by Becca Bloom
"May I come in?" I asked.
"Of course," Shirley said, pulling the chair at the desk closer to the bed where she and Miss Matty sat. "Have you learned anything new?" she asked.
I tucked the threatening note between my thigh and the side of the chair. That was one thing I wanted to ask about, but first: the cheating scam.
Looking at Miss Matty, I said, "I learned some distressing news about Alex. But before I tell you, I would like to know if you have any reason to believe someone would've wished him dead?"
Miss Matty took a deep breath, clasping onto the hand Shirley offered her for support. "Alex was always too smart for his own good. He was in my study group, but truth be told, there was not much I could teach him that he didn't already know. He could have become anything he wanted to be." She sighed before continuing, "That was why it was so disappointing for me when I learned how he decided to use his life — always chasing after easy money and bailing at the first sign of difficulty. I daresay he was not always ethical in his dealings."
She had no idea, but I appreciated the perfect segue she had given me. "Were you aware of a cheating scam the year your study group won the government-sponsored scholarships?" I put the question to her gently, knowing that it would put Shirley in a difficult place too.
Shirley squeezed her eyes closed and exhaled.
Miss Matty's eyes widened for a brief second, and then she patted Shirley's hand.
"While I will admit that the thought had occurred to me, my students were so much more to me than just kids I taught. They became my friends and I trusted them. I still trust them. I believe them to have been more honorable than that, although Alex has made me doubt my assessment of their characters."
"Alex did get a copy of the master sheet. He offered it to us for a price," Shirley admitted. Quickly, she added, "I can't speak for anyone else, but I refused his offer. I studied harder than I had ever studied in my entire life, and I am proud to say that I earned my score. Sophia refused to cheat too. I choose to believe that my classmates acted honestly."
Miss Matty nodded slowly. "I am happy to hear that, Shirley." Looking at me, Miss Matty continued, "I’ll be the first to admit my students looked highly suspect, however, you must take into consideration their circumstances. All of my students were from families who could afford to pay for their education even had they not earned scholarships. None of my students were in a situation that would make them desperate enough to be tempted to cheat."
Shirley nodded. "My family was the same, though I will admit that I was grateful to get selected by the university closer to them. They felt bad for sending me away my final year of school, but it turned out for the best."
Miss Matty patted her hand and released it. "I would have liked to meet your family. They owned plantations, if I recall correctly?"
Shirley smiled softly. "They had to travel extensively for business that year. I could have gone with them, but I would've missed out on my senior year, and they thought I should experience a more normal, simple life with my relatives here in Baños before I began my own career. I have been very lucky in my life."
Unlike Sophia and Alex. Pulling out the note, I asked, "Did either of you receive a threatening note like this recently?"
Miss Matty had not, but Shirley had. "That would be Alex’s doing. He thought to make a quick buck. His silence in exchange for a good sum of money. Antonio works at the headquarters of one of the largest financial institutions in Ecuador, Diana practices law at a successful firm, and I am a top pharmaceutical executive. His memory must have been failing him, or he would've known that none of us took him up on his offer to cheat on the entrance exams."
Except, Antonio and Diana had cheated.
With a sigh, Miss Matty added, "Given his history, I am not surprised he attempted to benefit from his classmates’ success. I take it that the note you have was intended for Antonio or Diana?"
Since they were the only other surviving members of the original study group, I didn't see any harm in acknowledging as much, though it did remind me that I needed to return the note.
Thanking them for their time, I went back out to the hall. Señora Cuesta stood by a potted plant two doorways down, her face covered with oversized sunglasses. She had a spectacular view of Alex's door, which was temporarily relieved of the presence of the manager, who had placed a parking cone in front of the door (as if that could keep people out). A “Do Not Disturb” sign dangled from his door handle. Had Tia Rosa not screamed, nobody would have missed Alex until the faculty dinner that night.
Señora Cuesta looked me up and down. "You spoke with Matilda?"
"I did," I admitted.
