Thirty-Six and a Half Motives: Rose Gardner Mystery #9 (Rose Gardner Mystery Series)

by Denise Grover Swank

  A clicking sound, like heels on concrete, echoed to my right, and I backed up toward the wall with the desks, my heart beginning to race.

  “Did I hear my name?” Hilary asked, emerging from an aisle of equipment. She had changed into a pair of cream-colored pants, a flowy pale-blue silky shirt, and a low pair of cream leather pumps. Her auburn hair hung loose, but the sides were pulled back with clips decorated with clear stones. She stopped just outside the opening, her gaze fixed on Kate. Surprise filled her eyes as she shifted her attention to me. “Rose.” She turned back to Kate. “What is she doing here? When I got your text, I thought this was just you and me.”

  “But . . .” I spat out in shock. “He put you in the car . . . I saw you get kidnapped.”

  Confusion washed over Hilary’s face, but Kate chuckled. Then Sam Teagen moved out from behind Hilary, and I realized how wrong I’d been. My head swam as I took all the pieces I knew and tried to make them fit with this new realization.

  Hilary laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you speechless before, Rose.”

  “Sam Teagen . . .” I shook my head. “He works for . . . you?”

  She walked closer to Kate’s setup, staying outside the ring of candles. “You know his name? Oh, dear. That is unfortunate.”

  “Maybe I know more than Kate thinks I do.” Although I worried I didn’t know much at all. I was in big trouble. “Where’s J.R.?”

  Hilary laughed, but it sounded bitter. “If I were you, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry to see him. He’s not too fond of you, and trust me, that’s not a situation you want to be in.”

  I looked over at Kate to gauge her reaction, but she kept her attention on her newest guests.

  “What is all this, Kate?” I asked.

  She grinned. “All part of the game, Rosalina.”

  “I’m not too crazy about games, so I think I’ll be goin’.” I took a step backward, but Kate’s gaze narrowed.

  “You’re one of the guests of honor,” Kate cooed. “We can’t have you going anywhere.”

  Did that mean she was working with her father after all? The evidence was supporting that theory.

  But before I could ponder it all, Sam Teagen started toward me. I reached to the small of my back and pulled out Jed’s silver gun, which I then pointed at Teagen. “Come any closer and I’ll shoot you.”

  He stopped and glared, his empty hand twitching at his side. The fact that he didn’t have a gun drawn meant he had underestimated me. Good.

  His gaze darkened. “You try to shoot me, and I’ll make you suffer for these scars you put on my face.” He still sported healing scratch marks on his cheek. It sure had to be tough for a guy like him to go around with claw marks marring up his good looks.

  Kate released a loud sigh. “Nobody’s shooting anyone . . . yet. There’s plenty of time for that later. We’ve got too much sharing to do first.”

  “You said you were waiting for other guests,” I said, casting a quick glance at Kate without lifting my attention from Sam Teagen. I didn’t trust him for a minute, and I truly was prepared to shoot him. I’d come a long way from that scared girl who’d purposely let Daniel Crocker drag her to a private office. “Who else is coming?”

  “It’s a surprise party, Rose Petal,” Kate said. “You’ll just have to wait and be surprised.”

  I turned my attention to Hilary, though Sam Teagen was still in view. “Do you know?”

  “How would I know?” Hilary asked. “I thought Kate had invited me to work out our differences. In the name of family unity.”

  “In a deserted warehouse?” Kate laughed, but her annoyance was clear. “You always were so gullible.”

  Scowling, Hilary crossed her arms, but she turned back to me. “Where’s Skeeter Malcolm? I thought he was your new shadow.”

  “Why would she come with Malcolm?” Kate asked in confusion.

  Hilary laughed. “Because Rose is the Lady in Black, of course. She’s Skeeter Malcolm’s little pet. He treasures her above all things.”

  Kate shook her head. “The Lady in Black? Rose Gardner?”

  “Didn’t you catch that she entrapped your father?”

  “Yeah, but she was impersonating her.”

  “Keep up, Kate. Rose Gardner is the Lady in Black,” Hilary said, her voice harsh. “She’s been working with Malcolm since the auction at Thanksgiving.” She rolled her eyes. “And you call me gullible.”

