by Renee George
“I have plans,” I said. “But thank you.”
I looked over at Ezra. I’d forgotten that Mason had been planning to be at Portman’s tonight. His expression told me, he had as well. If our thinking was aligned, then there was no way in hell we were going to let Mason out of our sight. Not when we didn’t know who Lopez was working for. I hoped with everything in me that Big Don wasn’t part of whatever nefarious stuff had been happening in Garden Cove. I didn’t want Mason to have to deal with a criminal grandfather.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to cancel Mason’s visit tonight,” Ezra said. “We’re going to watch the fireworks at home as a family.”
“That’s too bad,” Claire said. She shook her head. “I was really looking forward to seeing him tonight, what with Roger and Kati abroad. It would have been nice to have the company. Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”
Claire was the kind of person who exuded warmth, and I’ll admit, I liked her. But I was with Ezra on this one. Until we knew who was threatening me and him, it was better to keep Mason safe at home.
“Sorry, but no,” Ezra replied politely.
“It sounds great.” Even though it really didn’t. I’d had enough excitement for a lifetime in the past couple of days, and besides, one of these GCE assholes wanted me dead. I wasn’t going to make myself any more available than I had to. “But not tonight. Another time. Okay?”
“The offer stands,” Claire said. “Anytime, and please give my grandson a kiss for me.”
Chapter 20
I’d handed the ring over to Jeanna Treece to put in an evidence bag. She’d gathered the shoe as well. Ezra’s officers had confiscated every phone on the premises and checked the numbers against Lopez’s phone. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been a match.
Officer Walters had called the paramedics at Ezra’s insistence. They’d given me the once over, and other than a few bruises and a muddy face, I was surprisingly okay. My back still hurt a little, but I think the tramadol I’d taken earlier had kept me from feeling the worst of it.
We were there for another three hours as they gathered evidence, collected fingerprints from the McKays and their friends, and did a thorough top to bottom investigation of Fiona’s place. And finally, Reese was the one who’d found the dead burner phone at the bottom of the pool. Any one of them could have dropped the phone in there during the commotion. And since the cameras were off, there was no surveillance of the deed. The techs would have to see if it could be dried out enough to collect any evidence.
After all the I’s had been dotted, and the T’s crossed, Ezra took me home.
I couldn’t look at anything too long in my house, because it pained me in a way that no physical injury could match. It enraged me that Frank Lopez, on someone else’s behest, demolished my home then tried to take my life.
“I wish we knew who Lopez had been texting.” It really bothered me that someone up at the McKay place was neck deep in my near-death experience by the lake. Not to mention the proximity to Mason’s grandparents. The last thing Kati and Roger’s marriage needed was dealing with the fallout of whatever the GCE had been up to. “It had to be someone in that group. Not Reagan, though. Not Fiona’s dad.”
“What makes you so sure it’s not him? He seemed awful insistent his daughter’s death was an accident.”
“If you had seen the way he broke down earlier, you wouldn’t ask me that question. That man is in serious emotional torment.”
“I’d agree with you,” said Ezra, “but I’ve been a cop long enough to know grief isn’t always proof of innocence. I called the chief, and Fiona’s case is officially reopened.” He shook his head. “But with Lloyd Briscoll being an ex-bad cop, and Grigsby, and Rasfield PDs Frank Lopez on the take, I don’t know who we can trust. Whoever’s behind this must have deep pockets. Unfortunately, sometimes money talks.”
“I trust Shawn,” I said.
“Do you?” he asked.
“With Leila’s poor health, I think he was in uber protection mode. Stress can lead to poor decisions, you know,” I said in Shawn’s defense.
Ezra was quiet for a long moment as he mulled over what I’d said. “You might be right. I’m not crazy about it, but it is probably what happened. Still, I’m not sure what to do with the drive. Right now, I can’t put all my trust in Shawn with what I know about how he’s handled it thus far. I’m leaning toward calling the FBI. That way, I don’t have to worry about someone bungling the case on purpose. Besides, I’m not sure anyone at the station could make heads or tails of those numbers. The FBI have forensic accountants who could probably decipher those spreadsheets in no time.”
