Murder After Hours

by Rayna Morgan

  “I grew despondent imagining he’d abandon the children and me.”

  “Never!” Nathan exclaimed.

  She glanced at her husband as though he no longer existed.

  “I decided things couldn’t continue between them. It was no use talking to Nathan. He was bewitched.”

  “You confronted Sandra Monday night,” Lea guessed.

  “I told my husband I was going to the grocery store.”

  “I remember,” Nathan said. “It was my night for homework with the kids. You complained about needing sugar.”

  “I took a chance Sandra would work after hours as she frequently did. I slipped into the office when she fetched something from her car.”

  “What did you say to her?” Nathan asked harshly.

  Her lower lip trembled. “Even dead, you’re concerned about her feelings.”

  She paused momentarily. When she resumed, the hurt was replaced by anger.

  “I told her to leave my husband alone.”

  “How did she react?” Lea asked.

  “She laughed at me and turned away, as though I didn’t matter. That’s when I struck.”

  Lea shuddered.

  Horror crossed Nathan’s face. He shook his head from side to side.

  “You don’t understand, Lizzie. When I came to my senses and realized I couldn’t live without you and the kids, I ended the affair. Sandra and I were finished.”

  “You’re the naive one, Nathan. That woman would never let you go.”

  Lea reached for her phone. “I’ll call Lieutenant Elliot.”

  They sat in silence while they waited for the police.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Lea and Paul met with loud conversation and laughter as they entered the Cave the following evening.

  Paul pointed at a table in the far corner of the room. “There they are.”

  They joined the other couple and Tom poured wine from an open bottle.

  “This was a good choice for our weekly wine and dine, buddy,” Paul said.

  “An appropriate setting to thank these women for helping break my case,” Tom replied.

  Maddy leaned over and knuckled Tom’s chin. “Don’t you mean our help on both cases?”

  He smiled. “I stand corrected.”

  Lea spotted the familiar face of a person arriving alone. “Ask her to join us, Sis.”

  Maddy walked toward the entrance and returned with a smiling Brooke Fields.

  “Good to see you,” Brooke said. “I was hoping to run into someone I know. I hate drinking alone.”

  Tom filled another glass.

  Brooke thanked him and sipped the wine. “I was beginning to think I’d have to get used to the single scene.”

  “Problems at home?” Maddy asked.

  “I decided if partner swapping is something my husband needs to be happy, he and I are mismatched. Having relations with anyone else is not something I need nor want. I told him to give it up or find a divorce lawyer.”

  “Good for you!” Maddy exclaimed, tapping her glass against Brooke’s.

  “Happily, he agreed to stop. He admitted being with different people lost its appeal weeks ago. He continued because he thought I enjoyed it. He did it to make me happy.”

  “And you did it to make him happy,” Lea noted. “It shows how easily people living together forget to communicate.”

  Brooke agreed. “My husband and I became so busy with day-to-day living, we neglected to take time to talk.”

  Maddy leaned against Tom. “Something for us to remember.”

  “Point noted and taken,” Tom said.

  Paul took Lea’s hand. “Speaking of couples wanting each other to be happy, that’s what I want for you, sweetie. I won’t stand in the way of what makes you happy.”

  “What are you talking about?” Lea asked.

  “From now on, I’ll quit complaining about your sleuthing,” he told her. “I can’t promise to stop worrying, but I will stop complaining.”

  “Speak for yourself, buddy,” Tom said.

  He dipped a shrimp in a small bowl of salsa and turned to Brooke. “Lea tells me I have you to thank for eliminating Brody Hall as a suspect.”

  “It didn’t turn out to be a waste of my time.I played the recording for my boss. He’s anxious to air the interview.”

  She saw alarm on Lea’s face. “Don’t worry. I deleted any reference to an heir. I’m using only the segments where he talked about the company and his relationship with Andrew Carlisle.”

