Murder of a Bookstore Babe

by Denise Swanson

  Several different expressions crossed Xenia’s face before she settled on nonchalant. “I thought it would be an interesting experience.”

  “Try again.”

  “I don’t answer to you.” Xenia’s posture was belligerent as she shoved the book into a bag.

  “No, you don’t,” Skye replied smoothly. “But if it has anything to do with Kayla’s murder, I really need to know.”

  “Why?” Xenia’s voice was bitter. “Nothing will help Kayla now.”

  “That’s true,” Skye agreed. “But once you kill someone, it’s much easier to do it a second time.”

  “So you’re worried about me.” Xenia’s tone was a little less hostile.

  “Yes, I am.” Skye stuffed her purchase into her tote bag.

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re my friend.” Skye realized that was true. She did regard the prickly teen as a friend. “And I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you.”

  “Say I believe you. I can’t talk about it here.” Xenia glanced over her shoulder. “I get off work in twenty minutes. Meet me at my car.”

  CHAPTER 22

  Lady Chatterley’s Lover

  “Like everything about Xenia, there’s no one clear reason,” Skye said to Wally as he drove them toward Troy Yates’s house. “She’s making a documentary about people who have downsized and simplified their lives. She’s observing Risé and Orlando to see if they’re happier in their new circumstances, or if they would prefer to go back to their previous existence.”

  The Yateses lived in one of the new subdivisions just inside the Scumble River School District. Previously, the county sheriff’s department had been responsible for patrolling that area, but it had been annexed into the city limits a couple of years ago.

  “And?” Wally pulled into a paved driveway flanked by two concrete lions—one with its right paw raised in the air and the other its left.

  “And she wants to find Kayla’s killer.” Skye craned her neck to examine the massive brick house as it came into view. It had lots of fancy shaped windows, expensive landscaping, and a five-car garage that was bigger than many homes. The Yateses certainly didn’t appear to be hurting for money. “Since Xenia had no clue where to begin to investigate a murder, she figured working at the scene of the crime was her best bet.”

  “Not bad reasoning.” Wally stopped the squad car and turned off the engine.

  “She’s getting bored working in the bookstore, so I don’t think she’ll last much longer.” Skye got out of the cruiser and met Wally on the walkway. “Plus she finds it a strain to be pleasant to people she considers her inferiors.”

  “Don’t we all.” Wally grinned, then discretely tipped his head toward the house. “Let me do the talking here.” Someone had drawn back a curtain and was watching them. “You gauge Yates’s reactions and give me a sign if you want to ask something.”

  “That’s probably best, considering Mr. and Mrs. Yates tried to sue me last year for printing that unflattering article about their daughter in the Scoop.” Skye followed him to the front door. “Even after I rescued Ashley from a deranged killer, I don’t think they completely forgave me.”

  Mrs. Yates responded to the doorbell, and when Wally asked to see her husband, she ushered them through an impressive marble foyer containing a striking curving stairway, down a short hallway, and into a huge family room. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows displayed an in-ground pool surrounded by a brick patio.

  Troy Yates lay sprawled on an enormous leather sofa in front of a mammoth TV. It took his wife several tries to get his attention, but he finally tore his gaze away from Sylvester Stallone blowing up people. He muted the set, put down the remote, and said, “Chief Boyd, what can I do for you? Is there a problem at the bank?”

  “No.” Wally moved so that Yates could see Skye, who had been standing behind him. “We wanted to talk to you about something personal.”

  “Have a seat.”

  Wally and Skye settled into matching club chairs that flanked the sofa.

  Troy gestured to a mahogany bar in the corner. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No, thanks,” Wally answered for both of them. “When I said personal, I meant your personal dealings versus the bank. We’re here on police business.”

  Yates’s demeanor changed. He straightened and looked at his wife, who had been hovering by the door. “I’ll handle this, dear.”

  She nodded and scurried away.

  Yates the genial host was gone. He said, “Maybe I’d better phone my attorney before we go any further.”

