Three-Day Weekends are Murder

by Rayna Morgan

  “Thank you, Lea.” Before she could end the call, he made another request. “Can we keep this between the two of us? I’d rather not have Maddy thinking less of me than she does. If she thinks my carelessness caused someone’s death…”

  She agreed against her better judgment. “There's no need to involve my sister. I’ll handle this on my own.”

  “All right. I’ll wait to hear from you. Thanks again.” The phone went dead.

  Lea was baffled.

  First, Eric throws suspicion on John Simpson. Now, he’s giving me a motive for Wes.

  He still hasn’t mentioned the incentive of huge short sale profits, and he doesn’t want Maddy to know about our conversation.

  What’s Eric up to?

  * * *

  The address Lea was looking for was two doors up the street. She watched a woman in a gingham dress come out of the house and walk around the yard filling hummingbird feeders with colored water. The woman was of middle age with the wholesome kind of appearance featured in housekeeping magazines.

  The modest house was surrounded by flowering blooms of every color. Water bubbled from a small fountain in the middle of the yard. Birds darted between a feeder and the fountain causing a cat on the porch to swish its tail. It was the picture of an idyllic oasis in a busy world.

  Lea hurried up the sidewalk as the woman returned to the house. “Excuse me, Mrs. Simpson?”

  The woman raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “Yes, I’m Adele Simpson.”

  “I hate to bother you on the holiday, but—”

  “That’s all right. It’s not a day off for me like it is for working people. I’m a full-time housewife.” She smiled and set the pitcher of colored water on a table. “Something almost unheard of these days.”

  Lea moved closer to the gate. “Then you’re working harder than most of us.”

  The woman walked down the steps toward the sidewalk. “How may I help you?”

  “Lea Austin.” She reached out her hand. “I was hoping to speak with your husband.”

  A shadow passed over the woman’s face as she clasped Lea’s hand. She hesitated before replying. “I’m afraid he’s not here.”

  “Will he be home later today? I can come back.”

  “I’m not sure.” The woman rubbed her hands together. “He’ll be back for work tomorrow. I’m uncertain what time.”

  The answer gave Lea no reason to stay, but she sensed the woman’s anxiety. “I don’t mean to intrude, but you seem worried. Is everything all right?”

  A thin smile crossed the woman’s lips, but it struck Lea as being forced. “I’ll have my husband call if you leave a number.”

  “Since I can’t speak with him,” Lea persisted, “may I ask you some questions?”

  The woman continued to rub her hands. “What do you want to know?”

  “If I could come in for a moment, I’ll explain.” Lea looked for a gate latch. “It involves the company your husband works for.”

  Adele looked up and down the street as if someone might come out and tell her what to do.

  Lea continued. “Someone close to me is in a jam. I think John might be able to clarify things to help my friend out of his predicament.”

  The woman extended one hand toward the gate and then withdrew it.

  Lea needed to win Adele’s trust. “To be honest,” she confided, “the person in the jam is my sister’s ex-husband. He’s in town for the weekend. My sister and I want to clear up the mess and get him back out of town as soon as possible.”

  This time the woman’s smile was genuine. “I have two married sisters. One of them is divorced from the sort of ex you’re talking about. He keeps coming back, like a bad penny.” She unlatched the gate and swung it open. “Let’s go inside. I’ll fix tea.”

  * * *

  The house was nicely furnished and immaculately clean, exactly what Lea envisioned for a woman who devoted her time to keeping up a house. Adele prepared tea while Lea looked at photos on the mantle.

  Several minutes later, the hostess returned with a tray bearing mugs and a teapot. “I hope you like orange pekoe. John insists on coffee every morning but after he leaves, I fix myself a pot of tea.”

  “Are these your daughters?” Lea pointed to a picture before taking a seat on the couch.

  Adele handed her a mug and waved a hand over the tray. “Help yourself to sugar and lemon. Yes, those are our girls. They’re both attending college, the freshman at state university and the junior out-of-state. I’m looking forward to summer vacation. They’ll be home for at least a month.”

  Lea cupped her hands around the mug and inhaled the tangy aroma of the liquid. “What are they studying?”

  “The older one is in accounting, like her father. The other girl is undecided, but she has time.”

  “Will they come home to work after they graduate?”

  “I doubt it.” Adele poured a spoonful of sugar in her tea. “They loved growing up in a small town, but they’re both eager to experience life in a bigger city. The young one follows in her sister’s footsteps. They may end up sharing an apartment.”

  “How does your husband feel about their plans?”

  “John’s fine with whatever makes them happy.” She sipped her tea. “He was surprised when one of them took up accounting. I told him it’s because of the example he sets. Our daughter sees that she can earn a comfortable living without working the long hours most jobs demand. She teases John that he’s the only father she knows who isn’t stressed out all the time.”

  “So John enjoys his job?”

  “He’s been with the same company his entire career. D & M Pharmaceuticals.” She looked out the window. “It’s just up the road. Thirty minutes away.”

  “It’s a beautiful drive. I envy him.” Lea leaned back. “I drove into the city every day until I made up my mind not to do it any longer.”

