"Suziette loaned me money. I am expecting a windfall, as they say, so I can repay it to little Leonie." Chocolate-brown eyes bore into hers. "Bill Presley tells me you look after her now, and you are honest. I can see that you are."
Ardin folded the check and put it in her purse. "I'll open an account for Leonie."
"Good. Suziette would like that." He winked. "We both know she was not the most attentive of mothers, but she did love her daughter."
A wise man, Ardin thought, despite his gigolo manner. "Tell me about Suziette," she said. "The Suziette you knew."
There was sadness in his eyes when he spoke. "She was warm, impetuous, and selfish--when she wasn't totally magnanimous. Also, she made the most of her opportunities." He chuckled, amused. "Suziette was the woman version of Dimitri."
"Ah," Ardin said, understanding. "You were friends."
"Good friends after we stopped being lovers. I wept when I learned she was dead."
Ardin glanced around the park to make sure no one could overhear them. "Why did you give the police a false alibi for Thursday night?"
He squeezed her shoulder, as if she'd just said something adorable. "Why do you think? To protect the reputation of the woman I was with. I do adore married women. I find them irresistible."
An appalling thought struck Ardin. She glared at him. "Don't tell me you were with Vivie!"
Dimitri shook his head as he roared with laughter. "Not Vivie. Never, Vivie, I think. She is true to her Bill."
Ardin edged away from him and sat up stiffly. "I should hope so."
"Suziette was not like Vivie. She flitted from man to man."
"Yes, I know," Ardin said, annoyed. "Like a butterfly."
Dimitri stared off into the trees, ignoring her fit of pique. "Because of her first true love. He deceived her and she took revenge the only way she knew."
"She took lovers."
Dimitri opened his palms and shrugged as though asking what else could she have done.
Ardin made no attempt to hide her growing excitement. "Who is this man, Dimitri? Maybe he killed Suziette."
"She never said. Your cousin often shared the most intimate details of her life, yet she was secretive about others."
Ardin felt a prickle in her bones. "Did she tell you who is Leonie's father?"
Dimitri gave her a dazzling smile. "That remained her secret."
He was lying. She reached over and put her hand on his bulging bicep. "Please tell me, Dimitri. He could have murdered her to keep his secret."
"Why now, after all this time? Leonie's almost four years old."
"I don't know. I don't know anything, really."
Dimitri stood. "If you permit me to say, I think you should keep it that way."
* * * *
Face it, you make a lousy detective, Ardin told herself as she drove to the hospital in her aunt's Cadillac. The only information you get from Suziette's old lovers is affidavits attesting to her feminine charms.
You're jealous, an inner voice jeered.
No. Yes! I am jealous, damn it!
But Brett cares about you, the voice persisted.
Ardin switched on a light rock station, and turned up the volume. Thinking about Brett Waterstone was not on today's agenda.
In the parking area, she looked around for any car, SUV, or truck that looked familiar, menacing, or stood out in any way. Yesterday's incident had left her suspicious and edgy. She circled around until she found a spot near the hospital's entrance. It gave her goose bumps to think the murderer might be trailing her. Maybe he'd seen her talking to Dimitri. Maybe he'd followed her to the hospital again.
She stopped at the gift shop and bought a flowering plant. Aunt Julia might as well have something pretty to look at. She'd be staying for at least another week.
Her aunt was sitting up in bed, sipping water through a straw.
"Ardin, how nice to see you!" Julia seemed stronger and in good spirits. When she noticed the plant, she said, "Oh, dear, you shouldn't have bothered."
"Who else should I bother to get a plant for?" Ardin bent to kiss her cheek. "How did the tests go this morning?"
"We won't know for days." Her glance went past Ardin to the doorway, and her cheeks bloomed with color. "Oh, come in, come in," she invited, as if she were hosting a party. "Look who's here, Ardin! Betty and Frank."
Ardin turned around to face her former in-laws. Inwardly she groaned. The MacAllisters were among the last people she wanted to see.
