The Next Victim (Kali O'Brien series)

by Jonnie Jacobs

  “Great. Crying must burn calories, because I’m starved.”

  Kali was thinking a quick deli sandwich, maybe even a Subway if they could find one, but Sabrina had other ideas. She took over the wheel and drove them to an upscale courtyard mall populated by jewelry stores, galleries, and restaurants with linen tablecloths. The place Sabrina had in mind was a French cafe located toward the back, overlooking a fountain.

  “I ate here once with John,” she said when they were seated. Her eyes teared up again. “He brought me for my birthday. It was one of his favorites.”

  “So that’s why you chose it.” Kali looked around at the elegantly understated interior and wondered if it was the food or the ambiance that had appealed to John.

  Sabrina nodded. “It seemed fitting.”

  “I guess it does.” Kali wasn’t in the mood for a leisurely lunch, even in commemoration of John, but once they were served, she had to admit the salad Nicoise looked delicious.

  “What did you get done this morning?” Kali asked, spearing a piece of fresh tuna with her fork.

  Sabrina looked up from her quiche Lorraine. “I pulled together a list of people from John’s address book and started calling the ones I knew. I put a mark by those I’ve never heard of. We’ll have to decide whether to contact them or let it ride. I found a copy of his will, too, and the name of the attorney who drafted it.”

  “Good work.”

  Sabrina fingered the rosebud vase on the table. “He left everything to us, you know.”

  “Both of us?” Kali could understand his naming Sabrina in the will, but she was surprised to find herself included as well.

  “Of course,” Sabrina said. “You didn’t really think he’d leave you out, did you?”

  “We’ve hardly seen one another over the years.”

  “You were his sister, for God’s sake. Family. Who else would he leave stuff to?”

  Families were funny, Kali thought. Simply by virtue of birth, you were inexorably linked. The bonds might be invisible, but they were powerful.

  Sabrina’s question was apparently rhetorical because she continued with barely a pause.

  “And someone from the funeral home called back,” Sabrina said. “We’re set for Monday. I’ll be back Sunday night with Peter and the kids, and I’ll try to spend a few days here later in the week, as well.”

  Kali set her fork on the table. “Back?”

  “I need to get home, Kali. We’ve already worked out what we’re doing for the service, and the rest of it can wait a few days. I’m fine with whatever you decide about the household stuff. And if there’s anything of John’s you want—”

  Kali exploded. “You stuck me with all the work after Dad died. You’re not going to do it again.”

  “I’ve got kids to think about.”

  “Peter’s there, isn’t he? And I have a job!”

  Sabrina slipped into a pout. “You don’t have to yell.”

  “You’re the one who twisted my arm about investigating the murder, and now you expect me to handle everything with John’s death, too?”

  “Well, if it’s legal and financial, you know how I—”

  “Like to pass the buck.”

  Sabrina inhaled sharply. “I worked hard this morning.”

  Kali conceded the point with a nod. She knew she was overreacting. Sabrina’s kids did need their mother, especially at a time like this.

  “It’s just that I know I’ll mess something up,” Sabrina whimpered.

  “I doubt it. And so what if you do? You think I never make mistakes?”

  “This stuff’s important, though. And I’m so upset about John I—”

  “And I’m not upset? Is that what you’re saying? You think because I don’t sit around all the time sniveling, it doesn’t affect me?” The volume of Kali’s voice had risen and the couple seated next to them looked over.

  “Okay, settle down.” Sabrina fiddled with her fork.

  They sat in silence a moment, until finally Kali spoke. “I’m sorry. I think we’re both short-tempered because we’re feeling so awful about John.”

  Sabrina nodded glumly. “I’m not trying to stick this all on you. Honestly. But I do need to go home.”

  Kali sighed. “I understand.”

  Sabrina grinned. “And I’ve never actually seen you make a mistake.”

  Chapter 10

  It would have been nice if we could have done this when John was alive,” Sabrina told Kali as they emerged from the restaurant into the heat of the afternoon. “All three of us.”

