That didn’t stop his gut and heart from wishing it all could be different.
Once again, Ford found himself in a position where he knew eventually he would have to squash any feelings he had for a girl in lieu of what his brother wanted. He was no stranger to the scenario. There had been plenty of times he’d let a girl go because Hudson wanted her or showed even the slightest interest. They’d both been short changed a lot in their lives and Ford always figured it fell to him to see that Hudson got all the opportunities. His little brother had made something of himself. He’d worked hard, gotten through school and started a business. What had Ford done? Jail time. That was about it.
As his mind zoomed down memory lane, his physical self was maneuvering the bike through a particular subdivision. As he watched the house numbers, looking for one in particular, he felt his cell phone vibrate in the right breast pocket of his vest. He pulled it out and smiled.
“What’s up, brother?”
“Where are you?” Hudson’s voice boomed through the phone. There was loud music in the background.
“Ridin’. What about you?”
Ford came to a stop sign and paused before going through. Idling down, he crept up to Roger and Emily Kingston’s house. Lights beamed through the windows from the living room and a room upstairs. Two cars were parked in the driveway.
“At the Goose. Come on over. I’ll buy you a burger and a beer.”
Ford grinned. The Blue Goose was Hudson’s favorite bar, though God only knew why. The clientele tended to be older and the lack of available single women was evident.
“Eh, I don’t know.” Ford held the cell away from his face so he could open the camera app. He took pictures of both license plates on both cars, then held it back up to his ear. “I’m not really hungry.” He pulled away slowly, driving one handed.
“Come on, man. You have to eat,” Hudson urged.
“Nah.” Ford navigated out of the sub back onto Harper and headed north toward Ten Mile Road. Within minutes he was parked in front of David Kingston’s house repeating the same steps as before to get a picture of the license plate, all the while listening to Hudson list off the reasons why big brother should join him.
“Okay, I’m done begging. I’ll be here for a while longer if you change your mind.”
“Think I’m gonna ride for a little while longer, then head home.”
“Shuh,” Hudson scoffed. “You’ll probably head to that dump where Joe hangs out and get shit faced. Don’t drive if you do.”
“Yes, baby brother.”
Ending the call, Ford rehashed the conversation with Hudson earlier in the day and wondered if his brother really would be able to put his growing feelings for Tess aside while he worked her case. Probably, because his common sense usually outweighed any personal desires he had in life. It’s why he never stayed with any one girlfriend for more than a few months. Oh sure, Hud thought it was the way he acted that made women turn away from him, but Ford knew the truth. His brother pushed them away because, deep down, he barely trusted them. While he hadn’t directly experienced some of the grisly things from their childhood like Ford, Hudson had still been able to sense that the bulk of the trouble stemmed from their mother’s actions. It made him sad to think that his brother might not ever be able to push past it and find a lasting relationship with a girl. Ford decided a long time ago he would deal with having a fucked up life, but loathed the thought Hudson might be bound for the same fate. That’s why he would step away, if Hudson chose to pursue Tess. She could possibly be the one to change that fate for his little brother and Ford wasn’t about to let that chance go, if he could do anything about it.
But romance would have to wait. Tess needed both Hudson and Ford focused and on point to deal with whatever lay ahead. Usually the brothers were on the same wavelength when it came to gut feelings about cases and Tess’s was no different. They both knew something wasn’t right, yet they hadn’t really been able to pinpoint anything. It was only a theory, but Ford was becoming more convinced that Jack’s death wasn’t a freak accident. With all that money at stake, it was more likely someone wanted Jack dead. If that turned out to be true and it could be proven the whole game changed. Not only would there be a need to involve the cops, but Tess’s life could be in danger. He didn’t have a shred of proof, though, and decided he would definitely bounce the idea off his brother. Hudson would tell him if he was being paranoid or crazy.
He wished he knew exactly what it was about Tess Kingston that had him all fired up. At first, Ford figured it was just her looks. Beautiful blond with blue eyes and a really nice body. But the more he learned about her and Jack, the more inspired he felt to help her and make sure she didn’t get screwed over. She’d lost her husband all over some dollars, and that was shit Ford didn’t cotton to. Even if Jack had made his will out of anger, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t have gotten over it. Judging by what Hudson had told him about the guy, Ford thought Jack would have made peace with his family and even shared the loot at some point in the future. So why go and kill him? Why not just wait it out? Ford shook his head as the thoughts whirled around his brain.
Looking around, Ford realized he had come to the intersection at Ten Mile and the freeway. He thought about heading west on I-94 to meet up with some buddies at their favorite watering hole to help get Tess Kingston off his mind. Sitting at the traffic light, it was a right turn to get onto the freeway heading to Detroit or a left turn to find his way home.
The light turned green and Ford turned right.
Chapter 21
Tess rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair and reached to turn off the shower. Stepping over the lip of the bathtub, Timothy appeared immediately to try and lick the drops of water running down her legs. “Git!” she shouted. It wasn’t that she minded him wanting a drink, but the tickling sensation drove her nuts. She waggled her right leg at him and off he ran to sit in the doorway, giving her the typical cat stink eye.
