And that, Jared realized, was the true crux of the problem. Harper was a barking mess because she couldn’t wrap her head around her mother’s fear. Jared knew Gloria on a cursory level — the woman was always pleasant to him and mentioned over and over that she was glad he’d found Harper so her daughter didn’t have to spend the rest of her life alone — but he wasn’t all that familiar with the woman’s moods. Harper was careful to make sure they didn’t cross paths too often. Jared was convinced that was for his benefit because Gloria was obviously a difficult woman to deal with.
“It’s going to be okay, Harper.” Jared’s voice was low and soothing as he pulled onto the correct street. “Whatever is happening ... I’m sure it can be easily explained. Heck, maybe he’s not even dead.” He chose to look on the bright side of things despite their circumstances. “It’s possible your mother didn’t get close enough to check. You know how she feels about icky things.”
Despite herself, Harper let out a low laugh. “That’s true. Maybe he’s just sleeping very deeply.”
“There you go.” Jared wanted to reach out and capture her hand, show her some reassurance, but the roads were too treacherous to risk it. “What do you know about this guy? I can’t remember if I’ve met him or not.”
“You have.” Harper made a face. “He was the one we went to dinner with a few weeks ago, the one at the steakhouse.”
“Ah, the one who told us that steak made men more virile in bed.” Jared smiled at the memory. “I believe we had fun imitating him later that night. I wanted you to dress up in a steak bikini and test his theory.”
“Yes, I remember that, too.” Even though she was agitated, Harper’s lips curved. “I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. It’s just ... I’m used to people giving me grief about what I do. I tend to ignore it as much as possible, but it’s not always easy.”
“I understand that.” Jared slowed his truck as he struggled to read the house numbers. “I don’t believe I’ve ever said a thing about what you do, though. I mean ... I guess I did that first time I had you in for questioning. I was suspicious of you then, but it’s not because I didn’t trust you. I’d simply never heard of anyone really having your ability.
“I didn’t doubt you very long,” he continued. “I figured out you were telling the truth within days and I’ve always been on your side ever since that moment. Always. I’m going to stay on your side for the rest of our lives. That’s why I asked you to marry me.”
“And here I thought it was because of how cute I look in my fuzzy winter pajamas.”
He snorted. “The fuzzy pajamas are only a bonus. As for the rest ... I know you’re good at what you do. I don’t doubt for a second you’ll bring money into the household. That doesn’t mean I can’t help you occasionally, or you can’t help me, for that matter. Once we’re married, we’re going to have joint accounts, right?”
“I guess.” Harper was thoughtful as she tapped her bottom lip. “I still have to keep my business account with Zander. You know that, right?”
“I do. It’s not an issue. I’m going to be your husband, Heart, not your lord and commander.”
“Yeah.” She looked more relaxed as he pulled into the driveway. “That’s Mom’s car.” She leaned forward.
“It looks like she’s been here a little bit.” Jared glanced around. “There’s already an inch of snow on her car.”
“It’s really coming down.”
“Not that fast.” Jared continued staring forward for a bit before killing the engine of his truck. “Come on. Try not to stomp around the house and leave snow anywhere — or touch anything — in case this really is something we need to worry about.”
Harper nodded, grim. “Okay. Thanks for doing this.”
“That’s what I’m here for.”
“I thought you were here for my afternoon delight.”
“That, too.”
GLORIA WAS A FLUTTERY MESS when she opened the door.
“I don’t know what to do,” she announced when the couple stepped into the entryway of the two-story abode. “I think he did this to make me crazy. There can be no other explanation.”
“He did this?” Jared arched an eyebrow. “Are you saying he committed suicide?”
The look Gloria shot him was straight out of a how-to book on making your future mother-in-law hate you. “I have no idea. I’m not an expert on these things.”
“Would he have committed suicide?” Harper asked.
“Oh, right.” Gloria rolled her eyes so hard it was a miracle she didn’t fall over. “I’m such a heinous hag to deal with he had to kill himself to get away. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?”
“Not even remotely.” Harper looked to Jared for help, uncertain. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Ignore her.” Jared wasn’t in the mood to deal with Gloria’s brand of histrionics. “We need to focus on the problem at hand. Where is he, Gloria?”
Gloria extended a shaking finger toward a door on the right. “He’s in there ... and it’s not pretty.”
Jared regarded her for an extended beat and then walked in that direction. He honestly wasn’t sure what he would find on the other side of the door. Gloria was known for blowing things out of proportion. In her world, for example, a paper cut was the same thing as a bayonet wound. Still, what he found waiting for him in the living room was enough to make his blood run cold.
“Son of a ... .” He viciously swore under his breath as he stepped over the threshold, his mind going a million miles a second.
“What is it?” Harper asked, pressing close to his back so she could find an angle to peer around him. “Is he dead?”
“He’s definitely dead.” Jared swiveled and caught her wrists before she could sneak around him and taint the scene. “This also wasn’t suicide.” He was calm because of his job training, but he felt weary just thinking about the list of things he needed to check off. “I need you to do me a favor.”
