Tahoe Blues

by Lane, Aubree

  David gave her a joyful thumbs up and headed for his car.

  “Wait a minute,” Cara called out. “Let me take a quick look through his photos first. He was using the camera to take some pictures the night of the gala.”

  David turned with a big smile on his face, knowing success was within reach. Quickly, he popped the back of the phone and slipped the battery back in place. By the time everyone was inside and gathered around the kitchen table, the phone was powered up. Moments later it was in Cara’s hands, and she was scrolling through the photographs Brett took while at the gala.

  Cara stopped and placed the device in the middle of the table and tapped the screen. “See this kid?” She pointed to a young man standing next to an older woman. “That is Matt Finley. He’s one of my students. He was here inside my condo the night before I was arrested. And that statuesque lady he’s talking to is my ex-mother-in-law, Inga Alexander.” One of Cara’s eyebrows rose in an upwards question. “I thought I knew this boy fairly well, but I don’t have any idea what his connection to Inga might be.” She looked over at David. “Do you think you can find out?”

  David let out a low chuckle. “I’m pretty sure that won’t be a problem.” He picked up the phone and headed for the door.

  “Wait.” Cara stopped him again. “Don’t you want your laptop?”

  David shook his head. “Keep it. Watch more of the feed and see if anything else looks suspicious.” He held the phone up high. “This is our first priority.”

  When the door slammed behind the detective, Tanner came over and took Cara into his arms. “It’s almost over,” he whispered in her ear.

  She closed her eyes. She hadn’t dared to hope, but hearing Tanner say those three little words, brought her immense comfort.

  Leah brushed past and jostled their bodies. “See,” she happily scolded. “You should listen to me more often.”

  Cara reached out and affectionately patted Leah’s shoulder. “Feel free to remind me of that anytime. Thank you.”

  Leah winked and made her way over to David’s abandoned laptop.

  Mrs. Grimes stood in front of the pair for a good long moment as she struggled to apologize for destroying a valuable piece of art.

  Cara felt a little guilty for letting her kindly neighbor sweat. It might have been Mrs. Grimes’ idea, but Cara had given the go ahead for David Crandall to wield his mighty hammer. She didn’t blame Mrs. Grimes one bit.

  Mrs. Grimes opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. She looked out onto the mass of dangerously sharp pieces of expensive metal and patted Tanner’s arm. “Be careful when you clean that up.”

  Cara looked up into Tanner’s face, whose eyes had rolled up to the back of his head. She pressed her face into his chest and found herself unable to stop the laughter which bubbled up inside her.

  In just about every way possible, Mrs. Grimes had replaced the mother Tanner had lost at such a young age. Cara felt the affection between the two almost from the first day of her tenancy. Mrs. Grimes loved her TJ and for Tanner, the feeling was the same. Cara couldn’t imagine anyone other than Erin being able to get away with the things that old woman did. Cara’s big bad tool-man was tough enough to knock out her ex-husband, but was a cuddly ol’ marshmallow when it came to the women he loved.

  She snuggled deeper into his chest, and his arms cradled her warmly. Cara didn’t know what the future held for them, but she hoped that one day she’d see his eyes roll back for her the same way they had for Mrs. G.”

  The mood was broken when Lisa Hill opened her mouth and screeched, “Thanks for the day full of fun, fear, and dirt, but now I am really out of here.” She brushed off some of the debris still left on her clothing from their tunnel adventure, and picked up her purse, intent on making a dramatic exit.

  Mark grabbed her arm. “Not so fast. You still have some explaining to do.”

  Lisa jerked away. “Oh please, all my dirty little secrets have been out on the table for a long time, and I’m not in the mood to rehash them.”

  Mark stood tall and firm. His eyes narrowed. “Sit down,” he threatened.

  Lisa knew Mark did not give out idle threats. She heard plenty of stories about Duncan’s right hand man while working at the casino. He was six and a half feet of pure strength, but he wasn’t just muscle, he was smart. Not much got by him, and that had Lisa quaking in her dusty high-heeled Valentino knock-offs.

