Conscious that Jack was probably pacing up and down she grabbed her purse and made her way to the lobby. She found him seated in a quiet corner reading a newspaper. He stood as she approached.
‘Feeling better?’ he asked.
Grace offered him a small, shy smile. ‘More awake, certainly.’
‘In that case, let’s grab a bite to eat and something to drink.’ He took her arm and steered her towards the exit.
Grace fell into step beside him. Once outside, the heat and humidity took her by surprise. She fanned her face with her hand.
‘Is it always this hot in winter?’
Jack grinned. ‘This isn’t hot. You should be here in summer. Give it a day or two and you’ll acclimatize.’
Collins Avenue, flanked by Art Deco buildings with a mixture of up-market hotels and trendy shops, was bustling with tourists. Grace struggled to keep up with Jack’s long strides as he wove his way in an out of the crowds.
Without any preamble of any kind, he said, ‘You’ve let your hair grow.’
‘What?’
‘Your hair, it’s longer than last time we met.’
Grace looked away from his intense green eyes. ‘I felt like a change.’
‘It suits you.’
She swallowed hard. ‘Thank you.’
‘Still play tennis?’
‘Occasionally. Look, Jack, this isn’t a—’
He gave her a sideways glance. ‘A good idea? Probably not, but I’m only making small talk, Grace. I’m not asking you to fall into bed with me. God knows I gave up on that idea months ago.’
An unwelcome blush crept into her cheeks. ‘I just assumed that you’d treat this like a business meeting, that’s all.’
They walked on in silence. After two blocks, they turned left on to Ocean Drive. Like those of Collins Avenue, the buildings were a mixture of pastel coloured mansions, ultra-chic hotels, bars and clubs.
Jack ignored the enticing aromas wafting from the stylish restaurants and upscale eateries. Instead, he chose a table at one of the crowded sidewalk cafés. Once seated, he ordered two shrimp salads, a glass of Pinot Grigio for Grace and a small beer for himself. He toyed with a napkin and studied her face for a moment.
‘Okay, Grace. What’s so important that you need my help?’
She took a deep breath and organized her thoughts. ‘Two weeks ago Daniel was killed in a road traffic accident. On the day he died he was supposed to be in Birmingham attending a conference, yet the police found his car on a country lane not far from Heathrow Airport.’
‘There could be any number of explanations for that. He might have changed his mind at the last minute and decided to fly.’
‘Jack, you and I both know it takes longer to drive to Heathrow than it does to drive to Birmingham from my home.’
The kitchen staff had been uncommonly quick. Jack waited until their server was out of earshot before continuing. ‘Maybe he’d arranged to pick someone up and take them to the conference.’
‘That doesn’t make sense either. Besides, the police told me he was alone in the car. But that’s not the only strange thing about his death. As I was leaving the church after the funeral service a man approached me.’ She shivered at the recollection. ‘I’d not met him before and had no idea who he was. He asked about some electronic files Daniel was keeping for him. When I said I knew nothing about them, he threatened me, and grabbed my arm. Not only that, he knew all about my appointment with the solicitor. He even mentioned my sister, Catherine.’
‘Electronic files? You mean the computer disks they’re stored on? What did Daniel do for a living?’
Grace stared at Jack, trying to see past the cold eyes and expressionless face. ‘He is… was an accountant.’ She speared a shrimp and took a bite.
‘That explains it then,’ Jack said with a smile. ‘The guy must have been a client.’
‘He said not. And even if he were, it doesn’t explain how he knew about my appointment or Catherine.’
‘I don’t know, Grace. It could just have been a lucky guess.’
‘I don’t think so. When I got home I went through Daniel’s briefcase. I found these.’ She opened her purse and handed him the passport and the slip of paper.
He flicked it open. ‘Lionel Lattide. Do you know this guy?’
Grace held his gaze. ‘Oh, yes, I know him. He’s Daniel Elliott, my late husband. At least that’s who I thought he was.’
Jack let out a low whistle, but said nothing.
‘That’s not all.’ She took a sip from her glass. ‘Six months ago, Daniel or Lionel, or whoever he is, purchased a beach house on Gasparilla Island. I knew nothing about the purchase until I heard that he’d bequeathed it to me. We’re not rich, so I have no idea where he found the money to purchase another property, especially one overseas. So you see, Jack. I had no choice but to come to Miami.’
‘You’ve got my attention, Grace. Do you know which real estate agent sold him the house?’
‘Actually, it looks like it was handled by an attorney. Our family solicitor gave me his business card. I have it here.’
He took the proffered card. ‘Zachary Parous. Can’t say that I’ve heard of him or his firm, but that doesn’t mean a thing. How about we pay him a visit?’
She tipped her head to one side and smiled. ‘I was hoping you would say that.’
