Sister Sleuths Mystery Box Set

by Rayna Morgan

  "That seems like a reasonable argument."

  "I urged him to reconsider; told him to think of what Julia might want."

  "Since she’s an owner, too."

  "It's a co-partnership among the three of us; it takes approval by all partners to sell. If one partner dies or is incapacitated, the surviving partners have full power to control and dispose of the assets."

  "Was she aware of the offer?"

  "Barrett may not have disclosed the offer, but I made sure she heard about it. I knew Julia was getting tired of running the Theatre and felt she would make a good ally in convincing Barrett."

  "Did she want to sell?"

  "She didn't feign any particular interest at the time, but I've known Julia for years. I could see she was considering how best to approach Barrett to convince him it was in his best interest."

  Lea leaned back inclining her head. "You were in quite a dilemma with Barrett. You needed his cooperation as your business partner. At the same time, you suspected him of having an affair with your wife. Did you confront him?"

  "I invited Barrett to the Apex for a late dinner two nights ago to try to convince him we should accept the deal while we still had the opportunity before the hotel people found another location and withdrew the offer. When I found out Julia wouldn't be joining us, I decided to use the time to talk to him about Camilla."

  "You mean you were going to accuse him of having an affair with your wife?"

  "Not exactly. I knew if I approached it that way, he would only get defensive and deny everything. Instead, I casually observed that he appeared to be especially happy and frisky. Asked if he had any secret elixirs for overcoming middle age he'd care to share."

  "Did your strategy work? Did he give himself away about what was happening?"

  "His response surprised me. He readily admitted to involvement in a little hanky-panky as he put it. Instead of being defensive, he joked around about it the way men do, almost boasting. Not at all the way he'd talk if it were my wife he was having an affair with."

  "Did you ask him who the woman was?"

  "He declined to give me a name; said she had asked that he be discrete and he wanted to respect her wishes. He laughed and said he'd tell me when it was over, but I'd be surprised to find out who it was."

  "It sounds like he thought it was someone you know."

  "Yes."

  "Any ideas?"

  "None, but any woman was fair game to Barrett. The important thing is the fact he wasn't having an affair with my wife shows I had no motive to kill him." Angelo searched Lea's face for signs she agreed.

  She tapped her forehead, eyes narrowed into slits. "Did you talk again about the offer? Did he finally agree to sell?"

  Angelo lowered his head. Lea could barely hear his response.

  "He refused. He told me never to ask him again; his answer would always be the same."

  "I'm not sure how I can help you. I'm afraid Tom will consider the possibility of financial gain motive enough to make you a viable suspect."

  "But I didn't do it. I swear to you on my dear sainted mother I didn't do it."

  "It's up to you to convince Tom of that or he'll feel obligated to take you into custody."

  "If I'm arrested, it won't matter that I'm innocent. My reputation will be ruined, and the hotel people won't consider doing business with me."

  "What can I do for you?"

  "I want to hire you to find the proof I need to convince the Detective I'm innocent."

  "The work I do for you is producing brochures and advertising for your restaurant. I'm not a private investigator."

  "Someone else had a bigger motive than me. Please," Angelo pleaded, "find that person."

  Lea recalled Paul's admonition during the fiasco at the Marina but how could she deny her friend? "I'll do my best, but I wouldn't dream of accepting payment. You're more than a good client; you're a friend."

  "Would you consider payment in kind? If you clear my name with the Detective, you'll have the best dinner the Apex has ever served. I'll prepare it with my own hands."

  "Make it dinner for two and it's a deal." She watched as Angelo returned the bill tray to the waitress. "I'll start by eliminating your motives. To do that, I'll need to speak with your wife."

  "You can find her at home most afternoons. I'm sure she'll be happy to have someone to talk to besides me about this terrible thing." He wrote down a number and handed it to Lea. "I won't ask you to disclose what you and my wife talk about, but I would appreciate hearing if you find out anything which would set my mind at ease. The last several days have been troubling and confusing for all of us."

  "Of course. I'll call as soon as I have something to report."

