The Burnt Orange Sunrise

by David Handler

  “Okay, sure. Whatever.” Jory flopped down in the chair directly across from Des, swiping at a strand of hair that had come loose from her topknot. “I was afraid you’d tell Les. That’s why I was a bit less than straight with you about it before. If Les had found out I was in Spence’s room last night, he would have fired me instantly. Me and Jase both.”

  “Because of Norma’s zero-tolerance rule?”

  Jory shook her head. “No.”

  “Well, then why?”

  “Because the old creep was hot for me, that’s why,” Jory replied wearily. “You should have seen the way that man would stare at me—day after day, night after night. He’d just keep staring at my assorted body parts with those filthy eyes of his. He made me feel crawly all over. Because I’d never go with someone that old, for God’s sake. Especially him. He was just such a lech. I’ll bet he told you what a good husband he was. How much he loved Norma. Well, he wasn’t and he didn’t. He was obsessed with me from the moment he moved in here. He’d get insanely jealous if I showed even the slightest interest in a man—our produce supplier, the Fed Ex guy, anyone. Just last month he fired Franz, one of our chefs, because we went to a movie together on my night off. One lousy movie, Des.”

  “Why didn’t you quit?”

  “And go where? This is the only job I’ve ever held.”

  “They do have such a thing as sexual harassment laws.”

  “My word against his,” Jory said dismissively. “Who do you think they’re going to believe, the president of the Chamber of Commerce or the pair of tits who mops the floors?”

  “Did Norma know about this?”

  “Of course she did. He was so obvious it was painful. She also knew that I did everything I could to discourage him.”

  “Did she ever confront him about it?”

  “She promised me she’d talk to him, but she never did. She was too afraid of antagonizing him. Norma had a lot of insecurities, you see. To do with her weight and all. She couldn’t help me, wouldn’t help me. So I put up with it. I could deal. I’ve had horny guests hitting on me ever since I grew breasts. It’s an occupational hazard if you’re in the hospitality business. I just had to avoid being caught alone in a room with him.”

  “When the power went out last night, you were alone in the cellar with him.”

  “I know.” Jory’s plump lower lip began to quiver. She bit down hard on it.

  “Jory, did something happen down there?”

  “Not physically, no. He just… he told me I was in his dreams every night. And he got kind of specific about those dreams. I’d really rather not go into the details, if you don’t mind. Every time I start to think about them I feel like throwing up.”

  “Mitch told me that Jase seemed worried when he found out Les was down in the cellar with you.”

  “He knew how Les felt about me,” Jory said, nodding. “But I always told him it was okay, I could take care of myself. The old creep was basically harmless.”

  “Firing a chef for taking you to the movies is not what I’d call harmless,” Des said as she devoured her sandwich, which was delicious.

  “I’m with you there, Des. All I meant was that he’d never actually try to rape me or whatever. He just wanted to imagine things about me and then … say them out loud to me. That’s how he got off.”

  “Did you know that Les was seeing another woman?”

  “Martha Burgess, sure. He told me all about her.”

  “What did he say?”

  “That the affair was all my fault. That the only reason he was having sex with Martha was because he was so aroused by me.”

  “Last night you told Spence that you’re involved with someone yourself.”

  Jory lowered her eyes, gazing down at the sandwiches she’d just made. “I did, that’s true.”

  “May I ask who he is?”

  “There’s no one,” she replied faintly. “I’m not actually seeing anyone.”

  “You lied to Spence?”

  “I did,” she admitted.

  “Why would you do that?”

  Jory shot a glance at the dining room doorway, then leaned across the table toward her. “Des, could we keep this between us?”

  “If I can, I will.”

  “I didn’t want to scare him off, okay?”

  “Not okay. I’m still not following you.”

