by Rayna Morgan
“But stealing the necklace might lead to your discovery as a murderer,” Lea said. “Didn’t you consider that?”
“It all happened so fast,” Mark responded. “I’ve bought enough jewelry for my wife over the years to see it was worth a lot of money. I grabbed it without thinking what I’d do with it. Driving home, I realized the necklace could be a way to break my father’s hold once and for all. If I used it to finance drug research, I wouldn’t need more money from him.
“But when I heard you at the buffet table saying the police were looking for the necklace, I knew I had to get rid of it. I came to my office not realizing you’d followed me.”
“I didn’t follow you looking for the necklace,” Lea told him. “I only wanted to talk about stocks.”
Tom pulled Mark to his feet. “It ended by being the necklace that led to the murderer, not the stocks.”
Consuela’s curse, Lea thought.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Tom strolled into the bar, sending Maddy’s pulse racing. She waved from her place on the patio. The same table where she and Eric sat Friday night, an eternity ago.
By habit, he leaned over to kiss her cheek, but stopped himself and took a seat instead.
“When I set up this dinner with Lea and Paul, I gave them a later time,” she confessed. “I wanted a chance to talk to you.”
A small smile played on Tom’s lips. “I called Paul and told him to make sure they’re late.”
Tom molded his frame into the wicker chair and stretched his legs in front of him. They relaxed for several moments, watching surfers catch the last waves of the day.
“How come you don’t surf, Tom?” Maddy asked, an attempt at idle chatter. “When we first met, I thought from your looks you did it for a living.”
“Not for me. I prefer active sports. Lying on a board for hours waiting for a wave isn’t my definition of active.”
A waitress approached with a frosty mug and a glass of wine on her tray.
“I ordered for you,” Maddy explained.
“You know what I like,” Tom responded, “or at least you used to.”
“Enjoy, folks” the waitress said, placing the drinks in front of them. She moved on to the next table.
Maddy raised her glass. “Congrats on solving your case.”
He tapped her glass with his mug. “Thanks to you and Lea.”
“I’m sorry you had to put up with Eric. Never in a thousand years would I have imagined that situation.”
“It had its moments,” he responded vaguely.
“Maybe a moment or two when you wanted to lock the guy away and never hear from him again?”
He measured his words. “I wanted him to be innocent for your sake more than I wanted him to be guilty for mine.”
Maddy considered his sentiment. It made her smile.
“I imagine you’re getting kudos at the station.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Tom said. His expression grew more serious. “Everyone can think I’m a hero, but when you and I aren’t right, I feel lousy.”
“I agree. The last several days have been hard,” Maddy said.
“Murder always is,” he answered coldly.
“I mean being mad at each other. With us not being us.”
Tom traced the foam down the side of his glass before licking it from his finger. His eyes narrowed as he struggled to express himself. “I know. Besides being suspended from my job, nothing has felt right. Everything's been off kilter.”
Maddy tried to lighten the mood. “Like shopping on-line. Something looks perfect on the screen, but when it comes, the material is flimsy, the sleeves are too long, and the color makes me look contagious.”
The grin Maddy had missed seeing broke through like the errant sun on the last day of the holiday. “Yeah.” Tom said. “Like that, I guess.”
She snapped her fingers. “Like going on vacation, and the place isn’t the way it looked in the brochure.”
Tom pointed at her and his smile widened. “The resort in Mexico where the beach was swarming with sand fleas—”
“There were mosquitoes the size of sand dollars.”
“Our hotel room was next to a swimming pool filled with screaming kids.”
“And the air conditioning didn’t work.”
They laughed until they wiped tears from their eyes.
“We still had fun,” Tom said.
“Yeah, we did.”
Tom brought himself out of his reverie. “When that happens, you feel cheated, disappointed in some way, but you make do the best you can.”
“Like keeping the dress,” Maddy mused, “because it’s too much bother to send it back.”
He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table. “I feel like I’m just making do when things aren’t right between us.”
“You mean, when we aren’t talking every day and spending time together.”
“Yeah. I feel short-changed, like I’m missing out on things being as good as they could be.”
“Me, too. But who knows? Maybe the experience changed things for the better.”
“You think so?” he asked.
“It’s true for me,” she said.
“What’s changed?”
“It helped me see that my fears about a relationship come from not understanding why my marriage failed. Now I know I didn’t fail, I just didn’t give myself a chance to succeed. I didn’t know myself well enough to stop from being absorbed into another person’s world.”
“You know yourself better now?”
“Yeah, I do. I know who I am, and where I want to be.”
“Are you someone who wants to be in a relationship,” Tom asked, “because I don’t want to waste any more time accepting less than the best my life can be. In my mind, that’s not a one-man job. It takes two.”
“I hear what you’re saying. I’ve been afraid to make another mistake, to be hurt again.”
“Are you over that?”
“I’d hate to go through another break-up, but it’s not something I worry about because I know what to look for in a relationship now. Someone to support me no matter who I become as I grow, who won't keep me trapped in a role. Someone I can trust when things are out of my control.”
