Instead, I rubbed my neck and made a stupid stab at levity. But my voice was shaky when I said, “T-Thank goodness you came when you did. Who says there’s never a cop around when you need one?”
Officer Winston—I should remember to call him Jack—brought a chair from the dining room and I plopped onto it before my knees gave way.
Devlin hurried to his aunt. She was crying, I thought as much with anger as with sorrow. But he drew her to him, soothing her as if she were a small child.
“Don’t let them take me. Stop them, stop them,” She sobbed onto his shoulder.
He was crying too, but his tears appeared those of genuine sorrow. “How could you, Aunt Kay? How could you do those terrible things?”
“I had to take care of us, didn’t I?” she cried. She turned and yelled at Kurt. “You can’t prove anything. I’ll get the best lawyer in Dallas. Then I’ll sue you for false arrest. You can’t do anything to me. I’m Kay Douglas.” By then she was screeching like a banshee.
Bootsy came to the door then turned away from her sister-in-law. She put her hand on Officer Winston’s arm. “Get her away from here. I never want to see her again.” Then she walked back out onto the terrace.
Chelsea stared from her to me as if torn in her duty.
“Take care of her, please,” Devlin said. “Heather, please call the hospital right away and tell them Sam was given valerian. The number’s on Mom’s desk.”
“I will.” I nodded at Kurt then rose and walked through to Bootsy’s office. I dialed and asked to speak to the nurse on duty. I relayed the information and disconnected.
The realization of how close I’d come to biting the big one hit me like a truck. My legs refused to support me and my hands wouldn’t stop trembling. I sat down at the desk and put my head between my knees until the dizziness passed.
When I could, I staggered into the powder room and relieved myself, gagging down the nausea at my near death experience. I washed my hands and splashed cold water onto my face. Then, I forced myself to walk back to the dining room where Chelsea and Sharee waited.
Sharee said, “Back up arrived and they’ve taken Kay to the station.”
Chelsea said. “They let Devlin follow in his car and an officer rode with him. Bootsy and the others are in the living room.”
Kurt motioned us to join the others, then said, “We’ll need statements from everyone. We’ll talk to you individually. Mrs. Rockwell has invited us to use her office for the interviews. While we talk to one of you at a time, the rest of you will please refrain from discussing the evening’s events. Officer Ferguson will remain in the room while Officer Winston and I take statements.”
I looked at him. He was all business now, and I couldn’t help admiring his professional attitude, but he could at least look at me.
“Ma’am?” He nodded toward Bootsy. “I know this has been a difficult time for you. We’ll start with you so you can go upstairs and rest.”
Chelsea started to help her up, but Bootsy shook her head and rose slowly. Kurt, ever the gentleman, offered her his arm and she accepted. We watched her square her shoulders and walk out regally. She might spend money like it was water, but I really admired her.
Chelsea said, “Devlin asked me to stay here with Bootsy tonight.”
“Better you than me. This place sort of creeps me out now.” Sharee peered around the room. “Imagine, I used to wish I could live in a place like this. That’s before I knew what went on here.”
I nodded. “It’s lost a great deal of its charm, hasn’t it?”
Chapter Twenty Five
Mr. Wyatt scowled and sat in a corner of the room, half-turned away from the rest of us. He might as well have carried a neon sign flashing “Leave me alone.”
Millie swatted Bubba. “Get your feet off the sofa and sit up.”
He did, but pouted. “If we’re gonna be stuck here half the night, I figured I might as well have a nap.”
“Maybe there’s still some food around.” Buck looked at the pleasant maid. “Any of that pudding left?” He looked at a chubby woman who still wore a cook’s apron.
The woman said, “No, but I can make coffee and find something to go with it.”
The policeman shook his head. “Sorry. No one’s to leave the room unless Detective Steele okay’s it.”
I sat near Chelsea and slipped off my heels to let my toes wiggle in the deep carpet. If we were captives, at least this was a luxurious jail.
