The Deadline Series Boxset

by Wendy Soliman

  Traitor!

  However, there was no one she would prefer to have help find out what happened to Juliette, if that was his reason for staying. Alexi chose to believe that it was, vindicating her decision to let him share her cottage. He knew how the police worked but no longer being an officer meant he could short-circuit the system and didn’t have to jump through all the hoops that serving officers were obliged to negotiate. He’d proved his ability to think outside the box on the Parker case and saw angles that didn’t occur to anyone else.

  Keep telling yourself that, Alexi.

  Why she was already thinking about conducting her own investigation she couldn’t have said. Vickery seemed proficient, but would be under pressure to get a result so might cut corners. Besides, there would be a story in this. She was in the right place to get the inside scoop, just as she’d been on the Parker case. She wanted to ensure it was told right and that Hopgood House came out of it in the best possible light. That gave her a legitimate excuse to talk to the other contestants and members of the production team.

  You could take the journalist out of London…

  ‘You okay?’ Ty asked as she fired up the engine and negotiated her way around all the emergency vehicles still clustered in the parking area and on the verges of the narrow road. ‘Sorry, damned fool question. Of course you’re not.’

  A uniformed policeman held up his hand to stop Alexi while two police cars, still with lights flashing, moved out of her way. She didn’t answer Ty until she was waved on.

  ‘I feel angry and physically sick, since you ask,’ she said, changing into third and taking the road too fast for the conditions. She slowed fractionally. ‘Who would want to do this? Why us and why now? I don’t mean to sound hard-hearted,’ she added, sighing. ‘I didn’t like Juliette but didn’t wish her dead. Still, I can’t help thinking about Cheryl and Drew. I really thought we’d got the hotel moving in the right direction. Now we’re going to get a ton of negative publicity and I expect the series will have to be cancelled if they don’t catch the killer right away.’ She inhaled sharply. ‘Or if the killer does turn out to be Marcel.’

  ‘Let’s wait and see. Being a cynic, I’d say the station will publicly mourn Juliette’s loss but privately revel in all the publicity, which equates to viewing figures, which equates to sponsorship. The studio will put a positive spin on it. Make Juliette into some sort of martyr and the viewing public will lap it up. Whatever, they won’t rush into cancelling and probably hope the police will find the killer quickly, making it unnecessary for them to do so. Either way, I don’t envy Vickery all that pressure.’

  ‘Well, I suppose…’ Alexi tilted her head as she considered what they had learned so far. ‘If she was killed by someone who has nothing to do with Lambourn then I guess it won’t harm us too much.’

  ‘What are the chances of a local being involved? I know you’re thinking Marcel, and hating that you are because you don’t want to believe it’s him. But you can’t entirely ignore that the evidence all points his way, either. Still, let’s not jump to conclusions.’

  ‘Hmm.’

  She didn’t say anything more until they arrived at her cottage, feeling awkward with Ty. She didn’t understand why he’d suddenly appeared back in her life tonight of all nights and was surprised by just how much she wanted him to stick around, which annoyed her. Alexi had always been self-sufficient and this newly discovered needy side didn’t sit well with her.

  ‘Got anything stronger than tea?’ Ty asked when she’d parked up, unlocked the front door and switched on the lights.

  ‘I’ll find alcohol, you bank up the fire.’

  ‘Deal.’

  ‘Might as well carry on the way we started,’ she said, returning to the small living room a short time later clutching a bottle of brandy and two glasses.

  ‘When did you start doing log fires?’ he asked, adding fuel to the dwindling blaze.

  ‘I’m a local girl now. Have to follow the country code.’

  ‘So I see.’ He glanced down at her UGG boots and raised a brow.

  ‘Hey, when in Rome. It’s too frigging cold to care about fashion. Anyway, regarding the fire, I have a neighbour who delivers logs to the door. I said I’d give it a try and find I like having open fires. I enjoy the smell.’ She poured the drinks and handed him one. ‘Never thought I’d want to bother with the mess. Just goes to show.’

  Why was she blathering on about fires when a young girl had just lost her life? She threw herself into the corner of the couch, still nursing her drink, kicked off her boots and tucked her feet beneath her backside. He took the chair across from her, stretched his long legs out and smiled that infuriatingly sexy smile of his. Cosmo jostled with him for space in front of the fire but didn’t attack Ty’s legs to get the best spot.

