“I couldn’t. I felt like I was trapping him. Also, by that time, my love for him had dissolved into a strong friendship.” Violet shifted her focus back and forth between Lily and Zane. Her anxiety at the topic they were discussing washed over her face. Her eyelids drooped, and her lips turned southward.
“What about you, Zane? What did you do after the party?” Sebastian watched the man at the bar closely. Something about Violet’s explanation of the events of Mark’s party had upset him.
“That was just a month before I finished law school. I had a job lined up with a local firm. I didn’t hear from Mark again until he approached me about helping with Devin’s adoption.” He poured himself another splash of whiskey and downed it in one swallow.
“Did he tell you Devin was his?” Lily slid her arm around Violet in support.
Sebastian figured, she’d need it.
“No. At the time, I didn’t even know who Violet was. We’d never met. Had we?” He stared across the room at Violet.
“Maybe, at the party, but to tell you the truth, I don’t remember.” She lowered her head and peered down at her hands. “Mark was such a rock. I don’t know what I would have done without him. He stood by me throughout my pregnancy and then gave me a job at his lab once I could go back to work. He even helped me get my business degree.” She shook her head and tears formed at the corner of her eyes. “He might not have been a saint, but he was a very good friend.”
“Right, good friend,” Zane muttered and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.
Bruce stood and walked to the bar. “Why is it I’m getting the impression you know more than you’re telling us?”
Zane looked at Violet and then shifted his gaze to Bruce. With a defeated sigh, he muttered, “Because Mark was covering for me.”
Sebastian only caught the man’s response because he stood a few feet away. The women on the couch didn’t appear to be listening.
Sebastian stepped closer. “I think I could use a drink, too.”
Zane grabbed two more glasses and poured two fingers of whiskey into each. Lifting his glass, he said, “Here’s to too many fucking secrets.”
Sebastian exchanged a glance with Bruce and sipped his drink before lowering his glass. “Care to explain?”
“It seems I should be celebrating, because I just found out I’m a father.” The volume of his voice rose on the final word.
Oh, shit.
“What are you talking about?” Violet rose from her place on the couch. The two women hurried across the room like heat-seeking missiles on a mission.
Sebastian stepped back and slid an arm around Lily before she could follow Violet to the bar. “It’d probably be better if we all sat back down.”
Bruce held out a hand to Violet, but she ignored him. Her focus was centered on the man in front of her.
“Mark never told me. I swear to you, he didn’t.” Zane inspected Violet as if seeing her for the first time. The emotional pain contorting his face almost brought Sebastian to his knees.
How could a friend keep such a secret?
Bruce shifted closer to Violet, but addressed Zane. “Did you tell him you had sex with a woman in his bedroom?”
Violet gasped, and her hands closed around the edge of the bar.
“I didn’t have to. He walked in when I walked out.” Zane closed his eyes.
“Then you don’t even remember it was me you had sex with?” Violet snagged the glass from Zane’s hand.
“No. Like you, I was drunk. I crashed on his couch in his study and didn’t go home until the next morning.” He walked around the bar and lightly fingered the back of her hand. “I don’t have a clue as to what to say.”
“That Mark is an ass and should have told us?” Violet offered, then turned and collapsed in his arms.
Zane dropped his head to her shoulder and appeared completely devastated by the discovery of Mark’s lies. At least they had each other.
Unable to keep his sympathy for them in check, Sebastian slid his arm around Lily and drew her close. “Did you have any idea?”
She shook her head and buried her face in his shirt. Moisture seeped through the cotton, and he tightened his hold on her.
Suddenly, Zane lifted his head and stared at Violet. “We need to find Devin. If we’re not too late, we might be able to help him with the fight against his cancer.”
He turned to Bruce and then addressed Sebastian. “I remember now who I told Devin to talk to about Mark’s past. Karen Winslow. She claimed she knew all of Mark’s secrets, but I’m guessing she didn’t know this one.”
“If she had, she would’ve told us years ago. Mark always told me he never regretted divorcing her,” Violet said.
“Yes, and if someone had a reason for killing Mark, it would be her. She and Lily split the bulk of his assets. With his new will, she wouldn’t have gotten a dime from his estate.” Zane smiled at Lily. “Your portion would have been reduced considerably, but he still named you as one of his heirs in his will. He always said you were the real genius behind the discoveries at the lab.”
“Makes me wonder why he kept Karen in his will for so long? They’ve been divorced for years. Why leave her anything?” Bruce sipped his drink and met Sebastian’s gaze.
