A Forgotten Murder

by Jude Deveraux

“And it’s all for a cause,” Byon said. “After your photos today, we have a purpose.”

  Kate was beginning to understand what they were thinking. “One of them is a murderer,” she said. “One of the people here is going to lie to cover up and hide.”

  Byon and Sara didn’t break eye contact.

  “We’ll not tell them. We’ll do it one by one.” Sara’s voice was hoarse.

  Byon nodded. “That dress.” He pointed to a bit of silk sticking out from the pile of clothes. “Nadine wore that on that night.” His eyes widened until they must have hurt. “You will film it.”

  Sara looked like she’d seen the Gates of Heaven. “I’ve always wanted to try video. It’s the untouched red button on my camera. I’ll need lights.”

  “London,” Byon said.

  “Yes. Clive. London,” Sara agreed.

  They turned in unison to Kate.

  “Sorry, darling,” Byon said, “but you must leave. We writers have work to do.”

  “And this lowly peasant has no place in that lordly kingdom,” Kate said.

  When they didn’t smile, she left the attic, her eyes rolling back into her head. “The Writers’ Pack,” she muttered, and went to find Jack.

  Nineteen

  Two hours later, the whole house seemed to be abuzz with whispers. Byon and Sara had left the attic and were in a meeting with Nadine, Clive and Willa. They had their heads bent so close together their hair was touching. Since Kate wasn’t invited to join them, she stood to the side and watched. At first, she thought it was her imagination, but Clive was sitting quite close to Willa.

  Kate went upstairs to dress for dinner. How Edwardian, she thought. She put on nice trousers, a silk blouse, a soft jacket and pretty flats. Screw the heels, she thought, then went downstairs. They were all there and dressed up—except for Willa, who looked like a “before” photo—and they were all whispering among themselves. When they saw Kate, they quit talking and looked at her.

  “I...” She took a step backward. They seemed to be discussing something that they didn’t want Kate to hear.

  Sara, sitting on the couch at the center of all of them, gave her a look to say GO! There was envy in her eyes.

  Turning on her heel, Kate took off running down the hall. Where is Jack? she wondered. She hadn’t heard him in the room next to hers so maybe he was outside.

  She slipped out a side door into the dark night. She didn’t think about where he was, she knew: the stables. There were path lights, but with all the day workers gone, she was alone. Was this how it was with Nadine and Sean? she wondered. There had been few workers then, so the grounds were empty.

  As she hoped they would be, the lights in the stable were on and a door open. The sound of hammering made her smile. Jack and tools were like chocolate and raspberries, movies and popcorn, and in his case, men and iron.

  Smiling, she went into the building toward the sound, then drew in her breath. Jack was sideways to her, nailing up a wooden panel—and he was shirtless.

  Oh! but he was beautiful. Sometimes she forgot what other women saw instantly. To her, he was just Jack, the man who took care of her and Sara. Got them out of tough spots, kept them from getting too upset about things, and now and then saved their lives. And Jack cared about people.

  He had stopped hammering, but he didn’t turn around. “Keep looking at me like that and it won’t end well.”

  For a moment, Kate considered that. But no. Not here, not now. She shook her head to get it back to reality. “What are you doing?”

  He nodded toward the old desk behind him. On it was an envelope, yellow and curled from age. The words TO MY LOVE were on the outside. He went back to hammering.

  She picked up the envelope and saw it was sealed. Had he been waiting to open it so they could do it together?

  “There, done.” He put down the hammer.

  She looked from him to the panel he’d been working on, then back. “Let me guess. It was driving you crazy about what Nadine was looking for in here.”

  “You know me too well. You look nice.” He leaned toward her, his shirtless body almost touching her, and put his lips by her ear. “Smell nice too,” he whispered.

  Kate’s pulse started racing. “I’m not one of your—” She started to push him away. She put both her hands on his bare chest. “Jack,” she whispered as their eyes met.

  There was a moment when they had a decision to make. Yes or no?

  Kate leaned forward just a bit and so did Jack.

  He was the one who stepped away and turned his back on her—and the moment was lost.

  His shirt and jacket were hanging on the back of the old chair and he put the shirt on. He nodded toward the letter. “I remembered seeing that there had been new wooden panels put over the bricks. Probably put in to cover up decay. Lazy owners.” He was talking fast. “I looked everywhere to find tools. Had to sneak them out from under Mrs. A’s nose. Then I figured I’d get my shirt sweaty so I took it off. When I took the panel down, I found a loose brick, and there it was.”

  Kate was feeling more in control. His shirt was on, but not buttoned. She stepped forward and put her hand on his warm skin. She could feel the curve of his muscles underneath. “After this,” she said softly, “let’s still go to Scotland. Just us.”

  He nodded, seemingly unable to say anything. He touched her hair, just for a moment, but it was enough.

  With a step back, he broke contact. “What’s it like inside?”

  His words brought her back to the present. “Chaos. They’re planning something. I’ve figured out some but not all of it. They get quiet when I enter the room.”

  “Do they?” He raised an eyebrow. “I have the keys to Nadine’s Jag. How about if we go out to a pub about two villages away? I hear it has a live band.”