  “I’ve been trying to figure out a couple of things,” Mark began. “I’m hoping you can shed a little light on the matter.”

  He stepped closer, and Lisa found herself backed up against Cara’s overstuffed chaise lounge chair. She sank into the soft cushion. Her hands began to shake, and she was deathly afraid of what was about to be revealed.

  “You weren’t Duncan’s first affair. I’m trying to understand what made you special enough for Cara to finally leave him.”

  Leah jumped in, “It was about time. She should have left him after the very first one.” Mark shifted the weight of his heady threat her way and Leah sputtered to a stop.

  “Cara?” Mark asked. “What was different this time?”

  Cara thought back. Mark was right. It was different. “She called me on my cell phone asking for Duncan. She had my number. Duncan would never have given it to her. At the time, I was so angry I didn’t think about it, but Barbie always found a way to rub her liaison with Duncan in my face. All the others had actually attempted to keep it secret.” The memories and hurt feelings came flooding back, but this time Cara had enough distance from them to be able to be more analytical. “The day I found them in bed together, Duncan’s father, the wonderful Weston Alexander, called and asked me to go find him. He said his son wasn’t answering his phone and that it was extremely important that he speak with him.”

  It finally became clear to Cara how much Weston had wanted her out of the family, but not for the reasons she originally believed. “I wonder,” Cara said, posing a question she was certain she already had the answer to, “if Weston needed money? Inga keeps him on a pretty tight leash. He knew I kept excellent books. If I were out of the picture, it would be much easier for him to place himself in a position to be able to defraud the charity.”

  Mark shrugged. “If we ask David, I’m sure he would be able to find out if Lisa had any larger than usual deposits in her accounts and where they came from.” He pulled out his phone.

  “Wait!” Lisa wailed. “Let’s work something out.”

  “Tell us the whole story, and we might consider making a deal,” Mark agreed without committing. “If we find out you’ve left anything out, you can kiss any type of arrangement goodbye.”

  Mrs. Grimes walked over and stood in front of the young woman she had been bickering with all day. “Are you saying that story you told us about how your sister died in childbirth with Duncan’s baby was all a lie?”

  Cara shot back to life. “What?”

  Lisa buried her face in her hands. It was all falling apart. She should’ve left town the moment Cara walked out on Duncan. She would have received payment from Weston and been done with this town. Instead, she gave into her need for revenge. No one was ever going to believe she was innocent of what happened to Cara. She thought she had devised a foolproof plan to get close to Cara. She hoped eventually the two would become friends and together they would bring the Alexander family to their knees. When Mrs. Grimes and Tanner approached her today, she thought she had made significant inroads towards that final goal.

  Her involvement with Weston had ruined everything. She should have never let him involve her in his plans, but somehow he discovered her true identity. Lisa had already planned on breaking up Duncan’s marriage, so when his father offered financial support, she saw no reason to turn him down. She now understood what a horrendously stupid mistake that had been.

  Cara would never forgive her. It didn’t matter that her marriage with Duncan had already been on shaky ground. Lisa had justified her actions by telling herself she
was doing Cara a favor. She hadn’t given a second thought to how she made Cara feel.

  The memory of the gala flashed in her head. Cara had been a royal bitch to send her that gown and make her believe it had come from Duncan, but then she remembered how badly Cara felt for deceiving her. Cara hadn’t deserved what had happened to her any more than Lisa’s sister had. Her sister paid for her mistake with her life, and if Weston Alexander had anything to say about it, so would Cara.

  “Fine,” Lisa said, seeing no other way out of her predicament. “I’ll tell you what I know, but I’m giving you fair warning. It’s just a sad story without a happy ending. I don’t have any information about who stole from the gala.” She looked directly at Cara. “I’m sorry I ever got involved with this family. I would have been much better off getting a job at the local market down the road from my parents’ house.”