  • • •

  After watching Angelo drive off, Lea put collars on the dogs before releasing them from the car. Once they got past the restaurants, she let them off leash. They bounded ahead knowing exactly where they were headed. They ran past the yellow cones where deckhands were scrambling around the fishing trawler unloading the morning's catch. The canines expressed no interest in the baskets of silvery, scaly, wriggling fish being lowered to the dock. It was ground squirrels they were after.

  A three-foot wall between the walkway and the rocks prevented the dogs from getting close to the squirrels, but they enjoyed the thrill of the chase by racing up and down the sidewalk above them.

  The cinnamon-colored squirrels which lived in the stone outcroppings were typically visible, sitting casually on the rocks below the concrete promenade. They waited for tourists to throw them sunflower seeds or peanuts, ballooning their already fat tummies. Although people were verbally warned not to feed them, no signs were posted so the warnings went largely unheeded.

  When they reached the favorite spot for tourists to throw treats to the squirrels, the canines stopped and stared, cocking their heads from side to side.

  "Looks like you're out of luck. It must be past their feeding time," Lea told the dogs. She thought about Angelo's situation as she watched her pets, amused by their frustration.

  If I know one thing about myself, it's that my instincts are never wrong. Angelo didn't kill Barrett. I'm as sure of that as I am about the fact Camilla isn't having an affair. A woman can sense how another woman feels about a man. I'm certain Camilla is deeply in love with her husband. There must be another explanation for her strange behavior. If I'm going to prove Angelo's innocence and restore his good faith in her, I've got to find out what she's been up to.

  She punched the number Angelo had given her into her cell phone and made arrangements to meet with Camilla.

  "Let's go, guys," she yelled. Spirit raced toward the car but the border collie didn't come. "I don't have time for this," she muttered, putting Spirit in the back seat. "You stay while I find Gracie.

  Heading back toward the rocks, she saw a fluffy gold and white tail waving back and forth like the mainsail on a boat. "Come," she called impatiently, "now."

  The dog stood motionless, one foot bent and her nose thrust forward toward something shiny lodged in the crevice.

  “What have you got there, girl?” Lea asked, making her way carefully down the wet rocks and bending over. The object appeared to be a small glass bottle like the kind used to store liquid medication or perfume. Pulling a tissue from her pocket, she picked the vial up and passed it under her nose, taking a whiff. She pulled her head back. “Wow, strong odor. Was it the smell that attracted you, Gracie?”

  This vial didn’t hold perfume. Interesting scent, a bit like parsnip or parsley. The smell is familiar but I can’t place it.

  Noting her location between the hotel where the Pre-Opening Dinner had been served and the Theatre, she slipped the bottle into her purse until she could dispose of it properly.

  She instructed the border collie to jump into the back seat. “I’ve got to get you two home so I can meet Tom and Paul at the Landing. I can’t wait to see Tom’s reaction when he finds out I’m helping Angelo.”

  CHAPT
ER ELEVEN

  Scott arrived at her door at exactly ten o'clock. The blue and black plaid short-sleeve shirt he wore accented his dark brown eyes. He had a smile so sweet and pure, it was deadly. He removed the brown Stetson and fiddled with the silver buckle in the band.

  "I'm glad you can spend the day with us, Maddy."

  "I'm looking forward to hanging out with you country folk." Her smile was as smooth as butter. “Is it a special occasion?"

  "Nope. We have a barbecue picnic once a month for the ranch hands and their families. Invite the neighbors and anyone else who wants to come. It gives the men a chance to relax and spend some extra time with their kids. They deserve it; working a ranch is hard work. And the neighbors get to kick up their heels a bit. Everyone seems to enjoy it."

  "Kick up their heels how?"

  "We built a dance floor out by the picnic area. We've got a band comes around in the afternoon after the barbecue." His eyes twinkled. "You do know how to do the two-step, don't you?"

  "Bring it on, Cowboy."

