A gust of wind rose up and rattled the trees. To Peach, that felt like an answer from somewhere.
‘Well, I should go,’ she went on. ‘I have a dinner party to go to. With a movie star. Can you believe that? Me! I guess that means I should change clothes.’ She turned to walk away, but then she stopped. She bent down again, rubbing one of the flowers adorning the cross. ‘Take care of yourself, Alison.’
She walked back to her Thunderbird, did a U-turn, and headed back toward Tampa.
57
‘Do you think she’s okay?’ Lala asked.
Cab followed Lala’s eyes to Peach, who stood on the balcony of his mother’s condominium. The young girl leaned against the railing, staring out at the calm waters of the Gulf. For as young as she was, she looked older now. An old soul. He’d grown very fond of her, in the way a man does who has lost a daughter. She was quirky, but so was he. She had strange New Age ideas, and she was altogether too serious, but for someone who had lost as much as she had, she dealt with it well.
‘Actually, I think she’s fine,’ Cab said. He added: ‘It helps her to have a friend like you.’
Lala smiled. ‘Are you being charming?’
‘Always.’
She tipped her wine glass against his. He didn’t think she’d ever looked more elegant. Lala, who lived in her black jeans and black T-shirts, wore a fuchsia cocktail dress that barely reached to her knees. A deeper crimson sash circled her waist, with a flowered brooch in the middle. The dress was sleeveless, showing off her lean, strong arms. Her tumbling black hair ended in broad curls below her shoulders.
‘Did I mention you look beautiful?’ Cab added.
‘Tarla said formal.’
‘She’ll be jealous. She’s not used to being outdazzled.’
‘Smooth talker,’ Lala said, but he knew she was pleased. ‘Do I need to compliment you, too?’
‘Yes, because I am so insecure about my looks,’ Cab said.
‘Very.’
He grinned. ‘You’ll stay the night?’
‘You just want to see this dress in a pool at my feet.’
‘I do.’
‘We’ll see,’ she said. ‘Some of us work for a living, you know.’
‘Sounds dreary,’ he replied.
He knew she had to be back home in the morning. It was an August weekend. Lala had joined him in Clearwater late on Friday, and it was Sunday now. Tarla had made herself discreetly absent for most of that time, but she had insisted on a dinner party before Lala returned to Naples. He suspected it was really more of a spying mission on his relationship with Lala.
‘What about you?’ she asked.
He understood the question. When would he come home? He lived on the beach in Naples, but he’d stayed here in the apartment next to his mother for more than a month. Lala was starting to wonder if he’d ever return or if he was now permanently under Tarla’s thumb. There was no job to pull him home anymore. He’d already made good on his promise to resign from the Naples police. He was a free man, for whatever that was worth. He didn’t know exactly what freedom entailed. So far, he wasn’t in a hurry to find out.
‘Maybe I’ll come home with you tomorrow,’ he said.
‘Really?’
‘I do miss my place. Plus, I should probably feed the cat, right?’
‘You don’t have a cat.’
‘Well, that’s lucky.’
She smiled at him. A smile deserved a kiss, so he bent down and kissed her. They were bad at some things together, and good at others, and they were good at kissing.
‘Won’t Tarla miss you if you go?’ Lala asked.
‘She misses me already. She misses me when I’m here.’
‘Where is she, by the way?’
‘Picking up Caprice.’ He waited for her face to erupt with displeasure, and then he said quickly: ‘Kidding. Kidding. You really don’t like Caprice, do you?’
‘No, I don’t.’ Lala added pointedly: ‘Have you seen her lately?’
‘No, but she’s been pretty busy.’
‘Do you miss her?’
‘I’ve been thinking about her a lot,’ Cab admitted.
‘Wrong answer.’
‘Not in the way you mean,’ he replied.
Puzzlement crossed Lala’s face, but she didn’t press him for an explanation. She wandered toward one of the sofas and put down her wine glass on a walnut table. He came up behind her and stroked a bare shoulder.