I nodded. “I’ll back whatever play you want to make here.” I heaved a sigh as I looked around. “Right now, I need a hot shower and some clean clothes.” This morning, my underwear, along with all my clothing, had been strewn about the floor. It made me sick that Lopez had touched them. “I don’t think I can put any of my clothes on until I’ve washed them.”
“Hey,” he said, soothing as he put his forearms over my shoulder and dipped down to kiss me. “It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about your clothes. We’ve got you covered.”
“Yes, we do,” Gilly said.
When I saw my BFF standing at the top of my staircase, my knees turned to jelly—thank heavens Ezra was there to hold me up—and I started bawling. Full on crocodile-tears, gasping-sobs, and snot-for-days bawling.
“Oh no,” Gilly said.
“What’s happening?” Pippa was on the staircase now and matching Gilly’s pace as they rushed down to me.
“We’ve got you,” Gilly said as she wrapped her arms around me. “We’re here, and we got you.”
Pippa came at me from behind, and between the two of them, they made us a Nora sandwich. We all cried for a minute then I wiped my face on Gilly’s shoulder. She ewwed. Pippa giggled. Then all three of us started laughing.
Ezra sat on the bottom step of the stairway. He’d put everything back into my purse that had fallen out. Now, he was holding a tissue he’d fished from it as he patiently waited for the best friend brigade cry-fest to finish. After we untangled our huddle, he handed it to me. I wiped my face and blew my nose.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.
“Easy called,” Pippa told me. “He threw up the BFF Bat Signal, and we donned our bestie capes, jumped in the BFF mobile and headed over.”
“I’ve washed two loads of essentials, panties, bras, some jeans, socks, and some shirts. The first load is folded. The second load is in the dryer, but I’ll get it when I go back up,” Gilly said.
“When did Ezra call you?” It had only been about three hours since Lopez had attacked me and died for his effort. “And how did you know—”
“I was your assistant for years, Nora. You’re quirky, but not completely unpredictable,” Pippa said.
“I love you, guys. Thank you so much.”
Gilly grinned. “That’s what we do.”
“You better tell her your news,” Pippa said to Gilly.
“Gio invited us out to the Portman’s on the Lake fireworks buffet and dinner as his guests. The kids, well, Marco, really wants to do it. I said yes.”
Pippa went up on her toes. “It’s a free fancy dinner and the best seats in town for the big fireworks display. He'd given Gilly a table for at least eight people. She insisted, so that you and Easy and Mason could join us, too.”
Gilly and Pippa looked excited.
“I understand if you don’t want to go, but I wanted to give you the option,” Gilly said. “I’m sure you probably just want to crawl in bed.”
“I do,” I admitted. “After a shower.” They didn’t know that the Portmans along with several of their pals were suspects in my near demise, because I hadn’t called them, Ezra had, and I’m sure he hadn’t told them everything.
“Are you going to be okay with that? Have you talked to Ari?” I wasn’t sure whether the girl had talked to her mo
ther or not, yet. I didn’t want to spill the beans before the teenager had a chance to do the right thing on her own. “It might be a good idea to do that first.”
“You don’t have to worry,” Gilly said. “I know that Gio was back in town three weeks ago. It pisses me off that he didn’t see his kids when he came, and that he exacted a promise from Ari to keep a secret from me, but you know what? I’m so over Giovanni Rossi. The hate is gone. The indifference has set in. Feels fantastic.”
I laughed. “Well, hallelujah and pass the cheese, ding-dong the wicked Gio is dead…in your heart, that is.” I still didn’t feel great about them going to Portman’s tonight, but at least they weren’t targets for whoever was after me. There was no reason to think they’d be unsafe. Still. “The Portmans or one of their friends is responsible for Fiona’s death. One of them tried to have me killed today.”