He leaned forward and placed one hand over hers. “I want to be that person for you, Mad. I don’t want to end up losing you the way Eric did. I think I’ve learned enough about you and me to make sure that won’t happen.”
She pulled her hand away and twirled a strand of hair in her fingers. “Are you sure, Tom?”
“What are you worried about?” he asked.
“I wonder if you’re capable of trusting someone. Sometimes, I’m afraid you’ve quit believing in people. That’s no basis for a long-term relationship.”
“I admit to being cynical at times.” His voice hardened. “That comes from being around the block a few times. I can’t erase the things I’ve seen, or what I’ve seen people do to each other.”
He held up his hand when she started to speak. “I also admit that I’m more comfortable in my job than I am in personal relationships. That’s why I only let you, Paul, and Lea get close. But to do my job well, I can’t let my emotions show.”
“Not showing emotions,” Maddy told him, “can throw a monkey wrench in a relationship.”
“I realize I have to go deeper with us, open up more than I do in my work.” He studied his hands. “I watched Eric’s interaction with you. With any woman. I don’t want to end up with his kind of superficial relationships.”
She remained silent while he composed his thoughts.
He finally looked up. “Do you think our relationship can work?”
“I’m not sure. I’m only sure we have a better chance now than we’ve ever had.” She tossed her long hair. “Anyway, there’s no sense worrying about whether it will work or not. When a problem comes up, we’ll have to decide whether to make it work.”
Shading the sun from her eyes, she added, “
Do you remember talking about betting and stock plays?”
“Yeah.”
She stretched her arm across the table and ran her fingers up his arm. “I’d say you and I are a sure bet.”
Tom grinned and drained his glass. “I’m not a betting man, but I’ll drink to that.”
* * *
Lea stopped Paul in the lobby. “Give me a moment.”
She walked to the reception desk where Amber was working. “I hear you’re being considered for a permanent job.”
“Thanks to you, Lea,” Amber beamed. “The manager told me I had an outstanding reference, a good personality, and the potential to be a great employee.”
“I only furnished the reference. All the rest is your doing. The manager is right.” She pointed to a picture captioned Employee of the Month. “I expect to see your picture there soon.”
She joined Paul, and they continued to the bar.
“Nice work, babe,” her husband said, squeezing her hand. “I’m proud of you.”
“No prouder than I am of her.”
Maddy and Tom met them before they reached the patio.
“Let’s cut to the chase and go for eats,” Maddy said. “I’m hungry. Since I’m in better company this time, I’ll enjoy the meal. I hear the hotel’s interior decorator has impeccable taste.” Her words trailed over her shoulder as she led the way to the dining room.
“Congrats on your new account,” Paul said. “At least something good came out of this weekend.”
“More than one thing,” Lea said, winking at Amber as they passed the front desk.
After placing their order, they lifted their glass in a toast.
“To the successful conclusion of another case,” Lea said.
“I’ll gladly drink to that,” Tom assured her. “Especially the conclusion part.”
He tapped glasses with Maddy and they smiled at each other.
“It looks like the air has cleared between you two,” Lea noted. “That’s a relief. It made for an uncomfortable weekend.”
“It might have been less tense,” Tom pointed out, “if you’d clued me in about going to the party. What was your plan? If you didn’t know Mark had the necklace, why did you want to talk to him?”
“After Maddy got access to stock transactions at Eric’s firm—”Lea began.
“That’s probably something I shouldn’t hear about,” Tom moaned. “Dare I ask if you had permission to access those records?”
Maddy chewed her fingernail. “Let’s just say, the information came through Eric.”
Tom held up his hand. “I don’t want to know more.”
Paul intervened by asking his wife the next question. “What did you learn from the records? Were you searching for brokers with clients invested in D & M?”
“That’s what I was after initially,” Lea said. She paused while the waitress served their meal. “During my review, I noticed that Mark’s father held a large block of D & M stock.”
“It’s not unusual for a father to buy stock in his son’s company,” Paul observed.
“But, considering what was in the works…” Lea said, excitement mounting in her voice.
“Mark’s father stood to lose a fortune,” Paul grasped, “by the panic selling Simpson’s information would create.”
“So Mark was trying to protect his father from a huge financial loss,” Tom concluded.
“That was my first assumption,” Lea agreed, “until I put together what we talked about at Barney’s with an unusual transaction that caught my eye.”
“Are you referring to our discussion about short sales?” Paul asked.
“I realized the son’s intention was quite the opposite from protecting his father. He wanted his father to be wiped out.”
“My head’s spinning,” Maddy grumbled. “Explain yourself.”
“First, Mark told his father about the negative test results and how Glen Jacobson ordered a substitution for the bad batch.”
“Stop right there,” Tom argued. “What made you think Mark knew about Glen’s actions? When I met with him, he denied knowledge of any problems.”
“I practiced what Dad taught me. When a suspect tells you something, assume the opposite.”
“I see what you mean,” Tom said. “Mark’s knowing about the problem puts a whole different slant on things. I may have been too quick to accept what he told me.”
