“Me?” I asked around a mouthful of banana.
“That’s what they say. Damndest thing I ever heard. The kid and his mom don’t trust cops, but they turned down getting a lawyer. Instead, the mom insists you be present.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.” I jerked my grimy T-shirt over my head. I rushed through the shower and put on a bright blue floral shirt, jeans, and sandals then sprayed on cologne. After locking my apartment door, I hurried down the stairs to my car.
On the way to the police station, I picked up my cell and punched the button to dial my grandparents and let them know where I’d gone and that one of the kids might talk.
Grandma said, “Dick’s down there now visiting Walter.”
“Maybe I’ll see him.”
“Heather, thank you for asking your grandfather’s help today. He’s tired, but pepped up at the same time.”
“Sure,” I said, suddenly feeling guilty I’d been against him on the premises. “People like Grandpa, respond to him. Good thing. We’d have been in a pinch without him today.”
“Hmm, are Chelsea and Sam Rockwell getting serious?”
“Looks that way. Guess I’d better start looking for a new shop assistant.”
“Don’t be too hasty. Maybe she’ll want to continue working for a while. Besides, she’s supposedly been in love before and it didn’t last.”
“This time is different. Can’t explain it exactly, but she’s different.” I turned into the police station parking lot. “Gotta go, Grandma. Love you.”
I parked next to Grandpa’s car and spotted Miguel’s pickup a few spaces away. Inside, I asked the officer on duty to tell Kurt I’d arrived. I was nervous, wondering why Leah wanted me present. True I’d known Yolanda since we were in school, but I hardly knew Leah. Maybe she needed someone unofficial to bolster her. Having a kid in trouble had to be hard.
In less than a minute, Kurt appeared. His smiling appraisal made me glad I’d taken time to shower and change clothes. He ushered me back to an interview room. Officer Jack Winston stood at one side. Hector and his mother were seated at a table, and both looked terrified. Leah leaped to her feet when I came in.
She rushed over and grabbed my hands. “You must help us. They think my Hector stole a watch from this man, the one you asked about."
I looked from her to Kurt, who shook his head, then back at her. “I’m sure that’s not the case, Leah. Hector must have seen my friend drop the watch. Hector and his friend only picked it up, then sold it to an antique dealer. That’s where I found it.”
She glanced over her shoulder at Kurt, then turned back to me. “That’s what the cops said, but I don’t know if I can believe them.” She leaned close and lowered her voice. “If Hector says he did this, they might say he pushed the man and stole his watch. Maybe even that he and Danny hit the man in order to get his money.” Tears streamed down her face. “My son could go to jail.”
“No one thinks Hector hurt Walter.” I slid my arm around her shoulders. “Leah, here’s what we know. Walter Sims is my friend who works at the garden center. He remembers falling after he’d been drinking. He’s sure he wasn’t pushed, that he simply stumbled, but he heard laughter behind him. He thought it was teens, but he didn’t see them.”
Kurt said, “The antique dealer is prepared to identify the person who sold him the watch. He’s already given us a description that fits Hector. It’ll be better for Hector if he volunteers the information without forcing a lineup.”
We walked toward the table where Hector was still seated.
I patted Leah’s arm. “It’ll be okay. Maybe if he confesses, he’ll only get probation, or maybe something like community service.”
Kurt shook his head. “No charges have been brought against either boy, Mrs. Dolan.”
With a sigh, Leah’s shoulders sagged and she turned to her son. “Tell them exactly what happened. And it had better be the truth, son. If you had told Heather the other day, we wouldn’t be here now.”
Hector looked down and mumbled, “Yeah, it was like she said. We saw this old guy in the cemetery,” he looked at his mom and winced. “When we climbed over the fence, he was already there. We laughed at him. You know, he looked crazy the way he was walking crooked, stumbling, and talking to himself.”
Leah was crying, but she watched her son. I put my arm around her shoulders again to offer support. Kurt handed her a box of tissues.
