Polished Off (Charlotte LaRue Mystery Series, Book 3)

by Barbara Colley

  “Well, I don’t have but a minute to talk,” Judith continued. “But I wanted to let you know that I plan on picking up Davy to give you a break tonight.”

  Charlotte frowned and leaned against the van. “Are you sure, hon? He really hasn’t been any trouble.”

  “I’m sure,” Judith replied. “I figured he and I would spend tonight at Mom’s, just in case I get called out. I think she’s ready now to take on some of the responsibility for him.”

  Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “Did your mother put you up to calling me?”

  “Well, I—yes, ma’am, she did.”

  “Because she knew that I’d give her the third degree,” Charlotte grumbled. “She hasn’t exactly kept it secret how she feels about Daniel’s marriage or his new stepson.”

  “If it will make you feel any better, I’ll be there to run interference, Auntie.”

  “I suppose I have very little choice in the matter, as I’m sure that your brother insisted that she take her turn or else.” Knowing how forthright Daniel could be, Charlotte was positive that was exactly what he’d done.

  “I’m pleading the fifth on that one,” Judith responded, which in and of itself, was an admission, Charlotte figured.

  “Ah, Judith, what about his clothes and his toothbrush? And his toys,” she added.

  “We’ll just make do for tonight, and if things work out, then I’ll pick them up tomorrow. But right now, I do have to run. Love you, Aunt Charley. And we’ll be talking.”

  “Love you too, hon. Bye now.” Charlotte slowly lowered the phone and pressed the button that ended the call. Slipping the phone into her purse, she shoved away from the van and climbed inside.

  She’d only had Davy a few days, and she should be grateful for a break. So why did she feel as if she were abandoning him? Why the sudden feeling of loss? And why, after over twenty years of living by herself, did the thought of returning to her empty house alone suddenly bother her?

  Charlotte started up the van and pulled away from the curb. Maybe she should give Hank a call tonight. Talking to her son might help. And even better, maybe it was time for her to come right out and tell him she wanted a grandchild instead of just hinting around about it.

  “Yeah, right,” she muttered. “Even the thought of such a conversation with her uptight son brought a smile to her lips, a smile that lasted all the way to Milan Street.

  As she approached her house, her smile quickly faded. Sitting on the front-porch swing was Louis Thibodeaux. Charlotte grimaced, and only then did she face the real truth about the reason for her depressed mood.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Ridiculous” Charlotte muttered. But even as she tried to deny that Louis was the reason for her melancholy mood as well as the main reason she hadn’t wanted to go home, the thought of another confrontation with him was more than she could handle at the moment.

  For a split second she was sorely tempted to simply keep on driving past her house. But to what purpose? She’d have to go home eventually anyway.

  Charlotte slowed the van and turned into her driveway. Unlike Nadia, she’d never believed that running away from a problem solved anything. Avoiding Louis wasn’t the answer. Besides, the house belonged to her. And there was nothing written in stone that said she had to talk to him right that moment. Later, when she’d had time to deal with her feelings about the situation, then she’d talk to him.

  The minute she switched off the engine, she grabbed her purse, climbed out of the van, and hurried around to the back door. Once inside, she locked the door and headed straight for the shower.

  Even with the shower running full blast, she heard him pounding on the front door. Too bad, she thought. He could pound on it until his knuckles bled for all she cared, but she wasn’t talking to him until she was good and ready.

  The pounding finally stopped, but by the time she’d dried off, the phone was ringing. Her first instinct was to answer it, just in case the call was about work or news about Daniel. Grabbing her robe, she hurried into the living room just as the answering machine picked up the call.

  After the initial greeting, the machine beeped, and, “Charlotte, this is your friendly chauvinist pig calling.”

  In spite of herself, a grin pulled at Charlotte’s lips, and she unconsiously began fingering the satin trim of her robe.

  “I know you’re home,” he continued, “and I know you’re avoiding me on purpose.”

  “You got that right,” she muttered, glaring at the machine.

