Deadly Memories

by Joanne Fluke

  “Sylvia told me she suspected they were having an affair. I managed to convince myself that it was just gossip, but now I know it was true.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom.” Jan looked close to tears. “I really didn’t want to upset you, but I had to tell you.”

  Maura nodded. “I’m glad you did. But you said you told me before. What was my reaction then?”

  “You cried. And then you got mad at me for telling you. Keith was gone, and I thought you’d have it out with him when he came back. But he was still out of town when you left for the airport, and . . . that’s when you had your accident. When Hank told us he saw you crying in Uncle Grant’s car I figured it was because of Keith’s affair.”

  “Maybe that’s the reason why I don’t love him anymore.” Maura didn’t realize she’d spoken aloud until she saw Jan’s face. Her daughter looked hopeful and upset at the same time.

  “Are you sure you don’t love him?”

  “As sure as I can be.” Maura shrugged slightly. “I know this may sound strange, but do you have any idea why I married Keith in the first place?”

  Jan started to laugh, and then she clamped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry, Mom. I know it’s not funny, but you don’t know how many times I’ve asked myself that question in the past.”

  “And what did you decide?”

  Jan shook her head. “I don’t know. You never really confided in me before the accident.”

  “Well . . . that was a mistake.” Maura sighed deeply. “How about Nita? Did I tell her?”

  “No. I asked her, and she said you’d never discussed it. You just told her that you were getting married to Keith, and you did.”

  “I didn’t say I loved him?”

  “Never.” Jan shook her head. “I asked you once, and you said that was a private matter between you and Keith and it was rude to ask such a personal question.”

  Maura frowned. “It’s sounds like I had a blind spot when it came to Keith. Was I always so secretive?”

  “Not always. And only about certain things. Keith was one. And your business trips were another. I learned not to ask questions about where you’d been or what you’d done. For a long time I thought you had a lover that you met when you went out of town.”

  Maura looked thoughtful. “You could be right. Unfortunately, we’ll never know unless my memory comes back.”

  “I can see it all now.” Jan laughed “Some incredibly handsome Frenchman will knock on our door. And when you answer it, he’ll pull you into his arms, and tell you that he’d managed to track you down at last.”

  Maura began to laugh, too. “And I’ll call the police because I won’t know him from Adam!”

  It felt good to laugh, and every time they were about to stop, the image of the Frenchman sent them off into a new gale of laughter. Finally Maura managed to gain some control over her mirth. “Okay. Let’s get serious. What do you think I should do about Keith?”

  “You’re asking me?” Jan’s eyes widened.

  “You know me better than anyone else. What would you do under circumstances like this?’

  “I . . . I’m not sure.” Jan began to frown. “I’d be dying to fire Liz and send Keith packing, but I think I’d wait until I had all the facts. I’d keep my eyes open until I knew exactly what was going on. Don’t forget, I heard him say it would be over soon. And people who are anxious to get out of a marriage can turn nasty. He must be planning to file for divorce and take you for every cent you’re worth.”

  “That’s impossible.” Maura shook her head. “I found a copy of our prenuptial agreement. If Keith divorces me, he gets only a small settlement.”

  “That was really smart, Mom. I’m glad you had that agreement drawn up. It means Keith couldn’t gain anything by divorcing you. The only way he could get any money is to . . .” Jan stopped suddenly, and her face turned pale.

  “Jan? What is it?” Maura stared at her daughter.

  “I just remembered what Hank told us about the accident. He said the brakes went out all of a sudden. But David talked to his uncle’s mechanic, and he said that Grant had the Mercedes in for servicing just a couple of days before the accident. They checked everything out, and the car was in perfect running order.”

  “No, Jan.” Maura shook her head. “I know what you’re thinking, but there’s no way that Keith could have had anything to do with Grant’s brakes. He was out of town at the time.”

  “But he could have asked someone else to do it. Maybe you don’t remember, but you can hire people to do horrible things like that. And Keith had a motive. If he wanted to be with Liz, he had to get you out of the picture.”