Hector looked ready to cry himself. “This one time he fell really hard on the gravel under one of the lights. I thought he like passed out. Then, he got back up, you know, and we saw him brush at his face and hands. I think he hurt himself. There was something lying on the rocks. The old guy staggered off toward the back.” He shrugged. “We waited until he was gone and went to look. That’s when we picked up the watch.”
“And you’re the one who sold it,” Kurt said.
Hector shrugged again. “Yeah. Me and Danny came up with the story. Danny lives close to those people who own the store. He was afraid they’d remember him. I waited until the lady went to the bank, you know, so I wouldn’t have to talk to both of them.”
Kurt leaned on the table in front of Hector. “Okay, this is important. Tell us what time you saw the man fall.”
Hector looked at his mother. I was afraid he was going to lie.
Apparently so was Leah, because she shook her finger at him. “Tell the truth!”
His lips trembled. “I like, climbed out my window at midnight and met Danny at the corner.” He sighed and glanced at his mother before looking back down. “We walked over to the cemetery, you know, the long way to avoid the main streets. Guess it was maybe thirty minutes later we got there.”
Officer Winston asked, “How long did you stay?”
“We hung around for like way more than an hour, then left. The old guy was still there. Wasn’t nothin’ to do, so we went home. When I climbed back into my room, it was a few minutes after two-thirty.”
I could hardly breathe. That cinched it. Walter had an alibi even the DA and that awful Judge Farley would have to recognize.
“And where was the man when you left?” Kurt asked.
“At the back, you know, near where the fountain is. Old guy pulled a bottle from his pocket soon as he sat down. Surprised it didn’t break when he fell. When we left, he was just sitting there crying and drinking. We laughed at him because he was so weird. But it was kind of sad, you know, him just sitting there crying in the cemetery.”
Even thought he finally admitted the truth, I was furious Hector had lied to me before and wanted to throttle him now. “The bench is in front of his wife’s grave. I know he’ll be grateful you told the truth. But you know your silence could have cost an innocent man his life. As it is, he’s been in jail for days when he could have been home. Think how terrified you’d be if you were in jail and someone who could help you kept silent. You were very wrong to lie to Detective Steele, and very wrong to sneak out when your mother thought you were sleeping.”
Leah shook her finger at him. “You better not ever do something like this again, Hector Dolan!”
“I know, Mama, I’m sorry.” He looked at his shoes, but I saw him swipe tears from his face.
“I hope you’ve learned your lesson.” I offered Hector my hand.
Hesitantly, he shook it. He looked at me and tears shone in his eyes. “I like tried to call you, you know, but I hung up when your answering machine started. I wanted to tell you where the watch was, you know, without telling my name, but I-I couldn’t. Sorry.”
“You don’t owe me an apology as much as the man who misses his wife so much you thought he was funny. But I wondered who the hang ups were, and I’m glad you’ve straightened everything out.” I was still mad at Hector, but not with his mom. This had to be hard on her, so I told her, “Thank you for your help. This may have saved Walter’s life.”
Kurt followed me into the hall. “That went pretty well. Glad you could come.”
“I
’d like to wring both their necks, but at least Hector finally told the truth. What’s going to happen to the boys?”
He shrugged. “Nothing but a lecture. Guess I could get them on trespassing, but then I’d have to charge Mr. Sims with the same thing. Seems pointless. After all, the boys didn’t steal the watch. Can’t charge them for selling something they found.”
Still angry, I said, “Even though they knew whose it was.”
He shook his head and smiled. “And I sure can’t charge Hector with sneaking out of his house. I suspect his mom will take care of that.”
“Yes, I’d bet Leah grounds him for life.” I looked at him and grinned. “This means you can release Walter now, doesn’t it? Can you let him out tonight? If so, I’ll wait and take him home.”
His smile disappeared. “It’s still not up to me. Surely Farley will at least reconsider bail. But they’re just a couple of juveniles who are known troublemakers. I believe they’re telling the truth, but Farley won’t see it that way.”
“He won’t want to. Judge Farley’s hated Walter for years. I-I know they’re waiting and you have to get back in there.”
