Northwest Cozy Mysteries #1

by Dianne Harman

  DeeDee sat on the edge of the bed beside her, with an arm around Cassie’s shoulder, sensing the raw grief that had consumed Cassie and permeated the air in the room. A rerun of the television sitcom Friends was on in the background, the canned laughter a stark contrast to Cassie’s muffled sobs. The two women didn’t speak for several minutes. There was no need for words at that moment, and no words would have been adequate given the circumstances.

  Cassie finally stopped sobbing, sniffed, and blew her nose. She looked up at DeeDee. “I could use another glass of wine.” It was a statement, not a question, and DeeDee nodded while Cassie poured. The women sat at a table in the corner of the room, the bottle of wine between them.

  “It’s all my fault,” Cassie said in a dull monotone voice, her emotions now under control. She repeated what she’d told DeeDee earlier on the phone. “It’s my fault Johnny’s dead.”

  “Cassie…” DeeDee began. “You don’t know what happened yet. You can’t blame yourself.”

  “Oh, but I do,” Cassie said, as she calmly sipped her wine. “There’s something I need to tell you, DeeDee. I don’t know if you were aware of it, but Johnny and I had our problems. I suppose all married couples do. You’ve been through it, so I know you’ll understand.”

  DeeDee’s heart sank. She didn’t want to believe that Briana had been right about Johnny having an affair. “I’m sorry to hear that, Cassie,” DeeDee said. “Was Johnny playing around? Briana…well she mentioned earlier that she was afraid of something like that.”

  Cassie smiled. “That girl is a such a worrier, but I’m the reason she’s been worried about her parents’ marriage ever since she was a little girl. You see, I almost had an affair once. Yes, I can tell you’re surprised.”

  DeeDee’s mouth had fallen open, and she took a large swallow of wine to cover up her shock.

  “It was a long time ago,” Cassie explained. “The children were small, and Johnny was working a lot. Actually, we never saw him. I knew he was doing it for us, so I didn’t blame him, not really. But…I resented the fact he didn’t seem to appreciate it was hard work for me doing everything else, essentially being a one-parent family.”

  DeeDee nodded. “I understand what you’re saying. It’s really tough when you’re going through it. Who was the other man? Do I know him?”

  “I doubt it, although he is a member of the Island View Golf Club, so you could have met him. His name is Greg Baker,” Cassie said.

  DeeDee raised an eyebrow. “No, I don’t know him, but I think I’ve heard the name. Go on.”

  “Johnny volunteered for a charity event at the golf club, but Johnny being Johnny, forgot all about it. It was to be a fun outing for underprivileged children. Oh, he showed up on the day the event and acted like a big shot. As a gift for the children he’d arranged for some toy pedal cars to be delivered to the golf club, and the kids got to pedal them around in the parking lot. Each of the toy cars looked like a miniature Mercedes Benz, and they were a big hit with the kids. He presented rides on the pedal cars as gifts.

  “However, I was the one who had stepped in to help organize the event. It was a pitch and putt mini-golf tournament, and Greg was in charge of raising sponsorships for each hole from local businesses.” She smiled. “Believe me, he took it very seriously.”

  “Tell me about him,” DeeDee said.

  “He was the opposite of Johnny,” Cassie said. “Quiet, serious,

  soft-spoken. He’s an accountant, and all we did was talk,” she said, her eyes shining. “He was there for me when I needed someone. He listened to me. Everything about Johnny was a whirlwind, and Greg was slow, deliberate, and solid as a rock. I felt like Johnny didn’t really care, and that we’d become like two ships passing in the night. For a while it seemed to me that maybe Greg was The One, and I’d settled for Johnny too soon. All the same, I wasn’t planning on doing anything about it. I didn’t think Greg was either. Boy, was I wrong.”

  “What do you mean?” DeeDee asked.

  “It all came to a head after the charity event was over. I was kind of relieved, since I thought Greg and I needed some space. In the back of my mind I thought we both would come to our senses and everything would blow over. But Greg called me, and begged me to meet him. I told him no, that it would be a mistake, but…” Cassie closed her eyes and swallowed. “We arranged to meet one afternoon. I hired a babysitter to watch Liam and Briana. When we met, Greg professed his undying love for me, and asked me to leave Johnny.”

