by Tina Kashian
“I was three and a half in that picture. Henry was my father.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone? The police?” Katie asked.
“Henry didn’t want anyone to know, especially Holly. I respected his wishes,” Cressida said.
“Even now?” Lucy asked.
Cressida reached for a tissue from a box on the table and blew her nose. Her eyes were red, and Lucy suspected she’d recently cried.
“Holly couldn’t have children,” Cressida began. “Henry said that she went to a fertility doctor and had numerous miscarriages. She was heartbroken in the early years of their marriage. I was the product of a one-night stand between Henry and my mother. He knew his infidelity, combined with how easily my mother got pregnant, would devastate Holly. He wanted to protect her and keep it secret.”
A partner at Lucy’s former law firm had unsuccessfully gone through fertility treatments. The woman had been her friend and she’d once confessed that the hormones, combined with the desperation of wanting children, had left her devastated and feeling inadequate as a woman despite all her professional success.
“Growing up, did you know Henry was your father?” Lucy asked.
“No. My mother told me my dad had been in the service and had died overseas during a training accident. I never questioned it until years later when I was working on a family tree for a school project. My mother was very secretive and it made me curious. She finally admitted the truth and revealed my father’s identity.”
“You must have been shocked to learn that your father was not only alive, but that he lived only a few towns away,” Katie said.
Cressida’s expression hardened. “Shocked . . . angry . . . unwanted. I felt a lot of things. I finally decided to reach out to him about a year ago to see what kind of man would abandon his kid. He agreed to meet me at a coffee shop. I was bitter toward him at first, but he was genuinely happy to meet me, and he explained about the past.” She blew her nose again, her eyes softening. “I realized he never wanted to abandon me, but thought he had done what was best for everyone. He wanted a relationship with me. We met in secret twice a week after that, and we were getting to know each other.”
“Holly thought you were lovers. Don’t you think the truth would have been less painful?” Lucy asked.
Cressida shook her head. “Henry didn’t think so.”
“What about the life insurance?” Katie prodded.
A look of tired sadness passed over Cressida’s features. “He said he felt guilty for never providing for me as a kid. He continued to feel guilty that he couldn’t help because Holly held the purse strings. But he was adamant that he wanted to care for me in case something happened to him. It was his idea to make me the beneficiary. I never cared about the money. I wanted more time with my father. I grew to love him.”
Lucy felt a jolt of sympathy. “Do you think Holly learned the truth?”
“That I was Henry’s daughter? No, I don’t. We were very careful.”
“But Bradford knew,” Katie said.
Cressida looked at her in surprise. “How do you know that?”
Lucy wanted to elbow Katie in the ribs. She wasn’t about to slip that they’d hidden in Cressida’s coat closet and had overheard her speak with Bradford. He’d never come out and said he knew, but he’d mentioned a secret.
Some things are better left unsaid.
Lucy shrugged a shoulder. “It doesn’t matter how we know. But are we right?”
Cressida sighed. “You are. He stopped by unannounced one night to talk about how we were going to get Scarlet to her surprise bridal shower. Henry was here, and I was telling him things about my childhood. Henry asked me lots of questions and said how he wished he hadn’t missed out. Bradford overheard enough to figure out the truth. I made him swear never to tell a soul, especially Scarlet.”
“Scarlet didn’t know?” Lucy asked, surprised. She’d eavesdropped on the two women in the park and they’d discussed Henry. Or had they? Thinking back, Scarlet had challenged Cressida to confront Holly Simms. But maybe Scarlet had thought Cressida was sleeping with Henry, not that he was her father.
“Scarlet is your best friend. Why wouldn’t you tell her?” Lucy asked.
“Oh, please. Scarlet is a gossipmonger. She may be my friend, but I know her weaknesses. She can’t keep a secret to save her life.”
“Do you know who was most likely to harm Henry?” Lucy asked.
Cressida’s blue eyes blazed with sudden anger. “His wife. Holly is a witch, and she constantly nagged and screamed at Henry for his failures. She held her trust fund over his head. She’s a bitch, and I say she stabbed him.”
