Will gave a sidelong glance at Julia Cass. She shared his disregard for the condescending woman; he could see it in those big, gold-brown eyes of hers. He decided to let her go for it.
Julia took the bait like a starving bass. “You are aware that your husband was murdered in this house, not twenty-four hours ago—right, Mrs. Lockhart?”
Iris looked rather annoyed—more than rather, actually. “Of course, I do. Chief Mullins was good enough to call me at my mother’s house in New Orleans and let me know all the particulars. That’s why I had to cut my holiday short.”
“With all due respect, Mrs. Lockhart, you don’t sound too torn up by the news of your husband’s demise.”
Mrs. Lockhart looked at Julia, very cold, very controlled, and very despicable. “My husband was a degenerate and a bastard, my dear detective. What was your name again? Cass, wasn’t it? For your information, he enjoyed humiliating me and putting me through hell on earth for the entire thirty years we were married. Pardon me if I don’t shed a single tear for that SOB. I’m better off without him. In fact, I’m glad he’s dead. I’ve been praying for it for years.”
Shocked speechless at first, both Will and Julia could only stare at her.
“You should be careful what you say, Mrs. Lockhart,” Will suggested in a low tone. “What you just said might sound like a motive to law enforcement officers.”
“I was in Louisiana, and I hosted a cocktail party for twelve of my dearest friends on the night that Lucien was murdered. They will all vouch for me, every single one of them, as will my mother’s household staff and the caterers.” She paused, kissed one of her dogs on the mouth, and seemed to enjoy the good and sloppy licking the animal gave her for the next few seconds.
Damn, he loved his dogs, too, but he didn’t want to make out with them. Will sneaked a peek at Julia, wondering if she let Jasper lick her like that. The idea of licking her appealed to him. Julia Cass did have that cute little mouth that turned up at the corners. It had to entice every guy she met to wonder what those lips tasted like. Himself included. Unfortunately. At the moment, however, Julia just looked at Iris with revulsion. And she was a dog lover.
“So you and the judge were estranged?” Will asked, afraid of what Julia might say next, if the expression on her face meant anything.
Iris finished her kissy-face tomfoolery with her dog and gave Will a supercilious smile. “We put on appearances, of course. We have a certain social standing, but we led separate lives. Surely you understand that. We went our own ways. End of story.”
“Do you know anyone who might want him dead?”
“Other than myself and most of his girlfriends, all of whom he treated like trash? Of course, most of them were trash. Except for my sister, who betrayed me with him, not a week after our wedding day.”
Julia said, “Your husband had an affair with your sister?”
“That’s right. He seduced her. I can’t entirely blame her. She was only fifteen at the time, and drunk. She drinks way too much and loses all inhibitions with men, even back in those days. I haven’t seen or talked to her for years. She stays away at her place in Saint-Tropez, thank God.”
“I see.” Julia seemed a bit nonplussed by the heartlessness of the woman.
Will had never seen an icier, more bitter and undemonstrative woman—well, except when she was kissing her dogs. She was all over those poor dogs. From what he’d seen so far, the woman treated the dogs better than her help. For the first time, Will had a twinge of sympathy for Lucien Lockhart.
“Have you received any calls, any kind of threatening messages, had any strangers hanging around?” Will asked the woman.
“No. Although Lucien did mention something about somebody or other being angry. Something about an outburst in court and that he sentenced the guy to five days in jail for contempt. You ought to go downtown and ask his clerk. She’ll know. She’ll know a lot of things about my husband.”
Snide, yes. Contemptuous, yes. Insinuating, yes. “What exactly are you trying to tell us, Mrs. Lockhart?”
“I think you know, Special Agent Brannock. And if you don’t, I’m sure your little friend here does.”
“I’m not his little friend, ma’am. I’m his liaison partner and a homicide detective at the Chattanooga Police Department. But you’re right, I do understand your insinuation. And guess what? I don’t like insinuations; I like somebody to tell me the truth when I ask them a question and quit playing silly guessing games that waste my time. So, spit it out, Mrs. Lockhart. If your husband and his clerk had an affair, who is she, when did it happen, and is it still going on?”
