Love and Arson

by Woods, Karen

  “Is Beth your biological daughter?”

  Harry looked at her for a long moment. “Yes,” he answered, his voice tight. “How do you feel about that?”

  “Does Beth know?”

  “She’s officially known since she was fifteen. Lyn and I told her. But she suspected it a long time before then.”

  “Why didn’t you marry Lyn, instead of Mother? Your relationship with Lyn clearly predates your relationship with my mother.”

  “We don’t always do things we’re proud of Dani.”

  “I know that, all too well.”

  “Lyn’s grandfather was a friend of my grandfather. She spent her summers in the area, growing up. So, we knew one another, sort of. She’s several years younger than I am. So, I really didn’t notice her until the weeks after I took my commission in the Army. I’d come home for a little while before I was to report for active duty. And I ran into Lyn at a dance at the country club. She’d just graduated high school and was headed for college in the fall. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Then she met Nick at college.” He sighed. “He swept her off her feet. But the marriage just didn’t work.”

  Harry continued, “She gave it several years and finally decided she was better off without him than with him. By that time, I’d left active duty and had come home to take over my father’s business. After Lyn filed for divorce from Nick, she worked for me for a while. Her preliminary divorce degree had been issued, but it wasn’t final, when she became pregnant with Beth. I’d been ready to ask her to marry me. I was devastated when she reunited with Nick. I didn’t know until later that Nick blackmailed her into the reunion under the threat he would take Jase away from her, claiming she was unfit as a mother because of her affair with me,” Harry told his daughter. “Lyn couldn’t stand the idea of losing her son. Nick died shortly before Peter brought your mother home. Lyn came back and wanted a second chance with me. I hired her back in the firm. She’s always been an excellent engineer, probably the best female civil engineer I’ve ever known. But I’d already lost my heart to your mother.”

  “You don’t have to justify your life to me, Dad.”

  “For anyone else, I wouldn’t. But you deserve to know something of my life, your mother’s life, and how Lyn has been involved in my life.”

  “Mother loved you from the moment she met you until the day she died. That’s all I need to know.”

  “You’re kinder to an old fool than I deserve.”

  “Oh, Dad... Love is such a mess, isn’t it?”

  “It can be, Dani. It can be. But it’s worth it.”

  Oh, God, Lyn does have a motive, after all.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Dani was especially interested in her mother’s paintings which her father, although he hadn’t been able to bear to look at, had never been able to bring himself to part with. He had said she could have any or all of them, if she so desired.

  There were at least two dozen of Nan’s paintings stored in the attic. Mostly they were landscapes of the local area. Dani wanted to weep when she saw the beauty of the paintings. She did cry when she uncovered a portrait her mother had painted of her father. The love her mother had felt for came through so strongly. It was a tender and passionate painting. Her father’s determination showed strongly, as did his tenderness. There was humor in his eyes. She knew then, with an absolute certainty, that her mother had loved him as deeply as a man could be loved by a woman.

  Dani wondered what it would take to make her leave Jase. A threat to his life? A threat to the life of a child of theirs? Would anything be able to compel her to leave? In many ways, her mother had been too gentle for her own good, Dani decided.

  * * *

  Jase held her gently, allowing her to weep. There was nothing else he could do. Words seemed so useless. He wondered, for the hundredth time, if he had pushed her into this engagement.

  She felt almost frail in his arms. During the weeks since the attempted kidnapping and her injuries, she had lost about ten pounds she hadn’t needed to lose. He was afraid for her.

  Dani had been living on nerves. Her appetite had been almost non existent. She had picked at her food, leaving most of it on her plate at each meal. He had made a habit of trying to get her to eat something midmorning, mid-afternoon, and in the middle of the night, since she was awake anyway. There were faint shadows under her eyes, testifying to her inability to get enough rest.

  “Are you sure you want the paintings?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I want them. Do you have any problem with that?”

  “No problem. I like the paintings. They’re beautiful. I remember sitting for Nancy. She made it fun for me.”

