by Sharon Sala
Charlotte grinned, then laid them aside. As she reached for some others, something about the picture on top caught her attention. She looked back at the stack and then picked another one up—a close-up of Mona guzzling champagne. She stared at it for a minute, trying to figure out why it bothered her so much. Again she shrugged off the thought and started to lay it down, and then it hit her.
“I’ve got to be crazy,” she muttered, and her heart began to thump as she shoved aside the mess on her desk, revealing the morning paper beneath.
Then she laid the picture of Mona beside the killer’s composite and started to grin. The resemblance was uncanny. She kept thinking of all the times she’d been snubbed by Bobby Lee Wakefield.
She sat for a moment, contemplating the wisdom of what she was about to do, and then thought, To hell with it and picked up the phone. Even though she didn’t believe for a minute that the Wakefields would have anything to do with murder, it would serve them right to suffer a little hassling by the Dallas police.
She started to use the phone on her desk and then realized it could be traced, so she took the elevator downstairs to the pay phone in the lobby. There were hundreds of people coming in and out of the building on a daily basis. There was no way they could trace the call to her and Senator Bobby Lee would have to do some fancy dancing for the cops, which suited her just fine.
***
“Hey, Red, phone call for you on two!” someone yelled.
Red Fisher picked up the phone, hoping it was going to be Ben, telling him he’d changed his mind about staying at the ranch with China and was coming in to work.
“Detective Fisher, Homicide.”
“Compare your killer to a photo of Mona Wakefield.”
A click, and then a dial tone buzzed in Red’s ear.
“Hello? Hello? Who is this?” he asked, but it was no use. The caller was gone.
Although it was pretty far-fetched, they’d followed up on every lead that had been called in to date, and insulted some pretty important people in the process. The way he figured it, they’d already pissed off the mayor. Just because it was a senator’s mother, there was no need to ignore the lead. He looked up and yelled out into the room, “Hey, anybody got a picture of Bobby Lee Wakefield’s mother?”
A couple of rude remarks came flying back about what they’d like to do with her, but no one had a picture on hand. Red reached for the phone and dialed a friend at a local paper.
“Mike, it’s Red. I need a favor.”
“Yeah, and I need a thousand bucks to cover my ass at the bank.”
“Can’t help you there,” Red said. “I told you to quit betting on those horses. You aren’t any better at picking winners than you are at picking women.”
The man chuckled in Red’s ear and cursed him lightly. “So, what’s the favor you need?”
“Fax me a picture of Mona Wakefield.”
“Bobby Lee’s mother?” Mike asked.
“Yeah, one and the same. And make it a head shot if you’ve got it.”
“Oh, we’ve got it,” he said. “When there’s nothing new to be said about her, she makes something happen. I’m not too crazy about my last mother-in-law, but I’m damned sure glad she wasn’t anything like Mona. Man, can you imagine having a mother who looks and acts like that?”
Red grinned. “Just fax me the picture ASAP.”
“In the works,” Mike said, and hung up the phone.
A few minutes later, Red stood at the fax, watching a photo printing out. He turned it over and then stared in disbelief. The woman was almost a ringer for the face in the sketch. The ramifications of pursuing this were staggering, but if there was even the smallest chance…
He headed for the captain’s office.
Aaron Floyd was at the point of no return. His phone had been ringing nonstop ever since he’d gotten to the office with people wanting verification that a witness actually existed. When Red knocked on his door, he was actually glad for the reprieve—until Red tossed the photo onto his desk.
“That’s Mona Wakefield,” Floyd said.
“Lay it beside the sketch of the killer,” Red said.
Floyd snorted. “Are you crazy?”
“Just do it,” Red urged.
Floyd reached for the paper that he’d laid aside and opened it. Before he even laid it down, he was on his feet cursing.
“Who put you onto this?” he asked.
“An anonymous caller.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“No, actually, it was the bitch herself,” Red said.