Well, that shut up the woman in white linen for a couple of seconds. Her dog, Flopsy, whined and looked at Julia as if she’d stolen his last gourmet doggie treat. So did Mopsy and Topsy. “Well, I declare, Detective,” Iris said sarcastically, “you’ve got a cheeky mouth on you. I really don’t care for women who forget they’re ladies.”
Will interjected before Julia pulled her weapon and bloodied up Iris’s pretty white living room. “Detective Cass is right. We’re here to find out who murdered your husband and why. So let’s quit all the recriminations and get down to business. What’s the clerk’s name?”
Iris didn’t look chastised. She didn’t look like she was a warm-blooded human being, either. She looked like she might shed her skin at the end of the summer. “Her name is Jane Cansell. She’s been his charity lover for going on twenty years. She’s pathetic and needy and has that motive you mentioned a moment ago. He’s treated her worse than he treated me, and that’s saying something. She still dotes on him, whereas I learned to separate my feelings and emotions concerning him. He is nothing to me. His death means nothing to me, other than a lot of trouble and ugly publicity. I’ll be much better off without having to deal with him and his nasty concubines.”
“Who is his latest concubine?”
“I stopped asking years ago. Maria can probably tell you. She was usually here when he had his trysts. He never brought women into this house when I was in town. I put my foot down about that a long time ago, and I will say that he honored that request. Of course, my walking out on him would’ve caused a stink and sunk his chances for the federal judgeship he so coveted. He finally bought his way into that, but he didn’t get to enjoy it very long, now did he?”
“Bought his way in?” said Julia.
“That’s right. He knew exactly who to wine and dine. My dear departed husband was as underhanded as the day is long. Bribes, graft, whatever, you name it. He was just too clever for anybody to catch him. Maybe that will change now that the FBI’s in on this case. Good luck to both of you. I have a feeling you’re going to get more than you bargained for before this case is wrapped up.”
Will and Julia didn’t comment, but Will couldn’t say he was shocked by the revelation. There had been lots of rumors through the years that Judge Lockhart was into dirty politics and other felony crimes. He’d heard the whispers himself. As his wife intimated, the judge knew how to cover his tracks.
“Now, Officers, if y’all will excuse me. I’ve got to see to my husband’s funeral arrangements. His position gave him a certain gravitas hereabouts, and I will have to make sure he’s treated with respect, no matter how much he doesn’t deserve it. If I had my way, I’d cremate him and be done with it, but I have always done my duty as the wife of a judge, and I’ll do it now.”
“You are truly remarkably cold and uncaring,” said Julia.
Iris gave her a long look, then laughed with utter disdain. “You have no idea, my pretty little girl. No idea at all.”
“You’ll need to stay in town until this investigation is done,” Julia told her with remarkable restraint.
“Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. Don’t threaten me. I don’t care for it.”
“You will, or be faced with an arrest warrant,” Will told her quietly.
At that, they took their leave. Outside, Will walked swiftly to the truck, jaw set, fists clenched. Pissed
off big-time. Julia got in without comment, but once the doors were shut, she said in a tight voice, “I believe she’s the most disgusting woman I’ve ever met. At least your sexy little Ginger Snap had some color in her cheeks.”
“Lay off the Ginger cracks, okay? And you’re right. Iris won’t win any prizes for Sweetheart of the Year, that’s for sure.”
“What do you think? Is she involved?”
“I don’t know. I think she probably wanted him dead and is glad he is, but doing it herself doesn’t seem her style. Might mess up her snowy carpet.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Julia adjusted the vents to direct the air-conditioning toward her face, still flushed with anger. “Her alibi will be easy enough to check out and will probably hold up. She’s the type who would hire a thug to kill him for her.”