  Kali nodded. “It’s been ages since we were together.”

  “Last time was six or seven years ago. Thanksgiving at the old house in Silver Creek. Dad was still alive, and you and I cooked.”

  “We roasted a turkey,” Kali said, with a laugh. “As I recall, we bought everything else.”

  “The turkey’s what it’s all about anyway.”

  Kali couldn’t have pulled the occasion out of memory on her own, but now the day came back to her in a string of vignettes. Her father half drunk before noon. Sabrina insisting they use their mother’s china dishes, even though they had to be washed by hand. Sabrina’s husband, Peter, withdrawn, as he often was at O’Brien gatherings.

  “John and the boys were playing football out front,” Kali recalled, with a chuckle. “They came to the table covered in grass stains and you were royally pissed at all of them.”

  “You don’t know how hard it is to get young boys to dress up,” Sabrina protested. “They were dirty before I even got a chance to get pictures.” She was silent a moment as they crossed the parking lot. “You could have come to Scottsdale for holidays, you know. I invited you every year. John came.”

  “I know.” Each year there’d been a reason why Kali had found it easier not to go. Now the three of them would never be together again.

  Sabrina tossed Kali the keys to the car. “You can drive. I’m stuffed.”

  Kali unlocked the doors. She started the engine and turned the air-conditioning on full blast, then waited for it to kick in before she pulled out of the parking lot.

  “Why don’t you give Reed a call?” Kali suggested. “Ask if this is a good time for us to come by.”

  “What should I say, exactly?”

  “Ask if we can talk to him about what happened. He knew John better than anyone. Maybe he’ll have some insights or other leads.”

  Sabrina pulled her cell phone from her purse. “You don’t have the number by any chance?”

  “Try information.”

  Not surprisingly, Reed Logan had an unlisted number.

  “I know where he lives,” Sabrina said, “and I’ve met his wife before. Let’s just go there. It’s in a gated community, so it’s not like we’d be showing up at his door unannounced.”

  Half an hour later Sabrina was talking into the intercom at the entrance to Sunrise Estates, an exclusive enclave near Ventana Canyon. Reed was out, his wife informed them. Only when prodded did she add that he would probably be back soon.

  “Would it be okay if we waited for him?” Sabrina asked, showing far more audacity than Kali would have been able to muster.

  “I guess you could do that.” Linette buzzed them through, and the wide gate opened.

  Sabrina directed Kali along a looping road, past a succession of oversized houses on cactus-studded lots, and then up a long drive.

  A petite, dark-haired woman with a husky, smoker’s voice greeted them at the door. She couldn’t have been more than five two, with no curves to speak of, and big, brown eyes. Dressed in capris and a crop top, she looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties, a decade or so younger than Reed.

  Sabrina introduced Kali to Linette Logan, then said, “We’re really sorry about what happened to Sloane.”

  There was an awkward moment’s pause while Linette seemed to be searching for the proper response. “Yes, well . . . it’s all quite hard to believe, really.” She shifted her weight onto one leg, re
garded them for a moment, then lowered her gaze. “You must feel even worse about John.”

  Dead was dead, Kali thought. What did it matter that one death was the result of murder and the other accidental? Then it dawned on her that Linette was referring to John’s alleged role in Sloane’s murder. And she hadn’t offered any additional comment attesting to his innocence.

  The subtext of Linette’s remark apparently eluded Sabrina, who murmured, “Thank you. It’s truly incomprehensible.”

  “Well, Reed should be back any minute now.” Linette led them to a family room at the back of the house facing a garden and redwood gazebo.

  The room was light and spacious, with a terra-cotta-tiled floor and a beamed ceiling. The decor was heavily southwestern. A bit too thematic for Kali’s taste, which tended to be more eclectic, although she had to admit the furnishings fit the house. Mostly she was impressed by the fact that the air-conditioning hadn’t been cranked down to refrigerator levels.