  “I guess I can’t much blame you after this morning, but all I want is to apologize. Honest.”

  Her fingers stilled, then balled into a fist. “Too bad,” she grumbled.

  “I guess I—” He hesitated for what seemed like forever, then, “Just give me a call when you’re ready to talk.”

  “Don’t hold your breath,” she told the machine as it beeped and clicked off. Oh, she’d call him eventually. There was no way of avoiding it forever. But only when she was good and ready.

  Without Davy around, the house seemed strangely quiet and empty that evening, and Charlotte couldn’t help worrying about him and wondering how he was adjusting to his new surroundings. Even Sweety Boy seemed to sense that something was amiss. Inside his cage he paced restlessly back and forth along his perch.

  “Aw, you poor thing.” Charlotte approached his cage. “Maybe you need some exercise. Want out for a while?” She opened the cage door, and the little parakeet immediately made a dash for the opening.

  The moment Sweety Boy was free, Charlotte watched in amazement as she followed his flight from room to room. Was it possible that Sweety was searching for Davy?

  Only after he’d been in each room did he finally settle down enough to light on the cuckoo clock above the sofa, his favorite out-of-cage perch. After watching the antics of the little bird, Charlotte concluded that, yes, such a thing was possible. Like her, the little bird missed Davy.

  During the long evening, Charlotte tried her best to occupy herself with a bit of reading and television, anything to keep from dwelling on Davy, or on Louis, or especially on the conversation she’d overheard in Lowell Webster’s office.

  She was mentally and physically tired, and to add to her problems, her blood-sugar level was higher than normal. Since she couldn’t think of anything that she’d eaten that could have caused the higher level, she figured the reason had to be stress.

  Time and time again she found herself heading for the phone with the intention of calling her sister to check on Davy. But each time she walked away without doing so. For all intents and purpose, Madeline was his grandmother now, and the sooner the two of them got used to each other without interference, the better.

  Exhausted, she’d finally made up her mind to simply go to bed, but as she was coaxing Sweety Boy back into his cage, the phone rang.

  Charlotte recognized Nadia’s voice right away. “Turn on your cell phone,” Nadia told her. Then she hung up.

  Just like the first time, almost the second Charlotte switched on the cell phone, it rang.

  “How’s Davy?” Nadia asked immediately, her voice anxious and tearful.

  Charlotte settled on the sofa. “He seems to have adjusted okay, but he still asks about you and Daniel.”

  “Is he in bed yet? I—I’d really like to talk to him. I really need to talk to him, Charlotte. I miss him.”

  Charlotte wanted to point out that Nadia should have thought about that in the first place. But she didn’t. What purpose would it serve except to alienate Nadia? And in spite of her initial feelings of anger, pity welled up within Charlotte.

  “I know he’d love to talk to you too, hon, but he’s not here tonight,” Charlotte told her. “Judith called earlier today and said she was going to pick him up from day-care. The two of them were going to spend the night at Madeline’s.”

  When long moments passed without Nadia saying anything, Charlotte grew afraid that she might hang up. “Nadia, I’m pretty sure it was Dan
iel’s idea for Davy to stay with Madeline. They need to get used to each other. But there’s something else I want to talk to you about, so please don’t hang up.”

  There was more silence, then Charlotte heard what sounded suspiciously like soft sobbing. “I’m sorry, Charlotte,” Nadia finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you’re right. And Daniel’s right. And it’s not fair for me to expect you or anyone to take care of Davy, but it’s just that—that I know you better than I know Daniel’s mother, and I miss my little boy so much.” After another long pause, she finally continued. “So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “I’ve been nosing around,” Charlotte told her. “And I’ve found out some stuff about Patsy Dufour. Now, I want you to think, and think hard. Did Patsy know Ricco? Had they ever met or come in contact with each other?”

  “No, I don’t think so. But why do you want to know? The only way she knew anything about him was through me.”

  “I’ll get to the whys in a minute,” Charlotte said. “But right now, can you remember what you said to her about him?”