Jack pulled out his cell phone, punched in the number off the card, and hit send. He handed Grace the phone.
While she listened to it ring, he said, ‘Try and set up an appointment for tomorrow. If they say no-can-do, insist.’
The phone answered on the third ring. ‘Parous and Associates. How may I direct your call?’
‘I’d like to speak to Mr. Parous, please. My name is Grace Elliott. I’m calling in connection with my late husband’s estate.’ Grace covered the phone with her hand. ‘They’re connecting me.’ She angled the phone so that Jack could listen to the conversation.
‘Hi, Mrs. Elliott. Your solicitor told me to expect your call. I’m kind of surprised to hear from you so soon, though. What time is it in England?’
‘Actually, Mr. Parous, I’m calling from here in Miami.’
The attorney paused for three beats. ‘You’re here? Right now?’
‘I arrived this afternoon. I was rather hoping we’d be able to meet—tomorrow morning, perhaps?’
‘That’s pretty short notice, Mrs. Elliott. Or Grace. May I call you Grace?’
‘Yes, of course, but—’
‘How about next week? I’ve got space on my calendar on Thursday at ten-thirty. I can fit you in then. In the meantime, you can relax and enjoy our fair city. Take a couple of tours, maybe a day cruise. Those are great. My assistant can get you hooked up with a couple of tour operators.’
She looked at Jack. He shook his head and covered the mouthpiece with his thumb.
‘Sound tearful. If he still says no, tell him you’ll be there tomorrow at two, and then hang up.’
‘This is a difficult time for me, Mr. Parous, as I’m sure you appreciate. I had rather hoped to have everything settled and be on my way home by then.’
‘I need to draw up some documents before we can meet, Grace. I’m not sure I can be ready any sooner. That’s stretching it.’
‘I’m sure your assistant will appreciate the overtime, Mr. Parous. I’ll see you tomorrow at two.’
Jack nodded, took the phone, and hung up. He took a pull on his beer.
‘Parous should be able to tell us how Elliott paid for the house. He’ll also know whether or not Elliott had a bank account here or whether the funds were transferred from a British bank.’
Without thinking, Grace rested her hand on his. It felt warm and strong, just like she remembered. When she realized what she’d done, she pulled back. He didn’t react either to the touch or the retreat.
‘Thanks, Jack. I feel better knowing that you’ll be coming with me. It’s hard enough understanding English legalese without having to
get my head round the American legal system too.’ She speared another shrimp with her fork, dipped it into the chilli-lime dressing, and took a bite.
He shrugged and looked away. ‘No thanks necessary. I’d do the same for any friend.’
Silently she watched him. There were more lines around his eyes than she remembered, and his once black hair was now threaded with silver. But apart from that, he looked no different than when she’d last seen him.
‘I’ve never heard of Gasparilla Island. Is it part of the Florida Keys?’
‘No, it’s a Barrier island on the Gulf Coast about two hundred miles from here. Why? Are you thinking of going there?’
‘I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. I guess it depends on what the attorney says tomorrow.’
‘I’ll ask around, see if I can find out whether Zachary Parous has any unsavoury connections.’
Grace frowned. ‘Unsavoury connections? I don’t understand.’
‘Miami is full of people with underworld connections. Racketeering, money laundering, drug peddling, murder; you name it this city has it all.’
‘Surely an attorney would be above all that?’
‘You’d think. But not everyone is as honest as a newborn babe. People get sucked in one small dirty deal at a time. A favour for a friend, and then another, and another, until they’re in so deep there’s no way out.’
‘What are the police doing about it?’
He smirked. ‘Not a lot. They don’t have the manpower. For every criminal they take out of circulation, there’s another waiting on the sidelines to take his place. And a lot of the force is crooked too. It’s no wonder Miami has one of the highest crime rates in the country.’
Grace didn’t like what she was hearing. She toyed with her salad, trying not to think about the reasons behind Daniel’s trips to Miami.
‘You’ve gone quiet. You okay?’
‘I’m worried, that’s all.’
‘Don’t let your imagination get the better of you, at least not yet. You said Elliott was an accountant. What was his speciality?’
She frowned. ‘Daniel never really discussed his work with me, but I do know he monitored the foreign exchange rates. There are numerous books in his study on overseas tax laws. I could ask his business partner, Shaun, for more details if you want.’
‘No need.’ Jack leaned forward, his dark eyes intense. ‘Had there been any change in his habits? Did he stay later at the office than usual, that sort of thing.’
She glanced at him sharply. He was asking a lot of questions. But he was also listening. Talking to him helped, but made her feel uneasy. She took a breath and answered his question.
‘After our marriage he stopped trying, as if it were too much effort to ensure I was happy. He became very critical, unfriendly, cold almost.’
‘In what way?’