  “Believe me, honey . . . that didn’t happen.” Maura reached out to take her hand. “I read over my will. When I die, Keith inherits half of the profits I made after our marriage, and that’s not a lot. Most of the money was poured back into the boutique and his gem business. Any assets I had before our marriage are set up in a trust fund for you.”

  “Does Keith know that?”

  “Absolutely. A copy of the will was stapled to the prenuptial agreement he signed. Keith had to initial that he’d read it.”

  Jan didn’t look convinced. “All the same, I think you should watch your back. Desperate people do desperate things, and they don’t always think rationally.”

  “That’s good advice, honey. I’ll be careful.” Maura nodded. And then she remembered that Jan had originally asked for advice from her. “You said you needed to ask me for advice. Was it about Keith?”

  “No. It’s about Hank and the movie he wants to make.”

  “He told me he was searching for a good plot. Did he find it?” Maura smiled at Jan’s obvious excitement. It was clear that she really liked Hank.

  “Actually, the plot found him.” Jan began to grin. “I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but my notebook got switched with somebody else’s. We had to look through it to find the name of the owner, and it’s filled with these incredible stories!”

  “And Hank’s going to use them for his movie?”

  “Not exactly.” Jan gave a little sigh. “There weren’t any names inside the notebook, so we don’t know who owns it. That’s why I wanted to ask for your advice. We have to get the author of the stories to sign a release, and we don’t know how to find her.”

  “Her?”

  Jan reached into her pocket and pulled out a notebook. She flipped it open and shoved it across the table to her mother. “I think it’s got to be a woman, and so does Hank. Just read it, Mom. And tell me if you think we’re right.”

  Maura’s eyes widened as she stared down at the notebook. It was hers! She knew that Jan and Hank hadn’t meant to pry into her personal life, but they had read all about her puzzling dreams!

  Jan stared at her mother in amazement. Maura’s face had gone white with shock. “Mom? What’s wrong?”

  “This notebook . . . it’s mine.”

  “Yours?” Jan looked puzzled. “But, Mom . . . what were you writing? A book?”

  “That’s right.” Maura seized the suggestion eagerly, and a little color began to come back to her face. She didn’t like to lie to Jan, but it really couldn’t be helped. If she admitted that the incidents in the notebook came from her dreams, Jan would think they might be actual memories trying to surface. And then Jan would ask her all sorts of questions that she couldn’t answer.

  “I can’t believe this!” Jan began to smile. “These stories are really good, Mom. They’re romantic, and scary, and joyful, and tragic, all at the same time. That’s just what Hank needs for his movie. You’ll let him use them, won’t you?”

  “I . . . well . . . I don’t know.” Maura struggled for words. “I never even considered showing this notebook to anyone. I just had the urge to write, and I did.”

  “But it’s wonderful! And Hank promised that I could play the female lead. Please, Mom . . . it’s only a student film, and you don’t have to have your name on it if you’re embarrassed.”

&
nbsp; Maura’s mind spun in crazy circles. If these were only dreams, no harm would be done if Hank turned them into a student film. And if they were actual memories, she might remember more if she saw them on the screen.

  “You could help us write the screenplay, Mom.” Jan reached out to take her hand. “Please say yes. It’ll be fun.”

  “Well . . . all right.” Maura gave in reluctantly.

  “You’re an angel, Mom!” Jan jumped up and ran around the table to her hug her mother. “I’m going to call Hank! He’ll be so excited!”

  As she watched her daughter run into the house, Maura felt a sense of foreboding. Would this be like Pandora’s box?

  Once her dreams were turned into a movie, would they fly out of hiding to cause all sorts of grief for the ones she loved?