  “Well ... yes. I confided in her once right after Ricco had had one of his—his tirades. Just before he was arrested for the cemetery-theft thing, he’d had a fight with Mark over some money that Mark owed him. I figure it must have been a lot of money because afterward, Ricco got drunk. And by the time he came home, he was in a real mean mood and ... well, I—anyway, I ended up with some bruises I couldn’t hide with makeup.”

  Charlotte shuddered and empathy welled within her. It still amazed her how a woman could stay with a man who beat up on her.

  “I had to work the next day,” Nadia went on. “And of course Patsy noticed the bruises and asked me what had happened. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that at first I tried to make excuses, but one thing led to another, and I ended up telling her all about Ricco, then blabbed about his fight with Mark.

  “Lord knows, I didn’t mean to, but I was so upset and she seemed so sympathetic. Why, I even told her about Ricco and Mark’s time together in that Florida juvenile detention center.”

  “Why didn’t you say something about this before now?”

  Nadia cleared her throat. “I-I told you. I was ashamed ... and embarrassed.”

  “No, not about that. I’m talking about the fight between Ricco and Mark. Don’t you see? If Ricco and Mark had a fight, then Mark could have had a motive to kill Ricco. Something like that would take the heat off you and Daniel.”

  “I did think about that, Charlotte, but it’s only my word against his. Only hearsay,” she emphasized. “And just who do you think the cops are going to believe? Me or the great Lowell Webster’s son?”

  “Hmm ...” Charlotte frowned and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Guess you have a point there,” she finally said. “But even so, I think it bears looking into. Maybe Judith could put a bug in the right person’s ear.”

  “Oh, Charlotte, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I don’t want anyone else I love to get into trouble.”

  “Listen, hon, don’t underestimate your sister-in-law I’m here to tell you she’s one tough cookie. She’s been a cop long enough to—”

  “Charlotte, I hate to interrupt, but I’ve got to go.”

  “Nadia—”

  “Someone’s coming. Got to go now. I’ll call again.”

  “Nadia, wait—” But it was already too late. Nadia had already hung up the phone.

  Someone’s coming. So who could have been coming? Charlotte wondered. Who could have spooked Nadia into cutting off the call? But even more puzzling, where was Nadia? Where had she been calling from?

  “Probably just saw a patrolman or something,” Charlotte muttered, recalling that in their other conversation Nadia had told her she moved around while on the cell phone.

  Charlotte turned her own phone off and shoved it into her purse. She eyed the phone on the desk for a moment, then had second thoughts about using it. If, as Nadia had suggested, her phone was tapped, then maybe she should use her cell phone to call Judith about this particular matter.

  Digging the cell phone out of her purse again, Charlotte glanced up at the cuckoo to check the time. Telling herself that nine o’clock was not too late to be calling her niece, especially about something so important, she turned the phone back on and punched in the numbers of her sister’s phone.

  The phone was answered on the second ring, and Charlotte sighed with relief when she recognized Judith’s voice.

  “Hi, hon, it’s Aunt Charlotte.”

  “Oh, hi, Auntie. What are you doing calling this time of night? As if I didn’t know,” she added, a smirk in her voice.

  Charlotte grinned. “Well, Miss Smarty Pants, since you know so much, how is the little rascal?”

  “He’s doing just fine. I put him to bed about an hour ago, so he’s all tucked in and fast asleep.”

  “And your mother?”

  “She’s just fine, too. In fact, I think she actually enjoyed having a little one around for a change. She keeps making references to when Daniel was a little boy, and how much Davy reminds her of Daniel.”

  “Well, that’s certainly a good sign. I’m glad that things seem to be working out. But listen, Judith, I have something I think you should know. Something that just might help Nadia and Daniel.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Early Friday morning the phone rang just as Charlotte was leaving. Tempted to let the answering machine catch the call, Charlotte hesitated at the door. Then, with a resigned sigh, she executed an about-face and trudged back inside. Whether it was her superstitious nature or simply her innate sense of duty and responsibility, she wasn’t quite sure, but whichever it was, she’d always found ignoring a ringing phone almost an impossibility.