Knowing his partner was probably reading his thoughts, Sebastian considered just how many more secrets in Mark’s life there might be to uncover.
Zane shrugged. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.”
“He always claimed she helped him get the financial support he needed to open the lab. For a number of years, after they split, he gave her a portion of the lab’s profit.” Violet stepped away from Zane but held onto his hand. “I thought it was part of their divorce agreement.”
Sebastian had read the terms of their divorce. Karen received no alimony, because at the time, she had more money than he did. With the success of the lab, their situation changed. Mark hadn’t been required to give her anything.
“Do you think she’d try to kill Mark?” Lily slid the glass from Sebastian’s hand and took a sip. “Whoa, you like it strong.”
He smiled.
“I’d like to say Karen is capable of anything.” Violet led the way back across the room with Zane in tow. She settled on the couch. “But then we’ve never gotten along. She is one greedy bitch.”
“She’s really not so bad, but she does have a checkered past.” Zane sat next to Violet and slid his arm around her shoulders. “She comes from a wealthy family, who basically gave her whatever she wanted. She got involved with a number of protests and was arrested a time or two.”
“I don’t remember seeing a criminal record in her file.” Bruce returned to the seat he’d vacated.
“Probably because she was underage and her records were sealed. Her father had the power to get those types of things undone by greasing the right palms. Though, after that, he made sure she kept her nose clean, or she’d forfeit the bulk of her inheritance.” Zane smiled and covered Violet’s hand on his thigh.
“Still, she threatened me once with a gun. I wouldn’t put anything past her.” She scowled up at Zane.
Leaning back against the bar, Sebastian maneuvered Lily in front of him to keep her from heading off to the other available chair. He liked having her close and watched as she sipped his drink.
“How long ago did she pull a gun on you?” Bruce asked, taking the lead again.
Half listening to the conversation, Sebastian wondered if they should head to Karen’s house next. She’d left out a number of important points during their talk. She’d made no mention of anyone else being interested in Mark’s past or of owning a gun.
“It was right after Mark left her. She said something about seeing Mark dead before she’d allow any other woman to marry him. I paid no attention to her because by then, I’d decided not to marry Mark.” Violet slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. “Oh, God, you don’t think she did it, do you?”
****
Karen Winslow’s elegant mansion sat at the top of the hill and offered a fabulous view of the San Francisco bay below. Lily had visited the house twice, once with Mark and now with Bruce and Sebastian. After arriving, Karen had invited them to sit on the deck at the back of the house with the excuse that it was much cooler outside.
Funny, Lily didn’t exactly believe her. Maybe because the last time she’d stopped by with Mark, Karen hadn’t let them pass the front foyer. Her reason at the time was the whole place was undergoing a major remodeling, and she didn’t want to cause the workers any undue delay.
Strange how no sounds of hammering or even a whiff of paint had interrupted their conversation during the whole time they’d been there. At the time, Mark chalked it up to Karen’s desire for privacy. Lily hadn’t been as kind, but today, she didn’t care where they talked as long as they got the answers they needed.
Sebastian stopped once they stepped onto the deck and guided Lily to the wicker couch against the brick wall of the house. “Why don’t we sit over here?”
“If you’d like, but there’s a better breeze over here by the pool,” Karen’s comment didn’t sway Sebastian’s determination.
Lily didn’t argue, either. He’d chosen the spot for a reason, probably to keep any would be snipers from having a clear shot, and seeing how hard she had argued to get this far, she wasn’t about to push him about where they sat. She dropped onto the sofa cushion and shifted a little to avoid the sun’s glare off the reflection of the pool. The area reminded her of Mark’s backyard without the concrete fence. Of course, Karen’s property included several acres.
Sectioning off the pool with metal fencing, she’d placed tall bushes and other vegetation in front of the structure to create a tropical oasis. Except on one side, the view revealed the bay below.
When they left Zane’s earlier, they’d stopped for a quick meal and drove across town to Karen’s. Once they were within a few miles of her house, Bruce called and told Karen they were close by. He asked if she could spare a few minute to talk to them.
“First of all, Karen, it is very nice of you to see us on such short notice.” Sebastian leaned slightly forward as if eager to be on his way. “We were out running a few errands and decided we’d stop by. There are just a few more questions I need to ask you.”
“I can’t imagine what you left out. We covered almost everything that happened to Mark for the twenty plus years I knew him.” Karen brushed her light cotton skirt over her knees and waved at the servant who stepped out from the house. “Oh, yes, Jenkins, bring us something refreshing to drink, like a tall glass of lemonade.”
