“Yes, Derek mentioned you.” She’d been right on figuring that’s who he was when she’d seen him with Meredith.
“It’s terrible what happened here. I really feel for Derek.”
Nikki didn’t know what to say. The evening was wearing on her, and all she wanted to do was climb in bed and go to sleep. “Speaking of Derek, do you know where he is?”
“He’s talking with the police. Meredith is also with one of the officers. I think Simon and his friend are as well. Derek asked me if I would walk you back to the guest cottage. He figured you’re probably exhausted, and he didn’t know how long he was going to be.”
“That’s okay. Thank you, but I can make it back on my own.”
“That wouldn’t be right of me. Derek is a friend. Believe me, I don’t mind walking a beautiful lady to her door.”
Nikki didn’t exactly relish the prospect of walking alone in the dark. There may have been police officers around and plenty of people still, but the idea that a killer lurked among them didn’t make being alone too appealing. “Sure, why not?” If Derek had asked him to do it, then it would only be right to oblige.
Cal grabbed his coat jacket off of one of the chairs and slipped it over a navy blue silk shirt.
“Ta-tah,” Tara Beckenroe called out after them.
Nikki noticed her wink at Cal.
“She’s a strange one,” Cal said.
Nikki opened the front door and replied, “Yes she is. But who the hell isn’t around here?”
He laughed in response. “I like your sense of humor.”
They closed the door, and Nikki walked out of the mansion, Cal Sumner by her side.
Chapter 11
Cal escorted Nikki into the guest cottage and was kind enough to light a fire for her. “Would you like me to make you a cup of coffee or tea?” he asked her.
“No. You’ve done enough. I’m sure Meredith will be looking for you before too long.” Nikki fell into the overstuffed sofa and put her feet up on the coffee table. She was getting awfully comfortable here.
“She’ll figure I went home, unless Derek tells her that I’m with you. I needed a break from her, anyway. I’m starting to find that perhaps she’s a bit too melodramatic and materialistic for me.”
“Yes, I’ve heard she likes her designer clothes and expensive jewelry.”
“That said, I may not be the right man for her. My parents were farmers. I don’t buy into all that stuff.” He walked into the kitchen and rummaged around the cupboards. Nikki was too exhausted to protest, besides, the thought of coffee sounded kind of good. He put on the carafe. Before long, the aroma of fresh brew floated through the cottage. “Cream and sugar?”
“Yes, please.”
He brought it to her and set it down on the coffee table in front of her. It tasted good and warmed her to her core.
“Gotten much of a chance to see Napa Valley yet?” Cal asked, sitting down in the chair next to the sofa.
“Not really. I haven’t been here long, and Derek has really only had time to show me around the vineyard. Then, with Gabriel and now—” Nikki’s throat caught on Minnie’s name.
“It’s all pretty rotten, isn’t it?”
Nikki bit her lower lip, nodding her head.
“When this passes, I’d love to have Derek bring you over to my vineyard so you can have a look around, see what we do at Sumner. We buy some of our grapes from Derek. He grows a primo product in the valley. I’m envious.” Cal laughed. “But, we’re friends, so jealousy has no room in our relationship. We even had a running joke going about me trying to steal Gabriel from him. I’d kidded Gabriel about coming to work for me more than once, but I knew better. A vintner like Gabriel would’ve never left Malveaux. Although, I do have a great setup. I think you’d like touring my place. There’s quite a bit of history there.”
“I’m sure of that. Most of Napa Valley seems to be rich in history,” Nikki replied.
“Yes, but my vineyard is one of a handful that has a section of caves beneath it. They were used during Prohibition to store and transport wine.”
“That is interesting. Kind of like the underground railroad, only fine-booze style.”
“There goes that sense of humor again. I suppose that’s pretty much the way it was. Come by and have a look when you get a chance.”
“I’ll do that.” Nikki wanted to broach the subject of murder again with him. “Do you have any thoughts on the murders? I mean, I assume you know a lot of people around here and that you must have an opinion about what’s happened here.”
Cal tilted his head and glanced upward out of the corner of his eyes as if he was deeply pondering her question. He shook a finger at her as he started to speak. “There are some different types working for Derek.”
“You think it’s an employee?” Nikki sat up in her chair, placing her elbows on her knees, fists under her chin.
“I’m not sure. I do know that Derek’s half brother has always had it in for him. You know the scenario—typical spoiled rich kid who doesn’t think he has enough to keep him happy. He’s too full of himself with ego to see that he’s completely incapable of running an operation like Malveaux Estate. It takes someone with intelligence to operate a big-business winery.”
“Simon isn’t too bright?”
“Simon is a pretty boy. You saw him.”
Weren’t they all pretty boys around here? “The man he was with is his lover, right?”
