Fatal Fête in Cherry Hills

by Paige Sleuth

  “But he didn’t care to know you,” Kat guessed.

  Deirdre’s face darkened. “Except for one time, he couldn’t even be bothered to write back when I sent him those letters.”

  So Landon’s long-lost daughter had been his mystery pen pal rather than an illicit lover, Kat mused. Even so, she doubted Frieda would find any comfort in that fact.

  “Ma said he was heartless, but I guess a part of me never truly believed her,” Deirdre continued. “She wouldn’t even tell me his name until I turned thirty. I guess she finally decided I had a right to know, even if she figured he would end up hurting me.”

  “Your mother didn’t tell him when she found out she was pregnant with you?” Kat asked.

  “She said she did.”

  “What did he do when she told him?”

  “Nothing.” Deirdre’s look was hard. “He turned his back and walked away from her.”

  Kat hadn’t known Landon, nor did she condone how he’d died, but she couldn’t prevent the flash of anger that seared through her then on Rita Solomon’s behalf.

  “Ma left Cherry Hills soon after that,” Deirdre said. “My grandparents, her parents, were old school, at least that’s how Ma described them. They whisked her away from here as soon as they found out she was pregnant and told her not to tell anyone. She said they urged her to give me up for adoption. When she told them she planned to keep me, they disowned her. I never did meet them.”

  Kat’s throat tightened. “So she was on her own. A high school senior with a baby to support by herself.”

  “She dropped out a month before graduation. She had to juggle two jobs just to pay the rent, and she told me she worked right up until she went into labor. She didn’t have time to keep up with her schoolwork. Heck, she barely had time for me. I hardly ever saw her when I was a kid. She was always leaving me with one of the neighbors. She had to. She couldn’t afford day care.”

  “She didn’t ask Landon for child support?”

  Deirdre shrugged. “I never asked, but knowing Ma she wouldn’t have pushed the issue. Despite her circumstances, she was proud. Too proud. She viewed asking for help as a weakness.”

  Kat nodded. “She was independent.”

  “To a fault. If Ma had made Landon step up back when she first found out she was going to have me, maybe he would have married her instead of that other woman. Ma never would have had to drop out of school. She’d be a surgeon earning millions instead of a sales clerk making peanuts.”

  Deirdre had obviously convinced herself that all her problems would have been solved if only her father had been around. Kat didn’t deny her her delusions. After all, who was she to say how things would have worked out if Rita Solomon’s pregnancy had come to light before Landon had proposed to Frieda? It was impossible to know where the path not taken might have led.

  Deirdre’s eyes filled with tears. “I was so sure he would want to get to know me. But when I started reaching out to him on social media, he blocked me. I figured maybe he thought I was a troll or something. So I tracked down his home address and sent him a letter asking if we could talk.”

  “But he didn’t respond?” Kat asked.

  “Oh, no, he responded that first time.” Deirdre’s nostrils flared. “That was the one and only time I got a reply back.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That he already had a family, that him and his wife were happy, that they’d never wanted children, and he had no use for one now.” She sniffled. “How could he not want to know his own flesh and blood?”

  Kat could just imagine how small and inconsequential Deirdre must have felt when she’d read that letter from Landon. What kind of person could reject their own child? One who never wanted to be a parent in the first place, she supposed.

  For that matter, how had Rita Solomon felt when her own parents tossed her aside just when she’d needed them the most? She must have been so lonely and terrified.

  Deirdre swiped at her tears with one shirtsleeve. “Anyway, I wasn’t going to let him off that easily. Ma might have been okay with him ignoring me, but I wasn’t. So I kept writing him. He could block me online, but he couldn’t stop my letters from being delivered to his house. Even if he didn’t read them, just seeing my name on that envelope would be a reminder that I existed whether he liked it or not.”

  “And he never replied after that first time?”

  “Nope. Never.”

  “Then how did you know he would be at that party yesterday?” Kat asked.

