She threw Caitlin a sneer and then left the patio, her dress floating around her and her head held high, as if she was the lady of the manor and Caitlin was an intruder.
Caitlin sat beside Todd and then turned to him. "Your housekeeper...."
"Hates women." Todd finished for her. "And she is territorial and hostile?"
"Yes." Caitlin nodded vigorously. "So you know?"
Todd sighed. "Yes, I know but she is loyal and honest and she has stood by me through thick and thin. I'll talk to her today about her attitude, though."
"By thin you mean through your wife's murder?" Caitlin asked.
"Yes." Todd closed his eyes. "Especially that. She is the reason I am not in jail, Caity. I can honestly tell you that I really have no recollection of what happened that night, but Deb was here. She was recently hired. Rita had a fit and fired her, but no other housekeeper would stay and work with Rita so she rehired Deb. It seemed as if Deb was the only one who could take the abuse and not quit. Anyway, that night... I really have no idea what took place."
"You don't?" Caitlin gasped. "But how?"
Todd swallowed. "I was drunk. Totally passed out. I rarely drank even back then with Rita, but that night we had the mother of all fights and I tried to drown my sorrows in a couple bottles of Vodka. I knew that we both couldn't continue like we were."
Caitlin sat up straighter. "Yes, that was in the accounts in the paper that I read that you guys were quarreling."
"At least that was accurate," Todd continued. "We were arguing over the same thing. She was saying I was uncaring and I was not mourning our babies and I was saying that she needed to let it go and start living again. She accused me of cheating on her with..."
Todd opened his eyes a crack and then looked at Caitlin.
"Who?" Caitlin asked nervously. He had stopped speaking and was looking at her as if transfixed.
"It's a longish story." Todd sighed. "It is probably not the right time to tell you this."
"What?" Caitlin asked. "Please, what?"
"I knew your parents." Todd touched her hand gently. "We moved in the same circles for a few years."
Caitlin's heart skipped a beat. She was almost frozen in her seat. "You knew my parents?"
"Yes, I did. Well, I was quite friendly with your mother. I knew her first and then I..."
"Had an affair with her?" Caitlin asked, her voice trembling. The worst-case scenario was ricocheting through her head.
Todd could be her father.
No, he isn't. I have my father's eyes; everybody said so. I couldn't be his daughter. That would be the mother of all bad jokes. That would be Brigid's story all over again. No, God, please no.
"I was going to say and then I met your father. We had businesses on the same street, almost side by side," Todd said gently. "I never had an affair with your mom."
Caitlin slumped in her chair, not even realizing that she had been holding herself stiffly.
"But Rita certainly thought so," Todd continued. "She had a fixation on her. Maybe it was an obsession. I don't know. I couldn't fathom the mind of Rita. Anyway, that day I was looking at a newspaper article about a girl who had won a debating competition. She was young, just fifteen, my old friend’s daughter, and Rita saw me staring at her picture and it must have triggered some form of jealous reaction. I don't know."
"You were quarreling over me?" Caitlin squeaked. "Me!"
She got up from the chair and walked toward the end of the patio and stared down into the back garden. She wanted to hear more but she had so many things to process. Todd and Rita had been arguing about her.
Amazing; she was dreaming about him at the same time?
It was all so convoluted and felt unreal. She looked over into the backyard. There was a mini mango grove with various types of mango trees; beyond that was a stone wall with a fountain.
Her dream fountain!
She had dreamt the same place. Todd had asked her to wait for him right there.
She closed her eyes. She was undergoing information overload.
Todd knew her parents. He was looking at her picture the same day that his wife ended up dead and he wasn't sure if he killed her or not.
But his housekeeper Deb said he didn't. However, Deb probably said that to save her job.
"Would you and your guest like refreshments, Todd?" Deb purred from the patio door. It was as if she sensed the tension between them from wherever she was in the house and came to confirm that she was right.
Todd, who was looking at Caitlin's stiff back steadily, roused himself enough to say, "Yes, thank you Deb."
Caitlin spun around and caught Deb's inquiring look.