  “Were you and Sloane close?” Kali asked when they’d gotten seated. The furniture looked heavy and dark, and she was surprised when the chair turned out to be quite comfortable.

  “Not really. We didn’t have a lot in common.” Linette paused for a half laugh. “Sloane was pretty assertive. Even Reed had trouble standing his ground with her sometimes.”

  “Assertive in what way?”

  “We got along—don’t get me wrong. Sloane could be warm and generous. But she was a force to be reckoned with.” Linette swung her leg, her sandal slapping against her heel. “I mean, there she was, not involved in the business for years, then suddenly she takes it into her head to dictate the direction of the company. She started visiting the stores, talking to managers, and offering unsolicited advice. She thought she was helping, but in a lot of ways she was just creating more tension.”

  A garage door groaned open at the front of the house and Linette shot out of her seat. “That’s Reed now. I’ll tell him you’re here.”

  She left and returned a moment later with her husband.

  Kali hadn’t seen Reed Logan in probably fifteen years. He was a little heavier than before and had a few more lines around his eyes and mouth, but the broad open face, square jaw, and pale Nordic coloring hadn’t changed. She’d have recognized him anywhere.

  He shook her hand warmly, gave Sabrina a hug, then collapsed onto the couch next to his wife. “I’m so sorry about John,” he said, leaning forward, arms on his knees. “I hardly know what to say.”

  Sabrina nodded glumly. “I knew he drank, but I thought the . . . the pills were a thing of the past.”

  “He was going through a rough period.” Reed dropped his head to his hands. “Jesus, it’s all such a muddle.”

  Kali frowned. “A muddle how?”

  Reed raised his head to look at them. His expression was pained. “You know the cops think John was responsible for Sloane’s death?”

  He directed the comment to both of them and they nodded in unison. Kali waited for him to continue, but instead, he wove his fingers together and let the words speak for themselves.

  Sabrina looked confused. “You can’t believe—”

  But he clearly did. “You think they’re right?” Kali asked.

  Reed gave a labored sigh. “I don’t know what to think, to tell you the truth. John was my best friend. Had been since freshman year in college. We could practically read each other’s minds. And yet . . .” Another sigh.

  “And yet, what?”

  “I don’t know. He seemed on edge about something. And he really freaked when the police started questioning him about Sloane.”

  “That’s only natural,” Kali said.

  “He refused to talk to the cops until he’d talked to you,” Linette added. “Not what you’d expect from someone who was innocent.”

  “Having counsel present is always wise,” Kali said. “In fact, some attorneys advise clients not to talk to the cops at all.” It was too easy to get tripped up, even if you were innocent. Intentions were misconstrued; details got twisted or didn’t line up right; and before you knew it, your efforts to be helpful came back and bit you in the face.

  “And then with his death . . .” Reed paused, looked down at his hands for a moment before again raising his gaze. “I’ve asked myself if it might not have been accidental at all. If maybe . . . I mean, coming when it did, it’s crossed my mind that he did it on purpose.”

  “Took his own life, you mean?” Sabrina’s voice was strident, her face suddenly flushed.

  “I’m not saying I think that’s what happened,” Reed protested, “just that it’s possible. Something was definitely weighing on him.”

  “But not necessarily guilt,” Kali pointed out, rising to her brother’s defense. Reed’s words were like hot coals in her gut. If John killed himself, had she pushed him over the edge by refusing to talk to him? Kali felt ill; for a moment she couldn’t breathe.

  “It was just a thought. I probably shouldn’t have said anything.” Reed stared at his hands. “They were at loggerheads, you know. John and Sloane. John had his eye on the bottom line. But Sloane had other ideas.”

  “Where did you come down?” Kali asked.

  “With John, mostly. Not that I was happy about some of the cuts we had to make, but the profit margin in the grocery business is thin enough as it is. I saw Sloane’s side of it too, though. We’re part of the neighborhoods we serve. Have been ever since my grandfather started this business sixty years ago. Honesty and quality, that’s always been at the core of what we do.”

