The Perfect Frame

by Beverly Clark

  “We’re going to arrange for certain people to find out that you are beginning to remember what happened that night.”

  “You know I haven’t.” She shook her head in confusion. “How can you arrange it?”

  “Baby, leave it to us,” Mack answered gently. “We have to flush out Nina’s accomplice, if she has one. Or entrap the one who really committed the murders. Now do you see what direction we’re going with this?”

  “I’m beginning to. It’s the only way to uncover the truth.”

  “You’re going to move back into your apartment.”

  “But won’t that seem strange, since I’ve been living at Mack’s so long?”

  “Not necessarily. We could let it slip that the relationship between you and Mack has cooled and you’ve decided to move back into your own place.”

  Toni cast a loving glance at Mack. “They would be dead wrong about that.”

  Mack returned the look with a smile. “Yes, they would.”

  * * *

  A few days later when Mack stepped into the elevator at the Townsend building, Hank Warren, J. V. Townsend Jr. and Pat Davis were on it. He couldn’t have asked for a more perfect setting, or audience, for his performance.

  “Mack, how is Toni?” Pat asked. “I’ve meant to call her after I heard she’d been released and Nina was arrested.” She glanced uncomfortably at Townsend and cleared her throat as the elevator moved down to the next floor.

  “She’s doing fine, I guess.”

  “You guess? Aren’t you and she—I mean, she has been staying at your house.”

  “Not anymore.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since she decided to move back into her own apartment.” He made his voice sound as though it hurt to admit it to anyone. “Before she moved back she was beginning to remember things about the night of the murder.”

  “Do you think she’ll remember everything?”

  “Eventually. It’s only a matter of time.”

  The elevator door opened and several other people got on.

  “Did you and Toni have a fight? If you did, just give it time and you’ll make up.”

  Mack shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t think so. She—we’ve decided to end our relationship.” He purposely looked away so he could observe the satisfied smirk on Hank Warren’s face at his revelation. Mack felt like smashing his fist into it, but restrained himself. Barely.

  The door opened on the street level to let some of the passengers off. As the elevator went down to the parking level, Mack studied the players in this scenario. Pat looked thoughtful as she moved in the direction of her car, where her husband stood waiting.

  Townsend walked over to his car, his expression unreadable.

  Mack wondered if he had even been listening to what was being said. He seemed to be in his own world.

  The look on Hank Warren’s face was anything but blank.

  “So she finally wised up and kicked you to the curb, huh, Jessup, now that she doesn’t need you anymore. Right?”

  Mack’s jaw twitched. “I wouldn’t say anything else if I were you, Warren. It’s not too late for you to join Nina. I think you and she are involved in the murders. And some way, somehow I’m going to prove it.”

  A sneer twisted Hank’s facial features. “You can’t prove something that isn’t true, Jessup. We both know it was your, ah, ex-lover who really did the dirty deeds,” he said before striding to his car.

  The man was so cool and self-assured it made Mack’s insides riot. Soon he would know the truth. So would everyone else.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  It felt strange being in her apartment again, Toni thought. It definitely didn’t feel like home anymore. Mack and Marc had helped move her things back the day before. She wondered if Mack’s plan would work.

  Just as she measured out some coffee for the coffee maker, she heard the downstairs door buzzer.

  She punched the com button. “Yes.” Silence. “Is anyone there?” Still no answer. She shrugged her shoulders. It was probably someone who had the wrong apartment. All this waiting was getting to her. Mack could be all wrong and they wouldn’t find the real culprit. Toni didn’t want to believe that. The question was who they would catch in their trap, and when.

  The phone rang.

  “Toni.”

  A relieved smile spread across her face. “Mack.”

  “How’s it going, baby?”

  “I don’t know. When do you think someone will make a move?”

  “It shouldn’t be long now. At least I’m hoping it won’t.”

  “Suppose you’re wrong and they don’t take the bait.”

  “You can’t think like that. You have to think positive, remember.”