Lucy shook her head. “She didn’t. Holly has a solid alibi. Who else would want to kill your father?”
Was it Scarlet or Bradford? Their motives were financial. Henry’s unethical banking practices had put Scarlet and Bradford in a bad position for their business venture. They’d already written checks to their employees and contractors that had bounced.
“My father wasn’t without his own weaknesses,” Cressida admitted. “He liked to live a wealthy lifestyle and enjoyed sports betting. But the thing is, I suspected he was having an affair.”
“With whom?” Lucy asked.
“I’m not sure. But one time when he picked me up I noticed flowers and perfume in the backseat of his car. They weren’t for me. And I know they weren’t for Holly.”
A thought barely crossed Lucy’s mind before another followed. “You said perfume. Do you recall what kind?”
“Regency Garden. I know because I worked in a department store at the perfume counter during high school. It’s overwhelmingly flowery and very pricey. It’s a favorite with old ladies. Scarlet’s mother wears it and I smelled it on Scarlet’s wedding planner, Ms. Redding. I know it wasn’t one of them, but he had to be seeing someone closer to his own age.”
Lucy’s heart hammered in her chest. Victoria Redding was an older woman who wore strong floral perfume that made her nose twitch. Could she have possibly been romantically involved with Henry?
“What makes you think Victoria wasn’t Henry’s lover?” Lucy asked.
Cressida blinked. “Simple. Everyone knew they hated each other. And Henry never said a word about her to me when we met. Why?”
Lucy wasn’t convinced. Henry was just getting to know his daughter. Maybe he didn’t want to share that part of his life with her. Lucy’s mind spun with this new information. All the pieces were there; she just needed to put them together.
She frowned as memories came back in a rush. Victoria fighting with Henry in the back of Castle of the Sea.
My God. What had they said?
Henr y: “You owe me. I got you this job, remember?”
Victoria: “You never let me forget it.”
Henry: “Then we’re even now.”
Victoria: “Even? I put everything on the line for you. We’re far from even.”
Lucy had thought they were fighting over his behavior at the wedding and the fact that Henry had gotten Victoria the job as the wedding planner. But it wasn’t Henry’s drunken antics that had set Victoria off. It was his supposed affair with Cressida.
Victoria was the scorned lover, not Cressida.
And she killed him for it.
CHAPTER 25
Lucy drove Katie back to her house and dropped her off. Bill’s car wasn’t in the driveway. “Where’s Bill?” Lucy asked.
Katie stood outside the car and spoke to Lucy through the window. “He’s at the station.”
“Good. Call him and tell him everything that we learned.”
Katie leaned in the window and squeezed Lucy’s shoulder. “I’ll give you a buzz as soon as Victoria Redding is arrested.”
“Amen to that.”
“Where are you going now?” Katie asked.
“Back to the restaurant. I have to finish inventory.” Now that the steel shelving was installed, it would be a pleasure, rather than a chore.
; Katie gave her a thumbs-up. “Good work, Lucy.”
“You too. I couldn’t have figured it out without you.”
Katie waved as Lucy pulled out of the driveway. She thought about the day’s events as she drove down Ocean Avenue. Victoria was the killer, and as soon as Clemmons learned all the facts, she’d be behind bars today. Azad would breathe a lot easier tonight.
And so would she.
Lucy parked in the back of the restaurant and stepped out of the car. “Gadoo!” She scanned the area for the orange and black cat. She’d picked up extra liver treats and had stashed them in the storage room on one of the shelves closest to the door. She called out several times, but the cat was nowhere to be found.
She was about to head inside when the sound of a car engine pulling into the lot made her turn around. A spanking new white Cadillac, parked next to her Toyota. The door opened and Victoria Redding stepped out.
Alarm bells went off inside Lucy’s head. What was she doing here? Did she know that Lucy had spoken with Cressida?
Impossible.
There had to be another reason for Victoria to just show up. Lucy’s best bet was to act innocent of all knowledge, get away from her as fast as possible, then call Bill or Detective Clemmons at the station.
Lucy pasted on a smile. “Hello, Ms. Redding. Can I help you with something?”