With a venomous bite, Señora Cuesta said, "Wherever that woman goes, trouble follows. I wonder who will be next?" She looked at me with her eyebrow arched in a question mark.
Directly in front of us, Antonio's door burst open and his deep voice shouted, "You!" He was looking right at me.
Señora Cuesta leaned forward to whisper in my ear, "It would seem that trouble follows you, too." With that, she stepped back into the open elevator and disappeared behind the closing doors.
I turned to face Antonio's rage, determined to stay in the open space of the hallway so that there would be witnesses if he murdered me.
Stepping close enough to me that I could feel his breath on my forehead (he smelled like mint mouthwash), he shoved his finger in front of my face. "Tell me why I found a curly, purple hair inside my black suitcase?"
Yep, Tia Rosa should have worn a hair net.
Having no excuse to offer, I lifted the note-containing laundry bag in front of me, creating a flimsy barrier between us.
I could see the blood vessels running across his eyes. "Was that why you wanted to talk with Diana and I in the lobby? So your cohorts could spy in our room?"
The elevator dinged behind me, but I dared not look away from the irate man inches away from me. Did nobody in this country understand personal space?
Feeling closed in, I stepped forward, forcing him to take a step back into the middle of the hallway. In a move worthy of Abuelita I plopped my fists on top of my hips, the note crinkling in my fisted hand, and I glared at him, replying, "Was Alex blackmailing you? Is that what this is about?" I waved the bag in front of him and watched his face blanch, his gaze altering between me and something behind me. Or someone.
The very person I had hoped to avoid today said in a gritty voice, "Miss James."
My bravado deflated like a leaky balloon as I turned to look at Agent Vasquez.
Chapter 22
Antonio chose that moment to finally notice the laundry bag containing the threatening note in my hand.
"Is that what I think it is?" he demanded.
I looked between him and Agent Vasquez, not knowing who to give the note to.
"Did you break into my room too?" Antonio's face reddened.
Agent Vasquez slipped his reflective sunglasses down his nose, grimacing at me.
They were both already mad at me, so I might as well go for it. What could possibly happen to make the situation worse?
Still, I wouldn't have much success getting any clues out of Antonio if I embarrassed him. Looking up and down the hall to make sure nobody was listening, I lowered my voice and asked, "Was Alex blackmailing you?"
Antonio looked around us before answering, shuffling his weight from foot to foot and crossing his arms. Diana came up from behind him, tracing her hand up and over his shoulder and leaning in to him.
Leaning forward, he said in a frustrated tone, "Look, all of us cheated. Even Alex, for goodness’ sake!"
Diana's eyes glistened and her voice choked. "Sophia didn’t."
Antonio froze in place, swallowing hard. He reached a hand up to meet Diana's on his slumped shoulder, looking like an athlete who missed the final, game-winning goal and convincing me that the note was key to finding out what had happened to Sophia … and Alex. The note gave him a motive.
I handed it to Agent Vasquez.
"This might help you," I said.
Agent Vasquez addressed Antonio, "Give me just one minute, please. Once I inspect the scene with my men, I will have some questions for you. Be so kind as to wait in your room. He took the bag in one hand and led me down the hall by the elbow (rather forcefully I may add) with the other.
When we had reached the end of the hall and heard Antonio's door snap closed, Agent Vasquez turned to me. "Miss James, I understand what you’re doing, and I wish you well. But if you interfere with my investigation, I won't hesitate to toss you in jail."
It wasn't the first time I'd heard that same threat. But the fact that it hadn't happened yet did nothing to lessen my doubt that Agent Vasquez would make good on it this time unless I was very careful. Which made it all the more imperative I didn't get caught later tonight.
"Please, if you see or hear anything that might help us find Sophia's killer, will you tell me? I could really use your help, Agent Vasquez. The last two times have been nothing more than dumb luck and me being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This case is different. I feel like I'm so close to learning the truth, but I won’t be able to figure this out before Sunday."