  Cassie bowed her head and raised a hand to her forehead. “I felt torn, DeeDee,” she said, looking up. “I really did care for Greg, but I realized in my heart that I loved Johnny, and I wasn’t about to break my vows to him. I should have told Greg outright, but I took the easy way out. I didn’t want to hurt him.”

  “What was the easy way?”

  “I told him I’d think it over. The next thing I knew, it all blew up.”

  “Oh no,” DeeDee exclaimed. “What happened?”

  “Johnny confronted me that night and asked me where I’d been that afternoon. He said he’d called our house, and there was no answer. I told him I’d taken the children to the park. My lie fell apart, because he’d actually spoken to the babysitter when he called. He asked me why I was lying. I told him everything.”

  A single tear trickled down Cassie’s cheek. “Johnny and I talked for hours that night. Everything was on the table, our hopes and fears for our relationship, and where it had all gone wrong. At one point Briana asked why mommy was crying. She didn’t understand what it was about, but she’s never forgotten that night. She asked if daddy was leaving, and we told her no, of course not. We tried to assure her that mommy and daddy were going to be okay. We did our best after that, and we were more than okay.”

  “I know you were,” DeeDee said, reaching out for Cassie’s hand. “You and Johnny were a great couple. What happened to Greg?”

  Cassie’s voice went flat again. “He called me the next day and asked me when the children and I were coming to live with him. I told him I was staying with Johnny.” She looked up at DeeDee. “I think he really loved me, DeeDee, and I broke his heart,” she said. “For that, I’m truly sorry, and I’ll carry that guilt with me forever. We never spoke again, although I’ve seen him at various golf club functions.”

  DeeDee looked at the empty wine glasses. “What did Johnny say to Greg?”

  “Johnny never said a thing to Greg. They saw each other at the golf club, and it made him uncomfortable, knowing that Greg had tried to have an affair with me. I made him promise he’d never say anything, and he kept his word, knowing it was best to put the whole thing behind us. I know how much I hurt Johnny, and I think that a little part of it always stayed with him, but we managed to move beyond it. But Greg, well I think it’s been festering away at him for years.” Cassie’s hand gripped the edge of the table. “In fact, I’m surprised Greg never killed Johnny.”

  Cassie’s words hung in the air, and a chill went down DeeDee’s spine. She shivered, noticing the thin drapes blowing in the breeze from the open balcony door, and pulled her robe tighter. She thought maybe she’d misheard Cassie.

  “Cassie, did you just say something about Greg killing Johnny?”

  “Yes,” Cassie said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. “Briana was right that there’s been tension between Johnny and me lately. It was mostly about work. Johnny has been consumed with some problems there recently. I don’t know the details, all I know is that he was stressed and anxious. I’ve been telling him for months he should sell the business and retire, but he wouldn’t hear of it. If it wasn’t for Greg Baker, I’d be the first to think Johnny might have keeled over from a heart attack. But…” she shook her head, “not now.”

  The bottle of wine on the table was still half-full. DeeDee estimated that Cassie couldn’t have drunk more than two small glasses, so it wasn’t the wine talking.

  “The last time I spoke with Johnny was late yesterday,” Cassie continued,
“and we argued…about Greg. Johnny said that Greg was in Whistler, and he wanted to meet with Johnny this morning for coffee.”

  “Why?” DeeDee asked. “Why now, after all this time?”

  Cassie’s mouth was set in a thin straight line. “That was exactly my point when I urged Johnny not to meet with him, but Johnny was a big softie. He said it was time to let bygones be bygones, and if Greg wanted to apologize to him I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head about it.” Cassie let out a low sigh, and her cold stare sent another chill through DeeDee’s bones.

  “DeeDee, the way Greg looked at me the last few times I saw him gave me the creeps. I didn’t mention it to Johnny, but Greg frightened me. That’s why I didn’t want Johnny to meet him. And now…”

  DeeDee’s heart was pounding. And now Johnny’s dead.

  CHAPTER 14

  Later, while the two women were still sitting at the table in Cassie’s room, DeeDee stared at a sheet of hotel notepaper with a name and telephone number written on it in Cassie’s neat handwriting.