  Definitely a traitor.

  ‘Cheers,’ he said, raising his glass.

  ‘To Juliette,’ she replied. ‘I wonder what the hell she got herself into that cost her her life. I find it hard to believe that anyone would actually kill her and try to frame Marcel. All to win a silly contest or top the ratings.’

  ‘You don’t believe what you just said. Not really. And certainly not after all you’ve seen and heard in your years as a journalist.’

  ‘No, I suppose I don’t.’ She sighed. ‘The extremes people are prepared to go to for the most nefarious of reasons never fails to astonish me.’

  ‘Anyway, finding out the who, how and why is Vickery’s problem.’

  ‘It could be ours. If he’s decided that Marcel’s the villain it will take the pressure off him. But I know Marcel and all his faults and the only things that boy is guilty of is bad judgement and a worse temper.’ Alexi frowned. ‘Do I think he’s capable of killing someone?’ She wavered her hand from side to side. ‘Possibly, in the heat of the moment. Do I think he would be daft enough to off someone and then frame himself?’ This time she shook her head decisively. ‘Not a snowball’s chance in hell. Marcel is many things, but he’s nobody’s fool. I’ve never been his greatest fan, in spite of his brilliance with food. I can’t abide prima donnas. But in spite of that, I don’t think he did this.’

  ‘Vickery won’t jump to conclusions and neither should we.’ Ty took a sip of his drink, watching her over the rim of his glass as the fiery liquid warmed his oesophagus. ‘Tell me what it’s really been like with the filming going on.’

  ‘Tense. Juliette might have had a vulnerable side, like Cheryl suggested, but none of the rest of us ever saw it. She made no effort to play nice with the other contestants on or off camera and was at pains to set everyone at loggerheads.’

  ‘The sort of person who thrives on conflict?’

  Alexi screwed up her nose. ‘And being the centre of attention. I didn’t like her much and the feeling was mutual.’

  ‘Careful.’ Ty wagged a finger at her. ‘Don’t let Vickery hear you say that or he’ll add you to his suspect list.’

  ‘Ha, I wasn’t even there and Cosmo can vouch for that.’

  ‘Good to know.’ Ty put his glass aside and laced his hands behind his head. ‘Marcel mentioned that she was arguing with Paul Dakin earlier tonight. I didn’t see him anywhere.’

  ‘Did he?’ Alexi raised a brow. ‘When?’

  ‘You went to the bathroom, remember?’

  ‘Oh yes.’ She frowned. ‘You’d think he would have mentioned something that important to Vickery.’

  ‘I think he already did.’

  ‘Right, well I had no idea Dakin was hanging about.’ Alexi frowned. ‘He’s not usually there unless it’s a filming day but at least now we have another suspect. That ought to make Marcel happy.’ Alexi’s frown morphed into a grin. ‘Now Dakin I can see murdering someone to protect his own interests.’

  Ty laughed. ‘Okay, so you don’t like him. Does he live locally?’

  ‘No idea. But even if he lives in London, it’s not that far to come, especially after rush hour when the motorways are clearish.’
r />   Ty stretched as though easing the tension in his shoulders. ‘If Juliette was busy covering all the bases to give herself an edge in the competition, she was probably playing the horizontal mambo with Paul as well. Or at least giving off all the right vibes. It would explain why he was at the hotel when he wasn’t supposed to be.’

  ‘And if he saw her leaving Marcel’s private apartment, it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what she’d been doing there.’ Alexi brightened. ‘It would explain their argument. He’d come down especially to see her and she was having it off with another man. Jealousy is a main motivator for crimes of passion, isn’t it?’

  ‘If their fight got out of hand and say, for the sake of argument, he hit her, she fell, cracked her head and died, why not just leave her there and leg it?’ Ty pondered his own question for a moment. ‘Why take the risk of returning her to her room and using Marcel’s knife on her? The post mortem will tell us if she was moved, of course, but Vickery already implied that she wasn’t killed in her room.’

  Alexi returned her feet to the floor and sat forward, elbows resting on her knees. ‘Are you saying she wasn’t killed by the knife?’