  She smiled. “Think they need a singer?”

  “I think they have dancing.”

  “Then I’m ready.”

  He picked up the envelope. “And we’ll read this.”

  “Should we? Maybe we should just hand it over to Nadine, unopened.”

  “Might be a clue.” As he buttoned his shirt, his eyes were sparkling. He knew she wanted to read whatever was in that envelope.

  “Yes,” Kate said. “Yes to all of it.”

  “Oh how I wish that were true!”

  With his funny-sad, longing-filled words, the tension between them was broken. They were back to a place where they could tease and laugh.

  As they got into the car, Kate said, “Nadine won’t mind if you borrow her car?”

  “That woman would lend me her soul if she could.”

  “And the lacy knickers she covers it with?”

  Laughing, Jack put the car in Reverse. Thanks to a father who didn’t abide by anybody’s rules, Jack had been driving since he was twelve. He whirled the car around full circle, then headed toward the gates. “This thing has been worked on. It handles well.” He glanced at her. “You’re staring at me again.”

  “Think you can drive while wearing a kilt?”

  “Or without it. I doubt if I can live up to the heroes in Sara’s books. They carry thirty-five-pound broadswords and ride heavy horses into battle.”

  “And wear chain mail.” She sighed. “Never forget the chain mail.”

  “I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do that.” He was teasing.

  “I think you are. The way you climb ladders carrying two fifty-pound bags of whatever is strength personified. And you wear those heavy boots and that tool belt and—”

  Jack pulled the car to the side of the road and looked at her. His voice was quiet, his eyes intense. “You know how I feel about you. I’m waiting for you and you know it. But there’s only so much restraint I can manage.”

  Kate swallowed.

  “If you want to leave this place t
onight, we’ll do it. A hotel? The backseat of this car? Whatever you want, I’ll give it.”

  Kate’s heart was pounding in her throat. “Scotland?” she whispered.

  He looked away and seemed to be trying to make a decision. He put the car in gear. “Scotland, it is.” He looked back at her. “Tonight is for fun.”

  “Yes,” she agreed. “We need some laughter.”

  Jack took the curves of the English country roads like a driver at Daytona. Beside him, Kate leaned back in the plush leather seat and smiled. Just a few more days and maybe... She glanced at him, saw the seriousness in his eyes.

  The restaurant Jack had found for them was nice. White tablecloths, heavy silver. Next door was a pub that had a sign announcing the band.

  “Eat first, dance later,” he said as he held her chair out for her.

  They ordered English beef.

  “Now?” Kate asked.

  Smiling, Jack handed the envelope to her. Carefully, she ran her finger under the tab and lifted it. There was a single sheet inside.

  Tonight. Midnight. The beginning of forever.

  She handed it to Jack, then blinked back tears. “Nadine went to him but he wasn’t there. All these years, she’s not known what happened to him.”

  “Maybe not. I still think she could have hit him over the head. Maybe he did accept her father’s money.”

  “If Mr. Howland was in Hawaii that night, then he had to have offered the money before that. Sean would have left then. He wouldn’t have been so cruel as to wait to tell her on the night they were to leave together.”

  “I like to think not. How’s your dinner?”

  “Great. Excellent. You?”

  “Perfect. So what are the others plotting to do?”

  Kate shook her head. “I can’t figure it out. It’s all very hush-hush. I think there’s to be a play. We’re all to act out what happened that night. I heard Nadine tell Teddy she was too fat to wear the dress she wore that night.”

  “Nothing like mother love, is there?”

  “I understand. I’m a lot bigger than my mother.”

  “You are perfectly sized. Truly perfect.”

  The way he said it made her blush.

  “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.” Jack sounded dismissive, as though he’d heard all he wanted to about the Pack at Oxley Manor.

  It was as they were about to leave that they saw Meena—not her incarnation as the dumpy Willa—enter the restaurant with a man. The lawyer, no doubt.

  Jack put his hand up to shade his face. “And it’s another possible murderer and a body hider.”

  “You are horrible!” Kate said but she was laughing.

  “Is there a back way out of here?” he asked the pretty waitress. He nodded toward Meena and Eddie. “They’re her parents. We don’t want to spend the night listening about the good ol’ days.”

  “Sure,” she said. “Through the kitchen.”

  “You’re incorrigible.” Kate took his hand as they ran through the kitchen and out the back.

  “Horrible and incorrigible. I’m batting a thousand tonight.”

  They were in a dark alley with trash bins and empty boxes. There were lights on the buildings but one in the middle was out.

  Jack caught her hand, and in a deft move, swirled her around until her back was against a wall. For a moment, he paused, as though asking if she was all right with him.

  Jack kissed her. His body pressed against hers, his lips to hers. For all his desire for her, what was in the kiss was his longing for her, for this woman who had been his companion for years now. Talking, laughing, sharing. Good moods and bad. Danger and peace. Anger and calm. They were all there in the kiss.

  When he broke away, he smiled at her sweetly. “The rest can wait.”

  He took her hand, and laughing, they went down the alley to the pub. It was already filling up and the band was on the stage. They went through the crush to the bar, got beers and made their way closer to the band. It began to play a mix of rock and roll and ballads.