  It had the name of Wayne Roberts on it and a Seattle area code and telephone number.

  “Are you sure you don’t mind making the call?” Cassie asked DeeDee followed by an audible sigh. “I just, I can’t face speaking with him right now.” It was Cassie’s turn to shiver. “I know it’s late, but I really should let him know tonight. After all, he’s Johnny’s brother, and his only surviving relative since their parents died a number of years ago.” Cassie tapped the pen in her hand on the tabletop, pursing her lips.

  From the way Cassie spoke of Wayne, DeeDee could tell he wasn’t Cassie’s favorite person in the world. Although DeeDee vaguely recalled that Johnny had a brother, she’d never met him, nor had she heard either Cassie or Johnny talk much about him. She was sure he hadn’t been a regular visitor at the Roberts’ home when she lived on Mercer Island, or she would have remembered him.

  “No problem,” DeeDee said.

  “Use the hotel phone,” Cassie suggested. “He might not pick up if it’s my Caller ID, and believe me, you don’t want him to know yours.”

  “You’re really selling this guy to me,” DeeDee said with a laugh. “Is there something I should know about him?”

  Cassie raised an eyebrow. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  Holding the piece of notepaper in her hand, DeeDee sat on one of the twin beds. She read the number that Cassie had written and tapped it into the hotel phone that was on the table between the two beds.

  The gravelly grunt that answered after it rang a couple of times caused her to move the receiver away from her head. The grunt was followed by a raspy cough that sounded like the person was about to spit a wad of phlegm in her ear. DeeDee made a face at Cassie, who was hovering above her.

  “Um, hello. Is this Wayne Roberts?” DeeDee asked, in her best telephone voice.

  “Who wantsta know?”

  “My name is DeeDee Wilson. I’m a friend of your brother, Johnny, and his wife Cassie.”

  The sound of a slurp and gurgling reached DeeDee, followed by a loud belch.

  “And?”

  “I’m afraid I have some bad news,” DeeDee said. “Johnny passed away earlier today. Cassie asked me to let you know. She’ll be in touch with you about the funeral arrangements when the details have been finalized.” She looked up at Cassie, who was nodding.

  DeeDee waited for Wayne to say something. It sounded like a match was being struck, and she heard Wayne take a deep breath.

  “Well,” ain’t that somethin’,” Wayne said, exhaling with a loud breath into the phone. His voice was quieter than before. “Poor old Johnny. I’m sorry to hear about it. Please tell Cassie I’ll be over tomorrow, to pay my respects and all that. Of course, we’ll also need to sort out the paperwork for my money.”

  DeeDee squinted, trying to comprehend what he was saying. Wayne was still talking, waxing lyrical about family, friends, and how death was a great equalizer. He was saying something about it not mattering how rich you were when you were dead, because you couldn’t take it with you.

  “Now it’s my turn, DeeDee,” Wayne slurred, “and they’ll all see what great good comes to those who wait. Oh yes. My time has definitely come, and anyone who ever crossed me can eat their words and bow at my feet.” The tone of his voice changed and he said, “Maybe we could go out for dinner some time, DeeDee, watcha’ say?”

  “I’m not sure what my boyfriend would think about that,” DeeDee answered, grimacing at Cassie. “I understand you’re upset right now, Wayne, and I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  “You’re darned right I’m upset,” Wayne said, with a loud snort. “Will you tell that woman, Cassie, Johnny’s widow, that I expect to get what’s coming to me, okay? Johnny’s not around to hold the purse strings any more. What’s mine is mine, and she can’t do anything about it. No more delays. You got it?”

  DeeDee was taken aback by Wayne’s snarly tone. “I’m not sure what you mean, Wayne,” DeeDee said. “Cassie’s out of town right now, and she’s very busy trying to make the funeral arrangements, but if you could explain what you need, I’d be happy to pass the request on to her.”

  “She knows,” Wayne said. “Don’t let her fool you. She’s a wolf in lamb’s clothing. You know, the Ms. Butter-Would-Melt-In-Your-Mouth type. That’s why she’s gotten you to do her dirty work. I’ll be waiting to talk to her, DeeDee, when she gets home. You tell her, okay? Uncle Wayne ain’t goin’ nowhere except straight to the bank with his money.”

