The Sarah Woods Mystery Series (Volume 7)

by Jennifer L. Jennings

“Look,” she said, her tone shifting from resistant to apologetic. “I lost my temper that night. I was angry and hurt that Blake embarrassed me at the event. I only wanted to … I guess I just wanted to teach him a lesson. He needed to know that I was not a doormat.”

  “You got pissed because he was flirting with Kevin’s wife. You noticed that they had both gone to the restroom at the same time.”

  “He thought I didn’t notice, but it was so blatant.”

  “Did you want him to have an accident? Is that what was going through your mind?”

  “No,” she said with desperation. “I never wanted him to die. I just figured he’d get pulled over.”

  “You wanted him to get arrested, so you wouldn’t be obligated to pay him the ten grand you owed him, right?”

  “No. It wasn’t like that.” Gail covered her face with trembling hands and began to cry. “I never meant for him to die.”

  “You lied to Sue-Ellen, and you’ve been lying to me this whole time. Blake never stole that bottle of Scotch. You only told us that, to make us think that Blake had fallen off the wagon. That the accident was all his fault. But you knew that he was on medication for depression. You should have known that even a small amount of alcohol would affect his driving ability.”

  She removed her hands from her face and looked up at me. “I helped him get sober. I gave him everything; a home, a car, spending money, and my support. How does he thank me? By trying to bang my ex-husband’s wife!”

  “I totally get your frustration, Gail. I can’t imagine it was easy to see your ex get remarried to a young hottie like Nina. It makes sense why you wanted to prove to Kevin that you were still desirable, and hopefully make him jealous. But, unfortunately, your plan backfired.”

  She turned away. “Please, just leave me alone. Go tell Sue-Ellen whatever you want because I don’t care anymore.”

  “She deserves to know the truth, but maybe it would be better if she heard it from you.”

  “I can’t face her. She’d never forgive me. Her son is dead, and she’ll blame me.”

  I didn’t have the desire to try and change her mind. Nor did I have the desire to console her. In my mind, she might not have wanted Blake to die, but she set the course in motion to make it happen.

  I gestured to Andrew that it was time for us to leave.

  Before we walked out her office door, I said, “By the way, it was Cliff Pratt who broke into your house yesterday. He somehow feels justified in taking your jewelry, since Blake never got the money he was promised. I have a feeling he won’t be in town for much longer, so if you want the cops to question him, he’s staying with a friend in the apartment above the Pink Bamboo Chinese Restaurant.”

  Gail looked at me with venom in her eyes, like I had just ruined her entire life. That somehow I was to blame for all of her problems. I figured that she probably had underestimated me in the beginning. She probably thought she could manipulate me, so I would never suspect she was responsible for Blake’s death.

  “One more thing,” I said to her as we headed out. “You might want to find yourself a good lawyer.”

  When Andrew and I got back to my car, he turned to look at me with awe. “You really took charge in there with Gail. She was a mess by the time you were done with her.”

  “Thanks, but that was the easy part. Now I have to call Sue-Ellen and tell her the news.” I held up my cell phone and pressed the button to play the recording I had just taken in Gail’s office.

  “No way,” he said. “You recorded that whole conversation?”

  “This way, Gail won’t be able to change her story.”

  “Hey, if you want, I can help you break the news to the client.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I need to do this alone. You’ve already helped so much.”

  “Nah, I barely did anything.” By the satisfied smirk on his face, I knew he was feeling good about the part he played, and he couldn’t wait to do something like that again.

  Chapter 17

  When Sue-Ellen showed up at my office an hour later, I asked her to sit down.

  She settled into the couch, her hands shaking. “You found out what happened to my son?”

  “I think so.” I sat down next to her and took her hand. “Gail claims she never meant to hurt Blake.”

  “What?”

  I started the recording. For the next five minutes, we listened to the conversation that took place in Gail’s office.

  Tears streamed down Sue-Ellen’s face and she didn’t bother to wipe them away, even after I offered a tissue.

  After the recording ended, I gave her a moment to absorb and process the information.

  Finally, she blinked away the tears and turned to me with a look of despair. “What can I do about this? Can I press charges against her? What recourse do I have?”

  “I suggest you go to the police station and talk to Detective James in the Homicide Department. He’s a friend of mine and I’m sure he will tell you what to do. We have Gail on surveillance video, so that might be enough to bring the case to trial.”

  “I don’t know if I can go through all that. It could take years, right?”

  “Maybe not that long. It’s worth talking to Detective James. And, why don’t you reach out to Cliff? He just lost a son, too. You might be able to help each other through this.”

  “Why would I want to see him? He hasn’t been around.”

  “He told me he was at the funeral, but he didn’t want you to know. He might have been selfish in the past, but I really believe he loved his son. At least, in his own way.”

  “Do you have his phone number?”

  “No, but he’s staying with his friend Randy Leeman. In the apartment above the Pink Bamboo Chinese Restaurant.”

  “Do you really think he’s the one who stole Gail’s jewelry?”

  “Yes, although I have no proof of that.”