“It’s not like you to take a man at his word,” Paul observed. “Especially on a case.”
“A lot of things about this case were out of character for me,” Tom said, looking at Maddy.
“But, babe,” Paul asked, “what made you think Mark’s relationship with his father was other than what he presented?”
“Think about when you ask me if I’m upset about something. I tell you everything is fine, but—”
“I find out later you’re doing a slow burn,” Paul finished. He turned to the others. “Yeah, I can vouch for that.”
Lea turned to Tom. “When I applied Dad’s warning to how Mark described his father to you…”
“You realized he didn’t look up to his father at all,” Tom finished. “He despised him.”
“I still don’t see how he set up his father to lose a bundle,” Maddy complained.
“Mark told his father about the problems with the new product under the pretense of seeking his advice. Instead of providing counsel, his father was furious that Mark’s company was in jeopardy and his reputation might be tarnished.
"But Mark knew how his father would ultimately react. Concern for his son’s welfare was quickly outweighed by the possibility of a short play worth millions.”
“Which leads us to the unusual transaction that caught your eye,” Paul predicted.
“Mark’s father borrowed a huge block of shares and sold them at the current market price,” Lea told them. “All he needed to do was sit back and wait for the stock to plunge. He’d buy the stock back at a much lower price, return it to the lender, and make a bundle.”
“On the other side of the coin,” Paul reasoned, “Mark had to make sure the stock kept going up. That meant not letting negative information come out before his father was ruined.”
“You mean Mark hated his father so much he wanted to destroy him?” Maddy asked.
“Mark knew his company faced almost certain ruin based on the consequences of the bad batch and subsequent lawsuits,” Tom deduced. “He also knew he’d never hear the end of it from his father. He basically gave up, but decided to take his father down with him.”
“The worst part,” Lea reminded them, “is that no one cared about the lives put at risk by Glen Jacobson’s mishandling of the bad drug. Instead of correcting the situation, they were only interested in profiting from it.”
“And an innocent person lost her life because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Maddy observed, contempt apparent in her tone.
“I don’t know that you can call Kim innocent,” Tom said. “Thieves and cons are in a dangerous line of work.”
“The important thing is that solving the case has exposed problems with the drug,” Paul pointed out. “With the CEO of the company indicted for murder, the wheels will fall off quickly. The whole ugly story will be exposed and the FDA will have to speed up an investigation.”
“I admit my hands were tied on this case,” Tom said. “Not only because of my suspension, but dealing with federal violations is out of our bailiwick. It would have been almost impossible to prove the murder based on the stock scheme. With Cranston heading the investigation, chances are the murder would have ended up in a stack of unsolved cases. Finding Mark in possession of the necklace cinched the case.”
No one spoke for several moments.
“The paintings are beautiful, Sis,” Lea said, looking around the room. Her eyes stopped on a picture of the pier. “That’s my favorite.”
Maddy acknowledged the compliment with a bow. “Speaking of beautiful pieces, how did Francisco feel about
you recovering the necklace?”
“To show his gratitude, he’s given us the use of Castillo Adobe for a special event. We’d have to arrange for catering, of course, but Francisco will provide the stage and a dance floor. He’ll throw in a band for good measure.”
“I’d like to see the Adobe,” Maddy said. “Believe it or not, I’ve never been inside.”
“Wait, I’ve got pictures,” Lea exclaimed, as she reached into her bag. “I took some when Francisco offered.”
“It's a great place for a birthday party,” Paul said. He winked at his wife. “Or an anniversary.”
“Get Barney for the food,” Tom suggested.
Lea adjusted the ipad and handed it to her sister. “It’s a perfect setting for a wedding.”
Maddy blushed and rolled her eyes.
Lea leaned over and whispered in Paul’s ear, “Should we tell them about the ghosts?”
* * * * *
CONTINUE READING FOR AN EXCERPT OF
MURDER AT THE PIER
Book 1 in the Sister Sleuths Mystery Series
Order MURDER AT THE PIER Today
Lea and the dogs started the day in the doghouse. The only way to get out was to promise Paul that their sleuthing escapades were over. But could Lea keep that promise? The answer came that night in the form of a dead body the dogs found under the Pier.
- - - - -
She got out of the car at the corner to get a better view. Her heart skipped a beat. Mrs. Allen was right. There were lights in the house, and a black van was parked in the driveway with the loading doors open.
Her neighbor was right about something else. It wouldn't be the owners of the house at this time of night in the dark.
"Hurry up, Miguel," a voice hollered. "We're done here. We'll be late for the meet."
"Come on guys, we're out of here, too," Lea summoned the dogs. Hearing the urgency in his master’s voice, Spirit stopped rooted to the spot, but Gracie's instincts kicked in. She went racing toward the site, barking loudly.
The commotion aroused an instantaneous reaction. Two hooded figures came running out of the house, glancing frantically in all directions before racing to the van. Not bothering to secure the back doors, one jumped in the driver's seat and revved the engine while the other jumped into the passenger side.