Aside from the shabby way Betty had treated her while she and Corey were married, Frank's wife was a boring, shallow snob. And Frank, when he wasn't making business deals, liked to manage everyone's life. Right now he was handing a nurse the huge arrangement of flowers they'd brought, telling her exactly the kind of vase that was needed.
"Yes, Mr. MacAllister."
The nurse all but curtsied, before dashing off. And so she should, Ardin told herself cynically. After all, Frank sits on the board of the hospital.
"Hello, Betty, Frank." She forced herself to peck each on the cheek. She suddenly remembered her mother's insistence that she stop by to see her friend. "Why don't you visit with Aunt Julia? I'll come back later."
"But where are you off to?" Aunt Julia said plaintively. "You just got here, Ardin."
"I know. I won't be long. I'm just going to say hello to someone."
"To whom?" Betty said.
Frank looked concerned. "Is there someone else we know who's been taken ill?"
He really has to know everything. Ardin gave him a sly smile. "I imagine they'd give you a list of everyone admitted to Halliday Hospital."
The color rose on Frank's face as he dropped into a chair in the corner.
"Oh, for pity's sake, whom are you going to visit, Ardin?" Julia said "You could tell us that much at least."
Ardin already regretted having needled Frank, but she had no intention of apologizing, not after all the aggravation he'd put her through. "It's Mother's friend, Renata Kellering. I promised I'd stop by for a little chat."
"Goodness, is she still alive?" Betty said. "I used to see her at the county garden shows. First prize mums five years in a row. But that was ages ago. I haven't seen her in years."
"An intelligent woman. I understand she'd not in the best of health," Frank said.
"She isn't." To make amends for her earlier comment, Ardin added, "I'll give her your regards."
"No need to do that." When all three women stared at him, he cleared his throat. "I've only met her in passing. I'm sure she won't remember me."
Julia chuckled. "Oh, Frankie. Tell me one person in Thornedale who wouldn't remember you?"
Frankie? "Well, see you later," Ardin said over her shoulder, and made a beeline for the nurse's station.
Renata's room, she found out, was one floor below. Ardin took the stairs. The large corner room was obviously reserved for VIPs. An enormous flower arrangement adorned a table midway between two large windows. The TV was on, but the old woman, whose bed was tilted so she was sitting upright, was staring at the wall.
Ardin knocked beside the open door.
"I'm fine. I don't need a thing." Renata's voice was clear, her tone commanding.
"I'm not a nurse. I'm Ardin Wesley, Vera's daughter."
Renata's smile showed both keen-eyed intelligence and a hint of the beautiful woman she'd once been.
"Come in, my dear. I'm very pleased to see you. Please sit down."
Ardin chose the chair closest to the bed. "I'm here visiting my aunt, and Mom asked me to look in on you. I hope you're feeling better."
Renata waved dismissively. "Much better. I had a bit of a spell, but it passed. Now the fools insist on keeping me here for tests."
"My aunt is undergoing tests too."
"I suppose they have to make their money somehow." Her face lit up. "Your mother did say you were a lawyer, didn't she?"
Reluctantly, Ardin nodded. Her intuition told her she didn't like where this was going. "I work in
Manhattan."
Renata beckoned to her. When Ardin stepped closer, a skinny hand darted from the covers to grasp her wrist. The old woman's grip was surprisingly strong.
"Ardin, dear, I need a lawyer. Indeed, I have many lawyers, among them my nephew, Marshall. But the scoundrel's taken advantage of my temporary condition and convinced a judge to give him power of attorney, something I definitely do not want him to have."
"I see." Ardin couldn't help but think how no good deed goes unpunished.
"What I would like you to do," Renata continued, "is to send my devious, underhanded nephew a letter attesting to my sound mind, and insist that he relinquish this power of attorney until I am indeed, a doddering old fool."
"Mrs. Kellering--"
"Renata."
"Renata, I'm not practicing law at this moment. I'm here in Thornedale looking after my cousin's child because my Aunt Julia suffered a heart attack."
"Yes, and I'm sorry for your troubles, but, my dear, once a lawyer, always a lawyer. And I believe Vera mentioned that you're licensed in New Jersey, yes?"
Reluctantly, Ardin nodded.