Harper stopped struggling to see the body and focused on him. She knew he wouldn’t be asking unless something was really wrong. “What do you need?”
“I need you to force your mother to sit on that bench in the foyer and not touch a thing. It’s important. You need to sit with her. I also need you to call Mel, tell him what’s going on here, and ask him to get the medical examiner.”
Harper had no trouble understanding that Jared was deadly serious ... which meant the scene on the other side of the couch was probably something out of a horror movie. “Okay. Um ... how did he die?”
“Badly.”
“Jared ... .”
“I can’t focus on that right now.” He was firm. “I need to go by the book on this one. I’m sorry. Can you just do as I asked?”
She nodded without hesitation. “I’m sorry about this ruining our day. I’m sorry about the fight earlier, too.”
“It wasn’t really a fight.” He meant it and kissed her forehead before digging in his pocket for a pair of rubber gloves. “You can’t go wandering around the house. That’s especially true for your mother. Can you please keep an eye on her? It could be very important before everything is said and done.”
Realization dawned on Harper. “You don’t think she did this, do you?”
“Of course not. I just need to make sure that we cover our bases. That means you need to help me.”
“Okay.” Harper knew better than to argue. Jared was in official mode now. That meant he was focused on his job. “I’ll call Mel first thing. Hopefully he will be able to get here despite the roads.”
“Faster is better,” Jared agreed. “I’ll be in here. Just ... don’t wander around. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
MEL KELSEY WAS A MASS OF exaggerated growls and annoyance when Harper let him in through the front door.
“This had better be good,” he announced, his cheeks a rosy shade of red. “My cruiser got stuck about three blocks down and the county road crews are going to have to get it out.
I already placed a call.”
“Oh, no.” Harper felt horrible for him. In addition to being Jared’s partner, he was also Zander’s uncle. She’d known Mel since she was a small child and was quite tight with him. “That’s terrible. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, well ... what are you going to do?” Mel removed his gloves and slipped them into the pocket of his coat. “Where is Jared?”
Harper pointed toward the living room. “I don’t think it’s good. He’s being really quiet.”
“Which means it’s definitely not good,” Mel agreed, his eyes briefly traveling to Gloria. “And why is your mother here?”
“She was dating the guy,” Harper replied. “He’s a divorce attorney. She came over to visit and found him.”
“I see.” Mel was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the situation as the facts came to light. “Well, I’ll go in and talk with Jared and then we’ll take it from there. The medical examiner is coming, but he’s going to be way behind me. He’s still at least thirty minutes out. Can you keep an eye out for him?”
Harper bobbed her head. “I’m on it.”
“Thank you.” Mel kept his smile in place as he entered the living room, but it evaporated quickly when he caught sight of the body on the floor. “Holy ... .”
“Yeah.” Jared rolled his neck until it cracked. “It’s ugly.”
“He’s obviously been stabbed,” Mel observed as he circled the body. “I’m guessing a good four or five times.”
“Yeah. There’s too much blood to get a good number,” Jared agreed. “We’re going to need the medical examiner to determine that.”
“Still, we’re talking a great deal of rage here.” Mel was fixated on the dead man. “His eyes are open, which means he was alive during the attack.”
“Definitely,” Jared agreed. “Given the way the blood is congealed, I’m going to guess he’s been dead about twelve hours or so. Maybe a little longer.”
Mel did the math in his head. “Then we’re talking after midnight.”
“I’m thinking probably about two in the morning, but we obviously need that confirmed.”
“Obviously,” Mel echoed, making a tsking sound with his tongue. “What do we know about this guy? I mean ... I think I’ve seen him around a time or two, but I don’t believe he’s a fixture in the community. At least he doesn’t hang around the same places I do.”
“Carl Gibbons.” Jared was matter-of-fact. “He’s a divorce lawyer who just happens to be dating Gloria. I don’t believe she used him for her divorce, but we’ll have to check and make sure. I know she’s careful about not dating the guy who is currently handling her case.”
“The case that will never end,” Mel muttered. “I swear, she and Phil have been divorcing each other for what feels like forever.”
“I’m guessing Harper would agree with that assessment.”
“Speaking of Harper ... .” Mel darted a look in the direction of the door to make sure nobody was listening before continuing. “You realize that Gloria is going to be a suspect in this simply because she was dating the man, right?”
Jared was uncomfortable with the question. “I don’t know that. I mean ... can you imagine Gloria doing this?”
Mel answered without hesitation. “Yes.”
“You can?” Jared was taken aback. “But ... no way. She doesn’t like getting dirty.”
“That doesn’t mean she didn’t do this. She’s a vindictive woman. Just ask poor Phil.”
Jared made it a point not to take sides between Harper’s warring parents, but when it came down to it, if he had to choose a favorite, Phil was going to win every day of the week. While the tempestuous man wasn’t always thrilled with Jared’s romantic overtures toward his daughter, he was still easier to get along with than Gloria, who seemed to be the lead conductor on the judgmental train.