  “Imogene called Sam in the morning to go over the details. I was in the kitchen prepping some of the food, and Sam had her on speakerphone in his office. She was excited about Chief Kenny’s sisters driving over here for his birthday. She mentioned Landon and his wife by name. It was like kismet. For the first time since I’d found out who he was, my father was returning to Cherry Hills.”

  “So you asked Rich if you could work his shift,” Kat said.

  Deirdre nodded. “I made up a story about being short on next month’s rent, and he was nice enough to agree to call in sick and let me fill in for him.”

  “And what was your plan? What did you hope to accomplish by seeing Landon at the party? He had already made it clear he didn’t want to talk to you.”

  “I thought maybe if he met me in person he would change his mind.” Deirdre’s face fell. “But when I went up to him and told him who I was, he got mad.”

  Kat’s heart skipped a beat. “Did he try to hurt you?”

  “No, but he shooed me away, like I was some kind of pest, a fly or a gnat.” Her jaw grew taut. “I told him I wasn’t going anywhere, that he owed me a conversation at the very least.”

  Kat could see the pain in Deirdre’s eyes as she replayed Landon’s rejection in her head, and her heart ached for her. She couldn’t help it. Despite how the woman sitting across from her might technically be a murderer, it was clear she was also simply a lost girl who longed for her father. Kat could sympathize. She had also grown up without a father.

  Deirdre drew in a deep breath. “He must have realized I wasn’t going anywhere because he said fine, that he’d talk to me, but not where anyone could hear us. He grabbed my arm and dragged me into Imogene’s office.”

  “Then what happened?” Kat asked.

  “Then he asked what I wanted, gruffly, like I was inconveniencing him. But I thought this might be the only chance I had, so I told him I wanted to get to know him, that I didn’t have much family, since Ma’s side had disowned her.”

  “How did he respond to that?”

  “He didn’t care. I don’t think he was even really listening to me. He kept glancing at the door, like he couldn’t wait to get back to the party.” Deirdre’s hands clenched into fists. “And then he had the nerve to turn his back on me.”

  “And that made you angry,” Kat filled in.

  “Of course it made me angry. Wouldn’t you be angry if your father wouldn’t even grant you the courtesy of a single conversation?”

  Kat swallowed. “Is that why you killed him?”

  “That’s when I threw the paperweight at him. I didn’t really think, I just saw it sitting there so I picked it up and hurled it in his direction.”

  Deirdre stared off into space, her eyes unfocused. Watching her, Kat’s chest felt too tight.

  “He made a sound when it hit him, like an oomph. Then he fell to the ground and didn’t move.” Deirdre rubbed her fists in her eye sockets. “There was blood. I didn’t expect that. I didn’t mean to kill him. I only wanted to get his attention, to get him to see me.”

  Kat sagged against the chair. Deirdre might not have meant to kill Landon, but that didn’t change the fact that she had—or the fact that she’d left him for dead. And no matter how badly Landon had hurt her, it would be insufficient justification for taking his life in any court of law.

  “Where is the paperweight now?” Kat asked.

  Deirdre’s hands fell back into her lap. Then she pointed to the ki
tchen. “In the garbage pail under the sink. I didn’t want to leave it at the party, with my fingerprints on it. But now I guess it doesn’t really matter.” Her eyes searched Kat’s face. “I’m going to prison, aren’t I?”

  Kat didn’t have the heart to answer. But she didn’t think Deirdre was really looking for an answer either. She already knew how this story ended, the same way it had begun, with one man forever altering the course of a young girl’s life when he chose to walk away without a single backward glance.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “On behalf of the entire Cherry Hills Police Department, I’d like to thank you for your help in solving Landon’s murder,” Chief Kenny said, grabbing hold of Kat’s right hand and pumping it heartily between his own as he dragged her inside Imogene’s house.

  “Oh.” Kat extracted her hand from his grasp before he crushed it. “I’m sure Andrew and Raoul would have solved it if I hadn’t.”

  “Oh, now, I don’t know about that,” Imogene piped up from where she sat on one of her living room sofas. “Raoul Leon’s so green you could toss him in a salad.”