  ‘Hard to know for sure because I haven’t seen the crime scene. Hell, if she wasn’t killed in her room they probably haven’t found the crime scene yet. That’s why they were so keen to see Marcel’s apartment. So, we know she was killed somewhere else and then moved back to her room. What we don’t know yet is whether it was that knife that killed her.’

  ‘Good point.’

  ‘None of the other contestants heard or saw anything out of the ordinary and the camera in her room was conveniently out of action. Makes me wonder if there was something premeditated about her murder.’ He expelled a mirthless chuckle. ‘I have a suspicious mind.’

  ‘Presumably the killer knew she’d just had sex with Marcel and that it would come to light, so using his knife to implicate him further would make more sense.’

  ‘Bloody stupid killer to imagine Marcel would use his own knife.’ Ty shook his head. ‘No, that knife was definitely symbolic.’

  ‘What’s symbolise about it then, clever dick?’

  He shot her one of his lethal grins. ‘Damned if I know, but it’s as good a place to start as any. Question everything and take nothing at face value. That’s what Vickery will be doing and we should, too. If you want to do what you can to protect the hotel and make sure Marcel doesn’t become…well, a sacrificial lamb—’

  Alexi rolled her eyes. ‘I thought you said Vickery wouldn’t jump to conclusions.’

  ‘He won’t, but it won’t have escaped his attention that Marcel hasn’t told us everything he knows.’

  ‘Really?’ She blinked. ‘What makes you say that?’

  ‘He held something back. I could tell and Vickery would have noticed it, too. It doesn’t help that he didn’t admit straight out that they’d had sex and I had to talk him into ’fessing up.’

  ‘You told me once that everyone lies to the police. That you expect it.’

  ‘Yeah, but this is a murder case.’

  ‘All the more reason.’

  ‘Talking of reasons, I suspect Marcel hasn’t yet been hauled in for more questioning because that knife is too obvious, and because they can’t put him in her room. When they know her actual time of death they’ll subject his alibi to microscopic scrutiny. He didn’t actually tell us where he was once Juliette left him, or if anyone saw him. I hope to God they did, for his sake.’

  ‘Well, at least he’s never been in her room. He was definite about that.’

  ‘Hmm, it’s also in his favour that he had no signs of injury that I could see. If they fought, Juliette had long nails, didn’t she?’ Alexi nodded. ‘Well, she would have scratched him. I’m betting the police took pictures of his torso and scrapings from under his nails. If there’s nothing there, that’ll help.’

  ‘We ought to talk to the others once the police have finished with them, see if they know anything. Or rather I should. Sorry, I know this is nothing to do with you.’ Alexi sent him a probing look. ‘What are you doing here, by the way? You never said.’

  ‘Can’t I drop in on an old friend?’

  Better late than never. ‘You didn’t drop in on me. You stopped at the hotel.’

  ‘I came here first.’ He stroked Cosmo’s long body with the toe of his boot. Alexi expected her cat to violently object. She was the only person whose feet Cosmo tolerated. But once again he surprised her by rolling on his back and exposing his belly for more in-depth scratching. Alexi watched, filled with a ridiculous desire to change places with her cat. Well, she told herself, in her own defence, she’d been a man-free zone since dumping Patrick months back. ‘No one was home,’ he added, watching her closely, a slight smile playing about his lips.

  ‘Okay, now tell me the real reason.’

  ‘I’ve been working a job in Newbury. A lead brought me down to this neck of the woods.’

  ‘Tonight? In these conditions? On a motorbike?’

  ‘Yes, yes and yes. And, here’s the best bit. That lead took me to Smithfield.’

  ‘Where do I know that name from?’ Alexi gasped when the penny dropped. ‘Juliette’s dad’s place?’

  ‘Right. Now I don’t need to find out who it belongs to.’

  ‘No, but you do need to tell Vickery.’

  ‘Why? My case doesn’t have anything to do with Juliette’s killing.’

  ‘Come on, Maddox. You don’t believe in coincidences any more than I do. There has to be a connection. And it might take the spotlight off Marcel.’

  ‘Trust me, it won’t, and my client expects confidentiality. That’s why he hired the best.’

  ‘So modest,’ she muttered, leaning forward and treating him to a sexy smile. He’d been doing it to her. All was fair in love and posturing. ‘But you can tell me. You know I won’t blab.’