“I can’t see her doing this.” Jared was firm. “I mean ... what’s the point? She switches boyfriends like she does purses. She never keeps one for more than a few weeks. I couldn’t even remember if I’d met this guy until Harper reminded me.”
“She’s still a suspect.” Mel refused to back down. “I mean ... think about it. The fact that she was the one who discovered the body is enough to haul her in for questioning ... which is definitely something we’re going to have to do.”
Jared was uncomfortable with the sentiment. “What we need to do is go through his files,” he corrected. “He’s a divorce attorney. I’m betting he’s alienated half the people in town just because of what he does for a living. It’s far more likely the husband — or wife, for that matter — of a recent client did him in because he or she was upset regarding a financial settlement after a divorce.”
“I guess that’s possible.” Mel didn’t look convinced. “We’ll have to get a warrant to go through the files. I doubt we’re going to get that today. Until then, we can search the house for clues and let the medical examiner handle the body. After that, though ... .” He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t have to. Jared knew exactly what he wasn’t saying, and it was a heckuva lot.
“I’m sure the suspect we’re looking for is in the files.” Jared hoped he sounded more certain than he felt. The more Mel talked, the more he wondered if Gloria would legitimately be considered a suspect. The idea terrified him for more than one reason. “Let’s not jump to conclusions before it’s necessary.”
“Okay.” Mel held up his hands in capitulation. “For now, we’ll do things your way. We’re still going to have to question Gloria because she found the body ... and I’m the one who needs to do it because you’re engaged to her daughter. That makes you tainted goods as far as she’s concerned in this investigation.”
That was a position Jared was happy to take. “You can question her. Try not to be too aggressive until we know more. Harper will blow up if she thinks that you believe her mother is a murder suspect.”
“I’ve got everything under control. This isn’t my first time interviewing the relative of a friend. You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Jared hoped that was true, but he couldn’t make himself believe it.
Three
Jared and Mel focused on their work, taking a step back when the medical examiner’s team entered and took over the scene. The man on duty was one they’d dealt with before. John Farber was the chief medical examiner and it was unusual for him to head out to a case … especially in inclement weather.
“I’m surprised to see you,” Mel noted as he watched the action from behind the couch. “How did you end up with this duty?”
“Half the staff called in because of the weather,” Farber replied, his gaze grim as he studied Gibbons. “I don’t think it’s going to be hard to ascertain how he died. See this wound here.” He indicated a messy spot to the upper left of the man’s chest quadrant. “That’s likely a direct blow to the heart. I’ll have to make sure when I cut him open but that’s my initial assumption.”
Jared pursed his lips as he watched Farber’s aides work. “Can you tell us anything else?”
Farber hiked an eyebrow. “Snow makes people crazy.”
“Not that. I’m talking about the angle of the wounds. Do you think he was sitting down when he was attacked? Was he standing? Did the blows come from below?”
Mel cast his partner a sidelong look. “Those are all good questions. They can’t be answered until he gets the body into the lab, though.”
“That’s very true,” Farber agreed. “I don’t know if he was attacked on the ground or not.” He moved closer to the couch. “I don’t see any blood spatter here, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. It’s a patterned couch and the pattern has some red in it.”
Jared thought of the plaid couch he had at home and immediately started hating the fabric as much as Harper. “Well … just keep us informed.”
“That’s the plan.”
Jared and Mel moved toward the door in unison. Even though he wasn’t looking forward to it,
Jared knew what would come next. It was time to question Gloria … and the conversation wouldn’t be pleasant.
“Do you know anything?” Harper asked. She was hovering in the doorway and she almost pounced on Jared when he stepped through the opening.
“We know he’s dead,” Mel replied, earning a harsh look from the blonde. “We know he was stabbed multiple times. We need to get a warrant to go through his files, though, so that won’t come through until tomorrow at the earliest.”
“Oh.” Harper moved closer to Jared. “What do you think?”
She was anxious, Jared realized. She wanted him to reassure her that Gloria wasn’t a suspect. He wanted nothing more than to do that, but he’d promised never to lie to her … and he wasn’t about to start now.
“I don’t know, Heart.” His fingers were gentle when they brushed her flaxen hair away from her face. Between the dry air, their afternoon romp, and the snow that dampened her hair before entering the house, she looked as if she was boasting an extreme case of bedhead. Under different circumstances, it would’ve made him smile. Now, all he could do was avoid the question. “It’s really too soon to say.”
“My mother isn’t a suspect, though, right?”
Jared involuntarily cringed. “We don’t have suspects yet. You know how this works. We need more information. Heck, we need those files.”
Harper wasn’t placated, but she couldn’t push him further. “Yeah, well, what comes next?”
“Mel has to ask your mother some questions.”
“Mel?” She was instantly suspicious. “Why is Mel asking the questions?”
“Because it’s inappropriate for me to do it given my relationship with you.”
“But … Mel has known my mother longer than you have,” Harper argued. “Our families have been tight for a really long time.”
Ghostly Visions: A Harper Harlow Mystery Books 10-12 Page 41