The blue eyes twinkled. "Well then, I'll pay handsomely. This simple letter will help me enormously, and it will keep your mind off sadder topics--for a brief while, at least."
Ardin had to admire Renata's persuasive argument. She'd covered all bases and then some.
"All right. I'll draw the letter up tonight so you can sign it before witnesses and have it notarized tomorrow. I'll hand deliver it to your nephew, if you like."
Renata grinned. "I'd like that very much. And make two copies for me to sign. If Marshall proves to be difficult, we'll send the second to the authorities."
"I see how you've made your millions."
Renata waved the compliment away. "You ain't seen nothing yet. Now sit down, my dear, and tell me all about yourself."
A half hour later Ardin kissed Renata's cheek and promised to return the following morning. When she arrived at her aunt's room, she was relieved to see that Betty and Frank had gone.
"There you are, Ardin." Julia sounded tired. "I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Julia. Renata and I got to talking, and I forgot the time."
Julia yawned. "No matter. Thanks for coming and for the plant."
"Why don't I bring Leonie on Sunday? Saturday she's been invited to an overnight at the Presleys."
"Give the little angel a kiss from her grannie, and tell her I'm thinking of her," Julia said. She shut her eyes. A moment later a gentle snore escaped her lips.
* * * *
Vera was not at all pleased when Ardin told her she'd agreed to write a letter to Renata's nephew. "He's as crooked as they come, and he's well-connected in this town."
"Don't worry, Mom," Ardin scoffed, "I write stronger letters than this all the time. It's part of my job."
"In Manhattan, yes, where you're dealing with strangers. But this is Thornedale." Vera clutched Ardin's hand. "Look what happened to Suziette."
Apprehension rippled down her spine. She considered the situation, and drew back her shoulders. She refused to let fear govern her life. "Suziette must have provoked someone to kill her."
"And that warning note, Ardin. Whom are you provoking?"
Ardin let out an exasperated sigh. "Maybe it's Corey, who simply wants me out of here. At any rate, I didn't provoke Renata's nephew. I never even met the guy."
Clearly seeing she was getting nowhere, Vera changed the subject. "Don't forget everything has to be cleared out of my apartment this weekend."
"I'm doing that on Saturday. Is there anything else you'd like me to bring here?"
"No."
Ardin glanced at her watch. "I'd better get going. I want to work on the letter to Marshall and my own letter to the judge about adopting Leonie."
Vera accepted her kiss on the cheek. "You're still set on that, are you?"
"You bet. More than ever."
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Ardin sat at her laptop, composing the letter to Marshall Crewe and sketching a rough draft of her petition to the court until the school bus brought Leonie home. At the sound of the horn, she rushed outside and greeted her with a hug.
"Have a good day, honey?" she said as they walked along the path to the front door. She felt every bit the suburban mother, and found it exhilarating.
Leonie shrugged. "It was okay." She shrugged again. "Michelle sat next to Jennifer in music instead of me."
"Oh," Ardin scoured her brain for the right thing to say. "I'm sure she'll sit next to you tomorrow."
Leonie spun around on the top step and glared up at her. "How do you know?"
"Because she's your best friend."
To her relief, Leonie gave a wan smile. "I guess."
"Come into the kitchen for your snack." She told herself to stop at the bookstore and buy a book or two on child psychology.
The late afternoon passed quickly. Leonie brought her paper and crayons, along with Mr. Bonkers, to the kitchen table, where she drew and colored while Ardin prepared their dinner.
"What do you do when you're a lawyer in Manhattan?" Leonie said.
Ardin lowered the flame under the rice and smiled. "Let's see. I help people who have legal problems. I go to court. I write briefs and letters. I talk on the phone."
"Do you make a lot of money?"
Ardin laughed. "I suppose. When I'm working."
"I'm going to be a lawyer, too, when I grow up."
Ardin hugged her.
"What's Manhattan like?" Leonie said.
Ardin sat down and pulled Leonie onto her lap. She rested her chin on the silky blonde hair. "Manhattan's an island, which means it's surrounded by water. There are lots and lots of people and cars and taxis. And really tall buildings called skyscrapers."