  “I know, I’m sorry. It’s just that all this waiting is nerve wracking.”

  “Believe me, I understand. Bob has a man posted across the street. You have the signal beeper if anyone tries to break in, don’t you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hang in there, kid.”

  “Bogart?”

  “I’ll have to practice another one.”

  “You mean you actually practice?”

  “Of course I do. Woman, you wound me to the quick. How else do you think I got so good? Good night, kid.”

  “Good night, you nut.”

  “Now is that any way to talk to the man who loves you?”

  She curled her finger in the phone cord. “I do love you, Mack.”

  “I know.”

  “Han Solo?”

  “No, Mackinsey Jessup. I love you, Toni.”

  * * *

  The next morning Toni went downstairs to the laundry room. As she turned on the washer, she heard the door close and swung her head around. Comprehension dawned when she saw who was standing there with a gun in her hand and her back against the door.

  “You! I would never have expected…” Toni blurted.

  “It was all a trick.” The woman moved away from the door and toward Toni. “You didn’t really remember what happened.”

  “No. All I remember is that somebody hit me over the head. It was you, wasn’t it? You shot Mr. Clifford, didn’t you?”

  “I had to.”

  “Why?”

  “He was a disgusting man and earned the right to die as he did. He and Mrs. Townsend deserved each other.”

  “What are you planning to do?”

  “I don’t know now.”

  “What had you planned to do with me before?”

  She pointed the gun at Toni. “Shut up and let me think.”

  The door opened and in walked Lieutenant Barnes. Mack followed him inside

  “Put the gun down, Ms. Benitez. We heard everything. You can’t get away, policemen are stationed outside. I’ll take that,” he said, holding out his hand for the gun.

  “How did you guess it was me that shot Mr. Clifford?” Cara directed her question to Mack, but handed the gun to the lieutenant.

  “You were too vague about the time you heard Mrs. Townsend come in. I figured it was because you had barely made it into the house before she did. I was right, wasn’t I?”

  “Yes.” Cara let out a weary sigh. “I followed her to Mr. Clifford’s condo. And when she left, I went in to talk to the bastard.”

  “Why would you do that?” Toni asked, puzzled.

  “To convince him to take that bitch and leave John in peace. I knew you did not steal that money. I heard her telling him on the phone one night how they would get away with shifting the blame on you.”

  “So Nina was his partner.”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “You’re not sure?” Mack asked.

  “It had to be Mr. Clifford. I did overhear her talking to him. Who else could it have been?”

  “Yes, who else indeed?” A frown bracketed Mack’s mouth.

  “I still don’t understand why you would care so much, unless—” Toni began.

  “It was because of your boss, Townsend Jr. Wasn’t it,
Miss Benitez?” Mack asked.

  “You’re in love with Mr. Townsend!” Toni said, awed by the revelation.

  “We all have our fantasies, our dreams,” Cara answered. “Mr. Clifford insisted that I have a drink with him. When he turned his back to get it, I saw the perfect opportunity to escape, but he saw me and grabbed me. I saw the gun beneath a magazine on the coffee table and I reached for it. We fought for the gun and it went off. He pushed me away and clutched his chest. He was very angry and came after me. I shot him again.”

  “Did you kill John Townsend Sr.?”

  Cara bowered her head and answered. “Yes.”

  “But why?” Toni asked. “What did he ever do to you?”

  “He was so mean and so cruel to his son. He tried to make him look small because he is not this ruthless business animal he himself was. Every time I heard him berating John like that, I wanted to kill him. I care for John so much. His father knew this. He told me once that even though his daughter-in-law was a slut, at least she was a cut above being a lowly Mexican housekeeper with a green card. You have no idea how much I hated that old man.”

  Bob cleared his throat. “Are you ready to go down to the station, Ms. Benitez?”

  “As ready as I will ever be, I guess.” She said the last with a resigned sigh.