  Skye felt her heart race and her stomach clench, but she managed to maintain a calm expression. Had Yates killed Kayla? He was certainly acting guilty about something. Or maybe his behavior was typical of the wealthy.

  “We just have a couple of questions, but if you feel you need the protection of a lawyer . . .” Wally let his voice trail off insinuatingly.

  “Of course not. I’ll trust you not to violate my rights.” Yates’s voice was jovial, but his expression was steely. “What do you want to know?”

  “I understand you knew Risé Vaughn prior to her move to Scumble River.”

  Skye admired Wally’s neutral opening.

  “Yes.” Yates crossed his legs. “Although I don’t see how that’s any of your concern.”

  “And I understand you lost quite a bit of money when Ms. Vaughn’s boss was arrested and the firm closed down.”

  “So?” Yates raised an eyebrow. “What have my private financial affairs got to do with the police? I somehow doubt this is about getting my money back.”

  “No. That’s way above my pay grade.” Wally gave him a good-old-boy grin. “We’re investigating the possibility that the intended victim of last week’s murder at the new bookstore wasn’t the clerk but the owner.”

  “And you think I might have killed that poor girl by mistake because I lost a few dollars in the market?” Yates asked, sounding amused.

  “We have to check out all possible leads. And money is always an excellent motive for murder.” Wally’s face was now impassive. “Do you have an alibi for last Saturday night, from eight fifteen until eleven?”

  “Actually, I do.” Yates’s smile was smug. “My wife and I were attending a dinner party hosted by the mayor.” He addressed Skye for the first time. “Your uncle has an impressive wine cellar.”

  Wally shot Skye a questioning glance. She shrugged. As far as she knew, Uncle Dante only drank Budweiser or bourbon, but anything was possible.

  “And FYI, I never invest more than I can afford to lose.” Yates stood and escorted them to the hallway. “Unlike some people.”

  “Who, for instance?” Wally asked.

  “I’m not one to point fingers.” Yates walked back to the couch and plopped down, then turned up the volume on the TV. “I’m sure you can find your own way out.”

  “What do you think?” Wally asked once they were outside.

  “The mayor’s a darn good alibi.”

  “Who do you think he meant when he said some people lost money they couldn’t afford?” Wally helped Skye into the squad car.

  She was about to say she had no idea, when it hit her. Hell’s bells! Skye forced her face to remain expressionless. It was Xavier. He hadn’t put all his savings and his veteran’s group’s treasury in the bookstore, as he had told Simon. He couldn’t have. Hugo said that Risé and Orlando paid cash to open Tales and Treats and didn’t have any loans or investors.

  Xavier must have invested all the money with Risé’s company and lost it when the firm went bust. That had to be the big secret. Shoot! Now Skye had no choice but to tell Wally the whole story. And he wouldn’t be a happy police chief or, come to think about it, a happy fiancé.

  Skye waited until they had arrived back at the PD and were parked in the garage before speaking. Stopping Wally before he got out of the cruiser, she told him the whole story. Then she waited for the explosion.

  “You�
�re telling me you knew all along that Xavier Ryan had some big secret connected with the bookstore and its owners, and you never shared this information with me?” Wally ground the words out between his teeth.

  “Yes, but—”

  “But nothing.” He cut her off, and she didn’t try to continue. Her grandma Cora always said, never miss a good chance to shut up, and this was clearly that time.

  Wally ran his fingers though his hair. “It’s not only that you had a responsibility as a police consultant, but you had an obligation as my fiancée not to keep secrets from me. Especially when an ex-boyfriend is the one asking you to stay quiet.” He slumped in his seat and stared out the windshield. “One thing I can’t handle is disloyalty.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. You’re right.” Skye’s shoulders drooped. Nothing sucked more than that moment during an argument when you realized you were wrong. “I should never have promised Simon not to tell you in the first place, and then when Kayla was killed, I should have told you everything.” She put a hand on his and gazed into his eyes. “I truly am sorry, and it won’t happen again.”

