Building Blocks of Murder

by Vanessa Gray Bartal

  “There are grants,” he said. “Urban renewal grants. I think you have a compelling case, and I think you would qualify for one of the larger grants.”

  “How much is it?” she asked excitedly. What if a grant would take care of all the remodeling costs?

  “About a hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” he said.

  “Oh.” She sat back, dejected. That much would definitely be helpful, but it wouldn’t begin to cover everything.

  “That should just about cover the roof,” he said. “I think you should start there. There are holes that are letting in water and warping the wood even more. Once you have the roof taken care of, you can focus on the plumbing and electrical.” He paused and blew on his coffee again. “How much of my advice do you want, Lacy? I don’t want to be an interfering old fool.”

  “You’re not,” she assured him. “I want to hear everything you have to say. If I don’t agree with your advice, then I won’t take it.”

  He smiled. “That’s so. If I were you, I would concentrate on the third floor first. I know it’s not as pretty or exciting as the open area, but it could be your bread and butter. People are always looking to rent office space. There’s enough space there for an entire medical complex. Once you have stable renters who are providing income, then you can focus on renovating the first and second floors. Gradually, as you attract renters for that space, it will help fund further renovations or payback what you’ve already spent.”

  “What about the fourth floor? What do you think I should do with that?” She pictured the wide, open space.

  He shrugged. “Whatever you want. It could be a warehouse, but you’ll have to have the freight elevator fixed. Or it could be storage. The possibilities are unlimited.”

  That was both encouraging and overwhelming. What did one do with twelve thousand square feet of open space? The question reminded her that she still owned Barbara Blake’s house and all her possessions, including those that had been shipped from her New York apartment. Maybe she should have them moved to the warehouse after it was clean. At the very least, it would give her the space she needed to sort the house.

  “Know any good roofers?” she asked.

  Her grandfather shook his head. “You’ll have to have a commercial roofer; they’re much different than residential. I’ll ask around, but your best bet is in the city. And don’t hire the first one you meet; take several bids so you can compare.”

  Lacy nodded, soaking up the advice like a sponge. At least she had a starting place now; she would begin at the top and redo the roof. And she would apply for a grant, the sooner the better.

  The newspaper, lying on a nearby table, caught her attention. The headline screamed the news of an old case that was being reopened. Lacy grimaced at the reporter’s hyperbolic writing style. She knew if the editor, Len, would allow it, the writer probably would have used exclamation points. Her enthusiasm highlighted just how big the story was, causing Lacy to wonder how she had missed it.

  “News broke this week that Joe Anton, arrested seven years ago for the murder of Susan Prendergast, has been slated for a retrial due to the reexamination of his case. According to his lawyer, Ed McNeil, evidence in the Prendergast case was mishandled by the arresting officer, Jason Cantor.

  “The murder, which took place almost a quarter century ago, remained an open investigation for several years until new information came to light. Now that information is being called into question by Mr. Anton’s attorney. The trial begins…”

  Lacy stopped reading as her thoughts began to wander. No wonder Jason had been so angry with her. Instead of casting a shadow on the incompetent Detective Brenner, she had inadvertently cast a shadow over the entire sheriff’s department. Jason was right; smarmy lawyers like Ed McNeil would feast on the development like vultures, plucking hapless criminals from jail in an attempt to exploit them.

  “Poor Jason,” Lacy muttered. She felt horrible. She hadn’t meant for this to happen, but how could she have prevented it? She had no idea her article would cause trouble for him.

  She bit her lip as she stared at the paper. If she had known, would she have written the article anyway? She had been incensed at the way Detective Brenner treated her grandmother, and she had wanted vengeance. But, no, she was sure that if she somehow could have foreseen the impact her article would have on the entire force, she wouldn’t have written it. She had only respect for Jason’s fellow officers, with the exception of Detective Brenner, of course.

  “Jason will be okay,” her grandfather assured her. “He’s a survivor.”

  Lacy frowned as she was once again reminded of his earlier cryptic comment. What did he know about Jason? And, more importantly, how could she find out?

  Chapter 4

  The nice thing about being an heiress was that Lacy didn’t have to work for a while. Normally she enjoyed work, but right now she was overwhelmed. The ability to make her own schedule was handy, especially now.

  She wasted no time in calling as many commercial roofers as she could. Most didn’t return her phone calls. Five agreed to look at the building and give her an estimate that day.

  Feeling good about having accomplished her first step in renovation, she turned her focus to preparing for her evening with Tosh and his brother. Tosh called her twice to make sure she remembered, she would be there on time, and she would look good. Why was he so nervous? It was just his brother. She assured him she would be present, on time, and looking as good as possible and then ignored her phone when it jangled a third time.

  Not wanting to borrow her grandmother’s car a second time in a day, she walked to Tosh’s house instead. He lived a couple of miles away, but the air was turning cool and the leaves were just beginning to change colors, making the stroll a pleasant one.

  Tosh opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch as soon as she arrived in his driveway. “I would have picked you up,” he said disapprovingly.

  “Nothing wrong with walking,” she told him. “It does a body good.”

