by Tonya Kappes
I led Cooper to the couch and we both sat down. Nan leaned against the doorframe between the kitchen and the living room. I gave her a pointed look when she zipped her pendant back and forth on her chain.
“What do you mean it isn’t good?” I asked.
“I think Blake may have sent the emails you were asking about. Emails both to Mr. Staley about Tanya and then again to you about the cake,” Cooper said. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. I’ve gone over this a dozen times, but I keep coming up with the same results.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. Compelling myself to take a deep breath, I nodded my head and lowered my hand. “I remember the night we met at the party, Blake told me he set up my email account because you were gone that day.”
Cooper clucked his tongue. “You poor girl.”
“But why?” I asked. “It makes no sense.”
Cooper shrugged. “Perhaps Blake and Marc had an agreement? Blake would make it so Tanya lost her job and Marc could slide into the position.”
“What does Blake gain from that?” Nan demanded. “And more importantly, why would they risk killing Margaret just for a job?”
“It’s more than just a job.” Cooper yanked his glasses off his face and wiped them off with the end of his shirt. “It’s nearly double the salary.”
“Okay,” Nan said. “Let’s go with money as the motive. You’re saying that once Tanya was out of the way and Marc still didn’t get the job, the two men decided to take out Margaret?”
Cooper nodded and patted my hand. “Yes. I’m afraid they used you, Amanda. Blake sent you that email instructing you how to design the cake so you’d take the fall.”
“But Nan was with Blake the whole time,” I argued. “Blake couldn’t have put the poison on Margaret’s cake.”
“But Marc could have,” Cooper said.
He was right. I knew he was right. I saw Marc both in the workroom and in the main office area. He moved around unencumbered the whole night.
I bit back a frustrated cry when the doorbell rang again…and so did my cell phone.
“For pity sake!” I cried. “What’s going on here?”
“I’ll get the door,” Nan said. “You answer your phone.”
I left Cooper on the couch and swiped my finger over the phone. “Hello?”
I was vaguely aware that Blake Wellington had just entered the living room. I was about to ask just what the heck Nan was thinking inviting him inside the condo when the voice on the other end answered.
“Amanda?”
“Yes,” I said, my eyes never leaving Blake’s.
“This is Tanya Clover. I think I know who Margaret’s killer is. Or at least one of the people involved.”
Suddenly Cooper, Blake, and Nan started yelling at once, each louder than the other. I turned around, stuck my finger in my other ear, and pressed the phone closer.
“Who?” I demanded. “Who is it?”
I couldn’t hear Tanya’s response over the unmistakable click of a safety being released next to my ear.
“Hang up the phone,” the voice said.
Chapter 10
I hung up in the midst of Tanya asking if I’d heard her. I’d finally heard her all right, but it didn’t matter now.
I was staring at the killer.
“Toss the cell phone onto the floor,” Cooper Stiles demanded.
I tossed the phone down then looked frantically at Nan and Blake. Both were silent as they watched Cooper. He waved the gun and motioned for me to stand by the other two. Slowly I inched my way toward Nan…wrapping my arms around her when I finally reached her.
“Rope?” Cooper demanded. “Where is it?”
“We don’t have any rope here,” Nan said.
Cooper’s eyes narrowed on us and then his face split into a sinister grin. “Guess I’ll just have to use this handy little Christmas gift I got from Blake yesterday.”
Cooper held up his wrist. He had on one of those bracelets that has yards and yards of rope in them in case you get caught out in the wild. It wasn’t something I’d ever worn and couldn’t remember the name of it.
“I want you three to sit on the couch, hands on your knees. Blake you’re in the middle.” Cooper looked pointedly at Blake. “Don’t even try anything, or I’ll shoot your girlfriend right between the eyes.”
I’m not his girlfriend.
I’m not sure why that was my first thought, but it was. My second thought was Cooper shouldn’t be worried just about Blake trying something…Nan was sure to go all spider monkey on him the moment she had a chance.