"I know that Todd likes lemonade extra tart. What about you? What would you like, Caitlin?" Deb sneered.
"I, ah," Caitlin swallowed. "I'll have whatever Todd is having."
Why was Deb so hostile? Caitlin watched her retreating back. She talked to Todd with a purring quality in her voice but when talking to her she sounded as if she wanted to fight.
And then it hit her.
Deb didn't want to just save her job. Deb wanted Todd. She wanted to be the next Mrs. Taylor.
Chapter Twelve
"You are here!" Brigid said much later when she came into the apartment and saw Caitlin sprawling on the settee, still in her bridesmaid dress. She hadn't quite made it to her room.
She had had an awkward few minutes with Todd after his revelation. She had told him that she wanted to go home and think. He had nodded as if he understood. And he hadn't said anything much to her after that.
He had dropped her home and touched her cheek softly. "Bye Caity," he had whispered, a note of resignation in his voice, as if him telling her bye was a finality.
It was probably bye forever too. Caitlin didn't know what to think. She was more confused now. She had held out a kernel of hope that maybe he hadn't killed his wife but now she wasn't so sure. His housekeeper was obviously in love with him and she was the one keeping him out of jail.
She waited for Brigid to turn off the overhead lights and turn on the side lamps before she spoke.
"I think he did it. He was drunk. His housekeeper was his alibi. By the way, the housekeeper is very nice looking and very territorial. It's like she has something over him. It doesn't take a genius to guess that it maybe the murder. I think he feels the same way too and so he keeps her on."
She heard the soft swish of material as Brigid sat across from her and the heavy expulsion of her breath in a sigh that was loud and impatient.
"Then let him loose," Brigid said. "Stop thinking about him and crushing on him. Quit!"
Caitlin opened her eye a slit. "What do you mean quit? Quit Lux? I have an article to do on the man. Forget?"
"An article making him out to be a saint," Brigid pointed out. "Surely that goes against every moral code in your body?"
"I still don't know what to think," Caitlin said desperately. "I am still not one hundred percent sure. I don't know..."
"Because of the dreams?" Brigid grimaced. "So, on the one hand your dreams have always been authentic and then on the other there is Todd Taylor, the guy in your dreams who got away with murder. This one is tough. Unless..."
"Unless what?" Caitlin asked impatiently. Brigid had stopped speaking and was worrying her bottom lip impatiently.
"Unless you are willing to go investigating this thing yourself," Brigid said. "Remember those Nancy Drew books that we used to read."
"Yes," Caitlin said faintly. "I remember them. We had every edition."
"So," Brigid said excitedly, "lay the case out for me. Let me help you. I am your sidekick."
Caitlin smiled slightly and sat up in the chair. "They had marital problems. Rita had two miscarriages and according to Todd, it unhinged her a bit. She accused him of being uncaring, et cetera. He said that he grieves differently. Maybe Rita didn't think that he was suffering as much as she was."
"That's understandable." Brigid nodded. "Go on."
&nb
sp; "Shouldn't you be taking notes, sidekick?" Caitlin chuckled.
"Nah." Brigid grinned. "I am the noteless sidekick."
"Anyway, they had a fight on the day she died. A terrible fight over me."
"Whoa! Hold up." Brigid leaned forward in her chair. "Say that again."
Caitlin told her what Todd had said about her parents and reading about her in the newspaper.
"Amazing," Brigid whispered. "He knew you as a kid?"
"No. He never met me but he saw pictures," Caitlin said. "He knew my parents because of business. And he knew my mother before she met my father."
"Oh." Brigid subsided in her chair. "This is absolutely amazing."
"I thought so too," Caitlin said. "Anyway, they fought, he drank. Went upstairs in their house to the bedroom to sleep it off. He doesn't remember anything else but being in the kitchen with a knife in his hand, blood on his clothes and Deb wiping up the crime scene frantically and telling him that an intruder did it. Rita was lifeless in the corner with a pool of blood around her and a knife wound to the chest.
