Cozy Suburbs Mystery Box Set

by Lisa B. Thomas

  “Yes. I was running out of money. I was desperate. Ray was threatening to tell David.” Tears welled in her eyes for the first time. “There’s more. You see, I was afraid I’d lose him. I wasn’t sure he loved me enough to stay with me if he found out what I had been.”

  “Not what you’d been, but what you did. They’re two different things.” Deena was surprised by the words coming from her mouth. She felt empathy for Wendy. “Making a mistake doesn’t make you a bad person.”

  Wendy sniffed back the tears. “Anyway, when I heard he was dead, a part of me was glad—relieved. I’m not proud of it, but it’s the truth.”

  “So, you didn’t kill him?” Deena asked.

  Ian shot Deena another look, followed by a clearing of his throat. “Of course she didn’t.”

  “Of course I didn’t! I may have been desperate, but I could never take another person’s life.”

  Deena believed her. Just like that, all the doubt and suspicion melted away and was replaced by sympathy and understanding. Who hadn’t been in a position where desperation overcame reason? Where picking between two bad choices was the only course of action?

  Ian drew a line across the bottom of his notes. “Under the circumstances, we need to start planning your defense. That means we need to know everything that happened leading up to Ray’s body being found. The mayor is pressuring Guttman to solve this case quick. He’s not going to waste time if he thinks you are guilty.”

  Deena leaned forward. “Start with the morning of the Halloween carnival. I heard you and Ray had an argument.”

  “How do you know about that?” Wendy asked.

  “I talked to Charlie Abbott last night. I can fill you in on more of the details later. What were you two arguing about?”

  “At first I was mad because he wouldn’t help us set up. As the church custodian, that’s part of his job. He said he didn’t need to work now that I was his ‘sugar mama.’ Ugh. He gives—gave—me creeps. Anyway, I told him I needed a key to get back in the building when we were coming back at five o’clock. I didn’t trust him to be there to let us in.”

  “Smart girl,” Deena said.

  “He refused to give me one. Said he would be there to open up, and that I better have more money for him.”

  “Is that all? Did you bring the money when you came back?” Deena asked.

  “I had seventy-five dollars in my purse. I planned on giving it to him when I saw him, but I never saw him. The back door was unlocked when I got there. I turned on the light and let in Charlie and Stephanie. Then I went inside the church to find Helen Abbott.”

  “What time was that? She’ll make a good witness.” Ian jotted a note.

  “Actually, I never found her. Darlene, she’s the church secretary, said Mrs. Abbott had been called away to work at the hospital. That was a few minutes after five. I left after that. My agreement was to help with the decorations. They knew I wasn’t staying around for the carnival.”

  “Okay,” Ian said. “We’ll talk to Darlene.”

  “That’s about the time I got there,” Deena said. “I asked someone if they’d seen you. She said she saw you over by the portable building. She’s another witness to your whereabouts.”

  “Well that explains the time period until one o’clock and at five, but obviously Ray died between those times,” Ian said. “What did you do during that four-hour gap?”

  “I was at the warehouse working on inventory. I’m selling the business.”

  “Did anyone see you there?” Deena asked.

  “No. Cindy, my assistant, is buying the business. We decided it would be a conflict of interest for her to help with inventory. Not that I don’t trust her, but the bank is giving her a hard time about the loan. We want everything to be on the up and up.”

  “That’s a problem,” Ian said. “You have no witnesses for your whereabouts in the afternoon.”

  “What about phone calls or text messages? Couldn’t we get the records?” Deena asked.

  “I don’t think I talked to anyone.” Wendy pulled her phone out of her purse. “I’ll look through my calls to check.”

  “Good,” Ian said. “In fact, not having an alibi can often be the best alibi.”

  “What do you mean?” Wendy asked.

  Deena jumped in. “It means you didn’t try to come up with an alibi to cover yourself for the time of the murder. Some people do random things to make sure it looks like they couldn’t possibly have been present at the time of death. Those are the very cover-ups that trip some guilty people up.” She turned to her boss. “Ian taught me that.”