“Maybe. She seems amenable to maintaining her lavish lifestyle. Bitter, hard as nails, and superior, but she did her own thing for years. If he’s had that many other women during his marriage, why would she suddenly want him dead and rock her boat of plenty?”
Julia ticked off some reasons. “Insurance money? Freedom to marry somebody else? Maybe she’s got a lover stashed down on Bourbon Street, some lifeguard or pool boy that she wants to marry.”
“Could be. Go ahead and check it out. And check out her daughter, too. Her name’s Tanya. She lives out in Seattle. You can get the number from Willie Mullins. He was the one who notified her, poor girl. Imagine having a mom like Iris.”
“Will do. Did Willie tell you anything about her?”
“Just that she moved as far away from her parents as she could get. Pretty much hated their guts. But who wouldn’t.”
“I’ll call her and get the interview today.”
“Good. Right now, I think we need to pay a call on Jane Cansell down at the courthouse.”
Tam Lovelady was sick to death of the trial. More than that, she was sick and tired of reliving terrible, long-ago memories that the Rocking Chair Murders brought down on her and her best friend, Audrey Sherrod, and lots of other innocent people. She didn’t ever want to think about it, much less remember all the details, especially those concerning Audrey’s stepbrother, Hart Roberts. She could hardly believe he was really gone, murdered. She had loved him for so long, those feelings hidden deep inside her heart. And their child, the child she conceived with him so many years ago and aborted when she was only eighteen. She lived to regret that decision, but knew it was her only choice, because she and Hart could never have been together. She’d never gotten over it. Never. Hart’s death had hit her hard, even after all the years that had gone by, even after she had married Marcus, the kindest, most considerate, most wonderful man in the world.
Agitated by the deep and painful thoughts resurrected inside her, Tam rose from the wood bench in the hallway outside the criminal courtroom and paced the length of the marble floor to the windows overlooking the street.
J.D. was testifying again. He had been on the stand for three hours. And she wasn’t even next in line on the witness list. She turned around and leaned against the windowsill. They’d break for lunch soon, thank goodness. She was tired and wasn’t sleeping. She missed Marcus. They’d been separated for almost a year. Her idea, because of Hart, of course; it had always been about Hart. But she missed her husband since the first day she’d left their home. Her idea. He didn’t want her to go, but she had temporarily moved back home with her parents. Her heart hurt, grieved over their separation.
She had cut Marcus out of her life, but not out of her heart. She truly loved him. More now. She’d seen him a couple of times. Not often. He’d given her the space she’d said she needed, and at first, she had welcomed the time alone, still struggling with her love for Hart—wanting to help Hart overcome the demons that had possessed him since he was the blond-haired, blue-eyed boy she had fallen so desperately in love with. He had been mentally unstable even back then, drowning in drugs and alcohol and living to forget the bad things in his life.
Across from her, the elevator doors slid open and a tall, handsome man and a woman stepped out. Pleasantly surprised, she hurried toward them. It was her new partner, Julia Cass, and J.D.’s fellow TBI agent, Will Brannock. Tam had first met Julia when Julia interviewed for detective, and had been impressed with her knowledge and experience. Will Brannock she had always gotten along with. He was a good agent, but ultra-private, the kind of guy that nobody ever seemed to know very well, not even J.D., who worked so closely with him. Closemouthed but nice enough.
“Hey, Julia,” she called out as they turned in the other direction and hurried off down the shiny corridor.
Both turned around, and Julia smiled and waved. Tam really regretted being tied up at the trial, so eager was she to get back to work and partner up with Julia. Especially on this new case, yet another murder involving a member of the Chattanooga legal community. People were going to wonder if anyone in the courthouse walked the straight and narrow anymore. Once the details of the killing leaked out to the press and general populace, Judge Lucien Lockhart’s death was going to be a raging media sensation. Tam wished she could help solve it before that happened.