  There was an aspect of the case which still eluded the detective. “Perhaps you can help me with another piece of the puzzle.”

  Brooke looked puzzled, but eager. “What would you like to know?”

  “How George Johnson obtained Ian Alexander's compliance.”

  A blushing Brooke glanced at her friend for help.

  Maddy took the hint and leaned forward. “Are we off record, Tom?”

  He knitted his brows, then responded. “Agreed. I’m officially off the clock for anything spoken at this table.”

  “Nothing we discuss will be used against me?” Brooke asked.

  “Scout’s honor,” Tom said.

  “Would you mind telling me what you’re talking about?” Paul complained.

  “Okay, buddy. Here’s what we know so far. George bought a major share of KETV some months ago, an investment which put him in a bad financial situation. The station drained his cash and created a large amount of debt.”

  He paused as a waiter delivered a cheese plate.

  “George dreamed up an insurance fraud scheme to get money to tide him over until the station netted a profit. He went to his friend Ian for help.”

  “Who happens to be an insurance specialist,” Lea added.

  “How convenient!” Paul remarked.

  “Ian needed convincing,” Tom continued. “George used a special kind of leverage to persuade his friend to take part.”

  He shifted his attention to Brooke. “What do you know about the hold George had over Ian?”

  Her face shaded to crimson as all eyes turned her way.

  “I’m embarrassed to admit…” she stammered.

  “It’s all right, Brooke,” Lea said, covering the woman’s hand with her own. “The fact you're embarrassed means you’ve learned from your mistake. You’ll feel better getting it off your chest.”

  “You’re right. I have to practice what I preached to my spouse. No more secrets.”

  She took a sip of wine. Everyone waited while Tom refilled her glass.

  “One thing that’s no secret is my wish for a bigger role on nightly news. It will never happen as long as the regular anchor has anything to say. When George came on board as the new owner, I made clear my desire for advancement. He asked what I could offer in return.”

  “That’s harassment,” Lea said. “Asking for sexual favors in return for promotion.”

  “He implied without something to offer, my chance for promotion was nonexistent.”

  “It's outrageous!” Maddy exclaimed.

  “Sometimes I feel ashamed being part of the male species,” Paul said.

  Tom ignored the sentiment. “What did you do, Brooke?”

  She lowered her head. Her voice was barely audible. “I offered partner swapping.”

  Shock registered on Maddy’s face. “George Johnson, wife swapping?”

  “He didn’t do it,” Brooke hurried to interject. “He said his wife would skin him alive.”

  Maddy laughed. “He was right about that.”

  “But he figured out a way to use my offer.”

  A waiter came to pour the last of their wine and remove the empty bottle. After he left, Brooke continued.

  “I taped the parties and turned the videos over to George.”

  “Videos George used to control city officials and others in positions of power,” Tom suggested.

  She shrugged. “I never knew for certain, but I suspected. After doing it once or twice, I told him I
found the whole thing distasteful and refused to continue.”

  “Was Ian on one of those tapes?” Tom asked.

  “He came alone, without his spouse,” she confirmed.

  “So George’s leverage was the tape you furnished,” Tom concluded. “It started a ball rolling that ended in fraud and burglary.”

  Brooke choked back tears. “I’ve been so worried I was somehow responsible for my friend’s death.”

  “Jealousy and anger were responsible for your friend’s death,” Lea said, “but fear and greed accounted for the other crimes.”

  “You mean fear of losing my husband unless I took part in a swinging lifestyle and my greedy desire to become a star.”

  “You weren’t the only one affected by greed,” Lea told her. “Ian and George displayed more than their share.”

  “Henry and Shorty, too,” Maddy added. “Even Shorty’s girlfriend. All motivated by the same things.”

  Brooke looked at Tom. “What will happen to me? Am I in trouble?”

  “The parties occurred in the privacy of your own home. What you did is not illegal. Whether it’s immoral is another question. But, no, you aren’t in trouble with the law.”

