Hair Brained (The Bad Hair Day Mysteries Book 14)

by Nancy J. Cohen

  Melaleuca Lane? he texted back. That’s where the accident happened. Thanks, I’ll pass this on to Sergeant Mallory.

  Marla wondered if Ken had been on his way to meet the woman whose name was on the note. Since Tally had tagged along, it was more likely the lady was a colleague than a lover. So how come the people at Ken’s office hadn’t mentioned anyone named Louise?

  *****

  Later at the salon, Marla brought Nicole up to date. They stood outside on the pavement by the front window, soaking in the fresh air and a moment of quiet.

  “We need to find Ken’s estate documents,” Marla said. “His will should tell us what he wants done with the business. I’m assuming Tally inherits his personal possessions and financial accounts.”

  “I thought you had copies of their papers.”

  “We have their living wills and signed power of attorney documents. Their wills and trusts must be in a separate packet. Dalton and I keep our important papers in our safety deposit box, but Tally and Ken may not have wanted to rent a bank vault. I didn’t find a key in their house.”

  “Why not let Dalton worry about Ken’s end of things? You have enough to do between Tally and Luke,” Nicole replied, her eyes radiating sympathy.

  “Yes, that’s true.” They chatted about inane topics before resuming work.

  As Marla zipped through her late-afternoon appointments, she hoped to hear from Ken’s staff regarding his insurance policies or from Dalton about the address she’d given him. Her phone remained annoyingly silent.

  By the time she got home at eight-thirty, fatigue weighted her down. The sight of Dalton giving Luke his last bottle for the night in the kitchen perked her up and brought a fond smile to her face. How endearing he looked seated at the table with the baby nestled in his arm. His lips curved upward as he regarded Luke, his gaze holding a soft look she didn’t see often.

  “Oh, you’re home,” he said with a quick glance in her direction.

  “Where’s Brie?” The house was relatively quiet, with no sign of the teen.

  “In her room. She got a new book she wanted to read.”

  “Good for her. I don’t even have time to read my email these days. Did you see the envelopes I brought back from Ken’s house?”

  “Yes, and I didn’t spot anything urgent in the pile. How was your day otherwise?” When Luke finished his bottle, Dalton prepared to burp him.

  “I couldn’t wait to leave the salon when we have so much to do. Can I hold Luke?” she asked, after the baby gave a loud belch.

  “Sure.” He handed over a dishtowel for her to sling over her shoulder.

  The child’s warm body felt incredible against her chest. Marla nuzzled his soft skin and planted a kiss on his temple. He tasted so tender, like innocence personified. Rubbing his back, she was gratified when he emitted another noisy burp. She hugged him close, a tangible source of comfort from her overwhelming concerns.

  “I put away those supplies you brought from Tally’s house,” Dalton told her. “Luke is almost big enough to fit in that swing, so I took it out of the box. And I picked up the changing table on my way home.”

  “Great, we should have enough in stock for now.” Her mouth puckered as another thought surfaced. “I need to examine Tally’s calendar to see when Luke has his next pediatrician appointment.”

  “You look tired. Why don’t you get ready for bed? You can check her schedule another time.”

  “There’s too much on my mind for me to relax. I’ll put Luke to sleep, and then I could use a glass of wine. Maybe I will get comfortable before we discuss things. I’ll fetch Tally’s calendar, and we can look at it together.”

  Marla poked her head inside Brianna’s bedroom along the way. The teen, absorbed in reading, barely acknowledged her.

  “How’s Tally?” Brie asked without looking up.

  “She’s holding her own for now.” Marla didn’t mention the chest tube Tally had needed to help her breathing. Hopefully, that wouldn’t prove to be a serious setback.

  “Close the door, will you? I don’t want to hear you guys talking.”

  Marla, shaking her head in bemusement, complied with the teen’s demand. A half hour later, she reentered the kitchen. She wore a nightshirt and carried Tally’s appointment book. Dalton handed her a glass of red wine.