‘He stopped buying me flowers and taking me out for dinner. We never had a holiday. He was very particular. The house had to be spotlessly clean, yet he didn’t want anyone apart from Catherine to visit.’
‘What about the friend you mentioned?’
‘Olivia? We met in town or at her house.’
‘That’s indicative of abusive behaviour. First you isolate your victim, undermine their confidence, and make them feel worthless. Did he ever—’
‘Hit me?’ She hesitated, wondering how much to reveal. ‘No. But verbally, Daniel could be very cruel.’
Jack swore under his breath, but said nothing. Instead, his hand closed over hers, his thumb brushing the soft skin on the inside of her wrist.
‘It was just after we were married. I entered his study without knocking. I’d never seen anyone get so angry. After that, I did as he requested and never went in there, even when he was at work.’
‘What about more recently? Any changes in his routine or behaviour?’
She paused to take a sip of water. ‘He seemed nervous, more tight-lipped. When I asked if there was anything troubling him, he didn’t answer. I assumed it was pressure of work.’
Grace sat back in her chair. There was a slight tremor in her hand as she reached for her coffee.
‘Did you ever consider divorce?’
She looked at the platinum band on the third finger of her left hand. ‘I made a commitment. Why should I break my vows?’
‘Not even after you found out about his uncontrollable temper?’
‘I told you, that was my fault.’
‘Bullshit! Let’s put the question of whose fault it was to one side for the moment. The dates in the passport—’
Grace cast her eyes downward. ‘—correspond with dates Daniel was supposedly attending work-related seminars or conferences.’
‘And you had no idea he was actually out of the country?’
She shook her head. ‘Why would I? He was never away for more than five days. He phoned each evening and we’d chat for a few minutes.’ That now familiar feeling of uneasiness crawled over her skin. ‘Do you think Daniel was involved in something illegal?’
‘I can’t tell you at this point, but I can tell you property, especially a beach house, is very expensive. Unless your late husband won the lottery or inherited a whole stack of money, then he must have been involved in some pretty heavy stuff.’
Grace stared at Jack. She wanted to scream at him. Tell him he was wrong. Daniel was a good man, a kind, and thoughtful man. He would never jeopardize his career by being involved in a criminal activity. But the truth was there in Jack’s eyes. Her world spun, her breath came in great wheezing gasps.
‘Oh, shit!’ Jack yanked her chair back from the table and pushed her head between her knees. ‘Don’t you dare faint on me,’ he said roughly. ‘Breathe! In. Out. In. That’s it, slow and easy.’
Grace struggled to sit up, but the weight of his hand on her back held her in place. ‘Not… fainting… pills… in… my…’ she hissed.
Jack released her, grabbed her purse, and riffled through the contents. Finally, his hand closed on a small brown bottle.
‘These?’
She merely nodded her head. He quickly read the instructions on the label, shook one into her hand, and held out a glass of water. He waited while her breathing gradually settled into a more normal rhythm and the colour returned to her cheeks.
‘Damn it, Grace, you scared the hell out of me. Feeling better?’ His gaze roved over her face.
‘I’ll be fine. It was just a minor panic attack. Give me a minute.’ She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on her breathing. When she opened them again, Jack was watching her intently.
‘When did they start?’
‘Seven months ago. My doctor says they’re caused by stress and are probably only temporary.’
‘I have to ask. Were you and Elliott having marital problems?’
Grace felt the colour flood her cheeks. ‘We had our differences, but we got through them.’
He held up his hands. ‘I’m sorry. I’m just trying to figure out why Elliott would lie about his business trips. Could he have been involved with someone else?’
‘You mean having an affair? No, definitely not.’ However, as soon as the words escaped her lips, Grace realized she wasn’t certain. Most days Daniel would come home from work, eat his dinner, and then lock himself in the study for the rest of the evening. His interest in their sex life amounted to a two-minute fumble once a month.
‘How can you be so sure? You’ve just admitted he lied to you.’
‘Because—’ She was about to say I trusted him, but she knew that was no longer true.
‘The first thing I learned about my job is always expect the unexpected. That way when your world turns from sugar to shit you’re prepared for the worst.’
Grace stared at him, trying to see past the cold eyes. ‘When did you become a cynic, Jack?’
‘Maybe I’ve always been one.’
‘I don’t believe that.’
‘There’s too much history between us, Grace. You should hir
e a private detective and let him investigate this for you.’
Her hands clenched. ‘I can’t. I couldn’t trust a stranger. Besides, I need to do this for me.’
‘Last June when—when—’
‘Yes?’
‘Oh, nothing. It doesn’t matter.’ He gave a fake shrug and threw some bills on the table, then stood and pushed his hands in his pockets. ‘Come on. It’s time I took you back to your hotel.’
Ring of Lies Page 4