  Letting him help her into the cab of his four by four, Maddy expressed her surprise. "Your truck looks awfully clean. I expected I'd be riding shotgun in something a little grittier."

  He grinned little boy fashion. "This is my 'put on a clean pair of jeans and go to town' truck. I left the beat up, dirty ranch truck at home."

  She couldn't believe she'd known Scott for such a short time and felt so comfortable with him. He was the only man besides Tom she had allowed to get close since her divorce five years ago. A painful split caused by a cheating husband left her cynical and unwilling to trust another man. The irony was that meeting Scott had not been by choice; he had rescued her from a harrowing experience, creating a bond which had blossomed into a close friendship.

  Once they had exited the freeway, she rolled down her window. Letting her hand trail outside, she brought Scott up to date on the investigation into the beating at the Finish Line.

  "That doesn't sound like anything you want to be in the middle of," he warned. "The man Tom's after sounds ruthless."

  "I don't feel I have a choice. I don't know what the thug may have told his boss about me. If I don't help the police catch him, I'll have the threat hanging over my head of one or both of them trying to shut me up."

  "I'm sure the Detective knows what he's doing, but I'm here for you if you need anything… or want anything."

  She tried not to read something into his statement which probably wasn't intended. "Thanks. I feel better knowing I have an added layer of protection if I need it. I'll be glad when this whole thing is wrapped up. It's driving me up a wall."

  "Then a day in the country is just what the doctor ordered."

  • • •

  Scott realized spending the day with her was probably exactly what a doctor would have recommended for him as well. Life on a ranch was different from life in other places. Running the ranch was challenging: working the land, tending to the livestock, taking care of all the interconnected parts which make up the whole. But it was work he loved. He was anxious to share his love of the Ranch with her.

  He sneaked a peak as the wind blew her long brown hair. She was dressed comfortably for a day outdoors in a sleeveless floral dress, sandals, and a floppy summer hat with a yellow band. Glowing skin and a light brush of makeup set off her hazel eyes. A touch of gloss made her lips appear juicy and ripe like strawberries ready to be picked. Looking at her was easy like Sunday morning.

  He drove past acres and acres of rolling grassy hills and bluff plateaus. Oak, sycamore, and pepperwood trees dotted the landscape. A creek meandered in and out running parallel to the road. Pastures were cross-fenced to separate grazing sheep and cattle. Several saddled horses were corralled, others roamed freely, lying under shade trees or frolicking in the pastures. The doors of a huge, steel-beamed barn were closed. Tractors, wagons, and harvesters stood idle.

  "When do we get to your Ranch?" she asked.

  He looked over and smiled. "We've been driving beside it for the last fifteen minutes."

  • • •

  "Holy cow. No wonder you need a couple of trucks with all this land to oversee."

  "I do a lot of it on horseback for this back section of the property."

  "Is that what you were doing the day you swooped out of the hills on that chestnut mare to save a damsel in distress?"

  "I don't see it as quite so melodramatic," he laughed. "You do have a bit of a flair for the dramatic."

  "You aren't calling me a drama queen, are you?" she asked muttering, "although you wouldn't be the first person."

  "I prefer to say you're someone with a zest for living."

  "That's better. Will your daughter be here?"

  "Yep. She and her giggly girlfriends. I've asked her to spend some time with us before the barbecue. Once the music starts her friends will come over, and they'll be falling all over each other on the dance floor trying out the latest moves. They're staying for a slumber party," he added. "These are the times when I fall woefully short in the parenting department. If her mom were here, she'd arrange all the girlie things twelve-year-olds like to do. I just leave them to their own devices. I end up feeling like a cross between a babysitter and a watchdog.”

  Maddy felt a twinge of disappointment hearing he had plans for the evening which didn't include her. She hadn't known what to expect, or even what she wanted, but it appeared he wasn't planning on spending time with her.

  "I was hoping you'd hang around after everyone leaves. Keep me company until the girls nod off. Unless you turn into a pumpkin at midnight."

  She laughed, her mood instantly elevated. "No Cinderella act for me."