‘I tried calling Ramona,’ Lala said, ‘but I didn’t reach her.’
‘She’s busy, too.’
‘I don’t believe what they’re saying about her in the press.’
‘As a cop or as a cousin?’ he asked.
‘Both. I’ve known her for years. She’s a good person.’
‘She admitted that Lyle consulted her about the hit and run,’ he said.
‘Only in general terms. Not about Deacon specifically or about the accident.’
‘Ramona is smart,’ Cab said. ‘It’s hard to believe she didn’t make the connection.’
‘If she did, she would have taken it to the grave. She’s a lawyer.’
‘I’m not sure I share your charitable opinion of lawyers,’ Cab said. He kissed her neck, but she tensed. ‘Sorry, I didn’t say you were wrong about her. Sometimes I can’t resist playing devil’s advocate. It’s a terrible flaw.’
She relaxed and turned around. ‘I apologize. I’m the one who’s being sensitive. You’re right, I don’t know the truth. I only know what I believe.’
‘That’s good enough for me.’
‘You’re buttering me up, but I still think you’re more interested in getting my dress on the floor.’
‘Guilty.’
Lala ran a finger along his chin. ‘Would you really come back home with me tomorrow?’
‘Yes.’
‘That’s an incentive, I’ll admit.’
‘Good.’
She picked up her wine glass again. ‘So are you serious about taking up special investigative projects? Or are you going to stay unemployed and watch soap operas and knit sweaters for your cat?’
‘I don’t have a cat,’ he said.
‘Oh, that’s right.’
‘I am serious,’ he said. ‘In fact, I’m thinking of taking on a partner for my agency.’
Lala’s eyebrows arched. ‘You and me? I’m flattered, but don’t you think that’s a terrible idea? We don’t exactly thrive when we spend all of our time together. A night here and there is more than enough. Besides, I’m a cop. That’s all I ever wanted to be, and that’s still what I want to be.’
‘I know. I like you as a cop. I wasn’t talking about you.’
She looked somewhat crestfallen. ‘Then who?’
Cab nodded at the girl on the balcony, who continued to stare dreamily at the Gulf waters.
‘Peach?’ Lala asked.
‘Peach,’ Cab said. ‘What do you think?’
‘Actually, I think it’s a great idea. Have you talked to her about it?’
‘No, not yet. Will you put in a good word for me?’
‘I will.’
They kissed again. Lala turned for the balcony and left him alone. He knew she would stay the night, and he would leave with her in the morning, and life, which had been on hold for a while, would begin again.
Lala slid open the patio door and went outside and closed it behind her. He watched the two women together, Lala and Peach. There was something close there, an intimacy of friendship, an easy familiarity. Peach hugged her. Lala smiled, and he saw genuine affection in her smile. Lala had a big family, and Peach had no family at all, but the thing about big families was that there was always room for one more.
Then there was himself and his mother.
‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Tarla said.
Cab jumped. He hadn’t heard her arrive. His mother still had the ability to appear miraculously at his side out of nowhere. ‘A penny?’ he said. ‘You can afford more.’
‘I’m retired on a fixed income, darling. I’m economizing. Anyway, you look happy. Is something wrong?’
‘Oh, it just occurred to me,’ he said, pointing at Lala and Peach, ‘that those two women are likely to be in my life for a long time.’
‘Well, I hate to ruin the moment for you,’ Tarla replied, ‘but so will I.’
‘Despite my best efforts?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Just so you know, I’m going back to Naples with Lala tomorrow,’ he said.
‘Finally! No offense, darling, but you were starting to get on my nerves.’
She winked at him and patted his cheek. He looked momentarily dismayed, but then he smiled. Tarla was Tarla and would never change. She was dressed to kill, as she always was. She was beautiful, as she always was. The drive between Naples and Clearwater didn’t take long in the Corvette. They still had things to talk about and things to work out.
‘I have to go annoy the chef,’ she said. ‘Try to stay out of trouble until I get back.’