  “I almost made it,” she told Sweety Boy as she passed his cage. The little parakeet did little more than flutter his wings in response. With a shrug, Charlotte picked up the receiver. “Maid-for-a-Day. This is Charlotte.”

  “Hey, Aunt Charley, I’m glad I caught you before you left.”

  “I was on my way out the door,” Charlotte told her niece.

  “worry about that,” Judith apologized, “but I thought I’d better let you know that Mother wants to keep Davy again tonight. In fact”—Judith lowered her voice to just above a whisper— “she’s acting really weird. She’s even called in sick so she can spend the whole day with him. Says—and I quote—‘the poor little guy needs special attention right now.’ She’s planning on the zoo this morning, McDonald’s for lunch, then a movie this afternoon. And Auntie, she’s even going around humming kiddy songs”

  Charlotte widened her eyes. “Humming?”

  “Totally weird, huh?”

  Charlotte was at a loss for words.

  “Anyway,” Judith went on, “Whatever the reason for her sudden change, I only wish she could have had an attack of it when Daniel and I were growing up.”

  At that, Charlotte grinned. “I suspect that all grown-up children wish the same thing,” she said. “I also suspect that what’s happening to your mother is what’s referred to as the joys of becoming a grandmother.”

  Charlotte was certainly glad and relieved to hear about Madeline’s supposed change of heart, and she truly hoped it was genuine, for Davy’s sake. Yet a perverse part of her couldn’t help wondering if, in some odd way, her sister saw herself as some sort of competitor vying for Davy’s affections. Madeline had made it no secret that though she appreciated Charlotte’s help in the early years in raising her children, and she recognized the influence Charlotte had on Judith and Daniel’s upbringing, she also resented it.

  “Well, whatever it’s called,” Judith said, “the important thing is that Davy is getting some good positive attention from her. One last thing, Auntie, then I’ve got to run. I’m going to look into that matter we talked about last night, first thing this morning. I think you’re on to something and it bears further investigation.”

  “I�
��m so glad you think so, and I’d give anything to be a fly on the wall when you tell Will Richeaux about that fight between Ricco and Mark Webster. You will let me know what he says, won’t you?”

  “Yes ma’am. But I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much if I were you, Auntie. Given my past relationship with Will and considering my personal interest in this case, he isn’t going to be too inclined to listen to much of anything I have to say.”

  “Good or bad, I still want to know, so call me immediately—either on my cell phone or at home.”

  “Be glad to.” Then Judith laughed. “Just one thing, though. In order for me to call you on your cell phone, you have to turn it on and leave it turned on.”

  “J-u-d-i-t-h!”

  “Okay, okay. Just kidding you a bit. Anyway, I’ll either call or leave a message if I learn something good. Otherwise, how about I drop by your place later this afternoon—that is, unless you have plans for the evening.”

  “No, no plans, and coming here would be even better. I could order us a pizza for dinner and fix a nice salad to go with it?”

  “Sounds great! Bye now.”

  “Good luck, hon.”

  Within minutes of hanging up the phone, Charlotte once again headed out the door to go to work. As she was backing out of the driveway, she noted that Louis’s blue Taurus was missing.

  Charlotte frowned. Come to think of it, she didn’t remember hearing him leave earlier, not since she’d been up, which meant he must have left before she got up.

  But not even thoughts about Louis could quell the excitement that hummed through her veins. If Judith could steer the investigation in another direction, if she could give the powers that be another suspect besides Nadia and Daniel, maybe, just maybe, the D.A. would reconsider the charges against them. It was even possible that Daniel could be free by that very afternoon.

  “Yeah, right,” Charlotte muttered as she turned onto Prytania. From what she’d heard about the wheels of justice, they never turned that fast, not without a million complications to slow them down. Even so, ever the optimist, she still couldn’t help hoping and dreaming a bit. Maybe by that very afternoon, there would be cause for celebration. Maybe they could even have a pizza party for the whole family....