  “I found Ken’s estate documents buried in our file cabinet,” he said, sitting opposite her at the round glass table. He set a bulging manila envelope on the surface. “You go first with what you’ve learned today.”

  “Okay.” She related her visit to the day care center, her stopover to see Phil and swipe supplies from Tally’s house, and her condolence call to Ken’s staff members.

  “That Ryan fellow actually said the police should dig deeper?” Dalton repeated with a frown.

  “I got the feeling he might have said more if we’d been alone. Darryl and Jeri were the most verbal of the bunch. The other account executive, Shawna Madison, didn’t say much. And the financial planner was absent.”

  His lips compressed. “Go on.”

  “I asked about Ken’s insurance policies. Hopefully they’ll get back to me on that topic. Meanwhile, their main concern is who inherits the business with Ken gone.”

  Dalton tapped the envelope. “All of Ken’s personal possessions go to Tally. His financial accounts are in his trust, with Tally’s trust as the beneficiary. If neither of them survives, Luke gets everything once he reaches maturity.”

  “And the insurance agency?”

  “Tally is the new owner. If she fails to survive Ken, the asset is to be sold and the proceeds put in trust for their son.”

  “Did Ken leave anything for his brother?”

  “A gold Rolex watch and ten thousand dollars.”

  “Phil will be pleased Ken thought of him. What else?”

  “There’s a charitable donation listed. And, I found a life insurance policy. Tally will get a million dollars through an irrevocable trust.”

  “Oh, thank goodness.” A wave of relief hit her. Tally wouldn’t have to worry about finances, thanks to Ken’s foresight.

  “I have to obtain the death certificates before I can officially step in as successor trustee. I’ll check with Phil to see if he ordered extras from the funeral home.”

  Marla motioned to the papers Dalton had withdrawn from the envelope. “Does Ken say anything about burial plans?”

  “Nope. I’m assuming he doesn’t have any prior arrangements. Did Tally ever mention the subject to you?”

  “We didn’t have that talk, unfortunately.” Marla leaned forward, hands clasped on the table. “How do you feel about it? I’m Jewish, so I need to be buried in the ground. But your religion doesn’t have such dictates.”

  Dalton gave a low chuckle. “I won’t be here to care, will I? But I think it would be best if I’m buried next to you.”

  “We should consider Pre-Need Plans.” Her mother had one, and Marla had already vetted the possibilities at a couple of funeral homes during her research on another case. But they’d need a cemetery that took interfaith couples.

  “Will you put in the claim for Ken’s life insurance?” she asked her husband with a tilt of her head.

  “Yes, I’ll take care of it. Meanwhile, I spoke to Ken’s car insurance adjustor. He said I should sign a notarized release for the vehicle after Mallory lifts the hold on it. I can go over to the yard first to collect any personal belongings that are still inside, along with the license tag. The adjustor will retrieve the car and take it to their company’s lot, where he’ll appraise the damage. Also, he needs a copy of the police report when it’s ready.”

  “Good, those are a few items off our list. Let’s look at their appointments.” She opened Tally’s desk calendar. “Here’s the next doctor visit for Luke. It isn’t until February. That should be his six month exam. I see some nail appointments and yoga classes I’ll have to cancel. Hey, what’s this? Tally has something called tea circle twice a month.”

>   “Your guess is as good as mine.” Dalton stuffed the papers he’d found back inside the envelope. “Any mention in her calendar about the address you gave me?”

  “You mean the one written on that scrap of paper from the trash can? I don’t see anything, and there’s nobody listed here by the name of Louise. Why, did you check the location?”

  Spooks chose that moment to sniff her ankles and nudge her. She reached down to scratch the poodle behind his ears. Lucky yawned from his spot in the family room. She should refill their water dishes before retiring for the night. Lifting her wine glass, she took a sip.

  “Sergeant Mallory sent a guy over there,” Dalton said, his mouth thinning. “It led to a warehouse at the end of the lane where Ken was heading when he had the accident. The officer found a woman’s body inside.”