"The police came pretty quickly, as they do for that type of neighborhood. He was confused and disoriented, with Deb doing all the talking. But get this, he was so out of it and he was so mad at her, he isn't sure that he hadn't done it himself and maybe Deb was covering for him. He doesn't know if there was an intruder in black as Deb told the police. There was no sign of forced entry or anything."
"Oooh." Brigid leaned back in the chair. "And Deb cleaned up the crime scene?"
"Oh yes. She would do anything for her boss," Caitlin said. "You should see her. She is so loyal and devoted and hostile to women."
"Maybe she killed the wife," Brigid said. "Has anyone thought of that?"
Caitlin shrugged. "It did cross my mind and maybe it did the police too. They had her in for questioning. She said she saw the kitchen door open and somebody running off through the back gate. She stuck by her story and they really had no evidence to hold her." Caitlin frowned. "But why would she choose that way to do it and risk getting Todd thrown in jail for the murder? I think she was cleaning up the crime scene because she wasn't sure that he actually did do it because she found him in the kitchen."
"Right." Brigid leaned back in the chair and then cleared her throat. "Caity."
"Don't say it." Caitlin got up and stretched. "Don't say it."
"He got away with murder," Brigid pronounced. "Cut him loose and get him out of your head, Caitykins. He's nice, he's gorgeous, but he killed his wife."
Caitlin took up her shoes from the floor slowly. "Okay. I'll cut him loose."
"Good girl," Brigid said. "Maybe we can take your mind off this by investigating Helen. Remember she has a mystery surrounding her too?"
"Yes. Right," Caitlin said listlessly.
"Nick will be free on Thursday. He said he is going to find Helen's old caretaker, Miss Judd. Want us to go with him? It should be fun."
"Fine." Caitlin headed for her room. "Night."
"Night Caity," Brigid said.
Caitlin could feel her look of concern but she really didn't care.
She felt as if a vise was closing tighter and tighter around her heart.
*****
On Monday by the time Caitlin reached work Charles was in her office. He was showing Howard the pictures of Casey's wedding on his laptop.
"They are very nice," Howard said, a satisfied grin on his face. "I read the article you wrote, Caitlin…very touching. If I wasn't such a hard-ass I would have shed a tear or two. Is everything else ready?"
"Yes." Caitlin sighed and sat in her chair.
"And is everything going well with Mr. Taylor?" Howard asked. "Are you following him around and getting a feel for the real man?"
"Yes." Caitlin glanced at Charles. "I want to talk to you about that interview, Howard."
"Okay. I will come back." Charles got up. "I have that assignment with you at eleven, for Thomas Kellier?"
"Yes. Yes. Thanks Charles," Caitlin said, watching as he left the office and closed the door.
"What is it that you want to talk to me about?" Howard sat down across from Caitlin. He steepled his fingers. Caitlin knew he was going to be difficult about this.
"I…er, I think somebody else should work with Mr. Taylor. I can't do it anymore."
"No," Howard said. "If there is no Caitlin, there is no story. He basically told me that."
"He said that?" Caitlin asked, her heart melting a little from the misery that had enclosed it from the night before.
"Yes." Howard leaned his head to one side. "Why do you want off the story?"
Caitlin swallowed. "It's just that…I think he did it."
Howard frowned. "It... as in committed murder?"
"Yes and I, er, don't think I can be hypocritical and write a story about him being wonderful, et cetera, when he killed his wife."
Howard leaned forward. "Do you have a problem working for him, though?"
"Well, I..." Caitlin paused.
"Is he a bad person?" Howard asked.
"No. Actually, he is very nice..." Kind considerate, romantic. Dream guy material.
She didn't add the rest of the sentence.
Howard squinted at her contemplatively. "Until you have a problem working for him, Caitlin, I suggest that you do this story. Write a stellar piece. If you can write it as well as you did this piece on Casey Givens, you will be fine. I envision you having a bright future here. Please don't mess it up now with your premature judgments and your moralizing."
Caitlin nodded as Howard got up. "Have a nice day and tell Thomas hi for me. We go way back."