  “Don’t forget,” Lea reminded him. “She redeemed herself by helping us with Brody.”

  “I’ve learned my lesson,” Brooke said. “From now on, I do things the right way with hard work and perseverance.”

  “Then let me share some good news,” Maddy said. “I talked with Alberta today. With the help of an attorney, she's taking over George’s business. One of her first acts at KETV will be to replace the news anchor with a talented up-and-comer currently doing the weather.”

  The others raised their glasses and Lea made a toast. “To Brooke's success.”

  The woman could hardly contain her excitement. “I’ve reset my moral compass. My life, on-screen and off, will be handled with integrity.”

  She hurried off, eager to tell her husband the news.

  “There’s one lingering question,” Lea said.

  “What’s that?” Tom asked.

  “Was Brody Hall here to reunite Sandra with her father or to eliminate her, but never got a chance?”

  “Only he knows the answer. At any rate, I’ve alerted officers in the Boston area to keep an eye on him.”

  “Why?” Lea asked. “He didn’t kill Sandra.”

  “Without knowing his reason for coming here, there’s no way of knowing what he might do when he discovers—”

  The sisters spoke in unison. “There’s still a living heir to the Carlisle fortune!”

  # # # # #

  To say thanks for reading this book, I would like to give you a FREE copy of THE NUT CASE, the Prequel Novella which tells the story of how the sisters began their sleuthing adventures!

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  Continue Reading for an Excerpt of

  THREE-DAY WEEKENDS ARE MURDER

  Book 4 in the Sister Sleuths Mystery Series

  Maddy was looking forward to spending the holiday weekend with her handsome detective boyfriend in their sleepy, beachside community until she ran into the last person in the world she wanted to see, her ex-husband.

  But when a woman is found strangled in his hotel room, she answers his call for help leading the sister sleuths into a weekend filled with con games, a cursed diamond and ruby necklace, a secret that could destroy a high-flying pharmaceutical company, and strained relationships all around.

  This stand-alone novel is the fourth in the series featuring sister sleuths Lea and Maddy.

  • • •

  Restored by a hot bath, Maddy curled up on her living room sofa. She screwed the lid on the fingernail polish and held up her hand to admire the color.

  Answering her ringing phone meant tapping a button with one nail to prevent smudging the others.

  “What do you want, Eric? I’m busy.”

  “I’m sorry, but—”

  Maddy took a sip from the glass beside her. “Out with it.”

  “The woman in my room,” he stammered.

  Maddy nearly choked on the wine. “I can’t believe you’d call to gloat over some woman you’re in bed with after I turned you down.”

  “She…”

  Maddy’s temples throbbed. She felt a headache coming on.

  “The woman what, Eric? Spit it out.”

  “She’s not in my bed, she’s on it. And she’s dead. She’s been strangled.”

  • • •

  Lea and Paul joined their neighbors at a picnic table in the staging area of the Castillo Adobe.

  “Sorry we’re late. I wanted to see the exhibit with the diamond and ruby necklace before the concert begins.”

  “So did I,” Jan complained. “The exhibit is closed. “Did you find out why?”

  “The curator told me the necklace is gone.”

  “You’re kidding. You mean, as in lost?”

  “I mean, as in stolen!”

  “Give me the juicy details,” Jan said, diving into a plate of barbecue.

  “Francisco discovered the necklace missing this morning. The police were here until the gates opened for tonight’s show.”

  Jan wiped her lips. “How terrible!”

  “You mean, how exciting!” Lea said. “Maybe the woman in blue took it.”

  The women laughed.

  Bob poured the wine and licked his lips as he picked up a fork. “What are you two giggling about?”

  Jan elbowed Lea. “Tell them the story.”

  “Legend is that Don Castillo’s wife, Consuela, who died in the house, haunts the main room of the Adobe,” Lea began. “The children’s room, preserved exactly as it was when the family lived there, is also haunted.”

  Bob wiped barbecue sauce from his chin.