  “I’m glad you have good memories of Mother,” Dani admitted. Then she smiled at him. The expression looked strained to him. “Let’s get back to work. I’m like a kid at Christmas. There are so many treasures.”

  “You know, we don’t really need these old things. We can easily afford to buy anything we need.”

  “I like the idea of using heirlooms, family things, to fill our home. I’ve never had this sort of thing and I’ve always been jealous of the people who did. We’ll have to buy a lot of new furniture, but where we can, I’d love having a few family things around me.”

  Jase felt himself nod. He supposed he could understand that. And if this made her happy, he certainly wasn’t going to deny her the joy of it.

  * * *

  They marked off which of the larger pieces they wanted for their new home. There were several antique bedsteads and dressers for guest bedrooms, assorted occasional tables, a few bookcases, some antique wooden chairs, a rocking chair, and an old oak table that would serve well for kitchen use.

  Then she began to search through boxes. Small and medium sized treasures were found: a very tarnished silver tea and coffee service badly in need of a polishing; several silver service trays; a complete set of silver flatware for twelve, also in need of polishing; assorted crystal glasses; a set of stoneware suitable for everyday use; several small alabaster items which were of no real value except that they looked pretty; a few lead crystal flower vases; a set of hand carved oak napkin rings; and an assortment of old table linens in need of nothing more than laundering and ironing.

  “Are you about done scrounging?” Jase teased.

  “I’m having fun seeing what we can discover. I’ve always loved garage and rummage sales. Mother and I used to go to sales just to see what people no longer wanted. I got my first typewriter for two dollars because it had a sticky key that took me ten minutes to repair.”

  Jase laughed. “Then by all means, don’t let me interfere in your pleasure. Open the next box, and I’ll go get us some iced tea. I could use a cold drink. Couldn’t you?”

  “Yeah.”

  The next box contained old photo albums. Dani opened them and began to thumb through them, not recognizing many people. At the bottom of the box, there was an album containing pictures of her mother and of her father. There was a wedding picture, a copy of the one her mother had always kept on the nightstand. As she turned the last page, there was a large manila envelope. Dani looked inside, out of curiosity. There were photos clearly taken out at the lake of a man beating another man. It was a whole sequence, ending with the second man being thrown into the lake. Dani was shaking. She had no doubt this was a photo account of Peter Filson’s murder. The negatives were there. Dani was shaking.

  “What’s wrong?” Jase asked as he came back into the attic carrying two tall tumblers of iced tea.

  Tears streamed down her face. “God, Jase...”

  Jase sat beside her and took the photos from her trembling fingers. He looked at the old images without speaking. Then she met his eyes and he swallowed hard.

  “Finally, everything makes sense. Suddenly, it makes sense. The funny thing is I really wish that it didn’t,” Dani said.

  “This is going to be hard on Harry.”

  “I can’t let them continue to get by with murder.” />
  Jase shook his head negatively. “No, we can’t. I’m in this with you.”

  “I knew Mother could never have done the things she was accused of.”

  “Whatever we do, we have to approach this carefully. They’ve committed one murder.”

  “That we know of. Maybe more. But I agree. Not a word of this to anyone.”

  “Let’s safeguard it. Copies need to be made, and the original entrusted to the authorities. This is enough evidence to force an arrest. There is no statute of limitations on murder.”

  “Agreed.”

  Dani telephoned Gil after she and Jase had devised a plan with Steve, as county prosecutor, and Bob as chief of police.

  “Mary Danielle,” Gil said into the phone, “what can I do for you?”

  “I want you to draw up a simple document.”

  “What kind of document?”

  “I want a pre-nuptial agreement.”

  “A pre-nupt? Surely that’s unnecessary,” Gil dismissed.

  “I think it’s necessary. Jase and I are coming into the marriage on grossly unequal terms. I don’t want anyone to have any reason to think either I’m marrying Jase for his money, or he’s marrying me for a future inheritance.”