I surreptitiously scanned Nan’s body to see what weapons she had on her as we all three shuffled over to the couch. Blake sat in the middle while Nan and I sat down on either side of him.
With the gun still held on us, Cooper reached in and yanked his cell phone from his pocket. He quickly hit a button then waited a beat.
“I got them,” Cooper said. “Come on inside and let’s get this over with.”
Was he talking to Marc or Linda?
Cooper slid the phone back into his pocket. “Amanda, go in the kitchen and bring me a knife or scissors. And for your grandma’s sake, trust me, you don’t want to do something you’ll regret.”
I sprang up from the couch and stomped into the kitchen to grab the kitchen scissors from the knife rack. What Cooper didn’t understand was that I had no intention of trying something funny…I couldn’t make the same promise for Blake or Nan.
I hurried back into the living room and shoved the scissors at him.
“Now go sit back down next to Blake,” Cooper ordered.
I marched over to the couch and plopped down. I could feel myself seething at the injustice of it all. I had to suppress a laugh when Cooper realized there would be no way he could hold a gun on us and cut the bracelet from his wrist.
I was about to make a snide remark when the knob on the front door twisted. I wondered who would walk through the door next…Marc or Linda. It had to be one of them.
“Come in,” Cooper hollered.
A few seconds later Linda Sellars appeared in the doorway. She looked stunning in a long-sleeved burgundy velvet dress. The hem of the outfit barely brushed the floor as she sauntered farther into the room. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a chignon, and her lipstick color matched her dress beautifully.
The triumph on her face fell when she saw Blake.
“What’s he doing here?” Linda demanded. “He’s not part of the plan.”
Cooper licked his lips nervously. “He showed up unexpectedly. So I’m just going with it.”
“Fool,” Linda spat. “Do you really think Detective Carlson will believe Marc overpowered Blake and held these ladies off on his own without any help?”
Cooper shrugged. “Maybe?”
Linda’s nostrils flared, and her blue eyes flashed in anger. “This changes everything.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Cooper said as he placed the gun down on the coffee table.
Linda said nothing as Cooper quickly set to work cutting the rope from his bracelet. Once he had enough length, he grabbed my wrists and quickly wound the rope around them. I winced when he pulled the cords tight and knotted them.
“I double-checked before I left the office,” Cooper said. “If anyone thinks to look deep enough, it still looks like Marc sent the email to Patrick Staley. Everything will work out. Right? Everything’s okay?”
“Of course, darling,” Linda said distractedly. “Is your kitchen through here?”
“Yes,” Nan said stiffly.
“Very good,” Linda said. “Keep tying them up, Cooper. I’ll be right back.”
I slid my glance sideways at Blake. His eyebrows were drawn together, and he was frowning. I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one shocked and confused by what was happening.
“That should hold,” Cooper said as he finished knotting Blake’s hands. “Thanks for the paracord, Blake. Came in real handy.”
Blake mutt
ered an expletive under his breath.
By the time Cooper finished tying Nan’s hands together, Linda had strolled back into the room. She was carrying a large chef’s knife.
“I got word from Detective Carlson on my drive over that they picked up Marc for Margaret’s murder,” Linda said as she strolled over to Cooper.
Cooper grinned. “Then it worked. We laid out the clues well enough that the stupid detective took the bait.”
“How exactly did you do all this?” Blake asked.
Linda smiled and twirled the knife in her hands. “It was all very simple. I decided to get rid of Tanya months ago. I wanted her job, but I knew I’d need someone on the inside in the IT department to help bring it all to fruition.”
Cooper grinned and winked at Linda. “That’s where I came in. When Linda first approached me with the plan, I wasn’t sure it would work. But then the more we planned everything out, the more it all came together. We just had to wait for the right time. When the email from Acme Advertising came, it was like fate. I was actually the one who sent Patrick Staley the fake email from Tanya Clover to Acme Advertising that stated she would take the job. Only I sent it from Marc’s email. He was notorious for leaving his email open and still signed in. Plus I had installed a software program onto his computer that kept track of his keystrokes. This way I could get his password into his email if I ever needed it. I just stayed late one night, went into Marc’s office after everyone had left, and sent a fake response. If anyone ever looked hard enough, it would simply look like Marc had sent the email.”
