Highlights to Heaven

by Nancy J. Cohen

  Vail leaned inward, lowering his voice. “Her legs are smooth, and I forbade her to shave.”

  She gave a smug smile. “Well, after I shaped her eyebrows, we used some depilatory cream on her legs. You might consider buying your daughter an electric razor.” She paused. “I’m only saving you from later grief. If you don’t allow her some freedom, she’ll rebel, and then you’ll lose her altogether. Have you noticed her makeup? It emphasizes her eyes and cheekbones.”

  He raised his hands as though in supplication. “She’s only thirteen; she doesn’t need makeup. It’ll clog her pores.”

  “Gads, are you old-fashioned. What time does the show start?” she asked, to distract him.

  “Eight o’clock.”

  Let’s lighten things up here. She sashayed closer, giving him a coy glance. “I’d rather have a private show, just for the two of us. It’s been a while.”

  “So it has.” He placed his large hands on her hips, drawing her against his hard form.

  Marla wiggled her body, eliciting a groan from his lips. He kissed her with a brief, crushing press of his mouth on hers. Through her skirt, she became aware of just how powerfully her presence affected him. It was as though the antagonism between them had never existed.

  He introduced her to Brianna’s friends. It wasn’t lost on her that Brie had no other relatives present. Vail had been an only child, and both sets of grandparents lived out of state. Marla gave the girl an effusive hug, glad she’d made Brianna feel better about herself.

  Dinner and the mystery play that followed kept them entertained for several hours. When the kids were about to disperse to play video games, Marla suggested Brianna open her gifts. Brianna’s expression vacillated. Clearly she wanted to run off with her friends but wasn’t sure of the proper protocol.

  “I’ll keep a list,” Marla said, grabbing a notepad and pen from her purse. “I’m sure your pals would like to see what you got. Read me off the names on each card.”

  When Brianna reached for Vail’s chess set, Marla clenched her teeth. If this worked, Vail wouldn’t notice the mangled knight. She watched the girl rip the foil paper she’d carefully wrapped. Brianna’s face cracked into false delight when she spied the wooden box.

  “It’s a chess set,” Vail explained. “Your mom and I bought it on a trip to Europe. I thought you’d like to have it.”

  “Daddy, it’s wonderful.” Brianna slid open one of the drawers containing the carved pieces.

  “Wait.” Marla snatched the box from her grasp and closed it. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to take this home. These pieces are so beautiful, but they need a decent matched board. I’ll get you one, honey. Here, open my package next.” She thrust the gift into Brianna’s hands. Not once did she glance in Vail’s direction, afraid he’d be glaring at her suspiciously. She focused on her notepad, pretending to be scribbling madly.

  “Marla, I love it!” Brianna exclaimed happily, holding up the sterling silver and marcasite bracelet.

  “Let’s put her loot in your car,” Marla said to Vail after the teens collected tokens and ran off to play games.

  Outdoors, she detoured to her Camry to stick the chess set inside before accompanying the detective to his vehicle. “Any leads on Goat?” she asked in a casual tone.

  “We have a few trails we’re following,” he commented, his eyes gleaming darkly under the glow of a street lamp.

  “I’ll tell you what I know if you’ll share your findings.”

  He pulled her into his embrace. “Do we have to talk? The kids are occupied. I can think of better things for us to do.” Kissing her soundly, he made her resolve melt away. Almost.

  “Dalton, I’m worried about Goat.” Stepping away, she regarded him seriously. “I fear he’s mixed up in things beyond his control.”

  “You don’t say. Dare I ask what you’ve found out?” His face, half shadowed, appeared all stark angles and craggy prominences.

  She shook her head, tendrils of hair escaping to caress her cheeks. “You first.”

  A muscle moved in his jaw. “Very well. Yani Verkovich worked as a biochemist at Stockhart Industries. Familiar name?”

  Her mouth dropped open. The very place where her friend Jillian held a position, and where they’d had dire dealings before. Wait a minute. The dead man had worked in a laboratory? Cutter and Evan had spoken about a lab at the ranch.