  It was a perfect Mr. Miyagi moment. Wax on. Wax off.

  Ian grinned. “That’s right. Now, I want you to go home and make a list of everything you did that day in as much detail as possible. Don’t leave anything out. We’re going to let Guttman know he has to go through me if he wants to talk to you. We are going to gather some statements and see if we can find out where Guttman is in his investigation.”

  Wendy stood up and shook hands with Ian. “Thank you both so much.” She turned to Deena. “Thank you for believing me.”

  “Of course,” Deena said. “One more thing. Don’t talk to Dan Carson or anyone from the Tribune. If I know Dan, he’ll be waiting on your doorstep when you get home.”

  “Okay, thanks.” Wendy picked up her purse and left the office.

  Ian shut the door and turned to Deena. “You do believe her, don’t you? What changed your mind?”

  “I could just see it in her eyes. I felt it in my gut.”

  “Yesterday your gut told you that the human race was evil and everyone was capable of murder.”

  “True. I guess I was wrong. I think I had let the cynicism take over.”

  “It’s easy to do in this business, but I’m glad to see that you’re back on track. We can’t let the mayor’s political ambitions railroad an innocent girl into an arduous trial. Can you talk to Dan at the newspaper? Do you think we can keep her name out of the press? It would be a shame for her fiancé to find out about everything this close to the wedding, especially after all she’s done to protect him.”

  Deena remembered Julius Dunbar, and her stomach lurched. “Oh, yeah. I have to tell you about last night. You better sit down. This case is about to get a little more complicated.”

  “Okay, but make it quick. I’ve got to be in court in an hour.”

  “I don’t know if her fiancé, David, knows what’s going on, but I guarantee his father does.”

  “What?” Ian leaned back in his chair. “Spill it.”

  “Last night, a tall, dark stranger came to the door. His name was Julius Dunbar...”

  Chapter 14

  Detective Linus Guttman had only lived in Maycroft a few months, but he and Deena had already worked together several times. She was hoping to use the connection to convince him to share some details of the case. She headed straight to the police station after leaving Ian’s office.

  Just as she was pulling into the parking lot, she saw the detective walking to his car. She didn’t hesitate to follow him.

  After just a few blocks, he pulled into a small diner on Palm Street and went inside.

  She wasn’t sure if he was there on official business or to order breakfast, so she gave him a few minutes before she entered the café. He sat at the bar, nursing a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper. She sidled up to him and sat on the next stool, signaling for the waitress to bring her coffee.

  When Guttman looked up and saw who it was, a noticeable grimace came over his face. “Not you again. Give me a break.”

  Deena laughed and turned on the charm. “Hah, you know you’re excited to see me. How long has it been? Two months? Three?”

  “More like two days since you weaseled your way into the victim’s house.” Guttman took a drag on his coffee cup and clanked it down on the counter. “Not long enough. That’s for sure.”

  “I suppose you know why I’m here.”

  “Don’t tell
me. Ian Davis is representing Wendy Fairmont, and you’re poking around to see if I will tell you anything.”

  “You see,” Deena said, “that’s why you are Maycroft’s number one detective. Nothing gets past you.”

  “Especially you,” he said and shuffled on his stool, turning away from her.

  “Now that’s not too friendly, Detective. In the South, a gentleman always takes a lady’s hand.”

  “Not when that lady is trying to pickpocket the gentleman.”

  “Well, I’m not here for your money, just information.”

  “That’s even worse. You know I’m not going to tell you anything, so why bother asking?”

  “You know how it is, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

  “I don’t have an itch.” He folded his newspaper and set it on the counter as the waitress laid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him.

  “Sure you do. I know that Mayor Thornhill is all over your back trying to get you to solve a murder that may not even have happened. That’s got to make you antsy.”

  Guttman shoveled food into his mouth, seemingly oblivious to Deena’s goading.