  "There should be a full moon tonight. I'll stir up some embers from the barbecue pit and build a fire. When you're ready for me to drive you home, I'll alert Mom to keep an ear open for the girls."

  She didn't know if she'd ever be ready to go home. "I'd be happy to share some moonlight with you."

  • • •

  They parked in front of what Scott referred to as the Main Lodge. There were five additional houses close by, one for Scott and Katie, one for Scott's mother, one for his grandfather, and two guest houses.

  "You've got your own subdivision here," Maddy exclaimed.

  "There are more houses at the back of the property for the Chief and his family. I'll give you a tour before we start getting ready for the barbecue.”

  When they walked by some goats in a yard, he said, "We've got a newborn foal in the barn. Mother's milk is tainted, she can't drink it. She has to have goat's milk. Do you want to get some for her?"

  "Me? Are you kidding? Do I look like someone who's ever milked a goat?"

  “I’ll help you out. Don’t worry; you’ll do fine.”

  Moments later, Maddy was seated at a milking stand bucket in hand waiting for Scott to get the goat when a tall, stately-built man with thick white hair, bushy white eyebrows, and sun-weathered skin approached.

  "I was told Scott and his lady friend came this way. You must be Maddy," he said extending his hand. "I'm Ralph Miller, Scott's grandfather."

  "Happy to meet you. Scott's gone to fetch a goat; he's going to show me how to milk. Says the baby horse needs goat's milk."

  A big grin spread across Ralph's face. "I think someone's pulling your leg. That filly doesn't need goat's milk. The mare's milk is just fine."

  "You spoiling my fun, Gramps?" Scott asked, coming around the side of the barn.

  The older man shook his head, smiling. "The foreman needs you. I'll take Maddy up to the barn and show her the newborn. You'll find us there when you're finished."

  "Take good care of her," he said looking at Maddy with his fingers held up in a peace sign.

  Watching Scott stroll toward the main house, Maddy said, "I've never met anyone as easy going and laid back as Scott. You don't find many like him."

  "How's that?"

  "Most men I know are all tied up chasing after things they think will make the
m happy: money, success, women, and expensive toys. They spend all their time living for tomorrow. Your grandson lives more in the moment. He seems perfectly content with his life as it is."

  Taking her arm in his, he guided her toward the barn. "He hasn't always been so relaxed. We used to get in some pretty good scraps when he was growing up. He couldn't stand having anyone telling him how to live his life.

  My dream was for him to take over the Ranch someday, to keep it in the family when his father could no longer run it. If I hadn't pushed him so hard, he might have come to want to do it on his own. Unfortunately, the more I pushed, the harder he resisted. Finally, he told me he'd had enough; he wanted to make it on his own and off he went.

  Scott's mother was so mad at me, she didn't speak to me for a week. Said he deserved to figure out his life for himself; I shouldn't make him feel obligated to take over the family business. His mother was right, of course. I was wrong, but it took me a long time to admit it.

  Shortly after, his father died. If his mother hadn't stepped up to the plate the way she did, I might not have been able to hold on to the Ranch by myself.

  We didn't see Scott again until after his wife was killed in a car accident. He was a changed man. It was like all the stuffing had been knocked out of him. He was a shadow of the man he'd been before. To tell the truth, I began to wish the old sassy Scott was back. Him I could put up with; this version of what used to be my grandson was like an alien to me."

  A shadow passed over the older man's eyes. "It was a sorrowful time around here except for his five-year-old daughter, Katie. Losing her mother was a terrible, painful thing but she was surrounded by so many people who wanted to make her happy she couldn't help but get over it. Even the ranch hands adored her. They took turns teaching her how to milk the goats, gather eggs from the hens, grow carrots and radishes, and feed baby animals.

  There's an old Chumash Chief living here who came with the property. His wife started giving Katie stuffed toys made by hand. Gave the little girl a new one for every holiday and special occasion, and believe me, those native people have a lot of ceremonial events. Today, Katie's got the biggest collection of dolls and animals on the planet. Her bedroom is filled with them.