  “I don’t think your body needs any improvement.” The new voice spoke behind Tosh. Shoving his brother aside, he stepped out onto the porch and beamed at Lacy. Lacy stared back, speechless. Tosh hadn’t warned her his brother would be so…so, well, so hot. He was as tall as Tosh, but lacking Tosh’s gangly build. Instead, his form was solid and muscular, but not overly. He and Tosh shared the same sandy shade of brown hair, but that’s where the similarities ended. The brother’s eyes were green and sparkled with mischief as he stood on the porch and surveyed Lacy.

  “This is Keegan,” Tosh said lamely. “Keegan, Lacy.” He waved his hand toward Lacy, as if there was a throng of women in the driveway and he needed to point out the correct one.

  “Lacy,” Keegan said. His eyes locked on hers and held her captive as he stepped down from the porch and stalked toward her. She wasn’t sure what he would do when he reached her, but nothing prepared her for the reality. He bent and pressed his lips to hers. It was a closed-mouth kiss, but still. Lacy stared at him in shock before turning to look helplessly at Tosh.

  He shrugged as if to say “That’s Keegan for you.”

  “You taste good,” Keegan told her. “Come on.” He grasped her hand and tugged, leading her toward the house. She trotted helplessly behind him, shooting Tosh another questioning look as she swept up the porch beside him. He sighed and followed them inside, closing the door behind them.

  Keegan led their party to the kitchen and stopped short with no warning, causing Lacy to bounce off of his back. She might have toppled to the ground if Tosh hadn’t caught her. Suspiciously, she wondered if he was hovering so closely because he had been prepared for the possibility of having to rescue her from Keegan.

  “Let’s get to work,” Keegan said. He began zooming around the kitchen, opening cupboards and pulling out items.

  When Lacy could take it no longer, she finally turned to ask Tosh her questions. “What is he doing?” she asked in a stage whisper.
>
  “He’s cooking. Didn’t I mention that Keegan is a gourmet chef?” he whispered.

  “No, you didn’t mention anything about him,” she said, elbowing him lightly in the stomach.

  He draped his arm around her shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “Hmm, must have slipped my mind.”

  “Is that what he does for a living?”

  Tosh shook his head. “No, he’s a foreman for a construction company.”

  She frowned. Tosh’s family was wealthy. Why did Keegan work construction? “Your family’s construction company?” she guessed.

  Tosh nodded. “Our other brother handles the business end of things with our dad. Keegan prefers to take a more hands-on role. He actually works construction, doing the heavy lifting and pounding of nails, things like that.”

  “Do you think he might look at the Stakely building and give me some pointers?” she whispered.

  Keegan paused in his preparations to look at them. “You know I can hear you,” he said.

  Lacy smiled sheepishly and he beamed at her. “The answer to your question is yes, I would love to look at your building. What building?”

  She explained to him how she had bought the Stakely building.

  “Cool.” He resumed his preparations, ignoring her and Tosh once again.

  “How did it go today with the inspector?” Tosh asked. He kept his arm around her, his fingers twirling distractedly in her hair. To Keegan, they must have looked like a couple. Lacy was once again suspicious. Tosh was an affectionate person, but was his display for Keegan’s sake?

  “Okay I guess.” She told him about the meeting, as well as her grandfather’s suggestions for the renovation. She didn’t think Keegan was paying any attention to them, but then he spoke up.

  “You should go green. You can get more grant money, and it might help you in the long run.”

  “Go green?” she asked.

  He nodded. “Solar panels, that type of thing. Your up front cost will be greater, but the return might be worth it, especially if the building costs a lot to operate, which it undoubtedly does. Our buildings are big into green development now. I’ll give you some pointers when I look at the building.”

  “Thanks, Keegan,” she said sincerely. Help was springing up from all sources, and Lacy felt deeply grateful.

  He smiled at her again while he chopped a pepper and tossed it in a bowl. Something about the scene caused her mind to flash to Jason and the times he had cooked for her. Her heart gave a painful twist as a sudden wave of longing washed over her. She hated that he was angry at her, and she hated that her story was causing him problems. But what could she do?

  “You’re sad,” Tosh said. Despite the fact that he sometimes spoke without thinking, he was a warm, caring person, sensitive to the moods of those around him.

  “I have a lot on my mind,” she hedged. Lacy didn’t want to spout her problems in front of Keegan, but she also didn’t want to unload on Tosh about Jason. The two didn’t care for each other, and she was careful not to talk about one to the other.

  Keegan looked up with another mischievous smile. “If you two want to go in the other room for some alone time, I won’t be offended.”

  Lacy started to protest, but Tosh took her hand and tugged her toward his living room. “Thanks,” he called to his brother.

  “Tosh,” she whispered when they were alone. “He thinks we’re coming in here to make out.”

  “Then we shouldn’t disappoint him,” Tosh replied, drawing her close and putting his arms around her.

  She gave his chest a light shove. “Be serious.”

  He let her go and rolled his eyes. “Being friends with you is like taking a battering ram to my ego sometimes. It might surprise you to know that some women do find me attractive.”

