Her expression tightened. “I don’t know. I really don’t. Maybe drugs. Maybe weapons. Whatever it was, it was illegal. He’d been struggling with money after his treatments. The bills were astronomical. Then suddenly, he seemed to have more money than he knew what to do with.”
“But he killed himself?” I clarified. “After getting a second chance at life?”
Violet swallowed hard. “That’s what authorities said. But I just don’t believe it.”
“So how are you connected with Gage?”
“I found Gage’s contact information in my brother’s phone. I went to him to see how they knew each other.”
“What did Gage say?”
“He said he was looking into a story idea involving my brother, but he couldn’t tell anyone what he’d discovered so far. He needed to have all of his evidence lined up before he could go public.”
All of his evidence lined up? What did that mean?
“He didn’t give any hints?”
She shook her head. “None. But when I mentioned that Bo had come into money and that he may have gotten it illegally, it was like there was a spark of recognition in his eyes.”
Very interesting. “What were you doing at Gage’s girlfriend’s house that day?”
“I wanted to check and see if he’d discovered anything about my brother. Katie thought Gage was cheating on her with me.”
Realization dawned on me. “You’re the one her best friend saw him with at the hotel downtown?”
The woman jerked her head ever-so-slightly toward me, as if surprised. “Yes, I am. I work there. He met me on a lunch break. Anyway, Katie confronted me. I tracked her down to apologize a few days earlier, so I knew where she lived.” Violet shook her head. “I just don’t feel like I can move forward until I have answers.”
Neither did Chase, and it had been three years. Death of a loved one wasn’t meant to be simply gotten over. It took a long time to process, even longer if they’d died violently.
“Why did you find me, Violet?”
“You know the cops. Maybe you can get me answers.”
“About your brother’s death?”
She shrugged. “About his death. About Gage’s death. They’re connected. I know they are.”
“I don’t have much to go on. The police are doing everything they can to find answers.”
She turned toward me fully, her gaze latched onto mine. “There was something marked on Bo’s calendar for this Thursday night. He wrote 5th and Vine.”
“Why do you think that’s connected?”
“I don’t know for sure. He usually put things on his phone, so the fact he marked it on his calendar . . . maybe he was trying to conceal it? I’m not sure. I was hoping you could pass that information along to the police.”
“It would mean more coming from you. Why not tell them yourself?”
“Because I don’t want to end up dead like Gage.”
Chapter 15
Officer Truman was inside the house talking to my mom when I arrived back. They sat at the breakfast table, sipping coffee and nibbling on cookies—again. Their conversation seemed light-hearted and warm. Or, at least it had until I walked in. Then they both sat up straight and acted like they’d been caught doing something wrong.
I hardly had time to care, simply because my mind still lingered on the conversation I’d just had. As soon as Violet had told me what she wanted, she’d run off before I could ask more questions. I might have chased her except it didn’t seem safe considering I had Jonah with me.
It was so strange. I was still trying to piece everything together, but nothing seemed to fit. Not yet, at least.
“Holly, how was your walk?” My mom smoothed her black skirt and matching jacket.
“Good,” I decided not to tell her about Violet. There was no need of pulling her into this circus. She worried about me enough without adding recaps of twisted conversations with strangers to her list.
She touched her earring and exchanged a smile with Officer Truman.
Something about the action caused me to pause. The smile . . . it was almost hidden. Familiar. Secretive.
I glanced back and forth between the two of them. Certainly my mom wasn’t thinking about dating again . . . right? My dad had been dead only two years. You didn’t get over the love of your life in two years.
“I just stopped by to check on you all.” Officer Truman stood, like he was wrapping up his time here.
“Well, isn’t that sweet of you.”
He nodded at my mom, almost seeming hesitant to leave. “Please, let me know if you need anything. Anything at all.”
Mom’s cheeks filled with color. “We appreciate that. You have a good day. And be safe.”
As Truman started toward the door, I decided to walk him out, halfway surprised that my mom didn’t jump up and fight me for the job.
Truman paused at the door, his kind eyes observing me for a minute. “So your mom tells me you’re dating Chase?”
I nodded, surprised that the conversation had taken this turn. Perhaps he was just trying to initiate a conversation, though. “That’s right. We’ve got one year under our belt.”
His eyes crinkled at the sides. “It takes a special girl to date a cop. Especially a homicide detective.”
His words caught me by surprise. “Why’s that?”
He let out a low breath and shrugged, as if trying to backtrack some. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the divorce rate among cops. It’s high. Among homicide detectives? It’s even higher.”
I swallowed hard. It seemed like I had heard that before, but I hadn’t given it much thought. It hadn’t seemed important at the time. “I see,” I finally said.
He seemed to realize what he was saying and stopped himself. His grin slipped and he waved a hand in the air. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Ignore me. Anything is possible with God.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Relief filled me that I’d be able to get out of this conversation. I didn’t know where else to go with it. First of all, Chase and I weren’t married. Second, I didn’t plan on ever getting divorced. I was sure most people didn’t. But I was one pretty stubborn girl when it came to stuff like that.