  Toni watched in stunned silence as Bob led Cara Benitez away. “I think she really loves Mr. Townsend.”

  “So do I,” Mack replied.

  “Why are you looking like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like you walked out in the middle of a movie and are annoyed because you didn’t see it from the beginning. It’s over, Mack.”

  “I think Bob will be making an additional arrest,” he said, drawing her into his arms. Let’s go back upstairs to your place.” He put an arm around her shoulders and started walking.

  “Why should we want to do that?” Toni said mischievously.

  Mack stopped walking and brought her in front of him and kissed her. The contact, as always, was so electric, and so exciting.

  Mack groaned, not wanting to ever let her go. “This isn’t the proper place for me to make love to you. I can’t wait for you to move back in with me.”

  “Who says I’m going to? Living alone has a certain appeal.”

  “What kind of appeal?”

  “Well, I—”

  “I’m all ears.” He waited. “See, you can’t think of a reason because you know it doesn’t exist.”

  “Oh, shut up.”

  “You’re right. Action speaks louder than words. We can go to my place if you’d rather.”

  “That’s all right. My place is closer.”

  * * *

  At the sound of the telephone ringing early the next morning, Mack swam through layers of sleep to wake up and answer it.

  “Who could be calling so early?” he grumbled, reaching for the receiver. “Yeah?” He sat bolt upright in the bed, waking Toni.

  She frowned. “Who is it?”

  “Shh. We’ll be there as soon as we can. All right.”

  “Mack!”

  “Get dressed.”

  “Aren’t you going to explain?”

  “Later. Hurry up and get dressed.”

  Mack drove in silence. Toni glanced at him, her eyes full of questions.

  “Mack, where are we going?”

  “To the police station.”

  “The police station!” But why unless…Toni wanted to insist that he tell her now, but seeing the set look on Mack’s face, she resisted the urge to pursue it further. What was going on? Why were they on the way to the police station?

  Mack pulled his car into the parking lot. He and Toni entered the building and headed for Lieutenant Barnes’ office. Bob was waiting by the door and signaled them inside.

  What was going on? Toni wondered. Mr. Townsend, Hank Warren, Nina and Cara Benitez were present.

  “Mr. Townsend! I don’t understand.” Toni shot the lieutenant a baffled look.

  “Have a seat. All will be made clear to you.” Bob indicated two empty chairs around his desk for her and Mack.

  “I demand to know what this is all about,” Hank snapped.

  “Coffee anyone?” the lieutenant offered.

  “I’ll have some.” Townsend cleared his throat.

  “Anyone else? No? Well, I guess we can get started then. I know you’re all anxious to know why you’re here.”

  “You arrested Cara. Since she’s the killer,” Nina pouted, “why can’t I go?”

  “We need answers to a few questions first.”

  “What questions?” Toni wanted to know.

  “Patience, my dear Watson,” Mack interjected.

  “It’s elementary,” Toni answered absently. “Mack!”

  He laughed. “Sherlock Holmes is one of my better imitations, don’t you agree, Mr. Townsend?”

  “Father said you were astute beyond the realm of normal investigation. It appears that he was right, doesn’t it?”

  Toni was bewildered. “Mack, I don’t understand any of this.”

  Townsend quirked an eyebrow. “How did you guess, Jessup?”

  “Your alibi for the night of the murder was too pat. But the thing that really put me onto you was your besotted husband act in the face of your wife’s many affairs. I fell for that at first because of a past relationship I had that went sour. I sympathized with you up to a point. But when your wife was arrested on suspicion of killing your father and you appeared to be so forgiving and loving, it made me wonder. That long-suffering-love-in-the-face-of-everything act just didn’t wash. It made me question your feelings for your father.

  “I knew when I took the job you weren’t anywhere near your father’s equal as far as running the business is concerned. How did you find out your wife was in on the scheme to steal from Townsend Investments?”