“Marco? Yes. He’s a riot to listen to. He’s funny and entertaining, but you wouldn’t want to tell him any deep dark secrets. He’s a bit loose lipped.”
Cal appeared more down-to-earth than Nikki would have imagined anyone associated with Meredith could be. But Derek also had that same trait. Meredith must’ve had something alluring about her, if she could land men like Cal and Derek.
“He’s a gossip, I take it?”
“Gossip doesn’t even describe it. He’s up there with Cindy Adams, when he’s not starring in her column himself.”
“He likes the limelight? I’m surprised that big media hasn’t glommed on to this story yet.”
“After tonight they probably will. Marco likes the limelight, but he also knows how to keep a low profile when he wants. He knows Simon doesn’t care to be in the gossip columns, so he does it for him. I actually think the two of them are in love, and I also think Marco would do anything for Simon and vice versa.”
“Where are you going with that?” Nikki asked.
“Don’t quote me, because I’m not one to get into the middle of things, and if I’m wrong I don’t need the hassle. This isn’t a big town. Bad blood doesn’t get you far in this part of the world.”
Those words—bad blood—were the exact same ones Minnie had used when referring to the rift between Gabriel and Andrés.
“But you asked me who I thought was behind these murders.” Cal set his coffee mug down on the table beside him. “I’d put some money down on Simon and Marco. If Simon didn’t do it because he didn’t have the backbone, then Marco would’ve done it for him. Like I said, Simon is a big spoiled man who acts like a child. He wants to run this estate, and Marco wants for Simon whatever Simon wants.”
Nikki remembered the sly look the two of them exchanged back at the party shortly after Minnie’s murder when Derek asked Simon to hold down the fort. “Do you think they would set Derek up for murder?”
“I wouldn’t put it past the two of them.”
“Why choose Minnie and Gabriel? It doesn’t make sense to set Derek up by killing two people he thought highly of.”
“True.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know why they’d choose those two. I’m not the police. I only know that Simon might think he has a reason to want to see his brother behind bars.”
“Interesting.” Nikki wondered if Cal might not be right about his theory. She also wanted to ask Cal about Tara Beckenroe. “How well do you know Tara Beckenroe?”
“She’s a bit of a wild one.”
“I know she and Gabriel had a thing for a week or two. That was about it. But I don’t think she was as hung up on Gabriel as she is Derek. Derek just doesn’t pay much attention to her, and Gabriel, well, if it had legs, you know the saying. I actually think she may have used Gabriel to try and make Derek jealous, but fat chance she had doing that.”
“Do you think she’s capable of murder?” Nikki asked cautiously, not knowing where Cal’s loyalties lay.
He shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine at this juncture. I really have no clue who could be behind these murders. Like I said, I think Simon Malveaux is a sneaky snake. Listen, not to change a morbid subject, but let’s change it anyway. Where are you from?” Cal asked.
“Sure.” Nikki hoped she hadn’t made him uncomfortable or upset him in any way by speaking about the murders. “I’m originally from the South. The hill country in Tennessee.”
“Cool.” He crossed one leg over the other and took a sip of coffee. “I went to Memphis once. I thought I wanted to be a country-western singer.”
“No way.” She cupped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. “I’m sorry, it seems out of character for you. I don’t know why. You don’t look like a Garth Brooks, you look more like—”
Cal held up a hand. “Don’t say it. I know who you’re going to say I look like, but I’m far from being People magazine’s sexiest man. And, don’t worry about laughing at the idea of me being a country-western singer. You wouldn’t be the first to think it funny.” He picked up his mug and took a drink of coffee. “I even cut a record with a band. That was about fifteen years ago, but we never made it. It takes quite a bit of change to finance something like that.”
“Sure does. I’ve studied acting for years.” She didn’t like feeling so comfortable with Derek’s pal; but they were just talking.
“I take it you know a thing or two about the entertainment business, then?” he asked.
“Two things is probably all I know.” She set her cup down in front of her, and brushed her hair back behind her shoulders. As she did so, she caught herself. Her friends had mentioned to her one night at happy hour that the hair flip was one of her trademark flirting techniques. She wasn’t flirting with Cal Sumner. He was a nice guy, and that was it. They were having a pleasant discussion over coffee, probably both of them hoping to forget about the evening’s nightmarish events.
“After I flunked out at trying to be the next Rhinestone Cowboy, I came here to Napa Valley, because I always had an interest in wine. I was able to get a small-business loan, and started out with a gourmet food and wine shop, then some land came up for sale that was reasonable, and I bought it. I lost both of my parents in two years’ time back home in Utah. That’s where I’m originally from. My dad had a stroke one day, and my mom died of a broken heart. At least that’s what I believe. They were so close, and my mother couldn’t have gone on without him.”
“That’s so sad.”