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Jan was frowning slightly as she walked off the court. Playing tennis with David was a real challenge. They were evenly matched, and he was fiercely competitive. She’d see how he had reacted when she’d won the first game. David didn’t like to lose. So she’d deliberately made a couple of bonehead mistakes in the second game and he had won. That seemed to make him happy, but Jan didn’t like to lose just to save his ego. They had two entirely different viewpoints. David thought of tennis as a battle between two opposing forces, while she felt that it was only a game. David’s objective was to win, and hers was to play a good game and have fun.

  “That last game was great!” David smiled at her as he picked up his sports bag to make room for the next couple who’d reserved the court. “I was a little off in the first game, but next time we play, you won’t stand a chance.”

  “You’re probably right.” Jan forced a smile. She was glad he was happy, but she wished she hadn’t felt obligated to let him win.

  “Let’s go dancing tonight. I found this great little club, and I made reservations.”

  Jan sighed and shook her head. “I can’t, David. I’m working with Hank tonight.”

  “I don’t understand why you had to get involved in this project with him.” David looked very disgruntled. “You’ve been so busy working with him, I hardly ever get to see you.”

  “I know. I didn’t realize it would take up this much time, but I can’t back out now. I promised I’d help.’

  David nodded, but he still looked annoyed. “I guess I’d better call to cancel our reservations.”

  “I guess so.” Jan decided it was time to lay down some ground rules. She wanted a good relationship with David and he had to know how she felt. “I’m sorry I can’t go out with you, David, but you should have asked me earlier, before you made plans. If you had, I would have told them that I had a date. They could have gotten along without me tonight.”

  David looked surprised. “They? I didn’t realize you were working with a group.”

  “It’s not really a group . . . yet. It’s just Hank, and Mom, and me. We’re still in the early stages, but we’ll be bringing in other people soon.”

  “You didn’t tell me your mom was working on this project. I thought it was Hank’s student film.”

  “It is, but Mom’s helping us with the script.” Jan began to smile. “She wrote these fabulous stories. And when Hank read them, he decided to use them for his film.”

  “That sounds interesting.” David gave her an engaging grin. “I’m sorry about the reservations, Jan. I shouldn’t have made them without asking you first. I guess I’m not really cut out for this dating stuff.”

  Jan laughed. “You’re doing fine. And I’m sorry I can’t go dancing. It really sounded like fun.”

  “Do you have time for coffee?” David glanced at his watch. “I’m free for the rest of the afternoon.”

  “Me, too.” Jan nodded. “Mom’s busy designing something for her fashion show, and Hank’s not coming over until six.”

  “Great! Let’s go change and I’ll meet you in the restaurant. I want to hear all about this film Hank’s doing. If he needs someone to research for historical accuracy, maybe I could help.”

  “That’s a great idea!” Jan grinned at him. “Nita’s making pot roast for dinner, and there’s always enough for one more. Why don’t you join us and we can talk about it then?”

  As she walked toward the ladies’ locker room, Jan tried to figure out how she felt. David seemed jealous of the time she was spending with Hank, and that was a good sign. It proved that he liked her a lot. But she’d known David less than two weeks, and it was much too soon to think of a commitment. She wanted to be free to date other men, primarily Hank. She liked him a lot, too.

  It didn’t take long to shower and change. Jan ran a brush through her hair, and checked her appearance in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling. She hadn’t really been interested in any of the college boys shed met, but David and Hank were different. They seemed more mature, and she liked both of them. A lot.

  As she picked up her sports bag, and left the locker room, Jan began to grin. She had two boyfriends now, and she wasn’t sure which one she liked best. Perhaps it had been a mistake to invite them both for dinner, but the evening certainly wouldn’t be dull!

  * * *

  Maura smiled as she glanced down at the drawings that were spread out on her worktable. She knew they were good. She’d shown them to Sylvia and the girls, and they had been full of praise for what they would call her Joseph’s coat. The name had been Cherise’s idea. The coat had reminded her of the multicolored coat that the biblical Joseph had worm. And since Liz had been out of town, Cherise had taken the drawings home with her and made up the pattern with pieces of material they’d hand-picked from existing bolts at their shop.