Agent Vasquez took off his sunglasses, looping them in the front of his Polo shirt. In his normal, not–irritated–with–me voice, he said, "You have good instincts, Jessica. You just need to learn to listen to them sooner. Now, what do you think of Alex?" With the way he stiffened his spine and sniffed, I could tell he was not used to giving praise, which made his words all the more meaningful. I realized he was probably just asking my opinion to be nice, but I appreciated the gesture.
I answered, "From what I've observed, it could be two things: He was blackmailing his classmates for cheating on the entrance exam that won them all scholarships. He arranged the scam, so he would know who cheated."
I paused, a puzzle piece clicking into place and complicating things further for me. Shirley had said that she didn’t cheat; that Alex had nothing on her. Wouldn’t Alex have known that?
The Exes had said that everyone cheated. Everyone except Sophia. Had they simply overlooked Shirley? Had someone silenced Sophia before she could blow the whistle? The instinct Agent Vasquez had praised seconds ago was strongly inclined to think so. Was he right? Should I follow my instincts?
"And?" Agent Vasquez prompted.
What had I been telling him? Agent Vasquez looked down at the note in his hand. Oh, yeah, that's right. Blackmailing cheaters. The next thought was one that had recently formed in my mind, but it was worth pursuing.
"It could also be that Alex came to close to discovering the identity of the killer. He was smart and, given the proper motives, he might have taken an interest in discovering for himself who killed Sophia."
"Motive?"
"He's been described as an opportunist. He liked easy money. It's possible he could’ve taken advantage of the positions his classmates have attained to milk it … Which leads to what I heard confirmed today. He may have been blackmailing his classmates about information he had which they would desperately want to keep silent. You should know that Alex established a cheating scam resulting in scholarships for Miss Matty’s study group. Maybe they did it for kicks, since none of them really needed a scholarship to go to university, but Alex stood to gain from his peers by holding it over their heads. I’m hoping he was getting close to the killer. If he could do it, that means there's hope for us."
Would Agent Vasquez notice how I had included him in my investigation? Would he take my hint and give me a hand?
He furled his brows and looked down at me sternly. He had heard the hint. "It also means the murderer is definitely present for the gala and could strike again. You had better hurry, Miss James."
Okay, no help from the murder investigator trained to handle situations like this. I felt a little bit like the first time my dad had let go of my bike when I was learning to ride without training wheels. Wobbly and very likely to crash.
I was so intent on our conversation, I hadn't noticed we had company until a feminine voice pierced through my concentration and made me jump in place.
"Sophia's killer could strike again? Should we cancel the event?" Shirley asked. Her mascara was smeared around the corners of her eyes.
Agent Vasquez said, "We take your safety seriously. It would be a pity to cancel when you gathered to honor your teacher."
Miss Matty scoffed from behind Shirley, saying bitterly, "Some influence I've been if my best students cheated to get what I thought they had earned with my help. I'm nothing more than a sham if I couldn't instill better values in them than that."
"But a moment ago, you didn't believe them capable of cheating," I reminded her, shocked at how quickly she had changed her opinion.
"Denial, dearie. Why would I choose to believe that my entire career in education was built on a lie? I should have known it was too good to be true, but it was quite the feather in my cap. There's nothing left for me to do but speak with the school board about the matter. If they choose to cancel their offer to me, then there will be nothing left for me to do but allow them to cancel my contract, and you will not have to worry about hosting the gala … an honor I do not deserve."
The firmness in her tone brooked no argument.
Shirley massaged her temples. "I could change it to a class reunion to lessen the blow. You’ve still done wonderful things, and I don't think you deserve to have your reputation called into question at this point in your career when you’ve helped so many people."
Miss Matty smiled. "Way to think on your feet, but after being in politics for the past twenty-five years, I can take a few knocks."
I saw movement from an alcove down the hallway and made out Señora Cuesta's platinum blonde hair just before she disappeared out of sight. How much had she heard? Did it matter? The hallway of the hotel was not a good place to carry on a private conversation.