Wrapping herself in her bathrobe, Tess yawned. She tied her hair up into a thick, fluffy towel and ambled out to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She still had a little more transcription to complete, in spite of having stayed up until nearly three a.m. Knowing she needed to deliver on her promise to finish her backlog weighed heavily on her while the insurance check sat in her bank account.
As she inhaled the thick scent of coffee, she heard her cell phone go off. The bong sound from the Law & Order theme filled the apartment and she chuckled. That was the ringtone she’d chosen for Hudson Marks.
Tess dashed to the bedroom and grabbed the vibrating phone from the bedside table. “Good morning,” she said.
“Good morning to you too.” Hudson’s voice was low. “I’d like to meet with you this morning, if you’re available.”
“What’s wrong?” Tess sat down on the side of the bed and scratched Spencer’s chin when he jumped up onto her lap.
“I’d rather not talk over the phone. I could be there in about fifteen minutes.”
Glancing down at her robe, Tess felt her cheeks grow a little warm. “Here? Uh, sure. You’re kind of scaring me though.”
“Don’t be scared. I’ll see you then.”
Tess ended the call and rushed into the walk-in closet to find fresh underwear. What could be so important that Hudson would want to come to her home? And why was he in the area? Was he waiting to see her? Tess felt the familiar knot of worry tie itself in her stomach and tried to calm down with a few deep breaths. She put on underwear, yoga pants and a t-shirt, then moved back into the bathroom to brush her teeth and tie her hair in a messy bun.
By the time she made it back to the kitchen to transfer the fresh coffee into a carafe, the doorbell was ringing. Leaving the kitchen, she shooed the cats away and opened the door. Hudson stood there with his briefcase, looking excited and anxious at the same time. His smile was warm and it eased her fears a little. He wouldn’t be smiling like that if it was bad news, right?
“Com
e on in. I was just getting coffee. Want some?”
“Absolutely.”
Hudson followed Tess toward the kitchen and took a seat at the dining room table. She brought the carafe and cream and sugar, along with two cups, to the table. “What’s so important that you were lurking near my home, waiting for me?”
Hudson accepted a mug from her. “Well, Ford and I have been talking and we really aren’t getting anywhere digging up any dirt on the Kingstons. We want to take a different route with it, but I needed to discuss things with you first. That and some other theories we’re developing.”
Tess bit her lip. “I don’t like the sound of that.” She lowered herself gently into a chair kitty corner from him and felt as jumpy as a spooked cat.
Hudson sighed and sat back in his chair. “I need to be honest with you. I’ve had a difficult time staying objective about all this. I knew Jack in college and even if we weren’t good friends, I still liked him. Then I met you and I decided that I like you too. I can see why Jack loved and wanted to take care of you.”
Tess stared into her cup and a wistful smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Thank you for that.” Jack always had taken care of her, from the day they met. He dispatched the schoolyard bullies. He walked her home from school. He was as much of a best friend as her own sister. Surprisingly, Tess felt honored and grateful for those memories instead of lost; knowing Jack wasn’t there to do it anymore.
“Ford and I were talking yesterday and I think we should look into Jack’s background a little bit more.”
Tess’s head bobbed up. “Why?”
“Well, we just want to see if maybe there’s a possibility he knew about the adoption and inheritance before he says he found out.”
“That’s silly.” Tess shook her head in disbelief. “Jack would never have kept a secret that big for that long. I’m beginning to understand why he didn’t tell me before the wedding, but the letter proves he was going to.”
“You’re right. He was going to say something. Obviously his death prevented that. But don’t you find it just a little strange that he died?”
Tess rolled her eyes and then raised a single eyebrow at him. “Now that’s a stupid thing to say.” She reached out and smacked him on the arm. “Of course I’ve thought about it. But the ME said it was because of all those energy drinks. I told Jack all the time he shouldn’t drink those things but he wouldn’t listen. You know, I’ve been thinking about that a lot. I might take some of the insurance money and see if I could donate it to research on them or do some kind of awareness campaign or something. I think it’s really important–”
“Tess, wait. Let’s not get off the subject. I could be wrong but Jack’s death might not have been an accident.”
* * * * *
Tess gasped and nearly dropped her coffee cup. Hudson reached out to steady her hands and lower the porcelain to the table. Her skin was warm against his own. The color drained from her face and he thought she might faint from shock. He felt instantly guilty for blurting it out like that, but she was going off on a tangent and he needed her attention.
“Are you all right?” he asked, grabbing her hands and squeezing. “Put your head between your knees if you think you’re going to pass out.”
Tess shook her head slowly, taking in a slow breath through her nose. As she exhaled, she turned her head away from Hudson. “I’m okay. I’m all right.”
She continued to breathe until he realized his hands still clenched hers.
“Good.” Hudson withdrew them back into his own lap. “I’m sorry to startle you. I didn’t know any other way but to come out with it. I really hope I’m wrong. I need to ask you a few questions.” He rushed on with them before she could say anything, hoping he wasn’t moving too fast. “How were you able to have Jack buried so fast? A young, twenty-five year old male, in apparently good health drops dead of a heart attack and no one questioned it?”