Will said something to Julia, waved at Tam, and then strode off toward Judge Lockhart’s private chambers. Julia headed back to her. Smiling, Julia said, “You’re still waiting to testify, I take it.”
“That’s right. I’m about to climb the walls. Why are y’all here?”
“We’ve come down to interview Judge Lockhart’s staff. Will’s gone to see if they’re available.”
“The clerks are all here. I saw them earlier today. They seemed in total shock. Especially Jane Cansell.”
Julia glanced around and lowered her voice. “Do you know her?”
“Not real well. Why?”
“Iris Lockhart told us straight out that Jane was in a longtime affair with her husband. Know anything about that?”
“Yeah, who doesn’t? It’s been common knowledge around the criminal courts. And she’s not the only one he was messing around with.”
Julia shook her head, frowning. “Good grief, who did this guy not sleep with?”
Tam grinned. She really liked J.D.’s sister. They were going to be great friends; Tam felt it. “How’s the investigation going? Wish I could help out.”
“How much longer will you be down here?”
“Who knows? The defense is constantly delaying the proceedings. The judge is getting ticked off big-time. So is everybody else.”
“This Lockhart case is going to be a doozy. Has your dad told you the details?”
“No, but I have clearance to join you as soon as I’m done here, so you can tell me everything.”
They moved over to a deserted corner, and Tam listened intently as Julia ran the case for her in low tones. The mutilation of the body shocked Tam. “Oh God, his tongue was cut out? And what the hell’s the deal with the dimes?”
“We’re not sure yet. We’re just getting started, but nobody we’ve interviewed seems to know anything. Except that Lucien Lockhart had lots of women on the side, and his wife hates his guts. You ever meet Iris Lockhart?”
“Hell no, she sticks her nose in the air when she runs into peons like me.” She glanced down at the courtroom doors, but no one was coming out yet. J.D. was still on the stand. Lucky him. “I’ve heard rumors. He was a flirty guy. He came on to me a couple of times. Pretty lightweight stuff. I ignored him, but he’s well-known for liking the women.”
“Sounds like Will Brannock, huh?”
“Will?” Tam had to laugh at that. Will was so private that few people knew anything about his love life. She sure didn’t. Not that she wouldn’t want to. She bet it was as hot as everything else about him. “I haven’t heard that one. What? Did he come on to you?”
“No, not exactly, but I saw him in full throttle, lady-killer form when he picked me up at the airport. Flight attendants galore and all of them eating out of his hand.”
“I know his sister’s a pilo
t with Delta, but that’s about all I know about him. He seems like a good guy, but he’s so private it’s almost creepy. At least, that’s what J.D. tells me. Will is friendly and is easy to talk to, but when you get done talking, you don’t know a single thing about him that you didn’t know before. Are you two having trouble working the case together?”
Julia shook her head. “No, not at all. We’re getting along fine. He knows what he’s doing. Actually, I’ve been pretty much wowed by him. He was sort of flirty and silly at first, but man, once we got the case, he was all business.”
“He and J.D. were the ones who saved the last victim of the Rocking Chair killer. Did you know that? She’s here. See her, down there? She’s the girl in the black suit and white blouse. Her name’s Somer Ellis, and she barely made it out alive. She told me the other day that Will was the guy who untied her and carried her out of that awful church basement where the victims were taken. She said he was very kind and comforting and even came to see her in the hospital a time or two.”
“He hasn’t discussed that case with me yet. Like I said, he teased around with me some when he was driving me to J.D.’s house, but he’s been serious since we were assigned to this case together. He’s very thorough, and he doesn’t give me that superior act that some special agents put on for the locals.”
Down the hallway, Will had reappeared and was motioning for Julia to join him.
“Will’s ready to start the interviews, Tam. I’ll catch you later.”
“Yeah, keep me posted, will you?”
“You bet.”
As Julia moved away, a thought occurred to Tam. “Hey, Julia! Audrey and I are having lunch tomorrow downtown at the River Street Deli. How about joining us?”
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