  Chief Kenny chuckled as he planted himself beside Imogene. “You would know, eating like a bunny.”

  Imogene slapped him playfully on the shoulder.

  Kat sat down in a nearby armchair. “I hope Raoul’s not too disappointed that he wasn’t the one to break the case.” She also hoped he wasn’t too upset that she’d phoned Andrew instead of him after Deirdre had confessed. Although she didn’t really care for Raoul, she still felt a little guilty for once thinking he might have had a hand in Landon’s death.

  Chief Kenny stroked Clover when the white cat jumped onto his lap. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head about Raoul. He’s still got plenty of detective work to keep him busy.”

  Alarm flitted across Imogene’s face. “Has there been another murder?”

  “No, sirree.” Chief Kenny grinned. “Raoul’s learning how real detectives fill their days—with good ol’-fashioned paperwork.”

  “Are you going to promote him permanently?” Kat asked.

  “I reckon one of these days I’ll do just that. But I ain’t got the budget for it yet.”

  Imogene crossed her ankles. “Well, now that this case is solved, you can focus on getting my office cleaned.”

  “That’s next on my list, right after I file my own paperwork,” he replied.

  “Oh, Kenny.” Imogene frowned at him. “How long is that going to take?”

  “Not more than a day or two.”

  Clover gave the police chief a dirty look. Apparently Imogene wasn’t the only human he preferred to handle with tough love.

  Imogene flashed Chief Kenny a dirty look of her own. “You have one day. Then I’m taking matters into my own hands and sending you the bill.”

  “Aw, now, don’t pout. I said I’d take care of it, and I’m a man of my word.”

  “What’s taking so long anyway?”

  “I’ve been shopping around, looking for the same shade of carpet you’ve got here. They don’t make this kind anymore.”

  Imogene’s lips curved up. “You mean you’re having the carpet replaced, not just cleaned?”

  “Yep. Figured you could sleep easier that way.”

  “Well . . . thank you. I appreciate it.”

  “You’re very welcome.” Chief Kenny reached into his breast pocket. “Here, I’ve got a little something else for you, too.”

  Imogene sucked in a breath when she saw what was in his hand. Kat scooted forward, trying to get a better look herself. Her heart stopped beating when she spied the velvet-covered box.

  “Now don’t go making a big fuss,” Chief Kenny said, a bead of sweat materializing on his forehead. “It’s nothing fancy, just something that caught my eye when I was out looking at carpet.”

  Imogene didn’t seem to hear him. She snatched the box from his hands and popped the lid off. Kat couldn’t see what was inside, but from the way Imogene’s smile slipped, she didn’t figure it was an engagement ring.

  “It’s a paperweight,” Chief Kenny said. He ruffled Clover’s fur. “Looks like the spitting image of this little guy, huh? Thought you might like it after what happened with your other.”

  Imogene reached into the box and lifted up a white, ceramic cat. Kat could see now the box was much too large to hold a ring.

  Clover scrambled to his feet and hissed at the offending creature. He took a swipe at it with one paw, knocking it to the floor.

  “Clover!” Imogene scooped the paperweight off the carpet. “Behave yourself!”

  “Hey now, buddy.” Chief Kenny rubbed Clover between his ears. “Don’t go getting your tail in a knot. It ain’t real.”

  Clover clearly didn’t appreciate the advice. He glared at the humans before hopping onto the floor and trotting over to Kat. He joined her on the armchair, where he laid down on her lap and subjected the others to a death stare.

  Imogene didn’t pay him any attention. Her smile was back in full force now as she gazed at Chief Kenny. “Thank you, Kenny. But you didn’t have to buy me this.”

  He grinned, looking more relaxed in the face of Imogene’s approval. “It was my pleasure.”

  “But I didn’t even get you anything for your birthday.”

  “What’re you clucking about? You threw me a party.”

  “A party with food you hated.”

  Chief Kenny grimaced. “This pains me to say, but that peahen wheelbarrow thingy wasn’t half bad.”