“I don’t know,” Tess admitted. “It’s all a blur. There are moments burned in my memory but most of it is just… gone.”
“I’ve read the autopsy report. They blamed heavy consumption of energy drinks. Did you really believe that?” Hudson watched her face for a reaction and wasn’t disappointed when pain settled there like a storm cloud rolling in.
Tess began to tremble and wrapped herself in her arms. “I guess. I mean, what was I supposed to believe?” Pulling her knees up to her chest, Tess rested her chin on them. “Who would want to kill him? Everyone loved Jack.”
“I know it seemed that way, but there was a lot of money at stake. And the people with the most to gain are the Kingstons. Especially Roger. We need that toxicology report.” Hudson paused. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re getting pale again.”
“I’m fine,” Tess sighed. “My head is going to blow up with questions.”
Hudson waited patiently and watched with fascination at the myriad of expressions crossing Tess’s face. He also knew, without a doubt, Tess was not responsible for Jack’s death. There was no way she could be that good of an actress. It was as if he could see the wheels inside her head turning faster and faster. Her eyes were filled with pain and torment, which caused his own heart to twist. Her body was stiff with anxiety. It made his gut clench to see her like that and he wanted to reach to comfort her in some way, but he knew it would be inappropriate. Just that morning, while in the shower, he had resolved to no longer look at her as more than just a client. He was her lawyer, for Christ’s sakes. The whole experience was new for him, though. He’d never dealt with a grieving widow, especially one as attractive as Tess. His clientele consisted mostly of blue collar guys popped for DUIs or bar fights, acrimonious divorces, and real estate transactions.
“Should I call your sister? Your parents?” he asked softly, trying to reach through her distress.
Sniffling, she shook her head no.
This was a bad idea. What the hell was I thinking? Hudson wondered if he should leave and wait for her to collect herself. There just wasn’t time for it, though. If his suspicions were correct, a clock was ticking and he would need answers. He decided to take a chance and push on, test her strength. If she cracked, he would call her family. If she bucked up and pulled it together, he knew she could handle whatever else there was to come.
Tess pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and first finger, then shook her head vigorously. Hudson found the way her blonde hair tried to wiggle its way out of the bun to be very sexy. Dammit, knock it off! His voice inside his head was thunderous.
“You think Jack was killed? Murdered?”
“I think it’s a possibility.”
“Tell me why.”
Hudson nodded. Ford had sent him some texts the night before with his theory and Hudson had run with it from there, even though there was no proof or evidence to support the conclusion.
As she listened, Tess got up and paced around like a caged cat. “As pissed as I am with them, I can’t believe Jack’s family would kill him. He would’ve given them all the money back if he was alive.”
“They have motive,” Hudson reminded.
“Of course, but so do I. I could be lying to you. I could have known about the will and everything else.”
Hudson snorted and took another slug of coffee. “Unlikely. But I see your point.”
Tess chewed on her thumb as she gazed out the large French doors. “This is too cloak and dagger for me. This shit doesn’t happen in real life, does it? I must have woken up in some bad movie.”
Hudson wanted to laugh but held it in. He knew she was joking, but the sadness in her voice was all too serious. “I wish I could tell you that’s true, Tess.”
“Couldn’t it all just be a coincidence? I mean, I don’t know you from Adam. You don’t know me, or even Jack. Are you reaching?”
Hudson nodded. He was prepared for this. He felt it himself. “It could be my imagination running amok, I’ll give you that. But my gut says something’s not right.”
&
nbsp; Tess sat back down and laced her fingers together, leaning her elbows on the table. She rested her chin on her hands and looked at Hudson. He wondered how many times Jack might have seen that very same pose. So much for looking at her as just a client. Hudson turned to look into his coffee cup.
“For real, Hudson, I can’t even… I just can’t.”
It was then that a pudgy black cat sidled up beside her chair and jumped into her lap. Hudson instinctively smiled and reached to pet it. Their hands bumped as they each found space to scratch and pet it.
“What a beautiful cat. I’ve always liked the black ones.”
Spencer looked up at Tess and then leaned up to put his front paws on her shoulders. He bumped his nose and head against her chin. “This is Spencer,” Tess whispered. “He was Jack’s boy.”
And just like that, Tess was back to being a client again. Just a client. Watching her nuzzle the cat and knowing he had been “Jack’s boy” sealed the deal in Hudson’s mind and heart. He figured it would take years before Tess would be ready to move on from the traumatic events of the last few months and he wasn’t going to wait around for her. He liked her, she was cute as hell, but he would never be able to separate Tess from Jack or the circumstances under which they met.
“Just make it be over, Hudson. Do whatever you can to make things normal again.”
Hudson nodded and stood up. “I’ll do my best.” Feeling the tremendous pressure of that request on his shoulders, he walked through the living room to the front door where he’d left his briefcase. Tess remained seated at the table, focused on loving the cat still in her lap. Even from across the apartment, he could see the tears falling from her eyes onto the cat’s silky coat and the burden settled more heavily.
“I’ll talk to you soon,” he called to her.
The Widow and the Will Page 12