  “I can understand that. When I was young, I was in love with a woman whose family disapproved of me because my family was from the wrong side of the tracks,” he said thoughtfully. “What are the terms of the document which you want me to draw?”

  “Everything which is mine prior to the marriage, remains mine. Everything which is Jase’s, remains Jase’s. Anything earned from work during the marriage is community property. Anything inherited during the marriage is deemed personal, not marital, property. Custody of any children is mine, with Jase having generous visitation rights. That should be simple enough. I want it couched in sufficiently legal terms to be binding.”

  “When do you want it?”

  “After dinner tonight, if you can?”

  “That is short notice. But, I think I can manage it.”

  “Could you bring it by Dad’s house, say nine tonight. I want this out of the way as soon as possible.”

  Gil sighed. “Of course.”

  “Thanks, Gil. I appreciate it,” she said just before she hung up the receiver.

  “He went for it?” Jase asked.

  “Yeah. I want to strangle him, slowly. And then move on to that woman.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid, Dani,” Steve advised. “We’ll be there, waiting, hidden. Everything said will be recorded. You’ve both been shown how to work the microphones that will be going to the recording equipment. Just hang loose.”

  “I have a voice activated cassette recorder. I thought I might set it up secretly, just as a backup.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Steve agreed. “Now I know this is going to be difficult, but you can’t let anyone have even the faintest glimpse something is wrong. It could be very dangerous for everyone involved.”

  Dani sighed. “You just make certain you’re there,” she said as she gathered up the photocopies. “I intend to be armed. Does anyone have a problem with that?”

  “Just don’t shoot anyone, unless you have no choice in the matter,” Bob advised.

  “This will all be over soon,” Jase said as they drove back to her father’s house.

  “I hope so. Maybe it would have been better to let this alone.”

  “You don’t believe that. We’ll handle it, love. We’ll handle it, whatever comes.”

  “Did you find a treasure trove in the attic?” her father asked at dinner.

  Dani nodded. “We found much more than I expected to,” she allowed. “I’m going to borrow one of Sissy’s big pots, line it with foil and fill it with hot saline and soda solution so I can remove the tarnish from some silver things we found up there.”

  “Does that really work?” Beth asked.

  “The tarnish from the silver is lifted by the mild electrolytic then deposited onto the aluminum.”

  “I should have thought of that. The chemistry isn’t all that complex. I’d imagine it probably stinks to high heaven, though,” Beth said.

  Dani smiled broadly at her half sister. “It does. But it’s easier than scrubbing with silver polish.”

  “I’ll take your word for it,” Jase said, winking at his future bride.

  Dani sighed. “I’ve invited Gil around after dinner.”

  Harry looked at his daughter. “Why?”

  “I’ve had Gil draw up a pre-nuptial agreement. I want you all to witness the signing of it.”

  Harry sighed and looked at his wife. “What did we ever do to deserve two such stubborn children?”

  “Don’t ask me, Harry dear, I’m certain I don’t know,” Lyn stated.

  After the agreement was signed and witnessed, Dani looked over at Jase.

  Gil had a strange expression on his face. He was rubbing his arm. Sweat beaded up on his brow.

  Thea looked at him, in concern. “Are you well, Gilbert?”

  “I just pulled a muscle in my arm today, nothing major,” the lawyer said. “Is it hot in here to anyone but me?”

  Dani walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a tonic water, then she dropped in a lime slice. She knew from other occasions Gil’s favorite drink was Gin and Tonic. So she made him one. Bob would be recording this. Both she and Jase wore microphones.

  “Since we’re all gathered, I have a small gift for each of you,” she said as she rejoined the group and gave the drink to Gil.

  “You shouldn’t have,” Thea dismissed.

  Dani removed the stack of manila envelopes from her briefcase beside one of the sofas in the drawing room. Then she passed the envelopes about. “No one open these until everyone has theirs, okay? I want to see the expressions on all faces.”

  “You’re being very mysterious tonight, Dani,” Harry replied in puzzlement.

