clearly premeditated. I think she had been planning to kill Zac for many months, from when she met him, around May or so.'
'But why now?'
'I think it all started after Chiara's mother died. She left the house to Chiara, with all those bells and whistles. Chiara asked Sofia for help with getting the house back.'
'Where does Ash Stanley come into it?'
'Ah, sorry. Chiara's mother must have told Chiara about the arrangement with the Stanley family, so they got hold of Ash Stanley, trying to come to some sort of agreement first. But he wasn't keen. Once Sofia realised this was not doable, she must have conceived her plan. She chose Zac as the person to do it, and then planned to get rid of Zac.'
A heavy weight landed on Katie's shoulders. 'That's just so awful. What a heartless person... So... So... cruel and selfish of her! Using people like instruments to serve her purpose.' She shuddered. 'I'm so glad she'll end up in jail.'
Jack nodded. 'She's heartless and cruel. She's very selfish, I agree.'
'So, what was she after?'
'Don't you want to try and guess?'
Katie thought for a few seconds. But the repulsion for Sofia's actions made it hard to think clearly. 'No, I don’t. Please, tell me.'
'I'm not very clear on this yet, but she keeps going back to the ring and, believe it or not, the treasure trove.'
'Hidden in the old house?'
'Apparently so. That's what she believes. From what I gathered, this might go back to those infamous debts her grandfather had with Ash Stanley's father.'
'This is getting complicated...'
'Old sins, long shadows...' Jack shrugged. 'I guess that this treasure trove was a supply of illegally acquired precious and semiprecious stones for Antonio Marino's jewellery-making business. On loan from Ash Stanley's father, but seized partially by the police.'
'Ah!' Katie's mouth gaped. 'That's something... And I can believe why she might want this, not the house and the plot.'
'I agree. Her mother’s the one who wanted the house back.'
'And Sofia wanted it for her mother?' Katie asked, hoping for a glimmer of human emotions in Sofia.
'I don't think so. Sofia might have made it look as though she cared about her mother, but in reality, she just used Chiara like she used everyone else to get what she wanted.'
'Poor Chiara,' Katie said slowly, thinking back to the woman in the wheelchair. 'She's not had a happy life. People have been mean to her all her life. And now, even her daughter, whom she loves so dearly...' Her voice trailed off. She wiped the moisture gathering in her eyes with the back of her hand. 'So unfair to her.'
Jack nodded slowly. 'Sofia is not a good person. Although, she did tell some useful things and some of them are true. For example, killing Stanley complicated the inheritance issues and the house is now in an even messier situation. I doubt her mother will be able to get it back any time soon. Legally speaking, the agreement between Chiara's mother and Ash Stanley's father still stands. Ashley's family will inherit his share. But only after this investigation is over.'
'All she wanted was the access to the house?'
'Yes. And Ash Stanley turning up in Sunnyvale and sniffing around the house stood in her way. She already suspected Stanley of knowing about the trove, but she didn't want anyone else to know. It was hard enough to keep it quiet from Michael Bower...'
'Oh, yes, how is Michael doing?'
'He's a bunch of nerves, I think.'
'Have the missing documents been found?'
Jack laughed and shook his head. Katie's heart felt warm and fuzzy again. She pressed her hand to her stomach. Keep it under control, Katie!
'What?' she asked brusquely.
'Nothing. The documents never went missing. He hid them once he realised Ash Stanley was not as naïve as Michael originally hoped. Because Michael did meet with Ash Stanley. And it was on the day he took his father to that, and I quote, doollaly doctor. I'm not quite clear on what he did with the lease document. The matter is now with the fraud team. As I understand it, Michael took a photo of the lease document in a way that showed the lease was due to expire soon. He didn't fiddle with the document, but he wanted to make Stanley believe the house was worthless to convince him to sell his share.'
Katie sighed with relief. Poor Michael. She hoped he'd be out of this mess soon. And hopefully, keen to sell some more houses by the stream.
'Okay, so now onto the, "I told you so" bits. Did Sofia have a second phone?'
'Yes, you were right. It was Stanley's phone. She'd arranged to meet with Stanley. The meeting was meant to resolve the tenants-in-common agreement. Officially, that is. Unofficially, of course, she had Zac all set up to kill Stanley. The lawyer is insisting it was the generation-long grudge and all the grief and suffering the Stanleys had caused to the Marino family, but I doubt that’s the case.'
