“I hate to say this, but has it ever occurred to you that Gordon could’ve done it? He did go to the beach that day.”
“I did think of that, but Tammy was with him. I don’t see how he could have done it with her along. If he’d had Mindy’s body in the trunk, Tammy would have seen it. They had to put their suitcases somewhere.”
Bernie straightened a stack of papers. “Maybe Armfield will confess when he’s arrested.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. He’s a cold fish, if ever I saw one.”
“Well, I… Hey, Nick, look at this.”
“What is it?”
“The lab report on those items you sent down there. The ones from South Port.”
“What does it say?”
“The button was clean. Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What?”
“The sunglasses weren’t. They were able to get a print off them. It belongs to Vernon Armfield.”
“I knew it. I knew that damn bastard was guilty the minute I set eyes on him.” Nick jumped to his feet and put on his jacket. “Let’s go! And call the police on the way!”
* * * *
“Well, Rebecca. How did you like that? He sneered at her as he stood and put on his terry cloth robe.
She didn’t answer.
“Well, never mind. It wasn’t that good for me, either.” He turned to the door. “Now to get on with the rest of it. I’m going downstairs to get just the right knife. You think about that while I’m gone.”
She did think about it, but she feared her situation was hopeless. The clock told her the time was ten minutes after five. Twenty minutes before Erica and Nick were due to arrive. Then she realized that was probably for the best. If Erica arrived first, Vernon would only kill her, too.
Rebecca cried softly and tried to remember the faces of her mother and father, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t even remember Mindy’s face. Then she pictured Nick and smiled. Aunt Millicent had been right. He was the kind of man she should have married. He’d tried so hard to find the killer, and because of her insistence that Vernon had been home that night, she’d thwarted his efforts, even though she knew he’d suspected Vernon from the very beginning. Why had she been such a fool? Why hadn’t she listened to him?
“I’m sorry, Nick.” she whispered. “Sorry I stopped you from catching Vernon, but I’m even sorrier I’ll never get the chance to tell you what you mean to me.” She knew a life with Nick would have been a good one. He cared for her just the way she was. He didn’t want to change her like Vernon had.
She turned her head to the side. She could see the top of the old oak tree where she and Mindy used to play. It held good memories. Nick had brushed her cheek with his lips the day of Aunt Millicent’s funeral under its branches. Now she would never know one of his real kisses. She was sorry about that. She knew he liked her, and given time, he might have even fallen in love with her. She already loved him.
Yes, Nick. It could have been very good between us.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Vernon said in a sing-song voice.
She just stared at him.
“It’s time, Rebecca. All of the talking, all of the playing is over. You must now join your sister and the rest of the Davidson family in the hereafter.”
“My family never did anything but love you, give you a good job, and accept you as one of us.”
He leaned over her and snarled. “Your family was one of the haves. I’ve always hated the haves because I was a have not. Even when I became a have, I couldn’t forget that. I wanted all the haves I knew to suffer. The Davidsons are finally getting what they deserve—death and an end to their dynasty.” He smiled. “See? I told you it was simple.”
He sat beside her on the bed, but this time he made no sexual advances. Instead, he laid the cold knife blade on her bare chest. She couldn’t stop the involuntary shiver that ran the length of her body.
“Hey, that’s good. I liked that. Let’s see what else I can make you do.” He slithered the knife up and down her nude body, touching every part of it. In spite of herself, she occasionally shivered again. He laughed every time.
Then he stopped the knife on her chest, and she closed her eyes. The blade pricked her skin. Seconds later, he said, “This is it. Goodbye, Rebecca.”
Pain streaked through her, and a loud crash echoed from downstairs. Then something warm covered her body, and she accepted the blackness.
Chapter 51
Nick and Bernie were halfway to Vernon’s office when Nick received a call from their secretary.
“Nick, I thought you’d want to know. We just had a call from Wilma Hess, the Armfield’s maid. She said Vernon is at the house and plans to kill Mrs. Armfield. The Hess woman’s not able to help because he locked her in her quarters. I’ve already called the police, and they’re on their way.”
“Thanks, Michelle.” Stark terror rushed through him as he floored the gas.
“Don’t worry, Nick. We’ll make it.”
“I hope so, Bernie. I really hope so.” In a minute, he added, “I love her, you know.”
“I know.”
They entered the Armfield driveway just as the faint scream of sirens carried through the air. Nick jumped out of the car before it stopped rolling.
“I’m going in the side door. It’s often unlocked.”
Bernie followed.
Luck was with them. The door was unlocked.
Nick streaked though the sunroom, across the living room, and into the entry. He took the stairs two at a time, with Bernie on his heels.
At Rebecca’s bedroom door, Nick’s blood ran cold.
Vernon Armfield sat on the bed pushing the knife into Rebecca’s chest.
Nick and Bernie both shouted and fired at the same time.
Almost before Vernon’s body slumped forward on top of Rebecca, Nick shoved him off.