  She could tell she had struck a nerve when she mentioned Mayor Thornhill. “What if you make an arrest in this case and then find out your victim died of natural causes? Who’s going to look like a fool then? You or Thornhill? I guarantee the mayor won’t take the fall for that mistake.”

  “That’s the first smart thing you’ve said, Mrs. Sharpe. But let’s assume there was a murder. Your client is looking awfully guilty.”

  “Based on what evidence?”

  “Being blackmailed when you’re about to marry into one of the richest families in Texas can make a person do some crazy things. I’d be looking at shoring up her alibi if I were you.”

  “Who says she was being blackmailed?” Deena tried to sound shocked.

  “We found the pictures in the file at Ray’s house. You know, the file you pulled out when you were looking for the ‘veterinary records’ in his desk.” Guttman wiped his mouth on his napkin. “I’m tempted to charge you with interfering in an investigation.”

  Deena ignored the idle threat. She knew the detective had more to worry about than her. She decided to take another calculated risk. “There were more files in that drawer than just Wendy’s. Did anything else turn up?”

  “That’s confidential information, obviously. What are you implying?”

  “Just that our client may not have been the only person Mr. Brewster had a file on. Are you investigating any other individuals? We sure would hate to see a rush to judgment in this case.”

  Apparently, that last comment hit a nerve, too. Guttman’s face reddened and a vein popped out of his forehead. “Look here, Mrs. Sharpe. You are treading on thin ice now. You had no business looking in that drawer. I can assure you, I am following every possible lead in this case.” He reached in his pocket, threw money on the counter, and stood up to leave.

  Deena stood in front of him. “Facts are facts, Detective Guttman. And the fact is, there was at least one other person’s file in that desk drawer. Whether or not I was supposed to see it is not the question. I just want our client to get a fair shake.”

  “Oh, she’ll get what’s coming to her, I guarantee you that. As for other leads, we’re checking everyone out.”

  “Everyone?” Deena asked. “Even Reverend Abbott?”

  Guttman clinched his jaw tight as he stormed out of the café.

  Without really thinking it through, Deena had just opened up a new can of worms.

  “CAN I HAVE THIS COFFEE to go?” Deena asked the waitress at the counter.

  “Sure thing, honey. Let me get you a cup with a lid.”

  Deena’s phone rang. It was Sandra.

  Less than a minute later she was in the car headed to the thrift shop. Sandra had said not to hurry, but when your friend says she might be in labor, that’s exactly what you do. Deena had tried to convince her to call Ian, but Sandra said she knew he was in court and didn’t want to bother him in case it was a false alarm.

  Deena tried to slow her breathing and appear calm as she entered the shop. The familiar jingle of the bell on the door signaled her arrival, and Sandra walked calmly from the back storage room with her purse in hand.

  “Do you have everything you need?” Deena asked. “Are you sure we shouldn’t call an ambulance?”

  “The hospital is like two minutes from here,” Sandra said. “Don’t be silly.”

  Deena wondered how she could be so calm at a moment like this. This was Deena’s first experience with birthing babies, and her hands were shaking as she held open the door.

  “Thanks for coming. It’s probably a false alarm. After all, I’m not due for another three weeks. But the doctor said I should come in just to be safe.”

  “I’m glad you called,” Deena said. She tried to maintain a steady speed, feeling like a teenager taking her driving test. “I wish you would let me call Ian. He’s going to kill us when he finds out you went to the hospital without telling him.”

  “I’ll handle Ian, don’t you worry. I will call him if anything happens.” Sandra made a slight gasping sound and laid her hand on her stomach.

  “Oh my gosh! Is it coming? Should I pull over?”

  “Heavens no,” she said. “It’s just a little cramp. Keep your eyes on the road.”

  Deena steadied the wheel and picked up her speed. She imagined herself trying to deliver a baby in her SUV. She’d seen it done on plenty of television shows, but this was real life, and she couldn’t imagine what it would do to her leather upholstery.