  “Well.” She detected a thawing in his tone, but suddenly his voice hardened and he shook off her touch. “No. You still have feelings for Reid or you wouldn’t have kept this from me.”

  Was Wally right? Skye examined her conscience, then took his hand again. “I’ll probably always have some feelings for Simon, the same as you’ll always have some feelings for Darleen. They were a big part of our lives. But the reason I didn’t tell you was because of my affection for Xavier and Frannie, not because of Simon.”

  Wally’s long silence made Skye afraid she had blown her chance for happiness.

  Finally Wally let out a long, audible breath, and although his frown lingered, he said, “I believe you.” He looked intently into her eyes. “But don’t ever let this happen again.”

  “I won’t.” Skye leaned over to kiss him, but Wally got out of the car and walked toward the police station door without waiting for her.

  Sighing, she followed him. Clearly he was still upset, and she could only hope that once he cooled off, he’d give her another chance.

  Xavier wasn’t easy to locate. There was no one at his house, and when they checked to see whether he was working, Simon told Wally and Skye that Xavier and Frannie had gone to dinner and a movie in Bolingbrook. Frannie had been feeling a little down since her boyfriend, Justin, was out of town due to a family emergency, so Xavier had taken his daughter to the Red Robin on Weber Road, one of Frannie’s favorite hamburger restaurants, then to see The Brothers Grimm.

  Simon seemed worried when Wally was questioning him, and as she and Wally left, Skye glanced back. Simon’s disappointed gaze skewered her to the spot. Her shoulders slumped. She’d had no choice but to tell Wally, and she shouldn’t have agreed to keep the secret in the first place. Still, she hated that she felt as if she had somehow let both men down.

  They had gotten Xavier’s cell number from Simon, and when he didn’t pick up, Wally left a message for him to call immediately, as they had some questions about his connections to the bookstore.

  While they waited for Xavier to phone them, Wally and Skye had dinner at the Feed Bag, then took a ride along the river. They spent the time talking about Wally’s feeling of betrayal and why Skye had kept quiet. Finally Wally truly forgave Skye.

  Nevertheless, she knew she was on probation and silently vowed not to mess up this relationship as she had so many others. An ex-fiancé and a string of ex-boyfriends proved she needed to make some changes in how she acted.

  It was nearly ten by the time Xavier phoned. He didn’t want them to come to his house, so he agreed to meet them at the police station, and they hurried back into town. Skye and Wally met the older man as he entered the PD. The three of them proceeded down a short hall to the coffee/interrogation room, and Skye took a seat at one end of the long table in the center of the room.

  Xavier sat opposite her. He wore dark trousers and a short-sleeved white shirt. It was the most casual attire in which Skye had ever seen him.

  Wally closed the door, then settled in the chair next to Skye and said to Xavier, “Thank you for coming in.”

  Xavier dipped his head slightly. “I thought it best we speak here instead of in front of my daughter.” His pale blue, lashless eyes were magnified behind old-fashioned horn-rimmed glasses, making them seem reptilian.

  “Why is that?” Skye asked, then shot Wally a look. Should she go on?

  He nodded. They had agreed she would lead the inquiry since she had the best relationship with the suspect. Xavier kept mostly to himself in Scumble River, preferring to socialize with his out-of-town veterans’ group, but he had formed a connection with Skye through her friendship with Frannie.

  “I didn’t want to worry my daughter. It’s rarely a good omen when the police want to talk to you.” Xavier ran his fingers along the scarred tabletop. “She thinks I got called to transport a body.”

  “That’s probably best.” Skye’s tone was sympathetic. Frannie was Xavier’s whole world, and he’d do anything to protect her. “I’m sorry we have to ask you some personal questions.”

  Xavier bobbed his head, as if understanding her discomfort. “Go ahead.”

  “Simon told me that you had invested in Tales and Treats, but that’s not the truth, is it?”

  “Not exactly.” Xavier’s hands were clenched. “When I asked him for a loan, I wasn’t completely honest with him.”