  Sue-Ellen stood up and looked around my office like she couldn’t remember where she was. “I … I have to go.”

  “You don’t have to rush off,” I said. “You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

  She reached into her purse and pulled out a set of keys. “I’m fine, really. I just need to go home and think about this. I really appreciate everything you’ve done. Tell me what I owe, and I’ll send you a check.”

  “Don’t worry about that right now. I’ll send an invoice in a few days.”

  I walked her to the door, but I still felt nervous about letting her go off by herself. “Is there someone you can call? You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

  “I’ll be fine, Sarah. Thank you for everything.”

  After she left my office, my heart felt heavy. I couldn’t imagine what Sue-Ellen was going through, and there was nothing I could do to soften her pain.

  I sat at my desk, rubbing my temples, wondering what to do next. Should I call Detective James myself and give him a heads up? Should I swing by Sue-Ellen’s house in ten minutes to make sure she got home safely? No, she’d made it clear that she wanted to be alone. I needed to respect her wishes.

  Thankfully, I got a text from Carter with good news. His plane had just landed in Boston.

  In order to get my mind off of the Blake Pratt case, I decided to make Carter’s return special.

  I stopped at the grocery store on my way home and picked up a rotisserie chicken with roasted vegetables. Then I stopped at the bakery and got a chocolate cake with sliced strawberries on top.

  An hour later, he came into the house with his leather carry-on bag, looking chipper for someone who had been traveling all day. He let his bag drop to the floor when he saw me at the candlelit kitchen table wearing only an apron.

  His smile said it all.

  “I thought you might be hungry after your long flight,” I said, all innocent. “I could lie and tell you I slaved in the kitchen all day, but you know me better than that.”

  “You’re right,” he said, moving a step toward me. “I’m starving, but not for fo
od.”

  “I guess that means you missed me.”

  He took my hand and guided me to my feet. “Would you mind if we had dessert before the main course?”

  “I was hoping you’d suggest that.”

  Carter led me into the bedroom and that’s where we remained for the next forty-five minutes.

  * * *

  At nine o’clock we were finally eating dinner.

  “I meant to ask you,” he said as he refilled my wine glass. “Did you finish the job for Max?”

  I debated not telling him how things ended, but he’d be able to read my face. “Yeah, I did the work for him, but I didn’t accept his money.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because we got into an argument, and I basically kicked him out of the house.”

  Carter paused, as if absorbing my words. “You did what?”

  “He had me look into this woman named Martha Peyton, his potential new boss. He wanted to know if there were any scandals or problems lurking in her past. Turns out, Max is going to propose to her. He lied.”

  “Why would he lie about that?”

  “I have no idea, but I let him have it. I mean, I got angry. So angry that I didn’t give him a chance to explain.”

  “That’s a big deal, Sarah. You rarely get angry.”

  “I just don’t get why, after all we’d been through in the past, he would lie to me about something so stupid. Did he think I wouldn’t be able to handle it? That he would hurt my feelings because he wanted to marry this woman? It really doesn’t make sense at all.”

  “There’s gotta be more to it,” Carter said. “Maybe you should hear him out. Give him a chance to explain.”

  I appreciated the fact that Carter did not ask me if I still had feelings for Max. It made me realize just how secure he felt with me, and us as a couple. “I suppose you’re right. I guess I owe him that much.”

  “Don’t think about it for the rest of the night,” he said. “Let’s check out Netflix and find a movie. I’ll even make us some popcorn.”

  “You always know the right things to say.”

  Chapter 18

  The next morning I went for a long run. It had been weeks since I’d put on running shoes and I figured my legs would cramp up after a few miles. They didn’t, and I was able to cover the five-mile loop back to our neighborhood.

  When I got home all sweaty, I took a long, hot shower while Carter made breakfast and coffee. When I joined him in the kitchen wearing my robe, the food was set out on the table, but there was an odd expression on Carter’s face as he was watching the morning news on his tablet.

  “Sarah, what’s the name of the insurance company that Gail owns?”

  “Langdon Insurance, why?”

  “There’s been a shooting. Happened less than an hour ago.”

  I gasped in horror. “What?”

  He held up his tablet so we could hear what the reporter was saying. Sure enough, she was standing right in front of the building of Langdon Insurance.

  Carter turned up the volume as we listened to the reporter go on about how a woman had been shot inside the building, and how the police had the shooter in custody. The reporter didn’t give any names or other details, stating that there would be more on this story later.

  Panic was rising in my throat like bile. “Sue-Ellen! She must have gone to the office and shot Gail.”

  Carter put a steady hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. “Let’s not assume the worst just yet. Why don’t you get dressed and I’ll find out what’s going on.”

  I stumbled to the bedroom and managed to get dressed, but the whole time I felt like throwing up. All I could picture was poor Sue-Ellen handcuffed to a chair, being interrogated by a bunch of police officers. Her life was over, and it didn’t have to happen this way.

  When I went back to the kitchen, Carter was on the phone talking to someone. Even though my stomach was growling from the smell of the food, I couldn’t bring myself to try a bite.