  Finally, she pulled into the emergency room entrance and jumped out of the car. “Hold on,” she said, “let me get you a wheelchair.”

  “Pish posh. I can walk just fine.”

  But when the nurse at the front counter saw Sandra waddle in, she yelled for an attendant to get a wheelchair. Before Deena could blink twice, Sandra had been whisked away, and Deena was in the waiting room filling out forms. She used her phone to write down Sandra’s address, resisting the urge to call Rob at the office to notify Ian. She had promised Sandra she would wait to hear from the doctor.

  Deena waited impatiently for what seemed hours, but in reality was only about thirty minutes. An attendant came to the waiting room and called her name.

  “Everything is fine. You can come back now and see your friend.”

  The antiseptic smell and bright lights were familiar surroundings to Deena, who had had her fair share of emergency room visits in the last few years.

  When the attendant pulled back the curtain, Sandra was sitting on the edge of the bed texting on her phone. She was fully dressed.

  “Are you okay? What’s going on?” Deena had expected to see a flurry of medical activity.

  “False alarm,” Sandra said. “Apparently, it was just a stomach ache from the Mexican food I ate last night.”

  “That’s good news, right? We didn’t want the baby to come this soon.”

  “Speak for yourself.” Sandra grimaced. “I’m more than ready to push this puppy out. But seriously, it’s a good thing I’m not in labor yet.”

  A nurse came in and brushed past Deena. “Here are the discharge papers for you to sign, Mrs. Davis.”

  Deena recognized the woman’s voice before she saw the face. “Helen? Glad to see you,” Deena said.

  Helen Abbott, the reverend’s wife, turned around and smiled at Deena.

  “Oh, hey,” she said. “Nice to see you here without having to x-ray or stitch you up for a change.”

  “That’s for sure. Thanks for taking care of my friend.”

  The attendant came back in and started fiddling with the machines and monitors that hovered around the bed.

  “I don’t know if there’s a full moon or what,” Helen said, “but this last week has been crazy.”

  “Maybe it has something to do with Halloween,” Deena said. “You missed all the excitement at the carnival on Saturday.
I heard you were working. That must’ve been a wild night.”

  “Um, yeah. It was.”

  The attendant unplugged the monitor. “Saturday night was like a never-ending zombie invasion. But you weren’t here, Helen.”

  “Oh, um...” Helen snatched the clipboard from Sandra. “You are free to go, Mrs. Davis.” She turned and hurried out of the exam room.

  The attendant turned to Deena. “It’s easy to get your days and nights mixed up around here. I’m sure she was just confused.”

  Was she confused, Deena wondered, or was it something else?

  “THANKS FOR COMING TO my rescue,” Sandra said, as they headed for Deena’s car. “I need to get back to the shop.”

  “No way, missy,” Deena said. “You’re going home and lying down. The doctor said to get some rest.”

  Sandra screwed up her face. “At least take me back there to get my car.”

  “I don’t trust you. You can get your car later. I’m taking you straight home.”

  Obviously, Sandra’s defenses were down because she gave in. “At least say you’ll come by the shop tomorrow and let me finish showing you how to process new inventory.” She patted her belly. “This baby could come anytime now, and we need to be ready.”

  Deena agreed.

  Sandra seemed to relax. “How are things going with the Brewster case? Any leads?”

  Deena wasn’t sure how much she should say. After all, Sandra could get information from Ian if he wanted to tell her. “You know how it is, lots of leads and dead ends. It’s a process.”

  “Sounds like code for ‘mind your own business’ to me,” Sandra laughed. “I get the same kind of answers from Ian when he’s being tightlipped about a case.”

  Deena pulled up in front of Sandra’s house and helped to get her settled in. The two women had been friends for many years, but had grown closer since Deena retired from teaching three years earlier.

  After making sure Sandra had plenty to eat and drink, Deena turned her car toward town and headed for the courthouse. Ian should be out of court soon, and she wanted to be there to tell him about Sandra’s trip to the emergency room.