Floyd’s thoughts were racing. “Was she ever interrogated?”
“No, sir. To our knowledge, she wasn’t in any of Finelli’s pictures, so her name never came up. However, now that I think about it, if even half the stories about her are true, it’s a miracle she wasn’t a part of his files.”
“So maybe she was—once upon a time. Check it out.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Call Ben. Let him know what’s happening. He might want in on this.”
Red grinned. That was the best news he’d had all day.
***
Dave and Mattie were in the middle of a spirited game of Scrabble, and China was in the hayloft making friends with Old Katie with a leftover piece of ham from their lunch. Ben was in the front yard washing his car. It wasn’t that the damned thing was all that dirty, but it was the only thing he could think of to do that would keep him within seeing distance of the barn. He didn’t want China to feel as if she had no freedom at all, but the truth was, right now, she had little to none.
Just as he was turning off the water, his mother yelled out the door, “Ben! Phone! It’s Red.”
He dropped the hose and ran to answer.
“Yeah… what’s up?”
“We got an anonymous call a while ago. It may amount to nothing and it may not. Captain said to give you a call, that you might want in on the interrogation.”
“Is it worth anything, or is it just his way of trying to get me to come back to work?”
“It’s a picture of Mona Wakefield. Damned if she isn’t almost a dead ringer for the sketch.”
Ben’s mind was turning over everything he knew. “Was she ever one of the names from the Finelli file?”
“No.”
“Now that I think about it, and knowing her reputation, it’s a little amazing that she wasn’t, right?”
Red grinned. “That’s why we’re partners. I had the very same thoughts myself. So, do you want in on the visit?”
“Oh, yeah,” Ben said. “But I’ll meet you there. It’s on my way into the city. Give me thirty minutes.”
“You got it, Ben. How’s China taking all this?”
“About how you’d expect. But she’s tough, Red. I’ve never known anyone as focused on making someone pay.”
“Except maybe you?”
“Yeah, maybe. I’m on my way.”
Ben was stripping off his shirt as he hung up the phone.
“What’s going on?” Mattie asked, as he bolted past them on his way to his bedroom.
“Maybe a break in the case, maybe not. Tell China I’ll—”
“I’m here,” China said.
“Come with me to my room,” he said. “I’ll tell you what’s happening while I change.”
A skitter of anxiety threaded its way through her pulse, but she made herself relax and followed him into his room. He was already down to his underwear and reaching for a pair of slacks when she entered.
“Is it about me?” she asked.
“It’s about the case,” he said. “An anonymous tip has turned up a new face. Someone we never interviewed before.”
“Does she look anything like the composite?”
“Ever see Mona Wakefield before?” he asked, as he tucked a clean shirt into the waistband of his pants and then sat down to put on his shoes.
“Senator Wakefield’s mother? Sure, I guess.”
“Think of it, honey… does she
look anything like the woman who shot you?”
China’s heart skipped. “I can’t really picture her face, but she is tall and blond, that I remember.”
“I’ll bring something for you to look at when I get back. Dave is here and—”
“Just go,” China said. “Do whatever you have to do to make this be over.”
He grabbed his jacket from a hanger and then took her in his arms. She leaned against him, then wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her cheek against the front of his shirt. Ben held her close.
“So, did Old Katie let you feed her today?”
She looked up and smiled. “Yes. I even got to look at the babies, except I didn’t touch them, like you said.”
“Once she gets used to you and they get a little older, she won’t mind if you play with them. Now give me some sugar, honey. I told Red I’d meet him at the Wakefield estate.”
She lifted her lips, meeting his halfway, and the fire leaped between them.
“Mmmm-hmmm,” Ben murmured as he reluctantly let go. “You hold on to that thought until later, will you?”
She nodded, then added, “Be careful.”
“I’ll be fine, and I won’t be long, I promise.”