“What?” Pippa said. “Easy.” She turned to Ezra. “You didn’t say that when you called.”
“It’s an ongoing investigation,” he said. “I told you what I could, and now, Nora’s told you the rest.”
“Are you still in danger?” Gilly asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know.” I wasn’t sure what the point of coming for me now would be. I mean, my place was tossed, I was tossed, and I no longer had the flash drive. I think telling Lopez to kill me sent a pretty strong signal that I was no long necessary to the equation. Even so, my friends had nothing to do with any of it. “If you go,” I said. “Just stick together. No one go off alone. Strength in numbers and all that.”
Since my gal pals had washed my clothes, I showered and changed at my house. I couldn’t take picking mud chunks from my hair anymore, and besides that, I needed to change my hormone patch. It had been four days, one day too long, since I’d put on the last one, and I was sure it had accounted for the crying jags. Not that they weren’t warranted.
After, I put on jeans, a red crinoline blouse, and white tennis shoes. For the first time in hours, I felt myself.
On the drive over to Ezra’s, I asked, “Will Mason be mad he can’t go to Portman’s on the Lake? What did he say when you told him?”
“I texted and told him that we’d be home soon to talk to him. He loves his grandparents, and the fact that they might be suspects is something he doesn’t need to know. Still, telling him he can’t go to Portman’s tonight should happen face-to-face, so he can understand that I’m trying to do the right thing by keeping him home.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Ezra parked his truck, and when we got inside, the television was off, and the small cabin was quiet. “Mason?” he called. The boy didn’t answer.
“Maybe he’s out back.”
Ezra rushed through to the kitchen, and I heard him cuss.
“What’s wrong?”
He held up a note. “His grandparents hired a car for him. Mason went to Portman’s.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I’m going to get him. You can stay here if you want. It would probably be smarter and I’d completely understand. You’ve had two awful days. And Mason’s most likely safe, I just don’t want to risk it.” Worry darkened his eyes. “Better safe than sorry.”
There was no debate in my mind what I choice I would make. “I’m going with you.”
“Bad idea,” Ezra said.
“I’m full of those,” I replied with a wink. “I’m going with you.”
He took my hand. “Thanks, Nora.”
“We’re in this together.”
It didn’t take long to hop in the truck and get on the road to the resort. However, traffic was a mess. When we arrived at Portman’s on the Lake, the parking lot was filled with crowds of people carrying coolers and blankets down to the hillside to wait for the fireworks.
“Damn it,” Ezra said, looking for a spot. “There’s no spots open.”
“There’s employee parking around the side there.” I pointed to an access road. “Go that way,” I said. “It has direct access to the kitchen, and it will get us inside quicker.”
When Ezra pulled around, there were two spots near a service entrance. He parked in the one that had Reserved for R. Portman on a sign. “Good call,” he said.
“There’s the kitchen steps.” I gestured to the stairs about thirty feet away.
We passed through the restaurant kitchen. Gio scowled at me. I guess being down a cook had him swamped. I felt bad for Chad, but I had no sympathy for Gio.
“Just passing through,” I said hurriedly.
When we went through the Players dining room, Phil Williams was talking to the Players’ hostess. Twyla was twirling her hair and laughing as if everything he said was funny or charming.
It made me want to puke. I followed Ezra out the entrance to the elevators. We’re fine, we’re fine, I told myself. “We’re all fine.”
The elevator dinged and we rode it up to the sixth floor where the conference rooms had been converted into one gigantic dining hall. We weaved through tables, both of us searching intently for Mason.
“Nora!” Gilly shouted from five tables over. She, Pippa, Jordy, Marco, and Ari sat at a table big enough for ten people, and it was close to the buffet line without being right up on it. Mason was sitting with them, smiling as he and Ari looked at a phone screen. Were they flirting?
Gilly stopped my musing in its tracks. “I thought you weren’t coming. We were surprised when Mason showed up.”
I raised my brow. “So were we.”