  “Go on,” she said encouragingly.

  “He was a spokesman for the citrus canker eradication program.”

  “That doesn’t have anything to do with hair products.”

  Vail peered at her curiously. “Why should it?”

  “Can we go back inside? We should keep an eye on the kids.” After they found a quiet spot where they could watch the teens, Marla spoke in a low tone. “Did you check out Cutter Corrigan? He has a cousin named Evan Fargutt who owns a bird-breeding ranch in Davie. Evan deals with a man, Wake Hollander, in a manner that may not be quite legal. Maybe Goat got wise to their scheme and they tried to off him, but they got Yani instead.”

  Marla didn’t believe her theory even as she said it. Too many loose ends still flapped in the wind.

  Vail didn’t buy her story, either. “What does your neighbor or Verkovich have to do with Cutter’s cousin and this man Hollander? And how do you know they might be doing something illegal?” Settling back in his chair, he crossed his legs. “I’m anxious to hear how you came by this information. It’s sure to be an amusing story.”

  “Another time. Just consider extending your investigation to Evan. His place has a Web site: wild bird ranch dot com.”

  “Hmm.”

  “I’ll call Goat’s sister again to see if she’s heard from him.”

  “The gal who lives in Mount Dora?”

  “Right.”

  “I already spoke to her. She has no idea what happened to her brother.”

  “She’s more likely to confide in another woman. I should take a drive up to see her. Wanna go for a ride? I’m off tomorrow.”

  “Can’t. I have an obligation.” He squared his shoulders. “Why don’t you wait until I can go with you?”

  “Go where?” Brianna’s girlish voice said from behind.

  Marla twisted her neck to face Brianna. “I was thinking of taking a ride to Mount Dora tomorrow. It’s a neat place to visit for the shops and restaurants, if they’re open on Sunday.”

  “Why don’t I come? I’m caught up in my homework, and Dad will be gone all day. I don’t want to stay home by myself.”

  Marla queried Vail. “What is this obligation you have that’s so important? Can’t you bring your daughter?”

  A lock of black hair streaked with silver fell across his forehead as he shook his head. “I’m giving a crime-scene workshop at SleuthFest.”

  “What’s that?”

  “SleuthFest is a mystery writers’ conference sponsored by the Florida chapter of MWA. They have it every year in March. This is the first time they’ve asked me to participate.”

  “It’s an all-day affair?”

  “My seminar is in the morning, but I’ve agreed to stay until the concluding ceremony. They’re judging an interactive murder game they’ve had running all weekend. I agreed to play the detective. Despite what she says, Brie has been wanting to stay home alone, so this is her chance.”

  “I’d be glad for the company on the road.”

  “You might run into Goat, and he could be dangerous.”

  “Don’t be absurd. Goat needs our help. I’ll call Jenny first to ask if she has any news.” If Jenny had learned that her brother had gone to the beach house on Siesta Key, Marla would go there instead. But if Jenny was reluctant to talk, it would be best for Marla to confront her face-to-face.

  “Marla, take me with you,” Brianna pleaded when Vail left to round up the kids whose parents had arrived.

  “I can’t. You heard your father. He’d rather you stay home by yourself. Isn’t there a friend you can ask to come over?”


  “I’m not afraid to be alone, but it’s boring.” Her dark eyes misted. “I’d love to go to Mount Dora. We never go away on weekends. My life sucks.”

  Marla hugged her. “No it doesn’t, honey. You just had a great party, and your dad loves you.”

  “He loves his job more than me.”

  “That’s not true, and you know it.”

  Brianna used an expletive that made Marla’s face go white. “He treats me like a baby. Where does he ever take me besides G-rated movies? Daddy used to pay me more attention after Mom died, but now it’s like I don’t exist.”

  Her heart swelling, Marla patted the girl’s shoulder. “Maybe he just doesn’t know what to do with you since you’ve become such a lovely young lady.”

  “Since I grew tits, you mean.”

  Marla’s hand dropped away. Clearly, the teen needed a guiding light. They should devise a plan together on how to approach Vail. He had to accept his daughter’s transformation before his restrictions chased her away. She didn’t dismiss his reasons for concern, but he went too far.

