by Jenn Vakey
Matthews shook his head. “That’s why I was hoping Ben had mentioned something. Maybe this mystery person was at the house while he was there, or perhaps Ms. Santos mentioned something to him about it. We have enough to get her put away without question, but we’re not stopping there. If someone else took a part in it, we need to find out who it is. You don’t do something like this and just turn around and walk away like nothing happened.”
“Thank you,” she said, grateful for his determination to see this through just as far as she would have. “Has she said anything about the girl?”
Matthews shook his head. “She’s denying any knowledge of it. Although she hasn’t outright said it, it looks like she’s planning on blaming that one on you. Ballistics came back and we know it was your gun that was used. The team has torn apart her house, but so far it hasn’t turned up.”
“Are we certain...” she started, trying to force herself to finish the thought. Luckily, she didn’t have to.
Matthews quickly stopped her with a shake of the head. “I had Summers look back over your clothes, as well as looking over the car. The spatter is consistent with you sitting in the passenger seat and her standing just outside the window. The gun was fired from just inside the driver’s side window. It appears she was getting ready to move Ben when our jogger showed up to help. Not wanting any witnesses, she used your gun and shot through the car, hitting her in the head. Then she dragged her out into the woods before leaving with Ben. If I had to guess, she hoped that she just wouldn’t be found. That actually will end up helping us, though, because she obviously knew she was doing wrong in killing her.”
Although she knew deep down she was in no condition to prevent what happened, the fact that her gun had been used hit her like a punch in the gut. Her gun was her responsibility, and as far as she was concerned, so was any death that was caused by it.
“I thought all of Lewis’ staff lived in the manor with him,” Matthews said, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the wall. “Is she no longer with him?”
Rilynne shrugged. With all of her focus on Ben, she hadn’t really given it much thought. Before all of this, the last time she had seen Nancy was months before when she and Ben had thrown a party at their house. While it had been, in part, an official introduction for all of their friends to their new home, Rilynne had actually used it as an opportunity to pull a prank of the men of the homicide squad. In doing so, she enlisted the help of Jared Lewis, the best person she’d ever met when it came to pulling off the perfect pranks. Jared had brought most of his staff to help, including Nancy.
“We should talk to Jared in the morning and see what he can tell us,” she said. “I believe the house she used actually belonged to her and her ex-husband before they divorced. She held on to it after going to work at the manor. I’m pretty sure I remember hearing her say that she had been renting it out to someone until she needed it again. We should look into who that was. Even if they were out long before this all started, they might remember something that could be useful.”
“I can go out tomorrow and talk to the staff at the manor,” he said. “From what you told me, she wasn’t exactly shy with what she told them. She might have mentioned something to them about the person she was working with. I’ll also see if I can track down your gun. She might have taken it up there to hide it.”
“I’m going with you,” she insisted. “I know most of them, and they’ll be more likely to open up to me than with anyone else. My current state might actually help that along. It’s easier to believe someone could be involved in something if you can actually see it for yourself. Besides, I know Jared will be rattled by this. He’ll take the news a little better if I’m there and he can see for himself that his crazy maid didn’t do even more damage than she actually did. Man, I’d hate to see how much tougher his screening process is going to get on his staff now.”
“The extensiveness of his checks into his staff might actually help us out when it comes to Nancy,” he stated. He ran his hands roughly over his tired face before glancing down at his watch. Rilynne wouldn’t have been surprised if he fell asleep where he stood. “It will help to deter any notion that she might try pleading insanity. While she definitely has some screws loose, we don’t want that to be the way the case turns in court. It hasn’t helped her that she’s said in front of the entire office that you’re torturing him and she’s going to do what she has to go keep him away from you. I thought for sure that Sibrian was going to deck her when she made a remark to the effect that you should have died in the accident so they could be free to live happily away from you.”
Rilynne laughed. “I’m kind of surprised she didn’t, as well. Lori’s always been very protective of the people she cares about, but she’s definitely had a shorter fuse lately. It’s only getting worse the closer it gets to her wedding. Don’t you dare tell her, but I’m not really looking forward to that last month. I think she’s going to be one of those brides that you just don’t talk to unless you have something good to say. I almost feel bad for anyone who ends up across the interrogation table from her.”
Matthews pulled his fingers up to his lips and made a motion like he was locking them. Rilynne laughed. Though he was several years older than her, he occasionally had the tendency of coming off as a high school girl. Rilynne had decided that it wasn’t just a quirky side, but an intentional task meant to lighten the mood when needed. It was one she had grown to appreciate.
“Well, I’m going to call it a night,” he said. “I would offer you a ride home, but I know it would take a whole squad of trained soldiers to pull you out of this room tonight. Katy actually mentioned that she heard some of the nurses talking about how someone had tried to get you to go when visiting hours were over. You think they’d learn by now.”