  “He never complains about the commute, that’s for sure.”

  “Does he have other complaints about his job?” She hoped her question wouldn’t raise Adele’s guard.

  “Only his position. He’s head of the accounting department, but he’s always had his sights on being Chief Financial Officer.”

  “For the time he’s been with the company, it seems he should be.”

  Lines furrowed Adele’s brow like cracks in a wall. “He’s more than qualified,” she insisted. “In fact, he’s been offered that title at other companies, but John’s loyal to a fault. He’d rather vegetate in his current level at D & M than move to another company for the position he deserves.”

  Lea sensed simmering resentment beneath the calm facade. If Maddy accomplishes her task, Lea thought, Adele might soon discover that her husband is not as loyal as she thinks.

  “What’s your opinion of the company your husband works for?”

  “John’s as enamored with the company as he is with his job. He thinks of people there as family. He’s proud to be part of a business that saves people’s lives or improves quality of life. Well, until recently.” She gazed at the family pictures. “Companies change the same as people.”

  “In what regard?” Lea asked. She waited as the woman organized her thoughts.

  “Business is so tied to the bottom line now,” Adele remarked. “It’s all about profits and answering to shareholders. A company is only as successful as its latest product. Results are measured in terms of dollars and cents instead of the number of lives saved or improved.” She pulled a loose string from the hem of her dress and twisted it between her fingers. “I remember a day John came home early. He poured himself a beer and went out back. I found him sitting by himself, staring at the sprinkler. On every rotation, water sprayed the tips of his shoes, but he didn’t seem to notice.”

  “Was something wrong?” Lea kept her voice even.

  Adele appeared lost in thought. “When I asked what was wrong, he shook his head and mumbled about being tired. I told him to get some rest if he had a poor night’s
sleep. He said it wasn’t the kind of tired that sleep could fix.”

  “What do you think he meant?”

  The woman shook her head. “I paid little attention. Figured a good dinner would set him right.” She set her mug on the table and dabbed at her lips with a tissue. “As it turned, out, there was more unusual behavior. Over the next two or three weeks, he worked late several nights. That’s typically required only at tax time.”

  Lea’s pulse raced. “Did he mention what he was working on?”

  “No, but he came home disgruntled every time.” Adele frowned. “I finally got fed up and told him to quit working overtime or improve his mood before he stepped through the door. I reminded him to be happy with the extra pay he’d be getting.”

  She sat back and folded her hands in her lap. “That was the strangest part. He told me he wouldn’t be paid for the extra hours.”

  A sense of urgency crawled up Lea’s spine. “Adele, if you know where your husband is, it’s important I speak with him.”

  The woman was surprised at Lea’s change of tone. “There’s nothing to worry about. He goes off every once in a while, usually fishing. Says it clears his head. I don’t mind. I do the same. Go visit my sister a few days. It helps to get a breather, a break from routine.”

  “Is your husband’s job stressful?”

  “If it is, he never shows it. He’s as placid as that lake where he goes fishing.”

  “How long has he been gone?” Lea pressed. “When did you last hear from him?”

  Adele took her time. When it came, the answer was guarded. “He came home Friday noon. The company typically closes early before a long weekend. But he went out again almost immediately. Said he had a meeting in Buena Viaje.”

  “Did he mention who the meeting was with?” Lea anticipated the answer.

  “Nope, but he called later all excited about a call from his boss. He said he had something to take care of first, but he’d tell me the good news at dinner.”

  “What time did he get home Friday night?”

  “He didn’t.” She twisted in her chair to avoid Lea’s eyes. “I told him I was going shopping. He called at a time he knew I’d be gone.” Her voice was whiny like a petulant child. “He didn’t even call my cell. He left a message on the home phone.”

  “What was the message?”

  Adele’s answer was vague. “That he would call in the next day or two.”

  “Did he say where he was going?”

  “Fishing.” She rubbed one hand over the other. “Funny thing, now that I think about it…”

  “What is it?” Lea tried to hide her impatience.

  “He didn’t take his fishing tackle.”

  “Did he tell you the good news?”

  “He didn’t say. I guess it slipped his mind.”

  “How did he sound?”

  “I told you, I didn’t talk to him.”

  “The message.” Lea tried to hide her anxiety. “How did he sound on the message?”

  “I can play it for you. I haven’t erased it.”

  They went to the hall where Adele pressed the replay button on the machine.

  Lea listened carefully. His wife’s assurance that there was nothing to worry about missed the mark by a mile. The voice on the line was wound tighter than a snake.

  Was John nervous about what he was planning to do, or something he’d already done?

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Tom arrived at the pharmaceuticals company by eleven o’clock. After receiving a text from Lea about John Simpson’s absence from home, Tom convinced John’s boss to meet on the holiday.

  He pulled up at the gate and held out his credentials. “I’m here to see Mark Anderson.”

  “He’s expecting you,” the guard said. “His office is in the far building. Look for a black Mercedes. You can’t miss it. It’s the only car here today. He’ll buzz you in.”