There was a knock at the door. Nikki got up and opened it to see Derek and Ollie standing there. “Hi.” He kissed her on the cheek.
Dog and master entered. “Hey, Cal, thanks for walking Nikki down here. Sorry I took so long,” Derek said.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ve been having a nice chat. Nikki is good company.” Cal smiled warmly at her. He stood up. “I better head out. I’m beat myself. Do they know anything more?” Cal asked.
“The police? No. And, if they do, they’re not saying,” Derek replied.
Cal slapped Derek on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, buddy. If there’s anything I can do, let me know. I suppose I’ll see you on Tuesday at Gabriel’s funeral.”
He nodded. “You might want to find Meredith. She’s looking for you.”
“Let her look,” Cal replied.
“Her true colors shining through?”
“Pretty much. I should have trusted what you said about her. But I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. I’m an optimist who thinks that people can change, especially when they go through adversity.”
Derek didn’t reply.
“We should get together, the three of us, and have dinner,” Nikki said wanting to change the subject of Meredith. She did not just say that, did she? Yes, she did. Unbelievable. As if she and Derek were a couple. She didn’t dare glance his way to see what the look on his face might be.
“Great,” Cal replied. He said his good-byes and stepped out the door.
“Nice guy,” she said to Derek.
“He is. I take it you’ve decided to stay?”
“I suppose,” she replied curtly, still not sure of his feelings toward her, much less her own about him.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he said taking her hands in his. “I didn’t mean to take all of this out on you. You’re only trying to help. I’m very sorry. It’s all starting to get to me. When you told me what Minnie said, something inside me snapped. I had to really consider the possibility of Gabriel and Meredith. I know in my gut it could be true. I know it. The police brought it up, but for whatever reason, until you pointed it out, I could’ve continued shoving it down and ignoring it.”
That was something Nikki knew a lot about—pushing away painful memories and thoughts into some dark void from within, until they got so far down they could be ignored.
“I don’t care about Meredith. If she did have an affair with Gabriel, then so be it. I can’t change the past. He wasn’t the only one she screwed around with. I actually caught her in bed with another man, and it wasn’t Gabriel. After getting over it and her, nothing else she did mattered. But to have Gabriel betray me, that’s another story. If the rumors are true, and they were together while Meredith and I were still married, I don’t know.” He threw his hands in the air. “Well, even after the fact, it’s troubling.”
Her heart softened to see his pained expression and hear the heartfelt words he’d spoken. “I understand. You’re under quite a bit of strain.”
“You are, too, and I want to thank you for being so wonderful through all of this and for tolerating me.”
She squeezed his hands. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
At that moment, any fleeting thoughts of Cal Sumner disappeared.
“Do you want me to stay the night?” he asked.
“What do you mean stay the night?”
“Here on the couch, to make sure you’re safe.”
She shook her head. “You don’t have to do that. I’m a big girl. Besides, I have Ollie.”
“Sure?”
“Sure, I’m sure. But if you get scared, you know where to find me,” she joked, trying to make light of their bizarre situation.
“I’m going to turn in.” He reached into his pants pockets. “Here. These are the keys to the Ford truck parked over near the tractor garage. It’s not a luxury vehicle, but it’ll get you around. I figure you might want to check out the town tomorrow. I’d like to get together, but it’ll have to be later in the day. I need to take care of some business, and sadly enough I also have to make some arrangements for Minnie’s body to be transported back home after an autopsy is completed. She was from Maryland, and Jeanine Wiley has called her parents. They want to bring her home, and I promised to see to it for them.”
“I understand. It’s very kind of you to do that and also to give me the keys to the truck.”
“No problem. You can either let Ollie out in the morning or take him with you if you want. He likes to tool around town.”
“He does make good company.”
She walked him to the door. He kissed her good night on the cheek. “Why don’t we get together after five? We can go have a casual dinner and try to relax some.”
“Sounds great. I’ll be here, so come by around then, and we can make concrete plans.” She closed the door behind him. Thinking of their earlier conversation about her living arrangements, she figured that Derek would deal with it later.
Nikki went into the bedroom, put on a
pair of pajamas and flopped down on the bed, tugging the covers up around her. Ollie jumped up a few minutes later.
None of it made any sense. She closed her eyes. Images of a dead Gabriel, then a dead Minnie came to mind, and the curious thought as to what had provoked Minnie to go into Derek’s mother’s room. Nikki knew why she’d gone exploring. But why had Minnie done so?
More disturbing thoughts followed with a smirking group of eccentrics, including all of those living up at the estate, along with Andrés Fernandez over at Spaniards’ Crest. She tried to fall asleep because she was tired, but after a half hour and with the cup of coffee Cal had served her running its course, her mind was still abuzz. She decided to get some fresh air.
Murder Uncorked Page 13