  “God, this is so embarrassing to say out loud,” Jory confessed, clearing her throat. “The awful truth is that I’ve been hopelessly in love with Spence Sibley ever since high school. He was my very first, Des. When it happened, I led him to believe I was a woman of vast experience when it came to sex. I wasn’t. I’ve always tried to be the woman he wants me to be. No clinging, no promises. Nothing but good, frisky fun. For years I’ve been telling Spence that I’m not looking for anything serious, when the truth is that all I think about day and night is marrying him and having his babies. For me, there’s never been anybody but Spence. Someday, he’ll realize he feels the same way about me. I believe that in my bones. But I also believe that if I pursue him too hard, I’ll scare him off. So I’ve been careful to hide my true feelings. And patient. I’ve been so patient.”

  “And he has no idea how you really feel?”

  “He’s a man. They never know how we really feel, do they?”

  “Girl, you’ll get no argument from me there.” Des flashed a smile at her. “Only, Spence claims he’s mad about someone in New York.”

  “Who, Natalie? She’s nothing. A brief infatuation. That’ll blow over. Believe me, there’s only one woman in this world for Spence, and you’re looking at her. When he called me to say that the studio was sending him up here for Ada’s tribute, I was ecstatic. We hadn’t seen each other since last summer and I’ve really, really missed him.”

  “Last summer?”

  “Well, yeah. Supposedly, he was coming out to Dorset to sail. But he ended up staying here with me for the whole week instead. Des, that was the most romantic, perfect week of my entire life.” Jory studied Des carefully from across the table. “He didn’t mention it to you?”

  “No, he didn’t,” Des replied, wondering why Spence had purposely downplayed how deep into Jory he was. Not that she’d expected him to tell her the whole truth. No one ever actually did that. Still, this was an awfully choice morsel to omit from the telling.

  “He stayed here with me for a whole week.” Jory sounded tremendously hurt now. It bothered her that Spence had neglected to mention their idyllic interlude. “Every morning we woke up in each other’s arms.”

  “How did you manage to pull that off? Without Norma getting hip to it, I mean.”

  “He slept out in the cottage with me. Norma hadn’t a clue. No one did.”

  As Des thought this through for a moment, she realized that there could actually be no doubt in Spence’s mind that Jase knew all about him and Jory. Jase did share that cottage with Jory, after all. Again, Spence had been less than straight with her. Why? “How does Jase feel about him?”

  “Who, Spence? He’s fine about him. He always worries, naturally.”

  “About what?”

  “Losing me. Not that he has any earthly reason to worry. I’ve told him a million times that no matter who I marry he’ll always have a home with us. Jase knows that. It’s written in stone. Still, he worries. Do you have a brother or sister?”

  “I’m an only child.”

  “Well, then it’s hard to explain. But there’s a bond between Jase and me, a blood thing. And that bond can never, ever be broken.” Jory stirred herself and transferred the sandwiches from the cutting board to the platter. “I’d better deliver these. Spence seemed awfully hungry.”

  “Sure. I just have one more question.”

  “Absolutely. What is it?”

  Des polished off the last of her own sandwich, leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath before she said, “Who slipped the digoxin into Norma’s cocoa—was it Les or was it you?”

  CHAPTER 1
5

  “EIGHT BALL IN THE side pocket,” Mitch announced as he proceeded to sink it. “That’s game.”

  “Yet again,” Aaron grumbled sourly. “This means I must owe you … how much do I owe you now?”

  “Well, you’d climbed your way up to a hundred sixty dollars. Double or nothing makes it three hundred twenty, unless my basic math skills went out the window when I got whacked on the head.” Actually, he felt fine, aside from the steady ache. “Mind you, that’s only if we’re playing for real money.”

  “Oh, we are,” Aaron assured him, shooting a nervous glance over at Carly and Hannah, who were seated in charged silence together before a kerosene heater. The two women in Aaron Ackerman’s life were behaving very snappishly toward each other. Clearly, Aaron was concerned that a full-fledged bitchfest was about to break out.

  Spence, seemingly unaware of the tension, sat there with them while he waited hungrily for Jory to bring out a fresh supply of sandwiches from the kitchen. Des was apparently asking her some follow-up questions while she made them. Mitch didn’t know what about. He did know that he sure could go for one or more sandwiches himself.

  “I pay my honest debts,” Aaron insisted, opening his wallet.