“Heather, I have to ask you again to stay away from Devlin Douglas.” He looked around then leaned near and lowered his voice. “He’s our main suspect.”
“Mm-hmm, I know that, but I truly don’t think he did it. Someone tried setting up Sam, but Devlin didn’t do that either.”
He gave me an exasperated huff. “Heather, if it’s not him, then the murderer is damn sure someone in that house. Stay away from those people until this is settled.”
My stubborn streak asserted itself. I didn’t like him telling me what to do. “You know I’m supposed to have dinner there tomorrow. You can hardly expect me to cancel now.”
“You’re being stubborn and unreasonable.” That tic appeared in his cheek and he frowned down at me. “Murder is a hell of a lot more serious than a dinner date. Surely you can postpone your evening out until the murderer is arrested.”
His attitude ticked me off. “Do I look like one of those too-stupid-to-live dimwits from an old romance novel who goes rushing off into the dark garden while there’s a killer nearby?”
Realizing we’d raised our voices and people were staring, I took a deep breath to calm myself. I didn’t want to argue or be unreasonable. “This meal follows the reading of Vance Rockwell’s will—and that’s definitely a one-time event. I want to find out what’s in the will, as well as how it relates to Sam being framed and Rockwell’s murder.”
He frowned. “I know what’s there and it won’t help you solve anything.”
I touched his arm. “You know that information, but I want to see how the family responds after hearing it.”
He took a breath then leaned near. “Look, I have something planned for tomorrow in regard to that, but I can’t tell you what.”
“Well, unplan it. They’ll act differently around me than they will around you or other policemen. I might learn something useful.”
“Heather, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Surely you understand what I’m trying to accomplish.”
“I understand you’re being stubborn and irresponsible.” With another angry huff, he turned and went back into the interview room.
I’m sure his exit left me with my jaw hanging open. I puffed my own “Phffft” to the door he closed behind him. How dare he walk out on me! I leaned against the wall, wanting to bang my head against it—or his.
Kurt’s manners were usually impeccable, and I knew I’d pushed him too far. I leaned there a few seconds, wondering if I should go apologize, and hoping he'd be the one to come back and do so. When I noticed officers staring at me for loitering in the hallway, I turned and left.
Darn it, so much for Kurt being my policeman.
Chapter Twenty Three
Friday was a blur of customers and plants, people preparing for the long Memorial Day weekend. Not that I minded. Brisk business is good.
I’d asked Grandpa to come back on Saturday, but for today we managed without him. Miguel was here today and I thought two days in a row would be too hard on Grandpa. After all, he was supposed to be retired and enjoying life.
Although I wanted badly for the garden center sales to increase under my management, I was happy to see six o’clock roll around. At least staying busy kept my mind off my disagreement with Kurt. I must have looked ragged when Miguel came into the gift shop.
He motioned me away. “Go ahead. I’ll check out the registers and put the deposit in your office safe.”
I was reminded why we all loved and depended on Miguel. I’d mentioned the dinner tonight to him, so now I only said, “Thanks. I’ll let you know if I find out anything interesting tonight.”
I hurried upstairs and let Rascal run through the nursery trees while I showered. We’d closed the gates, so he couldn’t stray off the garden center property. I didn’t think he would run out and get into trouble even if the gates were open but, much as I love him, he’s still a dog. He couldn’t be faulted for acting like one, so I tried to be careful in his freedom.
I toweled off and wondered what Kurt’s plans were for the evening. Why had he been so insistent that I not go to the Rockwell estate tonight? Had he planned an arrest of someone in the Rockwell or Douglas family? I didn’t see how he could have.
I hung my towel up and dried my hair. My hair is thick and long and I had plenty of time to wish Kurt and I hadn’t had sharp words. But I was determined to learn all I could about the family’s reaction to the will.
If I solved the murder, wouldn’t he be surprised? And grateful—or would he resent my nosing out the culprit before he could? Nuts, I had to quit thinking about him and move fast or I’d be late for dinner.