  “I hope you think it’s a good mystery, Dad, once you’ve seen what I’ve given you. In the long run, I think it may be.”

  “What is it?” Beth asked as she took her envelope.

  “Keep an eye on Dad, will you?” Dani asked as she whispered in her half-sister’s ear. “Promise me. Just monitor Dad. This is going to be hard on him.”

  “Doesn’t Jase get a present?” Lyn asked.

  “No. He’s already had his,” Dani said as she positioned herself at the door from the entryway into the sitting room. She’d stashed her pistol in the drawer of a table there earlier. Jase took a spot at the only other exit out of the room.

  “Go ahead, open it,” she invited as she trained her eyes on Gil.

  “What the...” Gil asked tightly as he pulled the photocopies of photos.

  “Answers. At long last,” Dani replied as she retrieved her pistol. “They say the truth will set you free. In this case, the truth will send you to jail for a very long time, Gil.”

  “I don’t have to sit here and take this,” Gil stated coldly as he rose from his chair.

  “Sit down, Gilbert,” Harry commanded.

  “Yes. Sit down, Gilbert,” Dani echoed as she aimed her weapon at him. “You’ll have to get past me or Jase to leave this room. Neither of us are disposed to allow you past us. And, as you can see, we’re both armed.”

  Harry finished looking at the copies of the photos. He sighed raggedly. “Well I have the answers, now. Funny, but I didn’t think I had harbored a murderess all these years.”

  “I didn’t kill anyone,” Thea protested.

  “Shut-up Sweetheart,” Gil said, heat in his voice.

  “Are you okay, Dad?” Dani asked.

  “I’m fine, Dani,” Harry assured her.

  “Harry,” Thea said her voice weak, “you can’t believe any of this. She falsified these photos. Anyone can see they’ve been manipulated.”

  Harry looked at his sister, and replied in a tone cold as pewter in January, “But I do believe it, Althea Marie. You see, I know you well enough to believe you could do this. I r
emember how wild you were as a girl. I remember warning you about Peter. I didn’t know who it was you had been seeing, but I did know you were running around with more than one man decades ago.”

  “Harry, please,” Thea begged.

  “Gil found you two together. Gil beat Peter senseless, then threw him into the pond, where he drowned,” Harry said in a too calm tone that said more eloquently than anything else just how furious he was. Dani recognized it all too well as she used the same tone from time to time. “And you hatched the tale that Nancy had done this.”

  “Harry,” Gil said. “Are you going to take these unsubstantiated photos against my word?”

  “You want me to take your word? As I recall, the only real evidence of Nancy’s supposed adulteries came from eyewitness accounts of the two people whom I trusted the most, my sister and attorney,” Harry said. “What you told me about her being unfaithful to me was a pack of lies, just like the murder implication.”

  “Harry, please,” Thea said through her tears. “It wasn’t like that.”

  “I want you out of my house, tonight,” Harry said angrily. “I ought to turn you both over to the police.”

  “On the strength of what? Old photographs I’ll have an expert say were doctored?” Gil demanded in a tight voice.

  But Dani saw the attorney was sweating even more profusely. His coloring wasn’t good.

  “I’ll settle for both of you leaving my house and never returning. You know, of course, that you’re no longer corporate counsel, Gilbert. I can no longer trust either of you.”

  “Harry,” Thea pleaded, “Please...”

  Gil rose from his chair once more. “I don’t have to take this unwarranted abuse. I’m leaving,” he said as he reached for his handkerchief.

  Dani watched as Gil clutched his chest and fell to the floor. It took a few seconds before Dani registered this wasn’t a feint.

  Finding that Gil had no pulse, Jase said, “We need the paramedics. Gil has had a heart attack. There’s no pulse. He’s not breathing.”

  While Jase was speaking, Dani tilted Gil’s head back to open the airway, and gave him two breaths. Then she began CPR. Without a word, Jase took over the breathing and monitoring of Gil’s pulse, or rather the lack thereof, as Dani gave chest compressions.