  “Haunted how?” he asked.

  “Don Castillo gave each of his children a music box. The music boxes play by themselves, dolls in the room move, and people hear giggling sounds of children. One night during a tour, more than a dozen witnesses spotted a young girl moving about the children’s room.”

  Paul looked at Bob and winked. “Sounds like someone besides my wife has an overactive imagination.”

  “Tell them about the lady in blue,” Jan urged.

  “A lady in a blue dress is seen wandering through the second floor but when they check the rooms, no one is there. One witness saw her standing on the balcony. Others observed her walking the grounds. It’s believed to be Consuela herself, watching over her family’s home.”

  Paul glanced over his shoulder in mock fright. “You think she’s here tonight?”

  “Hold onto your wallet,” Bob snickered. “You know women, always after your money.”

  The men laughed.

  Paul leaned toward his wife. “Next, you’ll be telling us about buried treasure.”

  “No treasure,” Lea said, “except the ruby and diamond necklace which was supposed to be on exhibit tonight. It’s the wedding gift Don Castillo gave his bride.”

  “At last,” her husband said, “something tangible. Let’s have a look at this jewel.”

  “We can’t. I was telling—”

  She spotted the man she had spoken to earlier, and waved. “Wait. You can hear it from the horse’s mouth. Here’s the curator of the museum.”

  Francisco approached their table and bowed. “I’m pleased to meet you, folks.”

  “Tell them about the necklace,” Lea urged.

  “Lea says it was stolen,” Jan said. “What a terrible thing for someone to do.”

  Francisco lowered his voice. “Not so terrible, if it’s been returned to its rightful owner.”

  Lea gasped. “Are you suggesting—?”

  Francisco twisted the ends of his mustache. “I believe Consuela Castillo took the necklace. It is now back with the woman for whom it was intended. The woman Don Castillo most deeply and truly loved.”

  “What do you mean, Francisco?” Paul asked.

  “Señora Castillo
died years before her husband. He never remarried, but he had a mistress to whom he gave a beautiful and most generous gift, a gold and ruby necklace.”

  Jan’s jaw dropped. “His wife’s wedding present?”

  “How could he!” Lea exclaimed.

  Both women glared at their husbands.

  “When he passed away,” Francisco said, “the mistress left this area. She was never heard from again.”

  Lea raised her eyebrows. “Then, how did the necklace end up here?”

  “Two months ago, a couple visited the Adobe. I asked if they wanted a tour, but they said they’d go through the house on their own.

  Before they left, the man came to my office to tell me he is the great nephew of Don Castillo’s mistress. He was fascinated by the story of the Castillo family and believed among the inheritance stored in his attic was the gold and ruby necklace.

  We verified its authenticity and the man donated it to our museum.”

  “Imagine inheriting such a valuable item and storing it in your attic!” Jan exclaimed.

  “Why did he keep it in his attic?” Lea wondered. “If it were mine, I’d want to wear it.”

  Francisco shuddered. “That’s the disturbing part of the story. Perhaps, I shouldn’t tell you.”

  “Please!” the women begged.

  “If you insist,” he said, stroking his goatee.

  “His family believes the necklace is cursed. Every time one of the women in his family wears the necklace, something terrible happens.”

  “Of course!” Lea said. “Consuela cursed the necklace as revenge for her cheating husband.”

  Bob snorted. “Sounds exactly like a woman.”

  “I understand why he was willing to donate it to the city instead of keeping it or selling it,” Lea said. “He didn’t want to be responsible for passing on the curse.”

  “That’s not the most amazing part,” Francisco said. His accent thickened in his excitement. “On the day the man visited the Adobe, I asked him how he learned of the necklace. Don Castillo’s mistress is no secret, but the great gift he gave her is never disclosed as part of the history.”

  He dropped his eyes and rubbed his hands together. “I shudder when I think what he told me.”

  “Tell us!” the women cried in unison.