With that, he was gone. China watched him leave, his long strides making short work of the distance to the front of the house. Then he got in his car and drove quickly away, leaving a cloud of dust behind him.
“He’s going to have to wash that car all over again,” Mattie muttered.
China turned. She hadn’t known Ben’s mother was standing behind her.
Mattie saw the fear on China’s face and gave her a hug.
“You just never mind about what he’s doing and come back in here with me. I think Dave’s cheating again.”
“I heard that!” Dave yelled.
China sighed and then made herself smile. But the rest of the afternoon, her heart was with Ben.
***
Red was waiting when Ben pulled up behind his car in front of the Wakefield estate.
“You made it in good time,” Red said, as Ben got out of his car and into Red’s.
“Had a good reason. Now let’s go. I’ve got a feeling about this.”
“Yeah, buddy, you’re still reading my mind.”
A short while later, they were standing on the portico of the three-story mansion and listening to the chimes of the doorbell as it rang throughout the house. Shortly thereafter, a maid answered the door.
“Afternoon, sirs. How may I help you?”
Both men flashed their badges. “We need to see Mona Wakefield. Is she in?”
“Yes, sir, I’ll just—”
“Delia?”
The maid turned. “Oh, Senator Wakefield, these detectives want to talk to Miz Mona, and I was just going to—”
Bobby Lee hid his dismay behind a wide, open smile.
“You just run along now and tell Mother we have company,” he said. “I’ll see what I can do to help these fine men.” Then he stepped aside and pulled back the door. “Y’all come on in now, you hear?”
They followed him into a library just off the foyer, and it was obvious that the Senator was about to give them the full benefit of his good-old-boy routine.
“Don’t suppose I could offer you boys a drink?” he asked.
“No, sir,” they said in unison. “On duty,” Ben added, and then continued before Bobby Lee could stall them again. “Senator, we need to speak to your mother.”
“Why sure, but could I inquire as to the reason while she’s coming down?”
But Ben was firm in his resolve. “I’d rather wait and speak with her first, sir, if you don’t mind.”
Bobby Lee smiled, but he wasn’t real happy. He liked things done his way, and this detective wasn’t cooperating.
“If you’ll just take a seat, then, I’ll see if I can hurry her along,” he said, and left them standing.
Red glanced at Ben. “Quite a place, isn’t it?”
Before Ben could answer, they heard angry voices out in the hall, although they couldn’t hear what was being said. Moments later, Mona Wakefield entered the room with her son right behind her. She was dressed in a pale-blue designer suit with a skirt that went just past her knees. Her hair was strawberry-blond and cut in a style that cupped the curve of her chin, forming a frame for her elegant face.
Ben’s hopes dropped. He felt like he’d stepped into Alice’s rabbit hole and was coming undone. This woman looked nothing like the picture that Mike had faxed to Red, and he had a moment of panic, wondering if he’d sent the wrong one by mistake.
“Welcome to our home,” Mona said. “Please take a seat.” Then she turned to the maid, who was standing at the door. “Delia, bring some coffee to the library, please.”
“None for us,” Ben said. He didn’t want the questioning to become a social event.
“Nonsense,” she said, and waved the maid away before sliding sensuously into a wing-backed chair. “Now, what can I do for you?”
Ben plowed ahead with the questions, even though he was beginning to doubt.
“As you know, the Dallas police have been working diligently for some time now trying to bring a serial killer to justice, and we follow up on every lead, no matter who is involved.”
She smiled. “Yes, I’ve heard. In fact, several of my acquaintances have been targeted.” Then her eyebrows rose, as if in pretend delight. “Surely you’re not here to interrogate me?” She looked at her son and laughed. “Bobby Lee, are you playing a joke on your mama?”
He grinned, but it was Ben’s opinion that the man looked as if he’d just swallowed a bug along with it.
“No, Mother, it’s not a joke, although I must say, it feels like one.”