Ezra’s shoulders relaxed when he saw his son was okay.
“Dad? What are you doing here?” Mason asked.
Ezra took his son aside. “We need to talk.”
“Okay,” Mason said. “What’s up?”
Ezra’s phone rang. He grabbed it out of its case on his belt. “It’s work.”
Mason’s expression turned from annoyed to worried. “Am I in trouble?”
“Just stay here.” Ezra took the call. “Detective Holden. Wait a minute. I can’t hear you.” He looked at Mason. “I’m going to step out for a minute. Do not go anywhere.”
“Go ahead.” I glanced nervously around. “We’re okay.”
“Hey, Aunt Nora,” Marco greeted. “Can you believe Dad got us this table? It’s so cool, right?”
“It is fancy,” I said, mildly impressed. “Gio made all this happen, huh?”
“Well, I thought you weren’t coming,” Claire Portman said as she walked up to the table. She was wearing a tailored red and gold, hand-beaded gown that fit her curvy figure like a glove. The neck was a conservative scoop that wrangled her large chest in, but the back had a daring plunge.
“What a lovely surprise. Where’s Ezra? I’d like to thank him for allowing Mason to come stay with us tonight.”
“He didn’t,” I said. “He got home to a note saying that you’d sent a car for Mason.”
“Oh, dear.” Claire looked sincerely upset. “I forgot. I ordered the car last week to pick him up. I didn’t even think to cancel it. Not with everything that’s happened. I just assumed when Mason arrived that it was with his father’s blessing.” She paled. “Can I sit with you all for a moment?”
Chapter 21
Mason walked around me and gave Claire a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, Grandma.”
She patted his face. “This one is such a blessing.” She appeared genuinely fond of Mason. “Go get yourself something to eat before you blow away,” she told him.
Mason looked to me for guidance. Ezra was out in the hall pacing back and forth in the small area, moving whenever anyone got too close to him.
“Your dad said to stay put.”
“The food line is right there.” He pointed at the wall. “You can see me the whole time.”
“I’ll take him,” Pippa said. She tapped Marco and Ari. “Go get in line, you two.”
Jordy got up. “I’ll go, too.” He smiled sympathetically. “Can’t have too many eyes.”
“I’m staying with Nora.” Gilly crossed her a
rms over her chest. “Mason’s not the only one who needs a babysitter.”
I grinned at her. “Thanks.”
“Where’s Ezra?” Claire asked, glancing around.
“Out there.” I pointed to the hallway.
Claire sighed and patted my hand kindly. “You poor thing. I can only imagine how tired you must be after all that business this afternoon. What you did for Jenny today, that was something else. I’m sorry about Mason, too. I didn’t even think.”
I nodded. “I’m ready to sleep for a week.” I sat down, my gaze constantly switching between Ezra and Mason.
Claire took the seat next to me. “Jenny’s been my best friend since before she was a McKay and I became a Portman,” she said wistfully. “It’s awful what happened to you today, but I can’t say I’m sad that it ended in the death of the man who took her child from her.” She shivered and tugged at her ear. “I can’t even imagine what I would do if something happened to my Roger.”
I liked Claire. I liked the way she’d been there for her friend. I didn’t like how suspicious this whole case was making me about the Garden Cove rich, or should I say, the Garden Cove Elite.
Gah. The moniker left a bitter taste in my mouth. Elite, in this case, was just another word for spoiled assholes.
I wondered if Claire’s son Roger had a GCE watch. Even if he did, the only thing that even slightly connected Roger to Fiona was the rumor that he’d been having an affair with a waitress. Just because folks said it, didn’t mean it was real. And there were many waitresses at the resort. However, Fiona’s pregnancy complicated things a lot…giving far too many people a motive to get rid of her—even if she was the daughter of a GCE member.
I decided to probe Claire. Gently. Smart or not, I was already in knees deep, I may as well take the swim. “I bet Roger and Kati are having a good time in the Bahamas. Although, it’s hard to beat the weather we’ve been having.”