  “Does Joe know?” Kate asked, sounding less confident.

  “Joe doesn’t know a blessed thing.” Hilary flipped a strand of hair over her shoulder. “He still sees her as a blushing virgin.”

  Kate turned livid and she jumped off the desk. “You’ve been making my brother look like a fool?”

  Hilary took a step closer to the center of the room, walking between the candles on the floor. “What is this about, Kate? I know you have a personal vendetta against me, but why are we meeting here, and why is Rose along for the ride?”

  Kate’s body shivered, and then she seemed to be back in control. “We’re not starting this yet.”

  “If you’re waiting for J.R.,” Hilary said, “he’s not coming.”

  Kate’s laughter had an unstable edge. “Oh, you stupid bitch. You don’t know anything.”

  It was a sad day when someone looked loonier than Hilary. But then I’d totally underestimated Hilary. I’d never once suspected her of working with Sam Teagen—and the implications of that error were now becoming clear.

  Common sense told me I should leave. I had a gun. I could make my escape, although I suspected Sam Teagen would have something to say about that. But as soon as that thought occurred to me, I dismissed it. I was done hiding. Last June, the old Rose had hidden naked in a linen closet, dripping wet and shaking with fear. But no more. I was done cowering. I was going to demand answers.

  I gave Hilary a hard look. “You hired Sam Teagen to kidnap me. I thought it was Kate, but it was you.”

  Hilary didn’t answer, but she didn’t gloat either.

  Kate burst out laughing. “You thought I was the one behind your kidnapping?”

  I ignored her, anger igniting in my chest. Months of frustration broke loose. “I understand why you wanted me dead, but why Mason?” I asked. “He never did anything to you.”

  Hilary took two steps toward me, her eyes hard. “You have no idea about my past with Mason.”

  My heart slammed into my chest. “He told me about the way you used him to get information about his sister.”

  She shook her head. “No. He used me. Then he moved on to you.”

  I fought the urge to panic. “How did he use you?”

  Her eyes glittered with excitement. “That’s between me and Mason.”

  The woman I was facing now was a far cry from the nearly hysterical woman I’d encountered this morning.

  I was stuck in a creepy abandoned factory with two crazy women and a man who looked like he wanted to rip off my head with his bare hands. I was rethinking my strategy. But it was a little late for that. “There was nothing between you. You were the one to approach him at all the social events. You were the one who got information from him that led to Savannah’s death.”

  Hilary shook her head. “Is that what he told you?”

  Kate chuckled. “You really are naïve. Are you really falling for this?”

  “Then tell me your side,” I coaxed. “We all know there’s no way you’ll let me walk out of this alive, so at least give me answers. No more secrets.”

  “I agree. No more secrets.” A gun appeared out of the darkness of the gathered equipment, aimed at the back of Hilary’s head, and Skeeter walked into the light. “So answer the lady.”

  If Hilary was afraid, she didn’t let on. A smile lit up her eyes even though her back was still to him. “I knew you’d show up.”

  “And now I’m here, so someone better tell me what the hell is goin’ on.” He turned to Kate and gestured toward the room. “Is this your doin’?”


  She sat back on the desk, her face lit up with glee. “It is.”

  Skeeter pointed his gun at Kate. “Then that makes you the master of ceremonies. You better start talkin’.”

  “I’ve been waiting for this night for two years, Mr. Malcolm. You can wait five minutes,” Kate said. The condescension was heavy in her voice. “You never were a patient man.”

  Kate flicked a gaze at me. “James and I go way back.”

  “When he worked for your father.”

  She nodded, then turned her attention to Skeeter. “If you play this right, I’ll let you make it out alive.”

  His shoulders stiffened. “Why?”

  “Because I like you. I think we can work out some sort of arrangement.” The innuendo in her voice made it clear it wasn’t an above-board business deal.

  Skeeter ignored her implication. “Then why’d you set this up for your daddy?”

  The ring on her hand caught the light, and I said, “She set this up for her father, but not how you think, James. This is her revenge. Her revenge against her father for killing her fiancé, Nick.”

  Skeeter gestured toward Sam Teagen. “So what’s this piece of trash doin’ here?”