Victoria was dressed in dark slacks, a cream-colored top, and gold sandals. Without her customary high heels, she wasn’t much taller than Lucy. She’d never seen the woman without fancy clothes and heavy makeup. But the scent of a flower bouquet was still present and tickled her nose. It wasn’t as pungent today—but the scent was still there. Lucy wondered if it had permeated all the clothing in her drawers.
“I have the final catering payment for you.” Victoria fished inside her purse and pulled out a white envelope.
Relief swept through Lucy as she reached for the envelope. Thank goodness. Victoria was here to pay her, nothing more. She had no idea that Lucy knew the truth. “Thanks for delivering the check. Please excuse me, but I have a lot of work to do inside.”
As Lucy turned to leave, she glanced inside the Cadillac. Two large duffel bags rested on the backseat. One of the bags wasn’t zipped all the way and some clothes had spilled out. What the heck? Victoria was leaving town, and it looked like she’d packed in a hurry. A new sense of urgency fired her gut—she needed to call the police and tell them that Victoria was on the run. “Thanks again.” Lucy waved the envelope and reached for the back door.
Victoria’s expression hardened. “Not so fast, Ms. Berberian.”
“Sorry, but I really must—”
“I have something else for you.”
“Nonsense. I’m sure this payment is more than enough—” Lucy stopped short as Victoria reached inside her purse to pull out a handgun. She aimed it straight for Lucy’s heart.
“You’ve been asking too many questions from the beginning.” Victoria leveled her gaze on Lucy, her eyes taking on an ominous look.
Lucy’s heart skittered at the sight of the gun—a shiny, silver revolver. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play dumb with me. You’re too nosy for your own good.” Victoria jerked the gun toward the Cadillac. “Get in the car.”
“You can’t be serious?”
Victoria’s face became red and blotchy with anger. “In. Now. Or I’ll shoot you.”
Lucy believed her. Victoria was deranged if she thought she could get away with this. But then she’d killed once already. She had to be mad.
Lucy scanned the parking lot, desperate to leave some kind of clue or sign. If she stepped into Victoria’s car, no one would know what happened to her. She’d disappear without a trace, just like all the pictures of missing persons on milk cartons or on the walls of the post office. Her parents would be beside themselves with worry. Katie would panic. How would Azad and Michael react?
Her cell phone was in her purse. If she could just—
Victoria jabbed the gun in Lucy’s side. “Hand over your cell phone.”
Damn! Lucy’s hopes plummeted. Now there was no way the police could trace her whereabouts using her phone’s GPS. She’d have to think of another way. Lucy reached in her purse and handed over the phone.
Victoria dropped it on the blacktop and smashed it with the heel of her shoe. The cell phone case picture of Lucy holding Gadoo shattered. “Now move it.”
Lucy’s stomach clenched tight, and she struggled to steady her erratic pulse. She needed all her wits to figure a way out of this mess. “All right. I’m going.”
Victoria followed as Lucy went to the passenger door. Her hand was so sweaty it took two attempts to open the door.
“Slide over. You’re driving,” Victoria said.
Lucy shimmied over the gear shift and into the driver’s seat. Victoria sat in the passenger seat and closed the door. She aimed the barrel of the revolver at Lucy. “Head north out of Ocean Crest.”
Heart pounding, Lucy buckled her seat belt and started the engine. She backed out of the restaurant’s parking lot and onto the street.
“Obey all the speed limits. I don’t want to get pulled over,” Victoria said.
Lucy drove down Ocean Avenue and passed businesses and the town municipal hall and courthouse. The window was cracked, and the smell of fresh-cut grass mingled with the scent of ocean, and a pang of longing mingled with her fear. “This is ridiculous. How will kidnapping me help you?”
“Shut up and keep driving.”
Lucy halted the car to let a group of surfers wearing colorful shorts and carrying surfboards cross the street. She could almost hear Victoria grinding her teeth.
They came to the third stoplight, the last one leading out of Ocean Crest, and Lucy stopped the car. Victoria’s foot bounced nervously as she held the cocked revolver. Lucy feared her twitching would make the gun fire.
Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy spotted two silver-haired ladies pushing a rolling cart filled with Holloway’s grocery bags. The pair began to walk across the pedestrian crossway. Lucy sat up as she recognized Edna and Edith Gray. The light turned yellow, but the elderly sisters were only halfway through the crosswalk.
“Damnit,” Victoria muttered. “Can’t those old hags move any faster?”
Just then, Edna looked up and spotted Lucy behind the steering wheel. She nudged her sister, and both spinsters stopped walking. “Hi, Lucy!” They called out and waved in unison.
Victoria tensed beside Lucy. “Answer them, but not a clue.”
Lucy’s pulse pounded. Victoria held the gun low and jabbed the barrel of the revolver into her ribs. The sisters couldn’t see it. For all they knew, Lucy was driving a friend around town in a fancy Cadillac.
Lucy lowered the window. “Hi, Edna. Hi, Edith.”
“We plan to visit the restaurant tomorrow to say hello to your parents,” Edna called out.
“They’ll like that,” Lucy said, raising her voice to be heard out the window. “By the way, the crabs you sold me made delicious soup. When you stop by make sure you order a bowl.”
The sisters stared at her, baffled. Then Edna frowned and turned to Edith, who merely shrugged.
“Go around them,” Victoria ordered.
Lucy waved once more, then eased the Cadillac through the intersection. Would it work? Or would the Gray sisters think their hearing aids were malfunctioning and return home without a thought to Lucy’s puzzling remark.
Lucy noted all the landmarks as she drove by. The lifeguard station. A bathhouse for the day tourists. The Ocean Crest Information Center. Another tenth of a mile and the sand dunes seemed to grow taller as they marked the end of the small shore town. The dunes continued into the next town, but they weren’t as dense as they were at this location. The tide was highest at this point.
“Where are we going?” Lucy asked.
“Somewhere your body won’t be found.”
Fear knotted inside Lucy, and she swallow
ed the panic rising in her throat. Victoria spoke about killing without a hint of remorse. “You can’t think to get away with this,” Lucy said.
Victoria’s lips formed a strange sneer. “Why not?”
Lucy’s mind reeled, thinking of a way to delay Victoria’s insane plan. She’d watched her fair share of crime shows with Katie, and the killers always liked to talk about how and why they murdered their victims. She needed to keep Victoria talking until she could figure a way out of this car. “Why did you do it?”
“I assume you mean why did I kill Henry Simms?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“No, but you were right when you said I’m too curious for my own good. It’s the way I’m programmed, and law school taught me to question everything. If you plan on killing me, then what harm would it do to satisfy my curiosity?”
Victoria chuckled. Lucy’s comment seemed to entertain her. “You’re right. Even death row inmates get one last request before they’re injected.”
If Lucy had any doubts about Victoria’s sanity, they now flew out the window. She eyed the gun barrel. “So why did you do it?”
“Henry was my lover. We’d been together for five years. Five! I gave up my life and my career for him. I had opportunities to date other men, but I remained faithful. I wanted to marry, not be a longtime mistress. Henry hated his wife, but his promises to leave Holly were all lies. That woman had a hold on him I could never figure out.”
“Maybe he truly cared for her.”
Victoria’s eyes hardened. “Nonsense! He told me he loved me. I had a job offer in Paris!” she snarled. “But I turned it down because I didn’t want to leave him. I was a fool! He turned around and started sleeping with that young tramp. He was a cheating jerk. I did the next woman a favor.”
“How did you get him into the catering van?”
Victoria cackled, a high-pitched sound that made Lucy’s hair stand on end. “You mean how did I manage to get into a locked van, then lure him inside?”
“Well, yes.”
“You left the window down. All I had to do was reach inside and open the door. I approached Henry at the reception and whispered in his ear that I forgave him and that I missed and needed him, and to meet me outside. I wasn’t sure if he would take the bait, not when he was sleeping with Cressida, but he did. Once I enticed him inside the van, your shish kebab skewers were the perfect weapon. I rolled the window closed and locked the door on my way out.”