  “Whatever you say, Aaron.”

  “But I’m afraid I’ll have to write you a check,” he apologized, beating a hasty retreat. “I don’t have nearly that much cash on me.”

  Over at the bar, Teddy let out a mocking laugh.

  “Have you got something on your mind, Teddy?” Aaron demanded.

  “Hardly ever,” Teddy replied, sipping his Scotch. “And when I do it usually turns out to be a dreadful idea.”

  “Therein lies the secret to your success, or lack thereof,” Aaron said unpleasantly. “How about one more game, Mitch? Double or nothing?”

  “Rack ’em up.” Mitch moseyed over to the bar, where Isabella lay on her back with her paws in the air, yearning for a belly rub. Mitch complied, missing Clemmie and Quirt.

  Over by the window, Jase continued to stare anxiously out at the dozens of trees that had come down. Which was all he’d been doing ever since Mitch had dragged him back in, per Des’s orders. Jase hadn’t wanted to come back in. There was much work to be done, and he’d been thrilled to be out there, doing some of it. Mitch had never seen anyone have quite so much fun plowing a parking lot before. But standing there now in his wool checked shirt, stocking cap pulled low over his eyebrows, Jase seemed caged and agitated. His right knee was jiggling.

  “Your break, Mitch.” Aaron had finished racking the balls.

  “Blue sky,” Jase said suddenly, hunched there at the window.

  Mitch went and joined him for a look. In the western sky out beyond the Connecticut River, he could make out breaks in the clouds and actual patches of blue. At long last, the storm was passing. “We did it,” he exclaimed. “We survived.”

  “Oh, thank goodness,” exulted Carly. “Maybe we can actually get out of this awful place. I want to be home”

  “I’d settle for a hot shower,” Hannah said, shivering.

  “What’s that?” Carly snapped at her. “What did you just say?”

  “I’ve never been so cold in my whole life,” Hannah answered sharply. “I feel like every bone in my body is about to shatter. I will never be this cold again, I swear. As far as I’m concerned, this settles it.”

  “Settles what?” asked Aaron, arching an eyebrow at her.

  “I’m moving back to Los Angeles.”

  “Oh, are you now?” Carly said, well aware that they were talking about something more than Hannah’s weather preferences.

  “This is rather sudden, is it not?” Aaron was caught off guard, and flustered.

  “I’m making the move.” Hannah’s voice was filled with resolve. “I’m packing my bags as fast as I can, gassing up my clunker and going.”

  “What will you do for work out there?” Aaron’s own voice had taken on a rather unappealing whiny tone.

  “I don’t know and I don’t care,” Hannah replied. “I’ll sling beers at a bowling alley in Pacoima if I have to. Just as long as I’m warm. Anything is better than this.”

  “Your mind’s objectively made up?” Aaron pressed her, as Carly glared right at him.

  “All made up,” said Hannah, effectively slamming the door shut on whatever it was that the two of them had together.

  “Hannah, I hope you won’t give up on your dream to make a film about Ada,” Mitch said. “You’ve got so much talent, and she’s such a great subject.”

  “She’s also dead,” Hannah pointed out. “I needed on-camera face time with her, Mitch. She was the last of her generation. Her contemporaries are all dead and buried. With her gone, I have no one to put on film. Where’s my documentary?”

  “Who says it has to be a documentary?”

  Hannah widened her eyes at him. “I should write her life story as a bio-pic, is that what you’re saying?”

  “Why not? She led one hell of a life, and it’s a great part for the right actress.”

  “It’s an Oscar part, are you kidding me?” Hannah said excitedly. “Nicole Kidman could play the hell out of her, or Cate Blanchett or, God, Streep. There’s Ada young, Ada old. There’s triumph, tragedy … Wow, Mitch, you’ve really given me something to think about on my long drive west. Thanks.”

  “No problem. And if all else fails, you’d make a great nurse.”

  “Not a chance. I hate hospitals.”

  “I’m staying right here,” Spence announced emphatically. “Not here as in Astrid’s Castle,” he explained, on their blank stares. “Here in New York.”