I chose a slender seafoam green dress that was held up mostly by imagination and tiny straps. On a rare whim, I’d bought matching sling-back shoes with stiletto heels. I added a pearl drop necklace and pearl studs. Finally, I felt equal to meeting Kay Douglas. Wondering why I bothered to consider my reception by the person I liked least, I fed the cats then called Rascal.
“No jumping on me, boy. How about some dinner instead?”
I left him happily snarfing his kibble while the cats looked on imperiously. I bounded out the door and—whoa, oh, oh—grabbed for the rail. These heels were higher than I’d ever worn, and I almost took a tumble down the staircase. Before I started the car, I slipped my right shoe off so I wouldn’t scuff the heel while driving.
I had to admit I was nervous about tonight. Knowing I was being overly dramatic, I couldn’t help figuring I’d be dining with a killer.
***
Instead of the snippy maid, Devlin answered the door when I rang the bell. Dressed in dark gray slacks and a light blue shirt open at the throat, he offered one of those wide smiles that lighted his face.
“Wow, nice to see you. And I mean that. What a dress. You look gorgeous.”
“No woman minds hearing those words. Thank you. How’s Sam?”
He held my hand and laid it on his arm. “Much better. He’s talking a little off and on, he’s disoriented and sometimes hallucinates. We still don’t know who drugged him, but he’s alert enough to make it clear he’s not to blame.”
“Have the lab tests come back from Dallas?”
“The doctor was supposed to hear this afternoon, but he hasn’t let us know anything. With the holiday weekend, we’re hoping he won’t keep us waiting until Tuesday.”
I wanted to ask him more, but by this time we were in the dining room and we were no longer alone.
Kay came up, smiling as if we were old friends. “Heather, how nice to see you here. Did Chelsea tell you I paid a visit to your garden center the other day?” Tonight Kay wore tangerine silk slacks with a burnt orange silk blouse that reached almost to her knees and flowed with her every movement. Her sandals were decorated in beads the color of her slacks.
“Yes, Chelsea mentioned you’d come in.” D
id she ever.
Kay patted my arm. “Lovely place, very organized and everything looking top notch. No wonder you’re doing so well with it. Bootsy’s ecstatic about her garden.”
I stammered out, “Thank you. We have a loyal clientele.”
“Well, I’ll let my nephew and you talk while I ask Lionel about something.” She drifted away.
I was left gaping. Could this be the same woman I’d met before? The same one who’d terrorized Chelsea?
“I’d better tell Mavis to start serving,” Devlin apologized, then left my side to speak to the maid.
Chelsea hurried over. She was dressed in one of her usual costumes, but modestly displaying no piercings other than those in her ears. Her red, scooped-neck top with flaring filmy elbow-length sleeves topped her black spandex mini-skirt. A bell dangling from her ankle chain drew attention to her red spike heels.
“Don’t you look terrific?” She grabbed my hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. Sam’s talking now, and he was glad to see me. I almost couldn’t leave him, but he asked me to represent him tonight.”
“Is he out of ICU?”
“Yes, they moved him this morning. Room 338, but he still can’t stay awake long. And he has horrible dreams.” She whispered, “Wait until I tell you what I found out.”
“What?”
She turned so her back was to the others. “Devlin, Sam, Bootsy, and Kay each get twenty percent of the company. Wyatt gets ten percent. The Ormonds get the other ten percent.”
“Really?” I asked. “That is surprising. No bequests to charities, etc.”
“Yes, but cash. And to key employees, servants, the usual.”
So, no one was left out. Maybe Vance Rockwell was even trying to make amends for killing Frank Ormond. “Rather late for him to feel sorry about all the evil he did the Ormonds.”
Chelsea whispered, “Well, yes, but they’ll be fixed for life now. The company is worth tons. Billions.”
A table that could easily have seated twenty people was set for ten. A crisp white damask tablecloth covered the table, with a gold runner down the center. Low arrangements of gold and white daisies were placed along the runner. The gold rimmed china service had and inner ring of dark green with a center gold medallion that reminded me of the one in the entryway. Gold flatware was carefully arranged beside each plate and a dark green napkin was artfully folded on the left at each place.
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