“I’ll call 911.” Bernie grabbed the phone in the hall and dialed.
Nick took the side of the bedspread and wiped blood from Rebecca’s chest. So much blood. He worked quickly. His heart raced because he couldn’t tell if the sticky liquid came from her chest or from Vernon.
He shouted when he detected a faint pulse. “Get some towels, Bernie! She’s alive!”
Bernie ran into the adjoining bathroom and returned with an armful of towels in all sizes. He dumped them beside Nick. “I’ll cut her loose.”
The house soon filled with police. Uniformed officers checked the rooms. One heard Wilma beating on the door and let her out. She dashed directly to Rebecca’s room and almost fainted at the sight of all the blood.
“Wilma, she’s alive,” Nick said.
She ran to the bed and helped Nick mop the blood away.
Rebecca stirred and opened her eyes.
“Hi, there, sweetheart.”
She tried to smile up at Nick. She closed her eyes again, but whispered, “Hi.”
The paramedics arrived. They asked Wilma and Nick to step aside so they could work on Rebecca.
Erica came in and hurried over to Nick. “Is she alive?”
“She spoke to me, then passed out again. But yes, for the moment, she’s alive.”
“Thank goodness,” Erica said.
“Is he dead?” Wilma looked at Vernon’s body as an officer spread a blanket over it.
“Yes.”
“I hope they get him out of here before she wakes up,” Erica said.
A paramedic came over to Nick. “We’re going to transport her to the hospital. She’s lost a lot of blood.”
“I’m going with you.” He looked at Bernie.
“Go on, Nick. I’ll take care of things here.”
Erica took Wilma’s arm. “Why don’t you come with me to the hospital? I think you need to get that bump on your head looked at.”
“I’m okay, Ms. Erica, but I would like to go to the hospital to see that Ms. Rebecca is going to be all right.” She turned as they loaded Rebecca onto the stretcher. “You take care of her, Mr. Nick.
”
“I will, Wilma. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I know.” She smiled at him.
Chapter 52
Nick sat beside Rebecca’s hospital bed. Wilma, wearing a bandage on her head, sat in a chair at its foot. Erica leaned on the ledge under the window.
Bernie and Justine had been by to say hello but hadn’t stayed. Bernie needed to take care of things at the office for Nick. Justine planned to put in a full night’s work on the new business plan Rebecca had given her.
Rebecca looked at Nick. “Do you have all the pieces of the puzzle together now?”
“Yes.”
“You knew it was Vernon from the start didn’t you?”
“I knew he was guilty of something. I just had a gut feeling.”
She looked at Wilma. “I’m glad to see you. Vernon wouldn’t tell me if he’d killed you or not.”
“He just locked me in my room, Ms. Rebecca. I’m sorry it took me so long to call the police, but he knocked me out.”
“I didn’t think the phone was turned on in there.”
“It wasn’t. I kept the cell phone Mr. Nick gave me in my room just like he told me to. He wanted me to have it so I could call if I needed him during the night.”
“I didn’t know he’d given you a phone.”
“He gave it to me the day you disappeared, and I called the police.”
Rebecca remembered Nick going out of her room to talk with Wilma. He must have given it to her then.
He smiled. “I didn’t want you to know how concerned I was. We decided not to tell you.”
Rebecca returned his smile. “I’m glad you had it, Wilma. You deserve a raise.”
“You pay me too much now.”
“Vernon told me about each murder and why he killed each person.” Tears came to her eyes. “He even said he’d taken away my father’s medicine and substituted sugar pills and arsenic so he wouldn’t get well. I can’t believe I married such a diabolical man. How could I have loved someone like that?”
“Because he loved you in the beginning, Rebecca,” Erica said.
“He said he only married me because he knew Mindy would never marry him. He said he’d always loved her, not me, but marrying me was the only way he could get the company.”
“I found the box of evidence you collected in your closet.” Erica met her eyes. “It proves that Vernon was deeply involved in the sex ring. He often wore the purple mask you found. You were right about the shapes. They were used as signals. Mindy would put a certain shape on her little bag to signal all the members about what was going on.”
“And I thought she carried the bag out of sentiment. I didn’t know my sister at all, did I?”
“I don’t think any of us knew Mindy very well.” Erica smiled.
“I have a gas receipt in the pocket of my sundress,” Rebecca said, changing the subject. “It shows where he bought gas the night he took Mindy to South Port.”
“We also have those sunglasses to connect him to South Port. The lab found his fingerprint on them.” Nick took a deep breath. “Did he tell you why he killed Gordon Jones?”
“Yes. He said Gordon helped him sell the DVDs, and he had to kill him because he was afraid you’d be able to get the truth out of him.”
“I wonder if Gordon knew Vernon killed Mindy.”
“I don’t think so. He said no one knew. He was afraid I’d believe Aunt Millicent, and that’s why he killed her. Bless her. She only died because she had hit on the truth.”