  Marla choked and spewed red wine. “W-what?”

  “What’s more interesting is the hit Mallory got on her fingerprints.”

  Chapter Five

  “Don’t keep me in suspense. Who is the dead woman?” Marla asked, having difficulty comprehending what this new development would mean.

  “She’s an agent for the Florida Department of Financial Services in the insurance fraud division.”

  “What was she doing in that remote location late at night on New Year’s Eve?”

  “Her wrists were bound, so I’d guess she hadn’t gone there willingly.”

  “Did you contact her department? They might have more information.” Marla cradled the glass of wine in her hand.

  “Sergeant Mallory notified them. They said she was involved in an investigation. They’d take care of their operative, and Mallory should keep his nose out of their affairs.”

  “That’s it? You’d think they would be more cooperative.” Marla swallowed past a lump in her throat. “How did the woman die?”

  “She was shot in the head execution-style.”

  “How awful. Whoever she’d been investigating must have caught onto her.”

  “I tend to agree.” He leveled his gaze on her. “Based on the note you found in Ken’s bedroom, it appears her presence there was known to him.”

  “Could that be where he was going?”

  “Obviously. The question is, why?”

  “When was the woman killed? Do you have a time of death?”

  “The medical examiner estimates she died sometime between when Ken got the call, according to what the babysitter told us, and when he had the accident. But the M.E. has yet to do a full workup on the body.”

  “So she would have been dead already if he’d arrived at the warehouse.”

  “True. We have no idea what the caller might have told Ken.”

  “What do you think?” Marla gulped down the dregs of her wine. She didn’t care for the implications of this conversation. What had their friend been involved in?

  “If Ken knew the woman was there, he was in on her abduction. Maybe he was called to clean up the mess. It’s possible he had an accomplice who phoned to say he’d captured the agent on their tail.”

  “His accomplice? Who do you believe this woman was investigating?”

  “Didn’t you hear me? She works for the insurance fraud division.”

  “Dear Lord. You think she was investigating Ken’s office?”

  “It looks that way, and possibly the owner in particular.”

  “Do you suppose Tally knew? Was this why she went with him that night, to convince him to do the right thing and turn himself in? But then they couldn’t have known the woman had been shot.”

  “We won’t know until Tally wakes up, will we?” Dalton stroked his jaw, bristly from a day’s growth. “This just keeps getting nastier.”

  “It’s dangerous to jump to conclusions. We should give Ken the benefit of the doubt.”

  “You believe he’s innocent when things are pointing his way?”

  “If you’re right, then who forced him off the road, assuming the witness’s report was accurate?”

  “Maybe his accomplice double-crossed him. We need more information.”

  “It’s Mallory’s case. And if the woman’s department steps in, it could be taken out of his hands,” Marla pointed out.

  “That won’t stop me,” Dalton assured her. “These are our friends. We’re directly affected by their accident. Besides, I’m Ken’s executor. That must give me some legal rights.”

  “Speaking of legalities, I need to show Tally’s power of attorney at the bank to access her checking account. Or should I bring a copy of her trust?”

  “I’d think the POA will be adequate unless their accounts are in the name of the trusts. You should ask Tally’s doctor for a letter verifying her disability in case you need it.”

  “Let’s go together to see her on Sunday. Did Mallory say when Ken’s body would be released?” If the burial took place that day, they’d have to rearrange their plans.

  Ken’s death still seemed surreal. Marla glanced at the doorway, as though he might walk into their kitchen at any moment. Now he’d never get the chance to build that miniature railroad set with his son he’d mentioned, or to grill his specialty steak for them again. She could almost hear him describing the latest model cars.

  “Mallory is hoping the M.E. will give clearance this weekend,” Dalton said, staring at a blotch on the table. “They’re waiting for more lab results to come in, although preliminary tox screens are negative. It appears Ken died from traumatic injuries and not drowning.”