Rilynne smirked as she thought back to the young nurse’s face when she tried to get her to go. She looked both exacerbated and on the verge of tears after Rilynne first refused, then threatened her when she took her arm and tried to make her go. Had she’d gotten more sleep and not had to suffer through the events of the last week, she would probably feel bad about it.
“I don’t have my car, so do you just want to pick me up from here in the morning?” Rilynne asked.
Matthews nodded, taking one last look at Ben sleeping in the bed next to her, then turned and walked out.
Chapter Fifteen
“Good morning, Jared,” Rilynne said when he walked into the room just behind his butler, Cole. The pleasure he showed at their surprise arrival quickly disappeared when he took in her sight. Though her bruises had faded significantly, aided by the layer of makeup she had covered them with, she still thought she looked like she’d been hit by a train. The shock that quickly overtook his expression said he felt the same. It was apparent Cole hadn’t warned him when he went to announce their arrival.
“What happened?” he asked, moving quickly across the room toward her. He reached out and moved the hair away from her face to get a better look. The move seemed to surprise Matthews, but she was beyond being shocked by anything Jared Lewis did. “Are you all right?”
Rilynne shrugged and let out a much needed groan. “It’s been a week, but everything is finally looking up. I don’t know if you’ve heard anything that’s been going on...”
“Not much,” he interrupted, motioning for them to have a seat in the chairs behind them. “I’ve been out of town the last two weeks with the kids, but when I got back in last night I heard talk of something going on in town. I was honestly too tired to snoop into it at the time, but it was on my agenda for this morning. Something tells me I should have sucked it up last night.”
“There’s nothing that you could have done,” she said, honestly. “We could use your help now, though. I’m afraid we’re going to have to pull your household back into another investigation.”
He looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened and he looked quickly around the room. “Where’s y
our husband?”
Rilynne smirked, though not for the reason anyone likely suspected. Jared Lewis, although living a facade to convince nearly everyone around him that he had completely lost his mind, was one of the most brilliant men Rilynne had ever met. Even with that, she was still shocked at how quick he seemed to have put the pieces together.
“I’m sure you’re well aware of Nancy Santos’ infatuation with Ben,” Rilynne said. “A week ago she decided to take it further than just obsessing from afar, and ran Ben and me off a road just outside of town. She then proceeded to remove him from the car, drug him, and keep him locked up in the house she has in town. We found him yesterday morning, and Nancy has been arrested.”
Jared groaned and dropped his head into his hands. “I’m so sorry, Rilynne,” he said. “I knew she had the tendency to get attached to men, but I honestly didn’t think she would ever take it so far. Is there anything I can do? You have my complete cooperation, as well as that of everyone on my staff.”
“Thank you,” Rilynne said. “I hate to say it, but it looks like she might have been pushed to cross that line. Is there anyone you can think of that maybe she’s talked about, or any guests she’s brought to the manor? We couldn’t get any information out of her other than her claim that she and Ben have a mutual friend that she’s been talking to.”
Jared quickly shook his head. “I honestly don’t spend much time with her. I really only keep her around because it’s easier than looking for someone else. She’s a capable maid, but she does seem to surround herself with drama. Don’t get me wrong, it does provide an entertainment value, but it can be a bit distracting. As I’m sure you can attest to, it doesn’t really make for the happiest environment for some of the others on the staff.”
Rilynne gave a half smirk followed by a nod. “We would like to talk to everyone,” she said. “Nancy wasn’t really that secretive when it came to people in her life. We’re hoping she might have mentioned this mystery person to someone. We’re also going to need to search her room. She took my gun from the car, and we’re hoping she hid it somewhere familiar.”
“Of course,” he said, rising from his seat. “I’ll instruct everyone that they’re to give you complete and total cooperation. And you have access to the entire property if you need it. I’ll also have the staff keep an eye out for the gun and call immediately if anyone finds it. Would you like for me call everyone here, or perhaps the formal dining area?”
She thought it over for a moment before shaking her head. “I’d actually like to talk to Lisa first if that’s all right. Is she in the kitchen today?”
Jared quickly nodded and motioned toward the door at the back of the sitting area. “She can tell you where to find anyone else you need to talk to, and I’ll be in my office if you need anything from me. I should have a talk with the kids if there’s a chance she brought the gun here. I wouldn’t want them to find it and think it’s a toy.” He reached down for her hand and helped her to her feet. “I’m horrified this happened to you. If there is anything I can do for you or Ben, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thanks, Jared,” she said warmly before turning and motioning for Matthews to follow her.
He waited until they were nearly halfway down the long hall before leaning in and quietly saying, “I still find it so hard to believe that he’s really such a level headed man. I really thought you were just trying to mess with me when you first told me. I guess it still kind of throws me off when I’m around him. Do you think he’ll ever actually come out to the town and let everyone know he isn’t some rich loon that likes to make big scenes?”