  He looked at Cara Benitez and smiled. “It was Cara. Nina had invited Hank Warren to our house when I was away on a business trip. She overheard my wife talking to Warren about their plans. To Nina, Cara was just a lowly housekeeper, a nobody, someone beneath her notice. With Nina it was always about money. So how better than to sleep with both Clifford and Warren, ensuring that she would get it either way the wind blew.” He turned to his wife. “That is what you did, isn’t it, Nina, my dear faithful, devoted wife?”

  Nina squirmed in her chair and had the grace to look away.

  “You knowingly let it continue!” Toni gasped in disbelief.

  “For a time, until I was ready with plans of my own. She’d been drawing money from ValueCorp International for months using Ms. Carlton’s name. You see, I found out Nina was part owner with Warren. Every time I laid down a clue that pointed to Clifford as the thief and Warren as his partner, either Clifford or Warren managed to outmaneuver me. I had the files reflect that Nina was the real owner of the holding companies.”

  “But it isn’t what the file—” Hank stopped when he realized he was incriminating himself.

  “Oh, Clifford changed it when he changed the password. I thought I could stay one jump ahead of him. But I was wrong. He was in charge all the way. He had my wife and my company exactly where he wanted them.”

  “Why did you make Hank CEO?” Toni asked.

  “I had planned to reveal his duplicity with the ValueCorp file, but he got hold of it and changed the information. Because Clifford had been so clever in covering his tracks, it made it more difficult to spring my trap. The file only appeared again when you figured out the password. It was too late by then. I was stuck with him.”

  Toni glanced at a silent Cara. “She may have shot Clifford,” she turned to Townsend, “but you killed him and your own father, didn’t you, Mr. Townsend?”

  Townsend swallowed and then coughed, covering his mouth. “Actually Cara didn’t shoot Clifford, I did. I’ll explain later. She was only trying to protect me. Now as for my father, from the time I was a little boy, my father told me I’d never be the man he was because I d
idn’t have what it takes. He never failed to impress on me that I didn’t have any guts. He was wrong about that, you know. I was determined to prove I had the brains to outwit him and make a life for myself apart from him and his company.

  “He laughed at me. And when I told him I wanted to be a doctor, he looked at me as though I had lost my mind. He totally disregarded my desire to practice medicine. He saw to it that I didn’t get into medical school. Finally I buckled and gave in to his will and majored in finance and administration.

  “I hated it with a passion and he knew it, but he didn’t care as long as he had someone to take over the reins when he stepped down.” Townsend laughed again. “Stepped back is a more accurate description.

  “Then I met my wife, Nina. I was enchanted by her sexuality for a time. My father tried to convince me not to marry her. I got a perverse pleasure out of going against him by marrying beneath a Townsend. Of course he never passed up an opportunity to parade his knowledge of her affairs before me. He thought to shame and humiliate me into getting rid of her. It just made me dig my heels in deeper.”

  “You hated your father that much?” Toni asked, shocked that he had ruined his life for revenge.

  Townsend smiled and got up to pour himself another cup of coffee. “Oh, yes, I hated him all right. I decided to give him a dose of his own medicine, so to speak.”

  “You gave him more than one dose, though, didn’t you, Townsend?” Mack prompted.

  “You’re quite right, Jessup. I knew he would take his medication at the office. I knew his routine by heart. So I slipped several of his pills into the morning coffee he always drank before he left for the office.”

  “So it wasn’t Cara who put the pills into the coffee.”

  “No. I tried to convince her that it wasn’t a fatal dose, but of course, she wouldn’t believe me.” He looked fondly at her. “She knows me too well, don’t you, my Cara bonita?”

  “John, I—”

  “I don’t understand why Cara didn’t try to stop—” Toni began, but then figured out the reason. “It’s because she’s in love with you.”

  “We’ve been involved for over a year. My father walked in on us one night, as a matter of fact.” Townsend gritted his teeth. “You know, he had the nerve to say she wasn’t good enough for me after I told him that I loved her and intended to divorce Nina and marry her.