  “What about your promotion to the Coast?” Hannah asked him.

  “I’m turning it down.”

  “Spence, what are you talking about?” she demanded. “That job is everything you’ve been working toward for years. You’re about to become a heavy hitter. What are you, crazy?”

  “No, totally sane,” Spence said, grinning at her. “It just so happens my priorities have come into acute focus over the past twenty-four hours, and Panorama Studios isn’t one of them. But, listen, I’ll put in a good word for you before my name turns to total poop. If you decide to pitch them that idea about Ada, I mean.”

  “That would be awfully nice of you, Spence,” she said gratefully.

  “No problem. Friends help friends out.”

  Mitch went back over to the pool table and broke, thinking about how bizarre this all seemed—Hannah and Spence sitting there chatting about their futures as if nothing unusual had just happened. As if no one had been murdered. As if no one’s future plans actually consisted of life in prison without chance of parole. Because somebody in this castle, in this very room, was a killer.

  But who?

  Mitch sank the nine ball with his break and went to work on the table as Teddy sat there at the bar, sipping his Scotch, lost in his thoughts.

  Aaron was caught up in some thoughts of his own. “Spence, what were you and Des talking about upstairs?”

  “Personal things.”

  “What sort of personal things?”

  “The sort that are none of your damned business,” Spence said to him abruptly. “That’s what makes them personal.”

  Jase turned away from the window to look at Spence curiously. Actually, they were all looking at Spence curiously. Except for Isabella, who had fallen asleep.

  “Spence, it so happens that this is my business,” Aaron informed him loftily. “It’s my family that’s dying here. It’s my castle.”

  “Well, I’m not yours,” Spence shot back. “So shut the hell up before I take a swing at you, you pompous boob.”

  “I’ve got twenty bucks on the blond guy,” Teddy jumped in eagerly.

  “Teddy, you are not helping,” Carly chided him. “And neither are you, Acky. Calm down, and kindly lose your new lord-of-the-manor act before I take a swing at you myself.”

  “You’re right, you’re right.” Aaron immediately backed down,
chastened. “I apologize, Spence. I’m merely upset. I want to know what’s going on.”

  “We all do, kiddo,” Teddy said.

  “Nobody knows,” Carly said, swallowing. “Except for the person who did this, that is.”

  “A condition which I find completely unacceptable,” Aaron said.

  “It’s strictly a temporary condition,” Mitch assured him, dropping the eleven ball in a corner pocket. He still hadn’t yielded the shot to Aaron yet. If nothing else, this was turning into a very profitable winter storm. “Des will get to the bottom of this soon enough.”

  “You sound awfully confident,” Aaron said.

  “I am. I believe in her.”

  “How will Des get to the bottom of this?” Teddy wondered.

  “By being smarter than the average bear, that’s how,” Mitch replied. “She’ll lick this. And her reinforcements from the Major Crime Squad will be landing here before you know it. If they have to, they’ll analyze every single hair and fiber of clothing in Ada’s room until they find what they need. Which they will. Whoever did this can’t go anywhere. So just try to relax. Let the professionals handle it.”

  “Mitch is totally right,” Spence said. “And speaking for myself, I am totally starved. I may have to eat my shoe if Jory doesn’t get in here soon with those sandwiches.”

  “She should be back by now,” Jase said fretfully. “What’s taking her so long?”

  “She’s talking to Des,” Mitch reminded him. “She’s okay, Jase.”

  “What if she’s not?” Jase had started pacing around the taproom, scratching furiously at his beard.

  “As long as she’s with Des, she’ll be perfectly safe,” Mitch said.

  “No, she won’t!” Jase moaned. He was over by the fireplace now, wringing his hands, breathing heavily.

  And they were all studying him in guarded silence.

  “Why not, Jase?” Mitch asked.

  Jase didn’t answer. Just paced in anxious silence, scratching at his beard so hard it was almost as if he wanted to tear it from his face.

  “Jase, is there something you want to tell us?” Mitch pressed him gently. “Do you know something?”