“And it could have all stopped right there,” Linda said. “No one else had to get hurt or die. But when it came time to fill Tanya’s position, did Staley & Thomas just give me the promotion I deserved? Oh, no. They made the three of us compete for it. So then Cooper and I had to get creative. I knew of the three of us competing for the job, Marc was the weakest link. I could take down Margaret and set Marc up in the process.”
Cooper looked excitedly at Blake. “I know Marc blamed you, Blake, for the presentation glitch, but I was the one that went into his computer and rearranged the slides.”
“And knowing how to kill Margaret?” Nan asked.
Linda chuckled. “Margaret and I were friends. Or at least on friendly terms. I knew she took a daily blood thinner. So when I saw Miss Adkins here volunteer to bake Margaret a special cake for the party, it was like a sign. I knew exactly how I would kill her.”
“Linda told me I needed to send Amanda an email,” Cooper said, taking up where Linda left off. “I needed it to look like Margaret sent it and give specific details of what was to be done to the cake.”
I frowned. “But I received the email as I was leaving work. How did you get on Margaret’s computer?”
“I went in the night before and did a time delay email,” Cooper said. “Easily done.”
Nan scowled at Linda. “And how did you know about the rat poison and how it could look like frosting?”
“Not that I would tell just anyone this,” Linda said, “but my father was an exterminator. I grew up knowing about poisons. And rat poison is the worst.” She laughed suddenly. “Or best if you think about it. I knew if I gave Margaret another blood thinner on top of the one she already took, there was no way she’d survive. I also knew in a powder form, bromadiolone would be the perfect poison. Who would know what was powder and what was frosting?”
“Which one of you did it?” Blake asked. “Which one of you put the poison on the cake?”
Linda smiled and lifted a finger to her lips. “Shh. Our little secret.”
Cooper once again snatched his glasses off his face and wiped them on his shirttail. “I then made sure Detective Carlson knew about Tanya Clover the night of the Christmas Party when Margaret died. Linda wanted me to plant that little seed for the detective.”
“And you, Miss Adkins, were my best red herring,” Linda said. “Just another clue to throw at the police. The night I was questioned at the party, I made sure to tell Detective Carlson that I had seen you outside of work having a romantic dinner with Marc.”
“And now,” Cooper said, “when Detective Carlson finds your bodies, he will think Marc killed you guys, too.”
Linda rested her cheek on Cooper’s shoulder. “Well, Cooper, I’m afraid that won’t exactly be the case. Like I said, Blake here puts a kink in the plan. Detective Carlson won’t believe that Marc killed all three of them on his own.”
Cooper frowned. “What should we do?”
Linda leaned up and kissed Cooper’s cheek…and at the same time ran her knife through Cooper’s stomach. I was so shocked I screamed.
“We’re going to have to change the plan,” Linda said, ignoring me. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to die, Cooper. Hopefully the police will think you and Marc were in cahoots. After you killed these three, Marc turned on you and killed you. The time of death may be a little off from when you all die and from when Marc was picked up and arrested about twenty minutes ago, but I don’t think it’s enough to worry about.”
Linda pulled out the knife from Cooper’s body. “That’s a much better ending, anyway.”
Pain flooded Cooper’s face as he tried to press his hands over his wound…as though to stop the blood flow. “I don’t understand. I thought we loved each other? Why would you do this?”
Linda stepped back and ran her eyes up and down Cooper’s body. “I wonder if I should stab you again? Why aren’t you dead yet?”
Nan bit back a laugh. “This is the most absurd thing I’ve ever encountered. And I’ve seen a lot of ridiculous things in my life.”
“Shut up,” Linda snapped. “I have to think.”
I glanced at Blake to gauge his reaction at seeing his friend stabbed. His eyes were focused on Linda and Cooper, but his hands were slowly moving back and forth. He caught my eye and gave me a wink.