Sharee drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. “Damn, I need a cigarette and Bootsy won’t let anyone smoke in her house.”
The friendly maid was allowed to help Bootsy upstairs to bed and come right back down. One by one, people were called for an interview. Wyatt was next, and then he also went up to his room. Millie, then Buck, Bubba, and then Sharee went in. Apparently, they’d driven over together, so Millie and her sons waited nervously until Sharee came back.
Millie came over to me. “Thank you for believing me. Your policeman convinced the chief to let him reopen Frank’s case. It looks as if Frank’s name will finally be cleared.”
Sadly, I wasn’t sure Kurt was my policeman any more. I forced a smile for Millie anyway. “I’m glad for you and for your husband’s memory. Now you don’t need it, but maybe you can collect the life insurance. It’s due you, you know.”
She sat straighter. “It won’t bring my Frank back, but at least people will know he wasn’t a coward who left his family penniless.”
Sharee came in and retrieved her purse from a lamp table. “I’m going home and sleep until noon tomorrow.”
They left as Chelsea was called in, leaving me with the cook and two maids. I knew Kurt was angry with me. I wondered if he was leaving me until last so he could yell.
Chelsea emerged twenty minutes later and I went back.
Kurt looked up when I came in then down at my stocking feet. The corner of his mouth quirked, but he didn’t smile. “Tell me everything from when you finished dinner.”
I said, “Look, it’s getting awfully late. Couldn’t you just ask me what you want to know?”
He shook his head. “We need your exact words.”
“Okay.” I went through my story. “That’s when you came in.”
He looked up at me then. Lines of fatigue etched his face. His beautiful bluebonnet eyes looked sad.
“What did you think when Ms Douglas left the terrace?”
“I didn’t think about it then.”
“You don’t think she had a gun all evening?”
I shook my head. “In that silk? She couldn’t have hidden a gun without the outline showing.”
“You want to add anything else?” He looked down.
I’d disappointed him by coming tonight. True, I’d flushed out the real killer, but he would have figured out Kay was the one on his own. I looked at Jack Winston, then back at Kurt. I wanted to tell Kurt I was sorry but didn’t know what to say in front of his partner.
“That’s all I remember about tonight.” I took a chance and said, “Look, Kurt, I’m really sorry—“
Without looking up again, he asked, “Would you ask one of the maids to come in?”
I left and sent the pleasant maid in next. Chelsea was waiting for me.
I told her, “That’s over. Kurt’s so mad at me he won’t even speak, except to ask questions. He practically threw me out so I may as well go home.”
“If he’s angry, he’ll get over it.” Chelsea shrugged. “I’ll probably stay here tonight. At least until Devlin comes back, but I can take you home if you want. You don’t look like you should be driving.”
“I’m okay.” I hoped I told the truth. “Bootsy needs you around.” I hugged her. “If you’ll be all right here, I’ll go home. By the way, don’t come to work until at least Tuesday.”
***
I felt as if I’d barely slept last night, but I climbed out of bed Saturday morning and went to work early. We were sure to be swamped with customers. For most peop
le, Memorial Day weekend marked the beginning of summer. Kids were out of school and many families started vacations.
Others gardened. Love those gardeners.
We were ready for them.
But Grandpa didn’t work with us after all. He got word that Walter might be released and went to the jail to see what he could do to expedite matters. Midmorning, he strutted in with Walter in tow. “The DA dropped the charges.”
I hugged Walter. Grandpa must have taken clean clothes for him, because he was scrubbed and his clothes pressed. “You look much better than in that awful orange coverall.”
He looked down at his clothes. “Meg had Dick bring these for me. Reckon the ones I was arrested in were pretty rank.” Walter smiled, looking more like his old self.
Employees drifted by to welcome him back. A few customers stopped to shake his hand.
“Dick said I can’t work today, said I have to go home and relax. Tomorrow too.”
I kissed his cheek. “You deserve it for all you’ve been through.”
“But I’m never taking another drink. Not even a beer with Billy Ray.”