  Tom drove past three industrial buildings used for research and manufacturing. There was a basketball court next to a gymnasium and a smaller building with tables and chairs in front shaded by large umbrellas. A menu of daily specials dated three days earlier was posted on the window.

  Tom spotted the car in front of a three-story office building. He tapped the pad at the entrance, and the door clicked open.

  A fortyish man dressed in chinos and a polo shirt walked through the lobby. His toned physique suggested frequent visits to the gym and basketball court.

  “Welcome, Detective. Mark Anderson.” He extended a hand. “Come in. I’m trying to make coffee, but I’m struggling with the espresso-maker. My assistant usually takes care of these things.”

  “Don’t bother on my account. I had my limit of caffeine on the way.”

  “Then we can go directly to my office.” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Stairs or elevator? I’m on the third floor.”

  “Stairs,” Tom responded. He liked the guy for asking.

  “Me, too. I also park in the farthest spot in the lot at the mall. It drives my wife crazy.”

  They ran up the stairs two at a time. Neither man was winded when they reached the top landing.

  “You’re in good shape, Lieutenant.”

  “I have to be, in my line of work. Someone’s life could depend on it. You’re not in bad shape yourself.”

  “I have my father to thank. He thinks everyone’s life, at least quality of life, depends on good health and fitness. He’s a heart surgeon. I was brought up to respect my body and to keep it in the best shape possible. Healthy eating and exercise was a way of life at our house. I don’t know how many times I heard my father say that if people took proper care of themselves, he’d be out of a job.”

  “He sounds like a good role model.”

  “He’s the inspiration for this company. That’s what we’re about, improving health and quality of life.”

  The office at the end of the hall was spacious, but not showy, with understated, tasteful furnishings.

  “Please, make yourself comfortable,” Mark said, waving his arm toward a table and chairs. Rather than positioning himself behind his desk, he took a chair across from the detective.

  “I appreciate your seeing me on the holiday,” Tom said. “I hope it’s not an inconvenience for your family.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mark replied. “It won’t get me out of my duties at the grill. But you said it was a matter of life and death.”

  “There's been a murder. Now, we have a missing person.”

  “I’m happy to help, but I can’t imagine what either of those events has to do with me.”

  “I’m talking about John Simpson. His wife hasn’t heard from him for several days. Do you know where I can find him?”

  “John’s missing? That’s hard to believe.”

  “Is it out of character for him to take off without staying in touch?”

  “Completely. John would never do anything to worry Adele. He’s as reliable as Brady taking New England to the playoffs.”

  “Did he tell you his plans for the weekend?”

  “When I talked to him Friday morning, he said he and Adele might drive up the coast, but they had nothing special planned.” He considered a moment before adding, “He left at noon with the other employees. That was unusual. I usually have to kick him out the day before a three-day weekend. He’s inclined to put in a full day, like any other workday of the year.”

  “How did he seem when you talked to him?”

  “Let me think.” Mark stared out the window. “He seemed rather high-strung, now that you ask. He’s usually as composed as the Patriots’ coach the day of the big game.”

  “What about before the weekend? Unusual behavior lately?”

  “Not really. Things have been strained for all of us the last several months, but not for John any more than the rest of us.”

  “Strained how?”

  “Our stock took a beating last year, and the investors have been screaming for blood. We’ve got a winner now, though
, so things are easing up.”

  “Why would the stock affect Simpson one way or the other?”

  “It wasn’t the stock, but the pressure to develop new products. John complained that the man in charge of product development rushed things in getting our latest discovery on the shelves.”

  “Did you have the same concern?”

  “Not really. It appeared to be a tortoise and hare scenario. Those two have butted heads since Glen came on board.”

  “Glen?”

  Mark walked to his desk and pulled out a card which he handed to Tom. “Glen Jacobson. Director of Product Development.”

  Mark resumed his seat and continued his explanation. “John’s the slow, steady type. Glen moves at a faster pace than we’re used to, that’s all. But it’s working. The stock is skyrocketing and the investors are thrilled.”

  “Did John have any other complaints? How long has he been with the company?”

  “As long as I can remember.”

  “But he’s head of accounting, not Chief Financial Officer.”

  “We’ve never had that position in our company. John’s our top financial guy.”

  “Maybe it’s not enough. To a lot of men, title is everything.”

  “John’s not like that.”

  “So you think. He could be meeting with headhunters. Looking for a CFO position with another company.”

  Mark shook his head and folded his arms across his chest. “I’m sure that’s not the case.”

  “How can you be certain?”

  “Because I called him Friday afternoon and gave him the good news. I hoped to do it before he left for the weekend, but confirmation didn’t come through earlier from the Board of Directors.”

  “What news?”

  “He’s been promoted to full partner with stock options and profit-sharing. If he wants a title, I can make that happen as well. But sharing profits in the pharmaceutical field far exceeds titles in most other companies.” He leaned back with a satisfied look on his face. “If anything, I would think John’s off celebrating his promotion.”

  “Without his wife?” Tom asked.

  Mark shrugged. “Speaking of wives, is there anything else I can help you with? My own wife’s patience will be running out.”