  “Why?” So that was how Simon found out about Xavier’s situation. Simon hadn’t mentioned he’d loaned Xavier money. “He would have given you the cash even if you told him you had lost yours in Risé’s firm’s scandal. Which is what happened, right?”

  “Yes. That’s what happened.” Xavier’s expression was grim. “But I couldn’t take the chance that Simon might not help me. I had to replace the funds from my veterans’ group treasury. I promised them their capital would be safe. In the war, men trusted me with their lives; I couldn’t let these guys down any more than I could have left behind someone who was wounded on the battlefield.”

  “What about Simon?” Skye was torn between understanding Xavier’s circumstances and feeling disgusted that he’d used his friend. “Simon trusted you, too.”

  “I know.” Xavier’s rigid posture sagged. “One lie led to another.”

  “They always do.” Skye spoke from experience. “But how do you plan to reimburse Simon?”

  “If the store is successful, I’ll be able to repay the loan with interest.”

  “I thought you said that you didn’t invest in Tales and Treats,” Wally interjected.

  “Not directly.” Xavier met Wally’s stare. “But Risé and Orlando are giving me a third of the store’s profits until I get back all the money I invested with her.”

  “The problem with that is that bookstores often don’t last very long.” Wally raised an eyebrow. “And the ones that do rarely earn enough to pay dividends.”

  “Risé wouldn’t start a business she didn’t see a way of making money from.” Xavier took a deep breath and explained, “According to her plan, they’ll make most of their profit from the café and retail items. There’s a huge markup on the packaged gourmet foods and coffee they’re selling.”

  “Really? Enough for them to live on and give you a cut?” Wally’s tone was doubtful.

  “Yes.” Xavier nodded. “Because they went into the store with no debt, own the building, and live above the store, they’re in a good position. The reason so many small businesses fail is that the owners have to borrow so much capital to get started.”

  “I see,” Wally acknowledged, then asked, “Is Risé reimbursing Troy Yates for his losses?”

  “No.”

  When Xavier didn’t elaborate, Skye said, “How did Troy know you had lost money?” While Yates hadn’t come right out and named Xavier, his comment about those who couldn’t afford to lose their investment had to have been about him.

&n
bsp; “Risé didn’t like to do business with friends, so when she didn’t want me to invest in her firm, I asked Mr. Yates to intervene for me with her boss.”

  Skye glanced at Wally. If that were true, then Xavier had no reason to want Risé dead. In fact, since she was giving him part of her profits, he had everything riding on her making a success of the shop.

  Wally asked, “Is there anyone who can vouch for your whereabouts from eight fifteen until eleven last Saturday night?”

  When Xavier didn’t respond, Skye said gently, “We’ll try to keep this as quiet as we can.”

  Xavier groaned, losing his usual Zen-like calm. “This cannot get out. We knew it was wrong, and we ended it that night.” He implored Skye, “You have to make sure no one finds out. It would ruin her marriage and one of my oldest friendships.”

  “Oh, my.” Skye turned to Wally. “Frannie told Simon that her father had been gone a lot lately, and either he wouldn’t say, or he lied about where he’d been.” She looked across at Xavier. “You were with Risé, weren’t you? You’ve been having an affair with her.”

  CHAPTER 23

  The Scarlet Letter

  Once Xavier confirmed Skye’s guess, Wally asked him to remain at the PD while they contacted Risé. Before leaving him alone, Skye assured Xavier that they would talk to his ex-lover without her husband being present. As she and Wally walked out of the interrogation room, Skye looked back. Xavier was sitting ramrod straight, as if waiting for the firing squad.

  Once they were out of his hearing, Skye said to Wally, “Do you think it’s possible that Orlando already knows about the affair? Maybe he found out recently. Maybe he intended to kill his wife and struck Kayla by mistake.”

  Wally thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Surely he could distinguish his own wife’s backside from that of a nineteen-year-old.”

  “True.” Skye nibbled her lip. “But we’re still going to check Orlando’s alibi, right?” At this point she didn’t trust anyone.