  “He’s my guest,” Hilary said. Then, before I realized what she was doing, she pulled a gun out of her fancy cream-colored purse and pointed it at me. “I’m going to need Sam handy, so don’t be getting any ideas about incapacitating him.”

  I cursed myself for having turned my attention away from her. Then again, she was pregnant. And while she was a sociopath, her baby—Joe’s baby—was an innocent caught up in her madness. I wouldn’t shoot her even if she attacked me, and the satisfaction on her face told me that she knew it.

  “Now, James,” she said, his given name clearly an insult on her lips. “I’m going to need you to put down the gun, or I’ll be forced to kill your Lady in Black. And Rose, you need to drop yours, too.” The saccharine sweetness in her voice nauseated me.

  Skeeter’s gaze lifted to mine, and if I hadn’t known he was on my side, I would have been terrified of the rage in his eyes. He squatted and dropped his gun to the concrete floor, then rose to his full height, a good six inches above the man in front of him.

  “Rose.” Hilary’s voice was harsh, and she looked like she was searching for an excuse to shoot me, so I dropped mine to the floor, too.

  “Now kick it toward Sam.”

  I put a little too much effort behind it, and the gun skidded past Teagen, stopping close to Hilary.

  I glanced at Skeeter and found him watching me with a mixture of anger and guilt. Since the anger wasn’t directed toward me, I welcomed it, but the guilt only fueled more guilt of my own. He’d put my life before his, and now he had a gun pointed at him.

  This was my fault. I should have waited for him. We could have made a plan. But I could beat myself up about it later. Right now, I needed to focus on getting us out of this. I still had a gun in my pocket.

  Teagen bent to pick up Skeeter’s gun, then pulled out a zip-tie from his back pocket. I watched in horror as Teagen tucked the gun into the waistband of his jeans, then bound Skeeter’s hands behind his back, tugging with more force than needed.

  “Got that tight enough?” Skeeter growled.

  “Let me check,” Teagen sneered, pulling even tighter. Then he circled around in front of Skeeter and punched him in the gut.

  Skeeter bent over slightly, his jaw clenched.

  “That’s for killing my friends. And this is because I just don’t like you.” Teagen pulled his fist back and slammed it into Skeeter’s nose.

  I cried out as blood spurted down Skeeter’s face, but Skeeter didn’t miss a beat. He tipped his head back and dipped at the knees, then slammed his forehead into Teagen’s face.

  “Just wanted to add to Rose’s handiwork. Not so pretty anymore,” Skeeter grunted as Teagen covered his face with his hand.

  I decided to take advantage of the distraction and started to lunge for the weapon sticking out of Teagen’s jeans, but a bullet struck the floor in front of me, sending up sharp little shards of concrete. Startled, I jumped back and lifted my eyes to Hilary’s amused face.

  “I’m an excellent shot. Just ask Joe,” Hilary said.

  “Is Joe coming?” I asked, trying to keep the hope out of my voice.

  Hilary turned to Kate. “You weren’t stupid enough to invite Joe to this showdown of yours, were you?”

  “I’m here.” The voice came from the darkness. Joe stepped into the circle of light seconds later, still dressed in his sheriff’s uniform. His face was hard as he took in the sight before him, ending with Hilary and the gun she had trained on me. His silence spoke volumes, but his hands hung at his sides, no gun in sight. In fact, his holster was empty.

  “Did you come unarmed, like I insisted?” Kate asked.

  He gave a curt nod, then turned his dark gaze on the mother of his baby. I could only imagine what Kate had said to get him to leave his gun at home.

  Hilary turned pale. “Joe, I know this looks bad, but I can explain.”

  “Never feel the need to explain, Hilary,” a voice I knew all too well called out from behind me.

  I turned to see the object of my worst nightmare staring right at me.

  It was clear from the look on his face that J.R. Simmons planned to make me beg for mercy. But the evil in his eyes assured me I’d never find it.

  Chapter 32

  While J.R. climbed through the window with the assistance of a man I didn’t recognize, I took a deep breath, trying to put all the pieces together in my head.