  Jack got them a tiny table near a wall. They put down their drinks and hit the floor. They had danced together very little, but they’d lived in the same house for years and they knew each other well.

  He was a down and dirty dancer, while Kate had had classes in college. She could follow anything he did.

  After an hour of nonstop dancing, Jack left Kate in a chair at their table and nodded toward the band. She understood. He was going to sing. She watched him talk to the five musicians and the female singer. They were smiling and nodding.

  Kate wondered what he was going to sing. She recognized it within seconds. It was one of Byon’s songs. She’d heard them practicing it, but Jack hadn’t sung it all the away through.

  Run away with me. Make my tomorrows your forever. Take my hand. Lead me away. I am yours.

  As he sang, he kept his eyes on Kate. The audience saw where he was looking, and they stepped back, not blocking his view.

  When the song was nearly finished, he handed the microphone to the female singer and she kept it going. Jack stepped down from the stage. He went to Kate, held out his hand, and she took it. Everyone cleared the floor as Jack led Kate in a slow dance, holding her body close to his. He dipped her back, then pulled her to him. Spun her out, drew her back into his arms.

  When the singer finished, Jack held Kate tightly—and their audience burst into applause.

  Smiling, Jack kissed Kate’s forehead, then led her off the floor and out of the pub. Laughing, they ran down the sidewalk to the car.

  “Okay?” he asked.

  “I’m good. In fact, right now, this moment, my happiness meter is at a high ten.”

  He laughed. “Mine’s about a hundred. Ready to go back?”

  “No, but yes.”

  Twenty

  Jack woke to a soft, warm hand on his cheek. “Kate?” he whispered.

  “Alas, it’s only me,” Sara said.

  He turned over, rubbing his eyes. There was no light around the curtains so it was very early in the morning. “What’s happened now? Found another body? Clive went berserk and killed everyone?”

  “Puck wants us at her house. You usually sleep in a T-shirt but you don’t have one on now. Anything on below it?”

  “None of your business.”

  “Interesting,” Sara said. “You were hoping Nadine would slide into bed with you?”

  “I’m holding out for the daughter. Turn around. I have to get out of bed.”

  Smiling, Sara turned away as Jack slid on jeans and a shirt. “What’s going on? Or is that part of your new secrecy?” he asked.

  “You and Kate have a good time last night?”

  “I always have a good time with Kate. If you don’t answer my questions, I’m going back to bed.”

  “Kate’s already up and ready to go.”

  “Ah. You’re using enticement.” He sat down on the edge of the bed to put on shoes. “Any climbing to do? Tunnels?”

  Sara’s face turned serious. “I don’t know. Puck wouldn’t tell me. That woman! If I didn’t like her I’d be afraid of her. This house is locked at night, and my door was locked. But she still got into my bedroom.”

  “Wonder how she did it,” Jack said.

  “When we see her, you can ask, but that’s not important. She said it was urgent that we get there asap.”

  Jack stood up. “How are you and Byon doing on the script?”

  Sara laughed. “So you heard about that. You figure it out or did Kate?”

  “She did. She’s the brains—I’m the brawn.”

  “Have you been running around shirtless to make her see that?”

  “Oh yeah. I’ve been about to freeze, but the look on her face was worth it.”

  They smiled at each other.

 
There was a quick knock on the door and Kate entered. She looked from one to the other. “What have you two been talking about?”

  “Sex,” Sara said.

  “Good,” Kate said. “You can teach Jack about it. You two ready to go?” She left the room.

  Sara frowned at Jack. “You do know about boys and girls who love each other, don’t you?”

  Shaking his head, Jack went through to Kate’s room. Behind him, Sara was smiling.

  They tiptoed through the house, down the stairs and out through the empty kitchen. The big table was covered with bowls of chopped vegetables that Mrs. Aiken had prepared for the day’s meals.

  “Dare you to mess them up,” Kate whispered to Jack.

  “I value my life too much.”

  Outside, the women followed Jack to find one of the little utility trucks parked under a tree.

  Kate looked up. “Puck isn’t going to jump down, is she?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised by anything she did,” Sara said.

  Jack drove them to Puck’s house and there were lights on inside. Outside was an old green Range Rover that looked like it had been used to ford rivers and climb rocks.

  “Someone’s here,” Sara said.

  “Oh good,” Jack said. “Another murder suspect.”

  “Just so it isn’t another body, I’m fine with it,” Kate shot back.

  Puck had to let them in through the downstairs gate. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes showed that she was excited about something.

  Upstairs, they saw a woman, fortyish, with skin that looked like it had spent a lifetime outdoors. She was sturdily built, not fat, not thin, and she looked strong.

  Jack and Kate stepped forward to greet her, but Sara stayed back.

  “You’re Diana,” Sara said.

  She smiled. “I am. I saw the paper on the newsstand. Murder at Oxley Manor. What a headline! I was going to call, but then I thought it would be better if I showed up. I do like to answer questions about my death in person. Are they all here?”

  “Yes.” Sara sat down at Puck’s big table, Jack and Kate beside her.

  “Did you tell her?” Sara asked Puck and she nodded.