  ‘Talk to a journalist?’ He shook his head, his eyes doing the smiling this time. ‘You know what I think of that breed.’

  ‘I’m not a journalist anymore.’

  ‘Really? I still see your name, mostly in The Sentinel, all the time.’

  ‘Yeah, but only because Patrick pays me well. Guilt money. But I freelance too.’

  Ty sent her a sceptical look. ‘I’ll just bet he does.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘You two back together?’

  ‘Not that it’s any of your business, but no, we’re not.’ She tilted her head, ready to give as good as she got. ‘How about you and Cassie?’

  ‘How about us?’

  ‘Don’t be obtuse, Maddox.’

  ‘Nope, just friends and business partners.’

  ‘Patrick and I are friends…well, kind of, and he still wants me to go back to the paper but, unlikely though it seems, life in the country is growing on me. I’ve made more real friends here in a few months than I ever did after years in London. Oh, I had plenty of colleagues and acquaintances but that isn’t the same thing. I never had anyone, I realise now, that I could drop in on any time I felt like it and have a good natter. Never realised I needed to because I was always too busy building my career, watching my back and jealously guarding my stories. No time for friendships then but I know better now.’

  ‘Then I’m glad you’ve seen the light. It was that way for me when I left the force. I was so damned mad at them for hanging me out to dry, at your lot for making me a fall guy and…well, it cost me my marriage and started a long association with a bottle. But you know all that. Anyway, it would have been easy to fall into a deep depression and I have Cassie to thank for kicking me up the backside and offering me a way out. Now I almost feel the press did me a favour by driving me out of the force.’

  ‘Glad to oblige, even if I had nothing to do with it.’

  ‘So Patrick won’t tempt you back, either professionally or personally?’

  ‘No.’ Alexi shook her head emphatically. ‘I can’t get past the fact that he d
estroyed my career. People don’t do that to people they’re supposed to love. Besides, I can see now that I didn’t love him, not really.’

  ‘I’m so very glad,’ he said softly. ‘But I don’t think he’ll give up on you. I suspect he persuaded his boss to film the show in your hotel in an effort to impress you and make you feel like you owed him something.’

  ‘I consider myself duly impressed but I don’t owe him diddly squat.’

  ‘That’s my girl!’

  They both laughed and suddenly the tension was no longer there.

  Tyler then told her all about the case he’d been working on that led him to Hammond’s door. Alexi threw back her head and laughed.

  ‘What’s so funny?’

  ‘Sorry. It’s just that I find it hard to imagine you working behind a shop counter, being polite to people and persuading them to part with their hard-earned cash.’

  ‘I’ll have you know that I’m a natural. All the ladies ask for me by name.’

  Alexi shook her head. ‘Do you actually know anything about jewellery?’

  ‘Enough to get by. Anyway I’m convinced Davis is part of the scam so, when I overheard him on his mobile, making furtive arrangements to meet someone tonight, I figured I ought to tag along.’

  ‘And this man took you to Smithfield?’

  ‘Right, and I aim to find out why. Once I do, if there’s even the remotest possibility of a connection between the loan scam and Juliette’s death, then I’ll let Vickery know. But let me do some digging first.’

  ‘Okay. Does that mean you’ll be hanging around?’ Alexi could have bitten her tongue off. She hadn’t meant to ask, to sound as if she cared about his answer or to let the conversation get this personal.

  ‘Sure, if you don’t mind me cluttering up your cottage for a while. Cheryl’s hotel will be booked out.’

  ‘You can have the spare room.’

  ‘That’ll do.’ His eyes made sizzling contact with hers. ‘For now.’

  ‘Don’t get ideas. I haven’t seen or heard from you for weeks.’ Oh shit, there she went again!

  ‘I deliberately gave you some space.’ He reached across and took her hand. ‘I knew you were still being pursued by Patrick. You were trying to sort your life out, decide what you wanted and where you wanted to put down roots. You were at a crossroads and didn’t need pressure from me.’ Frustration shimmered in his eyes. ‘It wasn’t easy to stay away; trust me on this. But your time’s up. I want to get to know you better, Alexi Ellis.’ His challenging smile, pure predatory male, sent shivers of awareness trickling down her spine. ‘A whole lot better, but only if you’re interested and ready to commit.’