Caitlin nodded again but she was thinking about what Howard said. Could she quit her job over the fact that she thought that Todd Taylor killed his wife, whether he remembered? Yes or no.
Why would she quit though? Wasn't she overreacting? Suppose her next boss was an adulterer, or a thief, or worse?
The only person she could work for with a free conscience in this world would be God.
And besides, a piece of her was holding out hope. Maybe Todd didn't do it. Maybe Deb was right. Maybe she saw an intruder. Maybe Deb did it.
She rubbed her temples. She needed to concentrate on something else. Now. Pronto, before her brain exploded.
*****
Thursday rolled around quicker than Caitlin could scratch her head. She had just pressed the publish button on the newest magazine, Lux Women. The paper version was freshly off the press. She sat at the conference table looking at her exhausted staff.
"It is finished," she said in a mock baritone.
Jenny nodded. "Yes. Can we go home early?"
"Sure." Caitlin nodded. "Good job, everybody. Next up we have the Thomas Kellier feature and then... "
"Our hunky boss," Jenny said dreamily. "If I weren't married to a hunk myself I would be swooning at the thought of him."
Charles rolled his eyes. "Besides, our hunky boss seriously has a thing for another person."
"Who?" Jenny asked.
Charles shook his head, not telling. He looked at Caitlin meaningfully.
"He was at a certain wedding that I photographed and he couldn't take his eyes off this person."
Jenny and Leila looked at Caitlin and then Jenny shook her head. "Not going to believe it…have to see pictures to believe it."
Charles laughed. "I was running through some of them and I got this." He pulled out his laptop and turned it around so everybody could see.
Caitlin looked at the photo on screen and smothered her gasp.
She was standing in a group of single girls for the catching of the bouquet. She was laughing at something that Brigid had said. She could recall it now. Brigid had whispered that she was going to get the bouquet or else.
Charles had caught Todd looking at her. His hand was in his pockets and he affected a casual pose but he was staring at her with such an intense look in his eyes.
She had seen that look before in her dreams.
Je
nny's 'mmmhm' roused her from her thoughts.
"Can I get that pic?” she asked Charles.
"Sure." Charles grinned. "Why not? It tells a wonderful story, doesn't it?"
"So who got the bouquet?" Jenny asked.
"Casey's grand aunt Gretchen," Caitlin replied, uncomfortably aware that everyone was thinking that she had something going on with Todd. "Okay guys, see you all tomorrow."
Everybody left except Jenny, who had her hands akimbo. "You better be careful, Caitlin Denvers. That man is dangerous."
Caitlin's phone rang and she picked it up, glad for the reprieve from Jenny's battle-lit eyes.
It was Brigid. "Nick is ready."
"Okay, see you in a bit," Caitlin said, relief coursing through her. She couldn't take another lecture about Todd right now.
She scooped up her things and Jenny walked behind her, almost at her heels. "He is handsome and rich and obviously crazy about you."
"You think it's obvious?" Caitlin pressed the elevator button, glad that she was alone with Jenny in the elevator.
"Don't be daft," Jenny said, "the man wants you. That is the sort of look that means business. And you obviously are into him."
"Well..." Caitlin said.
"With the whole wife killing thing aside," Jenny said, "he is way older than you and has years more experience. You be careful."
"Yes Grandma," Caitlin said, grinning.
Jenny pinched her and then said wistfully, "I wish Isaiah would look at me like that. So intense, like I am the only woman in the world. One year in our marriage and I feel as if the spark is gone. Not that there was ever much of a spark on his side to begin with. I think I forced him into marrying me."
"Oh Jen," Caitlin said squeezing her friend’s hand.
"But it's not over," Jenny said determinedly. "I am going to find the remedy. See you tomorrow."
"Yes," Caitlin said when they exited the elevator. She couldn't help but think about the picture and her dream. Maybe I should tell him that I dreamt about him. No. I won't. She had to ignore the dreams. And she had to cut him loose as Brigid had suggested.
It was over. That goodbye had been final.
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