I opened the door and saw none other than Chase himself. “Chase. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
He kissed my cheek. “I had a few minutes.”
He and Truman exchanged a few words before Truman scooted out the door.
Chase followed me into the kitchen. After a few minutes of small talk with my mom, he said, “Could I speak with you a minute, Holly?”
“Of course.”
“I’m going to pull some more boxes down from the attic. You guys can have all the time you need.” Mom scurried out of the room, and I turned to Chase.
“Can I get you some coffee?” There I went, falling into polite mode. When all else failed, be courteous. That seemed to be my MO. Mary Poppins and I had a lot in common.
“No, I’m fine, Holly. I have an update on the case. I figured you would want to know about it.”
I lowered myself at the table, thrilled that he’d even thought to share anything with me. “Okay . . .”
Chase sat across from me, looking surprisingly stiff and professional. “First of all, the fingerprint left on the windowpane outside your house has a match.”
I braced myself for what he’d say next. “Who?”
“Nick Nixon.”
I blinked, trying to recognize the name.
“We suspect he’s responsible for several break-ins in the area. He left prints at one other home that was broken into, but we couldn’t track him down. Not until this morning, that is.”
“Did he confess to being here?” I asked.
Chase shook his head. “He hasn’t owned up to anything. But we’re still working on him. I hoped it would at least put your mind at ease. We don’t believe this was connected with Sweet Pea.”
I glanced down at Jonah, relief filling
me. “Thank you. That does make me feel better.”
“I also checked on the woman at the gym who had some conflicts with Katie. She was a nasty person. However, she had an alibi for the weekend that checked out. She was visiting a friend in Florida.”
“Good to know.”
“And finally, I also spoke with one of Katie’s coworkers today. Apparently, Katie recently came into some money. She bought herself a new wardrobe. Talked about getting a new car. Started buying her coworker drinks when they went out after work.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Is that right? No idea where that money came from?”
And how did this tie in with Violet’s brother, Bo? He’d also come into some money. I’d think about that more later.
Chase shook his head. “No, she never told anyone. We’re looking into her financials.”
I wanted to tell him what I’d learned, but I’d wait until he finished.
“There is one more thing.”
“You’ve been a very busy detective.”
He ran a hand over his face. “Yes, I have been. I tracked down Heathcliff and talked to him about the fight he and Katie had on Saturday night. He said he’s still in love with her and was trying to convince her to break up with Gage and date him again. Said her relationship with Gage was going nowhere.”
“She heard that from several sources, apparently.” Should Katie have listened? Would things have turned out differently if she had?
“She drank a little too much, which only escalated everything.”
“It usually does.” Sometimes people letting their inhibitions go was not a good thing.
Chase shifted. “Heathcliff has a record.”
“What kind?”
“Black market weapons dealing. He’s not a good guy, Holly. You should stay away from him.”
Weapons? That was what Violet thought her brother might be caught up in.
“There was one other thing: Heathcliff mentioned that Katie was upset with Gage.”
Now that sounded promising in a solve-this-case kind of way. “Did he know why?”
“He was working a lot. Obsessed with a story he was doing. We’re asking at the newspaper office right now to see if they know what that story was on.” Chase shifted again, his gaze heavy on mine. “I knew you’d want to know, and I have clearance to share that information since you’re taking care of Jonah.”
“Did you look into the name Katie Mallard, by chance?”
I’d called Chase this morning with that update.
“Yes, Katie Mallard is Katie Edwards. She was briefly married right out of high school. It only lasted about six months, but that explains her name change.”
“Any word from any of Katie’s relatives?” My lungs froze as I waited for his response.
“Her dad is out of the picture, and her mom died four years ago. We haven’t found any other relatives. It looks like you’re going to be taking care of him for a while.”
A secret squeal of delight echoed from somewhere inside me. I was enjoying my time with Jonah, and I knew it was going to be hard to let him go. My heart would break if I had to release him to someone who seemed unloving.
I leaned closer, excited and nervous to share what I’d learned. “I have something I need to share with you—and I discovered it all by accident, you’ll be happy to know.”
His eyes narrowed. “Okay . . .”
I explained the conversation with the woman in the park to him, and he listened attentively.
“Maybe I do need some coffee,” he said as I finished.
I stood and poured him a cup, giving him time to process. He took a few sips before he said anything.
“You have a theory?” he finally asked.
I shrugged. “I wish I did. I’ve been thinking about it since the park. Bo—the guy who died—must have been into something pretty bad. If this lady was right, he and Gage were killed over it.”
“Scary thought.”
“What if Heathcliff was a part of this, Chase? You said he has a criminal history? Maybe he was stealing and selling guns, and Katie went into it with him. Violet said Gage had a flash of recognition in his eyes when she told him about her brother. Maybe he realized it was all more closely tied than—closer to home—than he’d realized.”