“No,” she answered honestly. “He has way too much fun with it. I seriously doubt he’ll even come out to his staff. They’ll be far less likely to put up with his shenanigans if they knew how much effort he actually put in to orchestrating them. You should have seen the way he acted when he helped with that prank on the guys. He was calm with me, but it was almost like a switch flipped when he was around them and he acted almost like a kid who’d just been released in a candy factory. I think other than us, the only people who know he’s not crazy are his children. After their mother was arrested, he sat them down and talked to them about it. I don’t think they really understand the full extent of it, or at least not the youngest, but they know their dad likes to be silly when other people are around. It’s like a game for the three of them now.”
Before Matthews could comment further, they came upon the large open doors that led into the kitchen. Nothing had changed since Rilynne had been there last a little more than a year before. The smell of breakfast was still lingering in the air, though any food that had remained had already been put up. Lisa, humming happily as she sliced into a bright green apple, looked up and smiled when she saw them walk in. Like Jared, her expression quickly turned to worry when she saw Rilynne.
“Oh my,” she said, setting the knife down and moving quickly around the island toward her. “Tell me the other person looks worse.”
Rilynne grinned. “Well, if you count the other as my car, then yes. It’s good and totaled. How are you doing, Lisa?”
“I can’t complain,” she said, leaning back against the island. That seemed to be an understatement. In fact, the woman that stood before her hardly seemed to be the one she had gotten to know before. The removal of Cyndi Lewis from the household appeared to have taken much of the tension away. “Jared’s been out of town the past couple weeks, so I used the time to finish up the last of the novel I’ve been writing. I sent it off to a friend of mine who works for a publisher this morning.”
“I didn’t know you were writing a novel,” Rilynne said, moving to the island next to her. She put her elbows down on it in an attempt to try and take some of the pressure off of the bottom of her feet. She knew if she let on to Matthews just how much they were bothering her, he would insist on her sitting the rest of the investigation out. That just wasn’t going to happen. “That’s fantastic. I’ve secretly always wanted to write myself, but I hardly have the time for anything outside of work right now. That’s actually why we’re here.”
Lisa moved her arms up across her chest. “Don’t tell me someone’s been murdered again,” she said. “I don’t think I could handle another tragedy like that. Not to mention the drama and suspicion that went along with it.”
“No,” she said, thinking carefully about her words before continuing. “We need to ask you some questions about Nancy, though. I know you were the person in the house she opened up to the most about things going on with her.”
Lisa signed and gently nodded. “What’s she gotten herself tied up in?”
Rilynne looked from Lisa to Matthews, not wanting to let her personal feelings get in the way of the questions. The last thing she would want to do is give anyone the opportunity to say she tainted the investigation. When he gave her a slight, reassuring nod, she went on.
“You’re aware of her infatuation with Ben Davis,” she said. It wasn’t a question. If Nancy carried on even a fraction of what she had when she first saw Ben, she was sure everyone working in the manor knew all about it. “Have you heard her mention anyone who would have been a mutual friend of theirs? Anyone she would have talked about him with?”
“Oh boy,” she said, eyes wide as if they were filled with a pile of juicy gossip. “I told her after that night last year that she approached you in that bar that she needed to just let that one go. You’ve seen the way she is, though. She just wouldn’t listen to reason. I thought it would fade with time, or after she followed him that one day and he told her outright that he wasn’t interested, but something always seemed to spark it again. It only got worse after she started hanging out with that new friend of hers. After that, it became more of an obsession than just a simple infatuation.”
Rilynne felt her chest tighten with excitement. Part of her hoped that Nancy had been lying so they could pin the entire event on her, but having another person to charge was nearly as exciting. Besides, she didn
’t want to leave anyone on the streets who had a big enough grudge with her or Ben to do something like this. “Did you ever meet this friend? Or did she tell you who it was?”
“No,” Lisa answered. “She was actually very quiet about it, which was strange. The only thing she told me was that she had met someone in a bar who was a good friend of your Ben’s. After that, her obsession only seemed to grow. That is until about a month ago when she stopped talking about both of them all together. I’d assumed she’d finally wised up, but I’m guessing that’s not what happened.”
Rilynne shook her head.
“Do you think she would have mentioned who this new friend might have been to someone else in the house? Or did anyone else happen to meet them?”
Lisa looked disappointed by Rilynne’s failure to elaborate, but she answered without countering with a question of her own. “Danny might know. He and his girlfriend were out at the same bar the night Nancy met this mystery person. He stated later he was surprised she’d actually found someone to sit down and talk to her for that long, but he didn’t give me any details about the person.”
“Do you know where he is right now?” Matthews spoke up for the first time.
“He’s not here,” she stated. “He won a contest that Mr. Lewis set up a couple months ago, and the prize was a two week cruise for two. He and April left shortly after Mr. Lewis did. I’m pretty sure they should be getting back the day after tomorrow. He might have mentioned something else about it to the guys, though. Casey’s working out by the pool, and Cole is probably camped out in front of that large television of Mr. Lewis’. You still know your way around?”