  “OK,” Carter said when he got off the phone. “Here’s what I know. Gail was rushed to the hospital with two gunshot wounds, and she’s in surgery right now.”

  “Do they think she’s gonna make it?”

  “Nobody would tell me. Let’s head over to the station and see if we can get some answers.”

  “I knew I should have checked in on her last night. Why didn’t I call her?”

  “This is not your fault,” he said. “She never mentioned seeking revenge, did she?”

  “No, but ...”

  “How were you supposed to know that something like this would happen?”

  I didn’t have an answer.

  * * *

  When we got to the police station, there were a few reporters milling around outside. Carter took my hand and we were able to slip by them and get into the building. We asked the girl at the desk where we could find Detective James. She made a call and, within five minutes, James was walking up the isle toward us.

  “Sarah and Carter,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “Good, I was just about to call you guys.”

  “We heard about the shooting,” I told him. “I know the victim, Gail Haas, because she was involved in my latest case. Can you tell us what happened?”

  He gestured for us to follow him to his office. Once he closed the door, he said, “We have the shooter in custody. He’s already confessed to shooting Ms. Haas. Now we are in the process of booking.”

  “Wait,” I said. “Did you say the shooter is a guy?”

  “His name is Clifford Pratt. We got a full confession from him. Witnesses confirm they saw him leaving Gail’s office right after two gunshots went off. One of the employees actually tackled Mr. Pratt to the ground, got the gun away from him. Managed to contain him until the police and ambulance arrived. He didn’t try to resist arrest.”

  “And, he confessed to shooting Gail?”

  “Yep, says he doesn’t want a lawyer, either.”

  It occurred to me that Sue-Ellen must have taken my advice and went to see Cliff right after she left my office. Had she convinced her husband to seek revenge, or was it his idea alone?

  “Have you talked to Sue-Ellen, his wife?”

  “Yes,” James said. “She’s here, already gave her account of what happened. She says her husband went berserk when she told him that Gail killed their son. She had no idea that he owned a gun. And, Mr. Pratt confirmed that his wife was not involved in his decision.”

  “Why did he do it?”

  “Mr. Pratt is a man of few words. Only thing he said was that he wasn’t going to let Gail get away with what she did to his son.”

  I had to sit down because my knees were shaking so badly. “What’s going to happen to them, now?”

  “Too early to tell. Let’s hope Ms. Haas makes it through surgery. If she survives to tell her side of things, Mr. Pratt might not spend the rest of his life in jail.”

  “I can’t believe this is happening. Have you gotten any word about her condition?”

  “Not yet, but I’ll call you as soon as I know anything. Oh, and Sarah, I understand that you witnessed security camera footage of Ms. Haas, I’ll need that information as soon as you have the chance.”

  “Of course, I’ll help in any way I possibly can.”

  Chapter 19

  As we were leaving the police station to head to our car, I spotted Sue-Ellen sitting alone on a bench with a paper cup in her hands.

  “Give me a minute,” I said to Carter. “I’ll meet you back at the car.”

  I went to sit down next to Sue-Ellen. She didn’t bother to look at me.

  “I’m not sorry for what happened to Gail,” she said, keeping her focus straight ahead. “She got what she deserved.”

  “So, you told Cliff to shoot her?”

  “No, that was his idea.”

  I couldn’t be sure she was telling the truth, but what would be the point in lying now? Her husband was facing charges of murder. “But, you knew he
was going to do something, right?”

  “Well, somebody had to. Gail wasn’t going to jail. She has all the money to hire the best lawyers. She would have skated. You can’t tell me she wouldn’t have skated.”

  “That would be for a jury to decide,” I said.

  She reached into her purse and withdrew a folded letter. “This is the note Blake wrote to me. I’d like you to read it.”

  I took the handwritten letter, which contained only a few paragraphs. It read:

  Dear Mom,

  I know you’re disappointed in me, but I want you to know that I’m more disappointed in myself for letting you down.

  I want to be better. I don’t want to live like this anymore. I promise that I will do everything and anything I can to get sober.

  I met a woman at AA, and she invited me to live with her. She’s pretty strict with the rules, but it’s all good. I need structure in my life to beat this disease, and she’s helping me do it. When I get my one year sobriety chip, I’ll come see you. I hope at that point, you’ll be able to forgive me.

  I love you,

  Your son, Blake

  I felt the tears pooling in my eyes as I handed the letter back to Sue-Ann. There were no words to explain how sorry I felt so I didn’t even try.

  “I realize that my son was not a saint,” she said, folding the letter and returning it to her purse. “but he didn’t deserve what happened to him. Gail didn’t stop to consider the possibility that her actions would have dire consequences. Why should she get any sympathy from me?”

  I couldn’t answer her question, because there was no answer. “Cliff doesn’t want a lawyer. Why?”

  “I guess because he figures the jury will understand why he did it. I don’t think he realizes that he could go to prison for life.”

  “Maybe you should look into getting a lawyer for him.”

  “I already have.” She checked her watch. “As a matter of fact, I’m heading over to her office to meet with her right now.”