Agent Vasquez must've drawn the same conclusion. He said, "I need to interview the maid who found the body," dismissing himself from the group gathered in the hall.
I kept my lips sealed about who had actually "found" Alex. Agent Vasquez was sure to find out on his own anyway.
Shirley and Miss Matty returned to their respective rooms, and I hustled back to the restaurant, excited to fill Sylvia, Abuelita, and Tia Rosa in on the details of the scam.
It was the quiet hour before the onslaught of the lunch crowd, so the restaurant was empty as I twisted through the rearranged tables and past Tia Rosa’s neatly stacked boxes at the back of the dining room to the kitchen.
Gloom and doom stopped me in my tracks as I was met with three defeated women.
I stepped forward, instantly worried. "What happened?"
More silence as Sylvia and Abuelita looked at Tia Rosa.
Abuelita put her arm around her sister’s shoulders, squeezing her to her side before she answered. "The bank say no loan."
Chapter 23
I was flummoxed. "What? I thought they'd said it was practically guaranteed?"
Tia Rosa may not have the best mind for business, but she certainly would not have invested so much into the shop’s remodel unless the bank had given her reason to believe the loan would be approved.
It didn't take long for my thoughts to lead me to Antonio. My anger grew as I realized what must have happened. He must have used his position at the bank to cancel her loan because she had revealed a motive for him to kill Alex.
I was sorely tempted to march back over to the hotel and demand he undo the damage he had done to my friend. But, in doing so, I would have to admit that she had, in fact, trespassed into his room.
Abuelita, having given her sister all the comfort in her possession, now wrung her hands and popped her knuckles. "Is Antonio. He kill Sophia. He kill Alex. Now, he kill dream. He very bad man."
I considered Abuelita’s accusation. Antonio and Diana did have access to Alex through the door connecting their rooms. It had to have been unlocked for Tia Rosa to have stumbl
ed upon Alex’s dead body. Of all the classmates involved in this case, Antonio was most definitely the one I liked least.
Customers began trickling in, and I lent a hand in the kitchen, whipping up a batch of cupcakes with creamy coffee frosting and trusting the sweet, gooey goodness to numb the disappointment in the room. I’d wait until after lunch to make the doughnuts for the hotel.
I had just finished whipping up the batter and had pulled out the muffin tins when I sensed Abuelita looming near my shoulder.
"When they finish?"
I grinned at her. Abuelita’s sweet tooth was insatiable and, even though my cupcakes had bananas in them — a fruit she swore she hated — a small trifle like that wouldn't prevent her from tasting my newest confection. "They bake for twenty minutes and need to cool before I add the frosting, so … forty minutes."
I started greasing the tin.
"The time include what you do now or no?" Abuelita asked.
She had me there. I hadn’t included the prep time. "Tack on another five minutes, that's all."
She harrumphed as she looked at the clock. Then, she looked at her wristwatch.
This went beyond her normal preoccupation to reach her sugar quota for the day. Plopping the dough into the holes and popping the tins into the oven, I spun around and asked her, "What?"
She answered with the question of her own. "You return the evidence? You no find trouble?"
I had hoped to avoid this topic, it only having the potential to get worse. Vaguely, I answered, "It depends how you look at it."
At that, Sylvia spun around from the stove and I shrugged my shoulders. She complained about how much trouble her mom and aunt were always getting me into, and I didn't want her to start worrying now when she had enough to deal with.
Of course, if Abuelita drew the same conclusion I had drawn about Antonio being behind the denial of Tia Rosa's loan, then Sylvia had every reason to worry. Who knew what Abuelita would do to him… Then again, wasn't I protecting him by keeping my suspicions to myself? Why would I want to protect a guy who had tried to run me over and then didn't have the decency to apologize when I pointed it out to him? And while I gave him points for being honest about the testing scam, he most likely only did it because he knew Diana would tell me if he didn't.