  “Thank goodness. How horrible if he’d been trapped underwater while being fully awake.”

  Dalton stretched his hand across the table to grasp hers. “Luke is his legacy. We’ll be able to tell the kid about his father when he grows up.”

  “I just pray Tally will be there for him. What do you intend to do next?”

  He squeezed her hand then let go to lean back in his chair. “I won’t interfere with Mallory’s investigation, but I’ll do my own background checks on Ken’s colleagues.”

  “While you’re doing your cop thing, I could come in from the consumer angle. I’ve met everyone except their financial planner. I’ll make an appointment to discuss investments.”

  “It would be more logical to inquire about long term care policies. I hate to mention this, but what happens if Tally remains disabled? Nursing care would eat through her savings pretty quickly.”

  Marla bristled at the idea. That wouldn’t happen to her friend. “Things won’t go that way, and she’ll have Ken’s life insurance. That should meet her needs, even if she requires live-in care to stay at home.”

  “Nevertheless, ask about long term care while you’re at the agency. Tally might have a policy. It’s smart to buy one when you’re young and healthy.”

  “Jeri said she’d look up their insurance plans for me.” Marla noticed his glum expression. “Wait, you’re serious about us looking into this for ourselves?”

  “In my line of work, anything can happen. I have disability and life insurance, but not long term care. I’ll bet you don’t have coverage, either.”

  “What does your disability plan do?” She hadn’t asked for the details before.

  He rose, plucked her empty wine glass from the table, and moved to the sink. “I believe it provides for a monthly income, but it doesn’t deal with nursing home payments, rehab, or home care. We’ll have to review all our policies.”

  “Yes, I guess so.” She remained mute for a few moments, thinking they wouldn’t be having this discussion if not for Tally’s accident. Maybe it would be the only good thing to come out of it. Dalton was right in one regard. His job could be hazardous, and he had his daughter’s college education ahead. “All right, I’ll make an appointment at the agency, and I’ll try to speak to Ryan while I’m there. He knows something, but he’s afraid to talk in front of the others.”

  “Be careful. If there’s a rotten egg in that bunch, you don’t want to rile them.”

  *****

  Friday morning at work, Mar
la discussed her plans with Nicole. They’d both arrived early and were setting up for their first customers. As she related the latest news, her fellow stylist’s expression ranged from horrified to thoughtful consideration.

  “Maybe the agent was investigating someone else in Ken’s office, and he was cooperating. Why is Dalton so quick to put the blame on him?” Nicole tapped a painted fingernail to her lip. Her brow scrunched, and her brown eyes reflected contemplation.

  Marla unwound the cord from her blow-dryer and plugged it in. “Ken was on his way to that warehouse. He must have known the woman was there.”

  “Oh, yeah? Who does Dalton believe called Ken out on New Year’s Eve? One of his colleagues in crime?”

  “That’s right. He had to be colluding with someone else.”

  “And this person shot that poor woman? You said she died sometime between when Ken got the call and when he had his accident. So she was alive when the phone call came through.”

  Marla stared at her friend. “Yes, that sounds logical.”

  “Was there evidence of a struggle? Did the woman try to escape, and the captor killed her by accident?”

  “Dalton said it was execution-style. We don’t have the details.”

  “How’s Tally doing? If she’d wake up, I’ll bet she has some answers. Any change in her condition?”

  “She’s still breathing, so that’s good news. I hope she isn’t in danger from Ken’s cohort. If this person believes Tally knows anything, he could come after her next.” Marla’s heart lurched at the notion. This case kept getting more complicated.

  “Can Dalton suggest to the investigator that they put a guard on her?”

  “I’ll mention it to him, but he doesn’t want to get in Mallory’s way. Dalton said he’ll do a background check on Ken’s colleagues, while I make an appointment to talk to them about long term care policies. He has life and disability insurance through work, but neither of us have an LTC policy. Think about Tally. What kind of mental capacity will she have when she wakes up? She might need care for the rest of her life.”