  The first Joseph’s coat was ready, and it hung on the dress dummy in the corner of Maura’s office. Now all that remained was to see if it could be manufactured at a reasonable cost. And that meant Maura had to meet with Liz Webber.

  Sylvia tapped softly on the open door, and stepped into Maura’s small office. “Liz just returned my call. She’ll be here at three-thirty.”

  “Thank you, Sylvia.” Maura began to frown. She really didn’t want to have anything to do with Liz, but she’d decided to follow Jan’s advice. She wouldn’t let Liz know that she knew about her affair with Keith until she was sure that she had all the facts.

  “Do you want me to sit in on your meeting?” Sylvia looked concerned.

  “I don’t know. Do you usually sit in on the meetings I have with Liz?”

  Sylvia shook her head. “No. You usually meet alone, just the two of you. I bring you coffee and shut the door. And you buzz me if there’s anything you need.”

  “Then that’s what I’ll do this time. Thanks, Sylvia.” Maura sighed as Sylvia left the room. She wasn’t looking forward to her meeting with Liz, but it was necessary. She couldn’t put a new item of clothing on the market without checking with her junior partner. Liz was her production manager, and she handled all the factory details. She was the only person who could tell her if the coat was practical.

  Maura remembered what Sylvia had told her. The cost of manufacturing had to be small enough to allow for their profit margin. Liz would figure the cost, add on profit, and come up with the lowest price they could charge and still make money on the garment. They had to be careful that production wasn’t too costly, or it would drive the price tag up too high for their clientele. Since Liz was the expert at setting prices and researching costs, they had to coordinate their efforts. There were only a few days left before the fashion show, and the Joseph’s coat had to be ready for sale shortly after it was introduced.

  Thinking of Liz brought a dull pounding to her temples, and Maura reached for her bottle of aspirin. She had forty-five minutes before Liz came in, and she needed to relax. She washed down the aspirin with a cup of water, and sat down behind her desk again. Then she closed her eyes and tried the trick that Steve had taught her, concentrating on something pleasant to make the headache go away . . .

  * * *


  She was in a field of long-stemmed green grass, sitting on a rough-hewn bench. Brightly colored flowers on long stalks were waving softly in the breeze. The day was warm, and the sun peeked through the tall branches of the trees, dappling the grass with bright spots of shifting gold.

  It was very peaceful, and very quiet. The only sound was the faraway barking of the dogs as they played in their kennel. And then he was at the edge of the field, accompanied by two large dogs, one walking on either side of him.

  The dogs saw her and their tails began to wag. The one on the left made a joyful whining noise, and looked up at Nick, waiting for permission. Nick laughed and called out to her, “Shall I let them go?”

  She nodded, and Nick gave a hand signal to the dogs. They both sat down obediently, staring up at him, waiting for his next move. He gave them another hand signal and they jumped up, bounding toward her.

  “Hi, Natasha. Hi, Boris.” She laughed and sat down on the grass so they could lick her face. The dogs were huge, but she wasn’t afraid of them. “Have you been good today?”

  Nick walked up and sat down beside her. “You did a good job with them. They passed with flying colors.”

  “I’m glad.” She reached out and gave both dogs a hug. “When will you use them?”

  “This weekend.”

  She hugged the dogs again, and frowned slightly. “Are you sure they’re ready?”

  “I’m sure. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine. Dogs like Boris and Natasha are common to the area, and no one pays attention to a dog running loose. It’s a lot less dangerous for them than it is for us.”

  “I know, but . . .” She took a deep breath and let it out again. “It’s not professional, but I really love them. They’re like . . . family to me.”

  Nick nodded and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “They feel the same way about you. And that’s why they’ll get back here as fast as they can with the message.”

  They played with the dogs then, throwing sticks and letting them retrieve until they’d had their fill. Nick poured out water from his canteen, and the dogs drank eagerly. And then they were ready to lie quietly at their feet, panting in the warm sun.