  Mark instantly called her out on the way she had just presented herself. “You worked at the casino for several years. Your plan was cold and calculated, so please don’t play the victim with us.”

  Lisa nodded in agreement. “It was, but like you said, I worked right under Duncan’s nose for three years. It wasn’t until his father planted a little bug in his son’s ear about me that Duncan began to take notice.” She ran her fingers through her thick, flaming mane and adjusted her voluptuous breasts. “I’m not his usual type.” She pointed at Erin with her blonde hair and cute body. “That little one right there would have had Duncan’s radar up and running in an instant.”

  Cara grabbed hold of Tanner’s arm to keep him from jumping in and interrupting Lisa’s story.

  Lisa laughed. “Settle down, big bro. You already know I’m right.”

  Erin shook her head. “I tried for the past three days to get close to him without any success.” When Tanner opened his mouth to speak, she cut him off. “The only reason I was there was because I wanted to see if I could find out something which could help Cara. Just as I was leaving, he boarded the same elevator I was on. The man totally shut me down. So stop worrying about me, TJ. I learned my lesson. I’m going back to Los Angeles tomorrow.”

  “I wish I’d been that smart,” Lisa interjected. “I was so screwed up. I thought Cara and I could become friends even though I broke up her marriage. I thought if I worked here she would see I was a relatively good person and together we could bring down the entire Alexander family. I thought she would want revenge as much as me. But she had moved on, and she was so busy building a new life for herself that getting even with the Alexanders was the last thing on her mind.” She looked at Cara with sad envious eyes. “I wish I had chosen my own happiness over retaliation. We would have all been a lot better off.”

  Tanner finally found an opening, and no one was going to stop him. “I’m glad you did. Your actions brought Cara into my life. I was a miserable mess until the day I saw this beautiful woman carrying a box which was too big for her up those front steps.”

  Cara’s eyes grew wide when she remembered the day her toys went flying all over the yard. She pressed her lips together, afraid of what Tanner was going to say next.

  Tanner wrapped a comforting arm across her shoulders and shot her a mischievous grin. “She was so self-sufficient, it was all picked up and in the house before I had a chance to offer my help.”

  Mrs. Grimes struggled to stand.

  Mark was by her side in an instant to help the elderly woman to her feet.

  She adjusted her plaid shirt and looked out at everyone. “Well, it’s been an adventure, but this old woman is done in. You all have tuckered me out.” She focused in on Tanner and Cara. “I’m sleeping in tomorrow, so don’t expect any muffins in the morning.”

  Tanner looked warmly into his pseudo-mother’s eyes. “Give me a call when you wake up, and I’ll come over and fix you breakfast.”

  “Better yet,” Cara suggested. “Both of you come over here and I’ll cook. I’m getting pretty good at it.”

  Leah agreed as she too stood up to leave. “I’d take her up on that. I think I have gained a few pounds since she’s been cooped up in here.”

  “I’ll still be here in the morning,” Erin informed them as she headed for the door, “so I better be included in that offer.”

  “The more the merrier,” Cara replied happily to Tanner’s little sister. “I’d love the chance to get to know you better.”

  Erin smiled brightly. “I’ve heard a lot about the research you’ve been doing on the lake. When this is all settled, I would love to have a tour of the, Lady of the Lake. My biology professor at UCLA is a huge fan of yours.”

  “You’re in Dr. Killion’s class?” Cara asked.

  Erin nodded.

  “Next time you see him, tell him I said hello.”

  Mrs. Grimes perked up, “You have a boat?”

  Cara nodded. “I used to have access to a research vessel we call LOLA, and if I’m lucky enough to be reinstated, I will again.”

  Mrs. Grimes grinned excitedly and wagged a crooked finger in Cara’s direction. “When you do, I want an invite. Nicky and I used to have a speed boat, but please don’t ask what it was used for.” She shot a wink at the big hulking mobster holding her arm, which suggested that she and Nicky had been up to no good. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been out on the water. My life used to be pretty exciting. I never missed it before, but after today I don’t think mixing together a bunch of flour and eggs is going to cut it for me.”