  The line clicked, and DeeDee was left speechless.

  “Good grief. He’s a real charmer,” DeeDee said, replacing the receiver like it was something dirty she didn’t want to touch. “He didn’t sound very upset about Johnny. Actually, I think he may have been drunk.”

  “It is after 10 p.m. on a Saturday night,” Cassie said with a glance at the clock. “Although from what I know of him, I think he’s like that most of the time. What did he say, apart from asking you out on a date?”

  “Something about getting his money,” DeeDee said. “He was sort of rambling, and I really couldn’t make any sense out of what he was saying. He said you know all about it, and he wants what’s his and you’ve got it or something like that. He claimed he was upset about Johnny, although he sure didn’t sound like it. What on earth was he talking about?”

  Cassie sat on the other bed, her knees opposite DeeDee’s. “Johnny’s parents put money in a trust fund for both of their sons,” Cassie began. “Due to various indiscretions over the years, Wayne’s trust fund was restricted. Johnny had control over what Wayne could, or rather it was mostly what he couldn’t, do with the money. However, the trust conditions specified that if anything happened to Johnny, Wayne would be entitled to his money in full, with no restrictions. I assume that’s what Wayne was referring to. When you told him about Johnny, all he could see was…”

  “…dollar signs,” DeeDee interjected.

  “Right,” Cassie said. “Not that the money will last him long. I expect he’ll blow through it in a year or two, maybe less, depending on how much he owes people. That’s what always happened in the past, and it was why Johnny was so strict with him. He knew what Wayne was like.”

  “In what way?”

  Cassie thought for a moment. “Wayne was always a dreamer, gullible, and an easy target for scammers. He went from one guaranteed get rich quick investment to the next, and the outcome was always the same. The investment went bad, or something went wrong that Wayne hadn’t thought of. Of course, it was never his fault. He always had an excuse why that particular scheme didn’t work out, but he went on living the high life anyway, partying and surrounding himself with women that were real losers, until Johnny pulled the plug. You can guess what happened.”

  DeeDee looked up at the ceiling, tapping her index finger on her cheekbone. “Um, Wayne wound up on skid row, his so-called friends deserted him, and it was all Johnny’s fault?”

  “Something like that,” Cassie sa
id. “Johnny was trying to protect Wayne from himself, but Wayne never saw it that way. He had a chip on his shoulder when it came to Johnny. It’s a shame, since Johnny would have loved nothing more than to mentor Wayne and help him succeed. It never happened, because Wayne is one of those people who every time he buys a lottery ticket, is convinced that this time he’s going to win the jackpot. Of course, he never does.”

  DeeDee noticed Cassie raise a hand to her mouth and stifle a yawn. “You need to get some sleep,” she said softly to Cassie.

  “I won’t be able to sleep, DeeDee, and I really I don’t want to.” Cassie closed her eyes for a second and shook her head, her eyes jolting wide open again. “Because if I close my eyes I see Johnny, and that reminds me he’s not coming back.” Cassie’s voice was calm, but filled with emotion. “Besides, I have so much to do.”

  DeeDee watched her remove a pen and a folded sheet of hotel notepaper from the pocket of her robe. The page, which Cassie opened flat on her lap, contained a list of names and bullet points in her precise handwriting. Reading it upside down, DeeDee was able to decipher what she thought said Order of Service, Hymns, Hair, Catering, and Flowers. One name was crossed off of the top, and Cassie drew a line through another name, which DeeDee assumed was Wayne.

  “I called Dorothy, Johnny’s assistant,” Cassie trilled. “I felt so bad for her. No one had thought to let her know, and of course she hadn’t been able to get ahold of Johnny all day. It was such a shock for the woman. She was totally distraught after I told her. I hope she’s okay.”

  DeeDee knew Cassie’s chatter was her way of coping with her grief, but it was unnerving to hear her proceed to rattle down the shopping list of things to buy for his funeral, including a new dress, before stopping to ask DeeDee whether she thought a hat was appropriate.

  “Cassie…I’m not sure about the hat, but there’s something else I’d like to run past you, if that’s okay,” DeeDee said, reaching over and gently taking the paper and pen from Cassie’s hands.