  “Sorry, but we have to obey your dad’s rules. Most of them, anyway. It’s enough that we got you to the salon today.”

  Apparently, Brianna found a way to circumvent Vail’s rules, because Marla got a phone call from her early Sunday morning. “Dad said I could go with you. I hoped to catch you before you left.”

  Marla, still in bed, glanced at the clock. “I was planning to leave at nine. Let me talk to your father.”

  “He’s already left for the conference.”

  “Oh. Are you sure he said it was okay?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Stretching, Marla considered her plans. “I’ll get dressed and then come by to pick you up. It’ll take us a few hours to get to Mount Dora. After we talk to Goat’s sister, we’ll have lunch and go shopping. It should be fun.”

  But when Marla went to start the car, her battery was dead. She called Anita on her cell phone. “Sorry to wake you so early, but my car needs a new battery, and I don’t think Sears is open yet. I planned to go to Mount Dora today.”

  Anita’s sleepy voice answered, “Call Triple A and drive to Sears after they give you a jump-start. I’ll pick you up there.” She hesitated. “You can take my car today. I don’t need it; Ruby is driving me to the Hadassah luncheon. I’ll stop off at Sears later and get your car fixed.”

  “I’d appreciate that. Thanks.” She hated to burden her mother, but days off were so rare that she had to make the best of them.

  An hour and a half later she cruised in front of Vail’s house, driving her mom’s several-years-old Lexus sport utility vehicle. Brianna, alerted to their delay, ran out the front door.

  “Jenny expects us,” Marla said after they had turned north on the Florida turnpike. “I called her earlier.” She paused, glancing at the silent teen beside her. “Maybe we’ll find a game board in one of the gift shops today.” Secretly, she hoped to find a carved wooden chess set with a piece that closely matched the mangled knight in Brianna’s box. Mount Dora boasted some unusual boutiques with imported items.

  “I hope your talk with that lady won’t take too long.”

  “It’s important that I find her brother.” Speeding along at seventy miles an hour, she spared a glance at the girl. “Has your father mentioned any new developments in the case?” Maybe he’d revealed more to Brie than to her.

  Brianna’s ponytail swished as she turned her head. “He spoke to that hairdresser downtown.”

  “Oh, yeah?”

  “Daddy said something about where Cutter met the victim.”

  “I thought Yani was Cutter’s client.”

  “Right, but they’d met somewhere before. Dad was interested in looking up more of the dead man’s contacts.”

  She hadn’t realized Yani and Cutter had an earlier history. She’d assumed their relationship took off after Yani started coming to Heavenly Hair Salon as a customer.

  “I understand how you want your father to spend more time with you at home, but he gets involved in solving his cases,” she told the girl. “That’s what makes him such a good detective. It doesn’t take away from his love for you, though.”

  Their subsequent discussion ranged from Vail’s work to his disciplinary practices to Brianna’s concerns at school. Marla could tell the girl needed someone to confide in, and she was glad to have been chosen. Miles sped by as she offered her best advice. Funny, she’d never seen herself in this role. Listening to her customers was one thing; bearing up under teen angst was another. Despite Brianna’s mood swings, wherein first she snapped irritatingly at Marla and the next she whined about not having the right socks, Marla felt strangely fulfilled.

  “What do I do if I get my period in school?” Brianna asked.

  Startled, Marla glanced at her. She’d just begun changing into the left lane to pass a slow car in front. “Be prepared. That was always my motto.” She craned her neck to check her blind spot on the left even though she’d already scanned the mirrors. A white car shifted into the same lane, nearly on top of them!

  Marla swerved to the right, but she swung too sharply. The Lexus veered straight for the shoulder. To correct the imbalance, she yanked the steering column to the left. Her heart raced when their car careened into the next lane at high speed. “Lord help us,” she cried, fighting to regain control, but it felt like the SUV tilted off-balance. / need to slow us down, but if I step on the brake, we might spin around to face oncoming traffic.