I hugged him again. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“I don’t reckon Billy Ray will be, but he’ll just have to understand.” Walter looked thoughtful. “Maybe I can get him to an AA meeting with me.”
Grandpa said, “We better get on up to the house. Meg and Gigi want Walter to come have lunch with us.”
“What about supper after I get through here?” I asked.
Walter turned bright red and wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Um, well, I got plans for this evening.”
“Sharee?” I asked.
His eyes grew round. “How’d you know?”
“She has a lot to tell you. You won’t believe all that’s happened. First, tell me what you heard about Kay.”
Grandpa grew serious. “I talked to Kurt. Turns out she confessed to it all. Said she killed Vance in a fit of fury after they fought about him selling the company. He’d promised he’d leave Bootsy, but that night he admitted he never planned on divorcing her. Told Kay he’d never loved her or Bootsy either, that he’d always loved only Nora, and always would.”
I said, “Wow, after she stuck by him all these years.”
Grandpa nodded. “Yep. Gets worse. She admitted she helped him cover up after he killed George. Said she loved Vance and, at that point, there was no helping George.”
“Did she admit to the police that she staged Sam’s so-called suicide?”
“That woman,” Grandpa said with disgust. “Wasn’t bad enough she doped the boy with his mother’s sleeping pills, she added in valerian and a touch of jimson weed.”
“Jimson weed? Datura.” I gasped. “Ohmygosh, I never thought of that. No wonder poor Sam was hallucinating. And with the combination of valerian and jimson weed, it would be in his system faster than the synthetic sleep meds. That’s why pumping his stomach didn’t stop the problem.”
Grandpa shook his head in apparent amazement. “Wonder the boy didn’t die. Only reason is Kay’s a lousy chemist. He’s gonna be in the hospital a few more days as it is.”
Walter nodded toward a group of customers. “We’re causing a back up at the register. Reckon we better get out of the way.”
They left and we had what must have been record sales. Apparently Kay’s arrest and Walter’s release had made the news and the newspapers. By the time Chelsea called at five, my feet were begging for mercy.
“How’s Sam?” I asked.
“Once the doctor knew about the jimson weed, Sam started coming out of it.” She sobbed, “If K-Kay had been more skillful, Sam would have died.”
“Is there any permanent damage?”
She was crying so much I had trouble understanding her. “It’s t-too soon to be sure, b-but they don’t think so. Oh, Heather, it’s partly my fault.”
“How could it be?”
“Remember that poster you have of poisonous Texas plants?”
“Sure, I think we made a nice display. Customers have mentioned we might have averted trouble for their children or pets.”
“Kay was studying it when she was there that day. I should have remembered.”
“Chelsea, you couldn’t have known she was plotting anything, much less that she’d targeted Sam.”
“If I’d mentioned it to you, maybe one of us would have thought about it and realized what she’d done.”
I didn’t think so. “No way could we have put that one together.” Trying to distract her, I said, “Walter came by. And guess what?”
“What?” She sniffed but seemed to have stopped crying.
“He was all cleaned up and says he’s through with demon alcohol.”
“Ohmygosh, that’s wonderful. Wait, did you say scrubbed?”
“His clothes were even pressed.”
“I’ll bet that was because of your grandmother. But if he does quit drinking, maybe he’ll clean up more often.”
“Tell Sam and his family hello.”
There was a slight pause. “Devlin doesn’t have a chance with you, does he?”
“No, Devlin’s charming, but he’s not for me.”
“He really likes you, but it’s probably just as well. He can hardly wait to take control of Douglas-Rockwell and move to Dallas. At least your policeman wants to stay in Gamble Grove.”
I wondered if he was my policeman after last night. He hadn’t seemed too happy about me being at the Rockwells. I sighed. Time would tell.
We hustled ourselves until six and I wasn’t sorry to see the end of the workday. Too much had happened this past two weeks. As the last of the customers drove away and Steve rolled the big gates closed, I sighed.
“That was a big sigh.”