Mona’s face was alive with curiosity as she gave the men her full attention.
“I’m sorry. I just assumed… please continue.”
“I need to ask you where you were on the night of December 11 of last year.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, mercy, son. I couldn’t begin to remember.”
“Check your calendar, Mother. If you had a social engagement, I’m sure your secretary had it written down.”
“Yes! Of course. If you men will pardon me a moment, I’ll be right back.”
She rose with the grace of a model and sauntered out of the room, well aware that three pairs of eyes were watching her go.
The moment she was gone, Bobby Lee attacked. “I want to tell you now that I don’t appreciate the insinuation that my mother could possibly have anything to do with murder,” he snapped. “Why, she doesn’t even know how to shoot a gun.”
“Oh, but I do,” Mona said, as she reentered the room with a book in her hand. “Your daddy taught me how to shoot rattlesnakes before you were born.” Then she smiled at Ben as she took her seat. “We lived in Amarillo back then, and you know how snaky that part of Texas can be.”
“No, ma’am, but I’m assuming you do,” Ben said. “About December 11?”
She rifled through the pages, then ran her finger down a list before looking up.
“I was at a little Christmas party at the country club. I remember arriving a bit late on purpose.” She smiled. “It makes for a grand entrance, you know.”
“What time did you arrive and what time did you leave?” Ben asked.
“Why, it was almost eight-thirty when the driver let me out, and I didn’t get home until after two in the morning. I remember that because Bobby Lee was waiting up for me.” She flashed her son a sweet, motherly smile. “It was snowing that night, wasn’t it, Bobby Lee? You fussed at me for being out so late in bad weather and were about to go looking for me when I arrived.” She gave the detectives a similar smile. “He was all bundled up in his coat and overshoes, ready to look for his mama. Now that’s the kind of son every mother wishes she had. Why, he even gave me a wonderful get-away to Hollywood for a Christmas present. Said I needed a change, and he was right. Had a few collagen injections to get rid of som
e of those nasty old frown lines. I’ve had the same hairstyle for at least twenty years, so I had one of those makeovers. Got my hair done over. It used to be really long and platinum blond, remember? But this strawberry-blond is so much more me, don’t you agree?”
“Mother! These gentlemen do not want to hear about your experience at the hairdresser,” he said, and then flashed the detectives a smile. “Sorry, boys, but you know how women are when they start talking about hair and makeup.”
“That’s all right,” Ben asked, suddenly curious as to when this outing had taken place. “Exactly when were you in California, Mrs. Wakefield?”
“It was just before Christmas, because Bobby Lee flew out and spent Christmas Day with me at the spa.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ben said. “Just so you’ll be aware, we will be checking your alibi for the eleventh.”
Mona took offense at the word, alibi and stood abruptly, signaling an end to her willingness to talk.
“Call the country club and ask for Carl. He can give you a list of who attended.”
Just then Delia the maid entered carrying a tray of coffee. Mona waved her away.
“I’m sorry, Delia, but that won’t be necessary after all. Take it back to the kitchen.” She turned then, her eyes flashing as she glanced at her son before looking at Ben. “Will there be anything else?”
“That’s all for now,” he said. “If something comes up, we’ll be in touch.”
They were in the car before they spoke to each other.
“It’s a real puzzle as to why Bobby Lee should suddenly want his mother to change her appearance, isn’t it?” Red asked.
Ben nodded. “I would also be interested in the time line between the day that composite hit the front page of the Dallas Morning News and the day she left for California.”
“Partner, do you know what a stink this is going to raise?” Red asked.
“From the looks on their faces, they’re already smelling it,” Ben said. “You mind writing up the report? I want to get back to the ranch before dark. China isn’t sleeping so well these days.”
“Nightmares?” Red asked.
“Wouldn’t you?”
Red sighed. “Sometimes this job really sucks.”
They drove away, unaware of what a tempest their questions had unleashed in the Wakefield home.