“Gage could have threatened to go to the police, he and Katie could have argued about it, and a fight could have ensued.” Chase rubbed his chin. “Maybe that’s when she pulled the trigger.”
“It sounds like a possibility. Heathcliff could have even been there. Maybe that’s why the note said ‘trust no one.’ Maybe Katie wanted to be sure if Heathcliff came around, claiming any biological rights to Jonah, that he would be kept far away.”
“It’s worth looking into.”
I let out a sigh, trying to think all of this through, but coming up blank. “Any leads on Katie?”
“No, not yet.” He leaned closer. “So, are we okay?”
I still needed to process my feelings on that. “I guess we’re okay. Are you okay?”
He nodded slowly. “I know our conversation yesterday wasn’t the most pleasant.”
“It wasn’t. But we have to be able to speak honestly with each other. That’s important.”
“I agree.” He frowned. “I just feel like things are strained.”
I shrugged. “Throwing a new baby into the picture probably isn’t helping anything. I’m sleep-deprived and emotional. You’re overworked and stressed. Put all that together and . . .”
“Yeah, I get that.” He stared across the table at me a second before snapping out of it. “I guess I should get back to work.”
“Yeah, thanks for stopping by and for giving me an update.” I stood to walk him to the door.
As he opened the front door, I peered outside behind him but didn’t spot his car—neither his police-issued sedan nor his Jeep. “Where’d you park?”
He nodded toward the street. “Right there.”
I stared at a truck parked there. “But you don’t have a truck.”
He grinned like a kid on Christmas morning. “I do now.”
I sucked on my bottom lip, certain I wasn’t understanding correctly. “What do you mean?”
“I saw an advertisement on GregsList. I stopped by to check it out before work this morning, and figured it was a deal I couldn’t pass up. You know my Jeep has been in the shop more lately than I’ve actually been able to drive it.”
GregsList was an online classified site where people could post items for sale. I stared at the truck. It was black. High off the ground. A two-seater. You wouldn’t get any baby seats inside it.
My gut churned, desperately unsettled. But why? Was I being an overly sensitive, overreacting girlfriend? I wasn’t sure. Until I knew for sure, I decided to keep quiet. “It looks . . . nice.”
“Thanks. I was hoping you’d like it.”
We stood in front of each other there, like we’d done a million times before. My heart fluttered, just as it had done a million times before.
But when he leaned toward me, it felt like time stopped around me. His lips met mine sweetly, softly. Then he stepped away, his gaze heavy yet filled with emotions I couldn’t read.
I couldn’t help but think something between us was changing.
Chapter 16
“He actually bought a truck?” Jamie stuck a piece of celery in her mouth and crunched down.
She’d stopped by a few minutes after Chase left, on her way home from doing an interview. I held Jonah at the kitchen table, every five seconds or so making a silly face that would light up his expression with a smile. In between those moments, we talked and Jamie ate her veggies. Ella crooned in the background, singing about “Every Time We Say Goodbye.”
I was being a good girl, staying home, staying safe, and picking at a lemon cake someone from church had brought by.
I remembered Jamie’s question about Chase’s truck and turned my gaze away from Jonah. “Am I overreacting? Because I don’t want to
be one of those women who are needy and controlling. That’s what I’m struggling with right now.”
“I don’t think you’re needy or controlling, Holly. I get what you’re concerned about.”
I leaned back in my chair. “I mean, that’s a big purchase. And it’s not one of those I-want-to-be-a-family-man types of purchases. It’s a two-seater. No room for anyone else. I just feel like if we’re supposed to be together in the future that he’d at least mention something to me about buying a new vehicle.”
“I’m sensing trouble in paradise.”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I am awfully tired lately. We haven’t been seeing each other as much because of work and other life circumstances. I think it’s all just getting to me.”
“I get that.”
“And Jonah is stirring up feelings that I haven’t wanted to acknowledge.”
She touched her stomach. “I know what you’re saying, Girlfriend. You mean that your uterus is crying it out?”
“My uterus is . . . crying out?” Was that what she said?
She nodded, like it was a perfectly normal expression. “You know, your biological clock is ticking.” She made a little ticking-time-bomb sound.
I reluctantly nodded because I would have never worded it that way. “Yes, I suppose.”
She patted the top of my hand and waved a piece of celery at me. “I’ll pray for you . . . and your uterus.”
“Thanks, Jamie. My uterus can use all the prayers it can get.” I stifled a giggle but quickly sobered. “You know, I’ve learned that it’s much easier to give other people relationship advice than it is to apply that to my own life.”
“We’re not objective about our own problems. I think you told me that once.”
My mind wandered, reviewing today. As I did, I rubbed Jonah’s cheek and he offered a toothless grin. The sight of it made all my problems feel like they could melt away.
“In other news, I’ve been wondering if my mom is interested in Officer Truman,” I said.
Jamie’s eyes widened, matching the wide “O” of her lips. “Your mom? I didn’t think she had any interest in starting a new relationship or doing the boyfriend/girlfriend thing.”
Random Acts of Greed: Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries, Book 4 Page 11