I looked up, and Devlin was standing in front of me. He was wearing a pale green shirt and neatly pressed gray slacks, but he looked almost too tired to stand.
I said, “It’s been a rough day.”
He laughed. “It’s been a rough two weeks. But Sam’s better.”
“I’m sorry about Kay. I know she means a lot to you.”
“She’s always been special, but I had no idea what was really going on.” He shrugged. “Oh, I’d figured out years ago that she and Vance were involved, and I didn’t want Mom to find out. But I sure didn’t know Kay helped Vance cover up my dad’s murder, that she was stealing from the company...well, you get the picture.”
“At least Sam’s on the mend and things will soon be back to normal. I hear you’re going to take over running the company.”
“Yeah, but I’ll be staying at Mom’s and driving in to Dallas for a few weeks. At least until Sam is recovered and my mom is stronger.”
“She does seem fragile.”
“Look, I came by to ask you something.” He looked shy, almost embarrassed.
“Sure,” I said.
“Well, like I said, I’ll be around a while. If there’s any chance you and I could have a serious relationship, I’ll extend my time here.”
“Oh. But you’re going to be moving to Dallas eventually?”
“Yes, permanently, as soon as my mom is up to me leaving.”
“Devlin, you’re a great guy, but I—“
“Don’t.” He held up his hand to stop me. “I know the ‘let’s just be friends’ routine when I hear it coming.”
“But I do like you, and I would like to remain friends. It’s that, well, I’m sort of interested in someone else. At least, I am if he’s not so angry he’s finished with me.”
“I understand, and if it’s who I think it is, he’s crazy about you.” He pulled car keys from his pocket. “Well, I’ll probably see you around town from time to time.”
“Good luck. And tell your mom and Sam hello from me.”
After he left, I leaned my arms on the counter and rested my head on them for a few seconds. Taking a deep breath, I stood up to walk toward the front door and click off the Open sign and turn on the neon Closed.
Leaning ag
ainst the doorjamb was Kurt Steele, my policeman, looking luscious in a pair of worn jeans and a dark blue knit shirt the color of his gorgeous eyes. He straightened and changed the signs for me.
I said, “Oh, hello. I didn’t see you come in.” How lame was that? Suddenly, the wise ass demon had deserted me and I didn’t know what to say.
“You were busy.” He nodded to indicate Devlin, who was driving away. “I wandered around outside until Mr. Diaz, um, Miguel, told me to come on in here and wait.”
“Yeah, well, I have to admit I was happier to see you last night, but it’s great to see you now.” I sighed, ready to make an apology. “I was afraid you were mad at me for going to the Rockwells’ after all.”
He raised an eyebrow. “And we know how that turned out.”
Darn, I felt a blush heat my cheeks. “Nevermind. How did you get there without us hearing you?”
“Prune-faced maid let us in. We’d come to take Devlin in for questioning, but that’s not how it turned out, is it?” He pulled me toward him.
I rested my head against his chest. “Oh, Kurt, I was so afraid. I thought I was going to die.”
He hugged me close. “And I can’t tell you how scared I was when I saw Kay Douglas with a gun at your back.
“I’m sure former Marines are never scared.” I kept my arms around his waist but leaned back and looked up at him. “Thank you for rescuing me. I couldn’t tell you last night because, well, Jack was there and you were being all businesslike and didn’t want me apologizing. You were busy with the arrest and statements.” I tried to judge his mood. “Or, maybe you were just too mad at me. Are you still angry?”
“I’m here, aren’t I?” He pushed a stray lock of hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. “You have plans for dinner?”
“No.” My heart beat this little tattoo and my stomach swirled. Was this love or pheromones? “You making me an offer?”
“I was hoping we could go out to dinner, maybe a movie." His hands tightened around my waist. “Or something.”
Why was I so tongue-tied all of a sudden? I’m a modern woman, able to...oh, rats. I didn’t think this fluttering inside was all pheromones or hormones or any other mones. Something else definitely was going on here. Either I was coming down with a killer case of flu or this guy was The One for me.
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