  Her grip slippery from sweat, she swung the steering wheel again in an attempt to straighten the wheels. Tires squealed as they sped toward the shoulder. Marla glimpsed what appeared to be a parallel flat stretch of grass. Maybe she could slow the car off the road, where they wouldn’t crash into anyone else. Again, the car veered too sharply to the right.

  Directly ahead of them, a white pole rose out of the ground. “Hold on!” she yelled. Her mind quickly calculated the odds of clearing the obstacle if she steered to the left. The wheels were already twisted to the right, so it made sense to go in that direction.

  Fate no longer resided in her hands. Whatever was going to happen, would happen. There was nothing else she could do. Her heart pounding wildly, she felt an icy calm. This was it.

  She twisted the wheel toward the right. They cleared the pole. Tapping the brake, she meant to reduce speed, but then the world tipped. She heard a scream. Hers? Brianna’s?

  Images collided in front of her. Thrust against the seat belt, her body seemed detached from her brain as she was tossed in different directions. It all happened so fast that her mind reeled. Something cracked the left side of her head.

  In the next instant, the car halted, ignition still running. Sitting upright, she stared at the shattered windshield. This didn’t happen. It’s a nightmare. I didn’t crash the car.

  “Are you all right?” a small voice asked.

  In slow motion, Marla turned her head. Miraculously, Brianna’s side of the car seemed perfectly intact. The teen didn’t have a single scratch and looked to be moving all body parts. Marla tested her limbs. “My head hit something,” she said, exploring her left temple. “Otherwise, I’m okay. How about you?”

  “I’m fine.” Brianna’s lower lip trembled.

  Faces, two men and a woman, appeared at their windows. Brianna recoiled, but Marla realized they were Good Samaritans coming to help. She fumbled for the window controls and remembered to unlock the car doors.

  “Ma’am, are you all right?” said the younger man when she’d rolled down their windows.

  “You might want to turn off the engine,” the woman added.

  She twisted the key, but the ignition wouldn’t shut off. “I don’t know what’s wrong,” she said, frowning in puzzlement.

  “Try putting the gearshift into park.”

  “Oh.” She noticed the car had shifted into neutral on its own. No wonder she couldn’t kill the engine. Her mind must be blurrier than she’d realized. She pushed the knob i
nto PARK and turned the ignition key. The engine went silent. Her gaze took in the cracked windshield and crumpled frame. How amazing that neither of them had been cut by shards of glass.

  “I can’t believe this happened. It’s my fault; I should have looked more carefully before changing lanes. I didn’t see that car.” She spoke aloud to no one in particular.

  “At least you didn’t hit anyone else,” said the second man.

  “Thank God.” She pressed a shaking hand to her head in the spot where it throbbed. A goose-egg size lump met her touch.

  “Did you know you rolled over?”

  “What?”

  “Your car went over, once or twice, I’m not sure. I was behind you, and I saw the whole thing. You flipped over down a ditch, hit a small tree, and that’s what stopped you.”

  They must have crashed into it on her side, she realized, surveying the damage. Although the cabin was intact, her door was dented in, and the frame was mangled by her side of the windshield. Oh no. What would her mother say? How would she explain to Vail that his daughter had been in an accident?

  “I called for help,” said the second man on the scene, holding up a cell phone. “Do you want to go to the hospital?”

  “I guess I should. I hit my head. It needs to get checked out.” She knew enough about medical ailments to realize it could turn into something more than a bump, like an internal bleed. Marla shuddered, realizing less detectable injuries might be present. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked Brianna anxiously.

  When the girl nodded, Marla gave a silent prayer of thanks. It could have been worse. They’d landed upright. The cabin interior stayed intact. There had been no water in the ditch. Most importantly, they were alive and mobile.

  It could have been much worse.

  Chapter Nine

  Marla had enough presence of mind to remove her earrings and hand her purse to Brianna along with her cell phone. She still couldn’t conceive of the fact that they had been in an accident, much less wrecked the car. Her mother would be glad they could walk and talk, but Vail would go through the roof when Brianna called him.