  “I find you attractive,” she blurted, anxious to make amends so that no more of her friends would be angry with her. The universe might implode if Tosh and Jason both stopped speaking to her. At least, her universe would implode.

  “Really?” Tosh drawled. “Tell me more.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “Meeting your brother has made me more curious about your family. Are they all like you two?” Tosh and Keegan were irrepressible. How could one family produce more than two such characters?

  “No,” Tosh said. “Keegan and I are the shy ones.”

  Lacy laughed, and it felt good. Tosh smiled. “You have the best laugh, Lacy.” He drew her close again, but this time it was for a friendly hug. She rested her head on his chest and enjoyed the comforting warmth of his embrace.

  “This is more like it,” Keegan said approvingly as he arrived unannounced in the room. “Supper is ready.”

  Lacy poked Tosh in the side. “Tell him the truth about us,” she whispered.

  He sighed as he led the way back into the kitchen. “Keegan, Lacy and I aren’t actually dating,” he said. “Technically. I mean, we spend almost all our time together, go out every weekend, and have kissed, but…”

  “We’re not dating,” Lacy cut in with an annoyed glance in Tosh’s direction. “We’re friends, very good friends.”

  “Really?” Keegan asked. He set down the dish he was holding and leaned toward her. “So you’re available then?”

  “No,” she said. “I mean, I’m physically available, but emotionally…” She trailed off, not wanting to get into her life’s history with this stranger, even though he was staring at her with the same concerned look Tosh often gave her. The compassion gene must run strong in their family. “Tosh and I have a lot of fun together,” she said. “But I’m not ready for anything more with anyone right now.”

  “Hmm,” Keegan said, eyeing her thoughtfully. “We just need to figure out a way to get you over the hump and back on your feet again.”

  “Exactly,” Tosh agreed. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell her. She needs to date someone loving, caring, and loyal to prove to her that all guys aren’t jerks.” Lacy knew he considered himself to be that guy.

  “Nah,” Keegan said. “She needs to have a wild fling where she’s the one in control. Then she can walk away and know she has her esteem still intact.”

  Tosh shook his head. Lacy wondered if he, too, was thinking of Jason just then. “No way. Lacy’s not like that. She’s not a fling type person.”

  “And that’s why it’s perfect,” Keegan said. “She should break out of the mold and do something different.”

  The brothers bickered for a couple of minutes until Lacy finally interrupted. “Uh, guys, I’m right here. You’re talking about me like I’m not in the room.”

  “That’s because we’re trying to figure out what’s best for you, Lacy,” Keegan assured her. “Just enjoy your food until we get your life figured out. It should only take another minute or two.” He smiled at her and winked. “Speaking of your life, my brother is being a real drag and dumping me off to fend for myself tomorrow. Why don’t we go see your building?”

  “That would be perfect,” Lacy enthused. “The roofers are supposed to give me their estimates tomorrow. Maybe you can help me choose one.”

  “Sounds good,” Keegan said. “Too bad we don’t live closer, or our company could do it.”

  “Do you take on little projects like mine?” she asked. When she pictured Tosh’s family’s company holdings, she imagined them doing things on a grand scale, like building skyscrapers.

  “Not usually, but for a friend we might make an exception.” He gave her another wink, moved closer, and rested his arm on the back of her chair as he launched into another narrative about construction. It wasn’t until Lacy was lying in her bed that night going to sleep that she realized Tosh hadn’t said another word the rest of the evening, not even a goodbye when she left his house.

  Chapter 5

  The next morning, Lacy ran into a problem. Randy Stone, the first roofing contractor to call her, told her that he couldn’t do the estimate for the Stakely building because someone had put a stop-work order on her
property.

  She sat up so abruptly she almost fell out of bed. “What? How is that possible? I’ve owned it exactly two days.”

  “I did some checking,” he said sympathetically. “The order was placed by Ed McNeil. He was the previous property manager, and he says you owe him money. I’ve heard that he does this type of thing a lot because he figures people will pay him off rather than go through the hassle of trying to fight him. The good news is that I think he’s performed some legal cartwheels to make this thing stick. If you found another lawyer, you could probably have it undone.”

  “He thought wrong this time because I am going to fight him,” she said, so furious she was practically shaking with anger. “I’m not going to find another lawyer; I’m going to track him down and make him remove it myself.” As soon as Ed McNeil handed over her inheritance, she promptly transferred her holdings to another law firm. She had paid him for the work he did on her behalf, as well as the work he did for her grandmother. His fees had been exorbitant, but it had been worth it to get her grandmother out of jail so promptly. Lacy was sure, however, that she owed him nothing else.

  She was glad for the procrastination that had prevented her from erasing his number from her phone. Now with the touch of a button she could gain verbal retribution without ever getting out of bed.

  “Mr. McNeil’s office,” an official-sounding voice answered. Lacy was momentarily puzzled before remembering that Mr. McNeil’s secretary had been out sick during Lacy’s interaction with the man.

  “May I speak with Mr. McNeil, please?” She tried to be polite; no need to take out her frustration on his hapless secretary.

  “Whom may I tell him is calling?”

  “Lacy Steele.”