  J.R. got his balance, but he seemed unsteady on his injured leg. After making sure his boss wouldn’t tumble, the new guy scanned the room. A smarmy grin crossed his face when his eyes landed on Skeeter.

  “The fall from grace is a bitch, isn’t it, Malcolm?”

  “You can’t fall from the gutter, so I guess you wouldn’t know,” Skeeter spat out. “I see you’re still in Simmons’s posse of twelve pussies. I’m surprised you set foot outside of Columbia County.”

  The other guy looked like he was about to respond, but J.R. held up his hand.

  “Enough.” J.R.’s gaze turned to Joe and he blinked, the only sign that he was shocked by the presence of his son. “Joseph.”

  Joe’s body tensed, his hands tightening into fists, but he still didn’t say a word.

  J.R.’s attention turned to his daughter, who now sat cross-legged on the desk, watching the goings-on with glee. “Katherine, what is the meaning of this?”

  “It’s a surprise, Daddy Dearest.”

  “I don’t do surprises,” he said with condescension.

  Kate released a mock gasp. “Heaven forbid someone other than the great J.R. Simmons should be in charge.” Then her smile widened. “There’s a basket over there. Put your guns in it and gather closer.”

  No one made a move.

  Kate leaned her head back and groaned, her hand reaching behind her to produce a gun. Before I realized what was happening, a loud pop filled the space. The man next to J.R. fell to the ground, blood seeping from his temple onto the concrete.

  J.R. stumbled back a step in shock.

  Panic swamped my head. I’d seen two dead men in my vision. My vision was coming true. But I didn’t know what would happen to Kate, Hilary, and Joe? I hadn’t seen them in the vision.

  Kate’s voice sounded far away as she said, “See? I’m a good shot, too, Hilmonster. We took the same shooting lessons, and if I remember correctly, I always outshot you.” She paused, then said more sternly, “Now, why don’t you all be good little boys and girls? Put your guns in the basket and come into the circle.”

  She was planning on killing someone—maybe all of us, which seemed the likeliest scenario.

  I felt dangerously close to losing it, but then Joe spoke and I concentrated on his voice. “Kate, just put the gun down and let’s you and me talk this out.”

  “Oh, we’re talking, all right. Lots of talking, but
I need you all to take your places so we can begin.”

  I wasn’t helpless. I still had my small gun in my coat pocket. There was no way I was making the first move to my place. Everyone else apparently agreed with me.

  Kate pointed her gun toward Sam Teagen and pulled the trigger. The man fell to the ground.

  “Just to prove I mean business,” she said in a bored tone. “We’ve eliminated the two unnecessary men in the room, and by order of importance, James Malcolm is the next most expendable person.” She gave me a cold hard stare. “How much do you want him to survive this?”

  I lifted my hands in the air and moved several steps closer to Kate. She pointed to a spot on the floor, marked with a duct-taped X I hadn’t noticed before. There were several Xs in a semi-circle in front of Kate’s desk.

  “Rose,” Skeeter called out. “Don’t do it.”

  Joe gave us a questioning look, but as I moved to the spot about ten feet to Kate’s right, she said, “For those of you just joining us, Rose is the Lady in Black, and Hilary hired that idiot—” she pointed at Teagen’s body, “—to kidnap and kill Rose and then Mason Deveraux.” She sighed. “But thankfully, he flubbed it.”

  “Hilary?” Joe choked out.

  Hilary shook her head, and her eyes flooded with tears. “She’s lying, Joe. Your sister was the one behind it all. She’s crazy. Just look at her.” She waved her hand toward Kate.

  Joe’s gaze swung between the two women, and it was easy to see he believed the mother of his child.

  “Joe,” I said, trying to keep calm. “Hilary’s behind more of this than you could possibly know.”

  “Stop right there, Hilmonster,” Kate called out, her weapon trained on Hilary. “Lose the gun and stand on your spot over here.” She gestured to a taped X about ten feet to her left.

  Hilary had her gun aimed at me, and the look on her face told me she fully intended to shoot me.

  “Don’t do it.” Kate said, her voice tight. “I need her very much alive.”

  “Why would I care what you want?”

  “Because I can shoot you in the gut and kill the baby that means more than life to you.”