  Lisa stood in front of Tanner and asked point blank, “Do I still have a job?”

  Tanner’s lips tightened and he indecisively scratched his nose. “For the time being, but I reserve the right to terminate our agreement until your probationary period has ended.”

  Lisa glanced over at Cara. She wanted to apologize to the young woman who had suffered so much at her hand, but the expression on Cara’s face was cold and unyielding. Lisa let out a sigh of acceptance and left. She had until the day Tanner fired her to make amends, but today obviously wasn’t that day.

  ~~~**~~~

  Hunter Henderson picked his daughter up at the Crandall residence a few hours earlier. He dropped Dakota off at their house, grabbed a quick shower, and went directly back to the office Martin Langley was letting them use. He knew there had to be more on Brett Boden’s phone than just a few incriminating pictures.

  He scrolled through the apps and scanned all the recent files. On a hunch, he pulled up the voice to text feature. One relatively large file sat in the Draft folder. He read intently for several minutes before he swore under his breath, “Holy hell. I did not see that coming.”

  He instantly picked up his phone and called his partner.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The phone rang as David Crandall, super dad, was mopping up a glass of spilled orange juice. Feeling a bit on the guilty side for letting the Greene case take up so much of his time, David decided a family breakfast was in order.

  The bunny eared pancakes he whipped up especially for the two most precious commodities in his life took one look at them and promptly turned up their noses.

  Jack complained that he was far too old to eat such babyish looking fodder.

  The boy actually used the word, fodder. David smiled when he recognized one of last year’s vocabulary words and gave the public school system a mental high-five.

  Sandy didn’t have a problem with the pancakes, but she believed bacon needed to be served with them. That wasn’t surprising. Sandy would eat bacon morning, noon, and night if it was up to her. David had to admit he’d been serving it far too often lately, just to get his picky little daughter to eat.

  He smiled knowing when Marissa rejoined the family she was going to have her work cut out for her breaking all the bad habits, David had allowed their children to develop in her absence. David also knew he would relish every single moment, whether he was in the dog house or not, of Marissa’s presence. The daily phone calls were not enough. He missed his wife more than he thought possible. The faster Cara’s
case wrapped up, the better.

  The first moment they could, he planned on packing up the kids and driving south for a few days of mommy/wife time. He looked around their new home and knew he had thrown in the towel. He had planned on surprising Marissa by having the house in order by the time she arrived, but he knew Marissa would probably undo all his hard work and rearrange everything, so he saw no reason to continue.

  At least that was the excuse he was using today. Unpacking an entire household was a lot of work.

  David picked up the phone and saw Hunter was on the line. “Have you found anything?” he barked a bit more harshly than he intended.

  “Chill, dude. You are not going to believe what I found on Brett Boden’s phone.”

  David never heard his partner’s voice sound so joyful. The man was practically singing. “I’m guessing something good.”

  “The proof was not all in pictures. Brett must have stumbled onto the plan to frame Cara accidentally. When you see who’s at the heart of this, you’ll understand exactly why that self-assured internationally known artist turned chicken and skedaddled out of town. I would have too. I don’t think he understood exactly what he witnessed until after his house was searched. We are very lucky Brett hid his phone inside that sculpture. This goes deep.”

  “Who is it?”

  Hunter chuckled, but the tone of his voice turned deadly serious. “I ain’t saying anything more over a phone line that might not be secure. The moment I hang up, I’m changing my location and making multiple copies of this. Then I’m sending it out to every news agency I can think of. Pack up your kids right now. I don’t want them used against you, then run over and pick up Dakota. Don’t take no for an answer. I’m not going to lie. You’re going to have trouble with her. It’s still summer vacation, and that girl does not like to wake up before noon.”