“I don’t know what I was thinking killing you first,” Linda laughed maniacally. “That was silly of me.” Linda thrust out the knife she’d just used on Cooper. “Can you do me a favor, darling, and take this knife and kill them for me real fast. I don’t think I have the stomach for it. Plus, I need your fingerprints on the knife.”
“You—you crazy…” Cooper staggered backward and bumped into an oversized armchair. Weak, he sagged down onto the chair.
“Oh, you big baby,” Linda huffed. “Fine. I’ll do it myself. Then I need to go home so I can look nice and contrite when I learn about this little massacre. Yet perky enough to accept my new position with Staley & Thomas.”
Linda thrust her chin up and stalked over to where we were huddled on the couch. I could see Blake’s hands moving faster now.
Suddenly, Nan doubled over and groaned loudly, her head practically slamming against her knees.
“Nan!” I cried. “Are you okay?”
“Just my ulcer,” Nan mumbled.
Since when do you have an ulcer?
“Don’t worry,” Linda said, “I’m going to put you out of your misery soon.”
Again Nan cried out in pain.
“Oh my gosh!” Linda snapped impatiently. “Could you please be quiet while I think about what I’m going to do next.”
Nan moaned softly.
“I suppose I should take out the big one first,” Linda said as she stopped in front of Blake. “Then kill you two girls.”
Linda raised the knife high above her head, but as she started to plunge the knife down into Blake’s chest, Blake’s hands flew up and hit Linda’s wrists. Linda cried out in pain and the knife fell from her hands.
Before the rest of us could react…Nan dove head-first into Linda’s gut. The momentum knocked Linda backward, slamming her down on top of the coffee table. A few seconds later she slid off head-first onto the floor.
“My back!” Linda screamed. “I think you broke my back!”
Nan threw her free hands up in the air and did a little victory dance.
“Good one,” Blake said.
&nb
sp; Nan grabbed the gun off the floor as Blake leaned over and cut my ropes.
“How did you get free, Nan?” I asked.
Nan held up her necklace and grinned. “I pretended to be sick so I could pull out the dagger and cut away at the ropes real quick. I saw what Blake was doing, and I’ll be darned if I was gonna let him be the only one to save the day!”
I rolled my eyes then looked down at the tiny blade cutting away at my ropes. “What’s that?”
Blake grinned. “I gave Cooper a regular paracord bracelet for Christmas. But mine has a little something extra in it. See.” He clasped the bracelet together at the latch and then pulled it apart again. A tiny, claw-like knife came out from the latch. “Comes in handy.”
“I see I’m the only person in the room not sporting some sort of deadly weapon,” I said sarcastically.
“That’s your own fault,” Nan said. “I keep telling you to invest in some good weapons.”
When my hands finally broke apart, I reached up and hugged Blake. “Thank you.”
He brushed his lips quickly across mine. “Anytime.”
Nan coughed. “How about you two love birds break it up and make sure Linda doesn’t go anywhere.”
“You bet, Mel.” Blake winked at me. “How’s Cooper doing?”
“Not good,” Nan said. “He’s lost a lot of blood. Amanda, call nine-one-one for me, please.”
“Of course!”
“And don’t forget to call Detective Carlson,” Blake said. “He’s going to want to see this for himself.”
Chapter 11
“I still can’t get over how complex this is,” Detective Carlson said. “They sure did a good job making it seem like Marc was the killer.”
I refilled Blake’s coffee cup before topping off Nan’s. The five of us—Nan, Blake, Detective Carlson, Milt, and I—sat around our dinner table and finished the last of the police report.
“That was the point,” Nan said. “Imagine all this just to get a job promotion. Such a waste.”
“Sure is,” Milt agreed.
“Well, I think I have all I need,” Detective Carlson said as he finished off the last of his coffee. “If I have any more questions, I’ll be sure to give you a call, Miss Adkins. Again, I’m sorry for all that’s gone on. I hope you can put this behind you and still have a wonderful Christmas.”