'You think she didn't really care about it?'
'No,' Jack said slowly and shuddered. 'The more I interact with her, the more I think she is a cold-bloodied sociopath. Or a wounded narcissist. Everything revolves around her and people exist only to serve her.'
A frosty chill crept down Katie’s spine, sending her body into jitters. 'She could have killed me...'
'Yes,' Jack said grimly, 'and many times over. You were incredibly lucky.'
'I was lucky to have the two of you there,' she said, trying to make it sound lighter. She was incredibly lucky indeed...
'Sofia is a dangerous person. I’m surprised she didn't come to the police attention before now. That's unusual. She's probably walked a tight line, stealing drugs from the hospital, or lying on her CV, but nothing really serious. She has also achieved quite a lot in her life. I just guess, the hidden treasure pushed her over that edge.'
'Yes, and she really wanted to win the jewellery contest. Maybe she wanted to be famous? Rich?'
'Or both.'
'Why did she use my pen?'
'I'm not entirely clear on that, either. But it looks as though it was just an opportunity she grabbed.'
'You mean, she saw Zuza using it and thought
this would be a handy tool?'
'Yes, a handy tool to deliver what she wanted to deliver, with someone else's fingerprints on it.'
'Did Sofia know Zuza was Zac's girlfriend?'
'She never mentioned it, but my guess is she did. I bet this was part of her plan to direct our attention onto Zac's jealous girlfriend.'
Katie nodded. The cold-blooded logic used by Sofia was scary but believable.
'Your lunch,' the waiter announced. Katie welcomed the shift of focus. They concentrated on arranging plates and drinks on the table.
'So, what's now for you, Inspector... I mean, Jack? Will we see you at all?' she felt a pang of sadness at the thought he might not be coming to Sunnyvale any time soon.
He pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.
'Well, I hope there are no more murders in your happy town, but you may see me very soon.'
She stared at him. He was smiling smugly.
'Now what, Inspector? Have you asked to be transferred to us?' she said exaggerating the tone to make sure he didn't get the real feeling behind it.
He shot her a piercing look, but his lips were still smiling.
'Would you want me to?' a hint of warmth edged into his voice.
Katie's knees turned to cotton-candy again. Good she was sitting! She nudged the hatching butterflies back into the place with her elbow.
'They've offered you a job with us? Seriously?' she asked, carefully omitting to address the clearly personal aspect of his question.
The corners of his mouth dropped. 'No, but they've asked me to investigate some unusual Internet activity. It seems to originate from Sunnyvale community centre.'
'Cybercrime in our community centre?'
'Maybe. It's for me to find out.'
'So, we'll see you again really soon?' she asked, this time allowing the hope to seep into her voice. 'I've enjoyed working with you, Inspector Heaton. You can be infuriating with your logic and demands for petty stuff like evidence, but it's been fun,' she said, smiling at him. 'Apart from nearly being killed, I mean.'
A smile brightened his face. His eyes glistened behind the glasses. He lent across the table and touched her hand. His warm fingers sent a tingling up her arm, right to her chest. Freeing even more butterflies.
'It's been a great pleasure working with you, Katie. I hope we can work again soon.'
She gulped.
'So, do I, Jack,' she croaked and reached out for her glass of water. 'Dang it! I forgot to tell you "I told you so."'
'You can do it next time.'
Well, she could. She had a hunch there would be a next time.
Also by Emily Selby
Filigrees Fortunes and Foul Play
Paper Crafts Club Mystery Book #1
Katie finds the body of her best cleaning client stabbed with a… quilling needle and ends up being one of the prime suspects. Will she find the murderer before there is another victim and clear her name?
If you haven’t read the story yet, click here to find out.
Glitter Greed and Gatecrashers
Paper Crafts Club Mystery Book #3
The long-awaited church fete has just closed for the night and everyone is looking forward to another day of fun and laughter. Maybe except one unlucky, uninvited guest… Katie finds his lifeless body covered in glitter in the storage room. Jack may know who the victim is but finding the murderer is harder than he expected. Katie jumps to help, and Jack is willing to listen to her, but can she trust her hunches this time around?
Among good, ‘ol secrets and gossip and modern technology, Katie and Jack race to find the murderer before another person dies.
Will they succeed in time?
Don't miss the third book in Katie Redford's cozy crime adventures. Click to pre-order now!