“What about the sex ring, Nick?” Erica asked.
“I’m sure it will dissolve on its own. Mindy and Vernon were the leaders. Max Garvey and Tess Carter assisted him. You know where Max is, and Mrs. Carter has moved out of her condo. Nobody seems to know where she went. The DVD sales will die because the orders have been confiscated. They’ve all been stamped, No Longer in Business, and have been returned to sender.”
“I’m glad it’s finally over. Of course, we still have the press to deal with.”
“That will die down soon. With only Brookmeyer to prosecute, they’ll lose interest.”
Erica stood. “Well, Wilma. I think I should get you home. I’ve decided that as Rebecca’s assistant, I should go into the office in the morning. It’ll keep the people there confused because I’m going to look like I know what I’m doing.”
“Erica, you can wait until I get there.”
“No. Justine and I decided that a delay would give too many people time to get rid of things they think we shouldn’t see. We’re going to be there before anyone arrives to go over the files. That place will be in great running order in no time.”
“Thanks, my friend.”
“I should do one thing right away, that is, if it’s all right with you, Rebecca.”
“What’s that?”
“Justine and I both think we should let Robyn Garvey go immediately.”
“I agree. I’d like both of you to stay with her as she packs up. I should be the one to do that type of thing, though.”
“We can handle it. Besides, you’ll be at work in no time.”
“Thank you, Erica. You’re a good friend.”
“I’m just glad you’re still here to thank me. See you.”
“Goodnight, Ms. Rebecca. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Wilma said.
“Goodnight to both of you.”
Nick stood. “I’d better leave, too, and let you some rest.”
“Do you have to go?”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“Yes.”
Nick sat and took her hand.
Thirty minutes later, Rebecca drifted off to sleep and Nick let go of her fingers. He stood, leaned over the bed, and kissed her gently before leaving the room.
* * * *
The next day, Nick brought Rebecca home from the hospital. Her wounds were healing and she would be well again soon.
Wilma, still wearing the bandage on her head as if it were a badge of honor, fixed them a special lunch.
Erica and Justine came by and gave Rebecca a brief report on what had happened at Davidson Industries. They had been discreet enough not to stay long. A uniformed policeman posted near the front door kept the press away.
At almost three o’clock, Nick and Rebecca were alone in the sunroom. They sat on the wicker sofa and he locked his arms around her, but was careful not to touch her wound. She leaned against his chest and rested her head under his chin.
“I’ve made a decision,” Nick informed her.
“What decision?”
“I’ve decided we’re going to change the master suite of this house to the other side.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I don’t fancy sleeping in the same room you shared with Vernon. I figure the construction will take a few months, and that’ll give you enough time to get settled at the business and give us just the right amount of time to really get to know each other.”
She twisted her head so she could see his face. “What makes you think we’ll get to know each other and that you’ll be sleeping where I sleep?”
“Oh, I’ve got to.”
“You’ve got to? May I ask why?”
“Because I’ve seen you naked.”
She laughed. “So, seeing me naked means you have to sleep where I do?”
“That’s right.”
“What about Bernie? He saw me naked, too. Does that mean he has to sleep where I do?”
“Nope. That means he gets to be our best man.”
“So you get to sleep with... What did you say? Does that mean you’re asking—”
He pulled her tighter against him. “Yes. It means I’m asking if sometime in the not too distant future, when our bedroom is done, if you, the beautiful business owner and socialite, will consider marrying this run-of-the-mill, beer drinking private detective?”
“I would love to be your wife, but there’s one problem.” She grew solemn. “I can’t have children, Nick. I’d never know the joy of having y
our child.”
“I already have two children I hardly know. Maybe with the help of a woman like you, I can get to know them.”
“And you’d marry me, knowing I would never be a mother?”
“Do you want to be a mother, Rebecca?”
“Of course.”
“That’s fine with me. If you want children, we can adopt. A lot of kids out there need parents. I’m not sure how the adoption agency will take to a guy like me, but we’ll take as many kids as they’ll give us.”
She sat up and looked directly into his eyes. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t say it, if I didn’t mean it.”
“I love you, Nick Quimbley. I’ll marry you anytime you want. Maybe we can find carpenters who work fast.”
“We will, even if I have to pick up a hammer myself.”
Rebecca didn’t have a chance to answer because Nick took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Agnes Alexander writes in more than one genre. Her published work is in Western Historical Romance, Mystery and Romantic Suspense. Murder in North Carolina, a mystery with some romance is her ninth book for Whiskey Creek Press.
A life-long resident of North Carolina, she counts traveling as one of her passions. She has visited 48 of the 50 States and says Alaska and Hawaii are on her bucket list. Of course, she loves to read, but tries to limit herself to one or two books a week. Besides traveling and reading, Agnes enjoys jewelry making, watching old movies and spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren.
She can be contacted at www.agnesalexander.com
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