She tossed her blond hair and strolled away in her three-inch heels, leaving him alone. With nothing else to do, Cab headed for the balcony to drink up the evening sun, put his long arms around Lala’s waist, and offer Peach a job.
EPILOGUE
Caprice Dean sat on a bench in the gardens of the Bok Sanctuary, under a sprawling ash tree that dripped with Spanish moss. Florida had never seen a more perfect December day. The air was dry. A noon sun was warm but not hot. The tower was at her back, its carillon playing a Shaker hymn that competed with the chatter of the birds. Her briefcase sat on the ground beside her. There was plenty to do, but she left it alone for now, so that she could enjoy the view across the green lawn and down the slopes into the orange groves.
She checked her watch. He was late.
She’d prepared carefully for the meeting with him. You had to approach every negotiation as a war, and all your weapons were on the table. Women were the hardest, because she’d always found them to be inherently untrustworthy around other women. You couldn’t believe anything they said to your face. Men were easy, because they were creatures of desire. Senators or accountants, they were all the same. Undo a button, they were yours. He was no different.
The Shaker hymn ended. Another song began on the bells. It took a few notes, and then she recognized it. That song. That was the one. She stood up automatically. She didn’t need to hear him to know he was behind her. She swung around, and he was watching her. Tall. Handsome. Ironic smile. Knee bent, hands in his pockets. She erased the memory of the song, even though every clang of the bells pounded in her brain, and she gave him a casual smile.
‘Hello, Cab.’
‘Caprice,’ he said. He cupped an ear and cocked his head. ‘Pretty, isn’t it? I told them you had a special request.’
‘Interesting choice.’
He came and sat down on the bench beside her. She sat down again, too. His arms draped around the back of the iron railing; she could sense his hand behind her shoulder. His legs jutted out, ridiculously long.
‘I checked the concert program from the Labor Day event,’ he said. ‘This is the last song they played.’
‘You’ve been busy.’
He listened to the music in silence. ‘You know, Tarla’s right. This sounds a lot like Supertramp.’
‘It’s not,’ Caprice said. ‘I picked it.’
‘Yes, I know.’ He smiled at her. ‘You look gorgeous, by the way. Not that that’s a surprise, you always do. They say politics ages people, but you seem to get younger.’
Normally, she would have flirted back. This time she didn’t. He had her off her game, and she didn’t like it. ‘I appreciate your meeting me,’ she said.
‘Of course. This is a beautiful spot. Although it must hold difficult memories for you.’
‘It does, but you can’t change the past. This is one of my favorite places.’
‘Even though your fiancé was murdered here?’
‘Maybe I come here to think about him. Did you consider that?’
‘Yes, but I don’t think of you as the sentimental type.’
Caprice frowned. She wasn’t accustomed to people playing games with her now. ‘I’ve been keeping tabs on you,’ she said. ‘And on this new investigative agency of yours.’
‘I’m flattered,’ Cab replied. ‘You’ve had a lot on your plate these past few months.’
‘Well, you didn’t give me much choice. I have sources who tell me that you’ve been scouring through my past. Talking to people who know me. Digging up college and law school friends. Finding staffers and volunteers who worked on Birch’s campaign. Not just you but Peach, too. I’m used to reporters looking for stories and background, but when I saw your name, I couldn’t help but wonder exactly what you were doing.’
Cab shrugged. ‘You hired me.’
‘And then you quit, as I recall.’
‘Oh, I never really quit after I start something. I just change allegiances. I’m like a politician that way.’
‘Funny,’ Caprice said, but she didn’t smile or laugh.
‘I can’t help but wonder why you hired me in the first place,’ Cab said.
‘You already know that. I suspected there was a threat against Diane. As it turns out, I was right, even if I didn’t realize the danger was inside our own organization.’
‘Yes, I saw your press conference,’ Cab said. ‘How you added security, hired a detective. Very noble.’
‘I believe I credited you with saving Diane’s life,’ Caprice reminded him.
‘You did. Thanks. That’s good for business.’
‘So what’s the problem, Cab? The job is done.’