"And the best stores, Mommy used to say."
Ardin swallowed. "That's right." After a moment, she said, "Would you like to live in Manhattan?"
Leonie studied Mr. Bonkers, as if she were waiting for her constant companion to give her the answer. Finally she shook her head. "No, we want to stay here with Daddy. And we want you to stay here, too, Cousin Ardin."
Ardin hugged her tight before rising to her feet. "I'd better see to dinner, or we'll never get to eat."
Later they sat in the den and watched TV. When her cell phone rang, Ardin gave a start.
Brett greeted her, sounding upbeat. "I thought I'd check on my girls before I went out on the town."
"Hi, yourself. We're fine. Have a good day?"
"Fair to miserable. I had to send back five signs with errors, and fire someone for goofing off. I'm sure I'll hear from the union on that one. What about your day?"
Ardin told him what she'd done. He was angry that she'd met Dimitri, pleased that she'd agreed to write a letter for Renata. "Maybe you'll start a practice in Thornedale, after all."
"Not on your life."
"I want to talk to Daddy," Leonie said.
"Here's Leonie," Ardin said.
"Be careful, Ardin. Make sure you lock all the doors."
"I always do," Ardin told him with some asperity. But inwardly she basked in his concern.
She pretended to watch the silly sitcom while she listened to Leonie chat with Brett. She felt a stab of guilt, knowing she'd be separating them. Brett can visit us in Manhattan. And I'll bring her here on weekends so they can spend time together.
After bathing Leonie and reading to her, she kissed her good night, and closed her door halfway, the way she liked it. Once downstairs, she finished writing her plea to the court. She planned to file it tomorrow morning when she delivered the letter to Renata's nephew. Marshall Crewe, like most of the lawyers in town, rented offices within blocks of the courthouse.
At ten o'clock, Ardin turned off her laptop and stretched her arms overhead. It felt good to be involved in legal matters again. She felt invigorated, but her shoulders ached. Time for a nice, leisurely bath.
Upstairs, she ran the water and poured in her aunt's expensive bath oil. Nearly an hour later, puckered as a prune, she got out and dried herself.
She'd had every intention of going to bed early, but found herself too agitated to sleep. She looked in on Leonie, who was fast asleep, with her blonde hair spread like a halo on her pillow. She walked past her aunt's formal bedroom and into Suziette's room.
She had the strongest compulsion to make sure her copy of the tally sheets were where she'd left them. A foot away from the bureau, she let out a gasp. The top drawer was slightly open.
She'd gone through every drawer the other night and knew she'd closed them all. Her hands shook as she pulled open the bottom drawer and felt inside the folded blanket for the papers she'd hidden. Nothing.
She shook out the blanket, hoping desperately to see the sheets of paper flutter to the floor. The only item the blanket yielded was a red barrette.
He's been here! The murderer had come to Aunt Julia's house searching for something incriminating, something he feared would reveal his identity. Was he still in the house? On trembling legs, she raced to Leonie's room, breathed a sigh of relief to see her asleep, and then checked out every room, upstairs and downstairs. No sign of an intruder.
But that didn't mean he wouldn't be back!
She climbed the stairs again and stood in the doorway of her bedroom, afraid to enter. He must have been here, too. She was trembling so badly, it took all her effort to walk the few feet to her bed. She sat holding her head in her hands and forced herself to think.
She had to call Rabe. She grimaced at the thought of his men poking around the house and waking Leonie, frightening her. While he sniffed and poked about, he was sure to subject her to all sorts of innuendoes.
Ardin's sighs turned into sobs. She needed someone beside her, someone supportive and caring to hold her and stroke her, who'd promise everything would turn out all right. She went down to the kitchen and called Brett.
* * * *
Brett had ended his conversation with his brother, and was stripping down to his Jockeys when the phone rang. Maybe it's Ardin, wondering if I decided to go into Frank's deal. Imagining her concern brought a smile to his lips.
It was Ardin, all right, but his business deal was the last thing on her mind. His heart leaped to his throat when she told him someone had been in the house.
Dangerous Relations Page 10