  “You mean the chickpea pinwheel?” Imogene squinted at him. “You tried it?”

  “What else could I do? The dang thing was falling apart in my hands.”

  Imogene hooted with pleasure, then hugged the paperweight to her chest. “I’m going to treasure this.”

  Clover’s tail pummeled Kat’s stomach. She petted him, hoping the surly feline wouldn’t break the new paperweight at his first opportunity. It might very well be the first present Chief Kenny had ever given Imogene.

  Imogene rested her head on Chief Kenny’s shoulder. “Okay, you’re forgiven for the carpet—for now. Any more delays though and I’ll be expecting more presents.”

  “Deal.”

  Watching them, Kat had to smile. If she’d had any lingering doubts about them being more than friends, the way they were snuggling together banished them. Whether or not Imogene and Chief Kenny chose to acknowledge their attraction in public, it was clear they shared more than a platonic connection.

  She thought about Landon Tabernathy and Deirdre Solomon, two people who shared a genetic connection but not much else. She wondered if Deirdre had ever experienced the kind of love she had so desperately craved from her father. Kat hoped so, because one thing she had learned in her thirty-two years was that you didn’t necessarily need genetics to tie you to someone.

  Sometimes the best family wasn’t the one you were born into, but the one you created for yourself.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Thank you for visiting Cherry Hills, home of Kat, Matty, and Tom! If you enjoyed their story, please consider leaving a book review on your favorite online retailer and/or review site. Also join my readers’ group so you’ll be one of the first to know when their next adventure is published.

  Please keep reading for an excerpt from Book Nineteen of the Cozy Cat Caper Mystery series, Arson in Cherry Hills. Thank you!

  ARSON IN CHERRY HILLS

  “This is nice, huh?” Andrew Milhone said, squeezing Katherine Harper’s hand as they strolled along the sidewalk.

  “It sure is,” Kat agreed. She breathed in the crisp, April air. Sunny but still early enough for there to be a slight chill, it was the perfect morning for a walk.

  Although, she considered, they weren’t walking so much as creeping at a snail’s pace behind Matty. And the curious yellow-and-brown tortoiseshell had made it infinitely clear she wasn’t in any hurry. Every two steps she found something interesting enough to stop and sniff, whether it be a sidewalk crack, a bush,
or even a simple blade of grass.

  “I’m glad you suggested this,” Kat said, watching as a bird alighted two yards away. The bird cocked its head and peered at Matty with one beady eye. Matty hunkered lower into the grass, her gray-striped tail cutting back and forth like a scythe. “We should do this more often.”

  Andrew unlaced his fingers from Kat’s and ran his hand through his sandy hair, pushing back the piece that kept falling into his eyes. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”

  Kat stilled, his tone putting her on alert. “Oh?”

  “I’m having dinner with somebody tonight.”

  The ground shifted beneath her. “Dinner?”

  “Yeah. She texted me yesterday, asking if we could get together.”

  Alarm bells rang in Kat’s head. She? Although they had never discussed it, Kat had been under the impression she and Andrew were dating exclusively. He had never mentioned an interest in seeing other people during their eight months together. In fact, they had both exchanged ‘I love you’s only a couple months ago. Could he be tired of her already?

  Andrew grabbed her hand and gripped it tight. “Oh, no, it’s not a date.”

  “Okay,” Kat said, although her stomach was still somewhere near her feet.

  “She’s my sister.”

  “Wait.” Kat twisted to face him better. “Your sister is in Cherry Hills? You mean the half-sister you’ve never met and didn’t even know existed until several years ago?”

  Andrew nodded. “She emailed me yesterday asking if we could get together. She flew into Seattle to check out some master’s program at U-Dub, and since we’re only a couple hours east she figured she might as well spend the weekend here.”

  “Huh.” Kat took a moment to process that. “What is she studying?”

  “Psychology. Or maybe it was pharmacy.” He pursed his lips. “Philosophy?”

  Kat laughed, the last of her tension fading away. “So basically you have no clue.”