‘It is, but I’m a little like a dog with a bone. I just keep going back to it when I should leave it alone.’
‘That doesn’t explain why you’ve been doing all this research on me.’ She smiled, and she made love to him with her eyes. ‘Why, I would almost think that you’ve become obsessed with me, Cab.’
‘That would be easy for a man to do,’ he acknowledged.
‘Do you want back in my life? The door is still open.’
‘Even now?’
‘Even now,’ she said. ‘Nothing has changed for me as a woman. I’m still attracted to you.’
‘And you always get what you want,’ Cab said.
She grinned. ‘Most of the time.’
‘Look at Ramona Cortes. She was an enemy. She had the upper hand against Common Way in the election, but then she was neutralized. Destroyed. No charges, no crimes, just clouds of suspicion.’
‘Charges can be proved or disproved,’ Caprice said, ‘whereas suspicion lasts forever.’
‘Yes, how convenient. It cost her the campaign. It forced her to resign as Attorney General. The investigation into Common Way wound up dead in its tracks. You got everything you wanted. Yet again.’
‘Apparently I did,’ Caprice agreed.
‘Almost as if it were planned that way from the start,’ Cab said.
‘Oh, now you’re giving me more credit than I deserve.’
‘Am I? I don’t think so. I think it would be a huge mistake for anyone to underestimate you. You’re brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely ruthless.’
‘How nice of you to say.’
‘The information about Ramona: you were the one who planted it, weren’t you? After Lyle died, you would have had a copy of the invoice that the law firm sent to him.’
Caprice shrugged. ‘If I ever saw it, I’m sure I didn’t give it a second thought. No, I imagine some Good Samaritan inside the law firm had an attack of conscience. It’s a big firm. Besides, does it really matter? The truth is what it is. Ramona knew about Deacon ten years ago.’
‘But so did you,’ Cab said.
‘Me? Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘Lyle didn’t tell you? His fiancée?’
‘I’m sure he would have told me at some point, but Lyle was protecting Deacon. A tragic mistake, as it turns out, bu
t Lyle always had integrity.’
‘Yes, he did,’ Cab agreed. ‘You know, Rufus Twill told me something about Lyle when I met him. I didn’t really think about it at the time, but I should have. I got too caught up with Drew as a suspect in the murders. My mistake.’
Caprice waited, a smile frozen on her face.
‘Rufus said that Lyle called him shortly before Labor Day,’ Cab went on. ‘He said they needed to have a talk. Did you know anything about that?’
‘No.’
‘Do you have any idea what Lyle wanted to talk to Rufus about?’
‘None at all.’
‘Really? That surprises me, with the two of you being political partners. I mean, I can’t see Lyle going to the press about his brother’s hit and run. He was already in touch with a lawyer about that. On the other hand, I can see him deciding to blow the whistle on Birch Fairmont, can’t you? He found out what Birch had done to Diane. He couldn’t live with it. He knew his candidate was a monster, and he was going to slay him, regardless of the consequences to the Common Way Party. Regardless of the consequences to you. You said it yourself, didn’t you? If Birch had been exposed, it would have been a disaster.’
‘Where are you going with this, Cab?’
‘Well, I just keep going back to the amazing fact that events always seem to work out exactly the way you want them to. Birch didn’t get exposed. He got killed. He became a martyr. Common Way became bigger than ever. Instead of losing everything, you wound up with even more power and money than you started with.’
‘Only by losing the love of my life,’ Caprice reminded him acidly.
‘The love of your life? That’s sweet, but I recall you saying your relationship was mostly political. And if Lyle talked, well, that would have been the end of his political usefulness, wouldn’t it?’
‘How dare you,’ she snapped.
‘I’m afraid emotional outrage doesn’t become you, Caprice. It’s not convincing. Isn’t it remarkable that Deacon chose to kill Lyle because he was afraid of going to prison for the hit and run – and yet he chose to do it in a way that also took care of a huge political problem for you? Birch dead, Lyle dead, it was like winning the lottery, wasn’t it?’
Season of Fear Page 37