  “Bottom line,” Linette interjected, “is that Sloane had voting rights and John didn’t. And because she was a Logan, she had the directors’ ears. She was a major thorn in John’s side.”

  Sabrina’s eyes narrowed and her mouth pulled tight. She turned to Reed, her voice quiet and controlled. “I would have thought you, of all people, would stand behind him.”

  “My sister was murdered. You think I’m happy about the fact that her killer may have been my best friend? It tears me up inside. But I’m not standing behind anyone who did that to her.”

  “That’s the whole point,” Sabrina said bleakly. “You’re assuming the worst about John.”

  Reed dipped his head. “They’re both dead. Does it really matter?”

  “John couldn’t have been the only potential suspect the police talked to,” Kali prompted. “What about anyone Sloane was seeing? Or her ex-husband? Maybe someone with a grudge?”

  “Her divorce was fairly amicable,” Reed said. “Especially considering what a jerk she married. Besides, the police cleared him almost immediately. He was attending some big conference at the time.”

  “What about the girl? Could there have been some conflict between them?”

  “Olivia Perez? She lived with Sloane. Well, she had a room there. Supposedly in return for work she did.”

  “Olivia was another of Sloane’s projects,” Linette said.

  “Her projects?” Kali asked.

  Linette rolled her eyes. Her sister-in-law’s projects were apparently something of a family joke. “Sloane adopted causes, and on occasion, people.”

  Reed explained. “She hooked up with Olivia through an organization that matches disadvantaged students with members of the community who can offer housing in exchange for chores. Olivia did light housekeeping, ran errands and such, but she didn’t work very hard. That’s what Linette means. It wasn’t so much that Sloane needed the help as that she wanted to help.”

  “How do the police know Olivia wasn’t the intended victim?”

  Reed shrugged. “I don’t know why she would be. There’s certainly no evidence to indicate that. She was a nice girl, good-looking in an exotic sort of way. Her father’s an unemployed drunk, from what I understand—”

  “That was Sloane’s somewhat biased take on him,” Linette interjected.

  Reed ignored his wife’s interruption. “But the mom’s apparently a good influence. Works as a maid in one of the big h
otels. There’s an older brother, too. Had some trouble with the law at one point, but he seems to have turned himself around.”

  “Sloane arranged for him to work as a bagger at one of the stores,” Linette said. “That’s what I mean by projects.”

  Kali was beginning to get a feel for the kind of woman Sloane had been. She was also getting the idea that Linette wasn’t one of her biggest fans.

  “I understand why you don’t want to believe John killed her,” Reed said sympathetically. “Believe me, I wish it weren’t true. But wishing doesn’t change what is.”

  Chapter 11

  Linette is such a snot,” Sabrina grumbled, as she slammed the car door. She crossed her arms and pressed her head against the back of the seat. “I’ve never liked her. I’m sure she’s the one who turned Reed against John.”

  Kali started the engine and turned the air-conditioning to high. “There’s also evidence,” she pointed out. “Reed can hardly ignore that.”

  “But they’ve been friends for years. I was sure he would tell us the cops had it all wrong.”

  “What Reed thinks isn’t important,” Kali told her. “It’s what the police think that’s the issue.”

  “And they think John killed her.” Sabrina sighed and fell silent. After a moment, she added, “That’s why you have to convince them they’re wrong.”

  Assuming they actually were wrong. And that was something Kali needed to know for herself.

  “I want to go by Sloane’s,” she said. “Do you want to come or would you prefer to drop me off at the rental car place and head back to John’s?”

  “The house where she was murdered?” Sabrina looked ill. “Why do you want to go there? That’s ghoulish.”

  “It helps to get the lay of the land, to be able to visualize the crime, what witnesses might have seen, that sort of thing.” It would be even more helpful, of course, if she could get inside the house. She might learn something about Sloane, as well. But it had been clear that asking Reed for a key wasn’t an option.