The man bowed slightly at the waist and turned back for the door without saying a word, following the perfect servant’s code of only appearing when needed and disappearing when given instructions. The easy dismissal of the man grated on Lily, but she let it go to listen to Karen’s reply to Sebastian’s question.
“I have to say I’ve had a number of people ask me about Mark through the years. Some colleagues, business associates, and, of course, potential suitors. They all wanted to know what drove the man. Though, in truth, I don’t know if I ever fully comprehended the answer to that question.” She leaned back in her chair and turned to Bruce.
Before she could comment further, Sebastian inquired, “Did Devin Fleetwood ever ask you about Mark?”
“Devin?” Karen tapped her finger against her mouth a few times and then pointed at Lily. “Your assistant?”
“Yes, he sat beside Olivia at Mark’s funeral.” Lily hoped to catch the other woman’s gaze, but Karen successfully avoided eye contact.
Karen waved a hand in front of her face, as if clearing away the fog. “That’s right. I believe I ran into him a few months back at a fundraiser he and Mark were attending. Of course, Olivia was there, too. The woman was so afraid to let him out of her sight.”
“Do you remember anything in particular he asked you about Mark?” Sebastian pushed, obviously impatient to get to the real reason for their visit.
Lily laid a hand on his back and rubbed lightly. She and Bruce had teamed up to get him to allow her to come to this interview. She, however, knew the lady in front of them. If she suspected they were desperate for answers and needed her help, the bitch would clam up. “We’re worried about him. No one has seen him since Mark’s funeral. We’re hoping we can determine what set him off so we might be able to locate him.”
Sebastian swiveled his head around to glare at her. “We believe he might have discovered he’s Mark’s son.”
“Oh, yes, that would explain it.” Karen shifted in her chair and lowered her voice. “He seemed almost desperate when we talked. Said he wanted to find out about the unwed mothers Mark helped. I told him to talk to Zane.” She shook her head and brushed her hand over her skirt. “He said Zane couldn’t remember any of the names. So I tried to give him a list of all the women Mark had any association with through the years, even your mother’s name, Lily. Though Devin brushed hers aside in favor of a few others.”
Lily forced a smile to her lips. Her parents had cared a great deal for Mark and encouraged her to go to the university where he taught. They didn’t, however, have much to say about Karen, which left Lily to believe they hadn’t cared for the woman.
“Did you mention Violet?” Bruce asked, drawing Karen’s attention to him and giving Lily an excuse not to comment.
The woman’s smooth complexion converted into a wrinkled mask. “No, I didn’t think I’d need to mention her. After all, he works with her.”
“What about the gun you threatened Violet with after you and Mark broke up? Do you still have it?” Sebastian leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs.
Like a cat suddenly dunked in water, Karen bristled and rose to her feet. “Are you accusing me of being involved in Mark’s murder?”
“No, we’re just looking for leads.” Bruce sent a frustrated glare in Sebastian’s direction and rolled to his feet.
“Well, it wasn’t me.” She waved the servant back when he stepped out on the deck with a tray in his hand. “That’s not needed, Jenkins. My guests are leaving.”
Not surprised she wanted them to leave, Lily stepped behind Sebastian as he strolled to their host. She’d felt the tension roll off him with each response Karen gave.
“I’m sorry to have offended you, Mrs. Winslow, but I’m sure Detective Callahan will be more thoughtful to your delicate sensibilities when he questions you.” Sebastian offered her a slight nod, turned, and swung his hand out for Lily to lead the way out of the house.
“Well, I never…” Karen sputtered and yelled, “Jenkins get my attorney on the phone.”
Sebastian caught up with Lily by the front door. “Sorry, honey. I just couldn’t stand listening to her lies for a second longer.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“Shit, we just went from bad to worse.” Sebastian glanced at Lily in the back seat of Bruce’s car and realized he may have just exposed her location to the police.
Karen Winslow might be a lying sack of shit, but she also knew the police had issued a warrant for Lily’s arrest. Why else would she suddenly feel the need to talk to her lawyer? Unless she had something to hide, which he already knew she did.
“Did you get the same vibe she was stalling that I did?” Bruce maneuvered the car around a curve and picked up speed on the straightaway.
“Yes, she didn’t meet Devin at any party. He came to her house. She probably even entertained him on the back deck.” Sebastian reviewed their conversation, running over every point where his senses had tingled with disgust.
Lily leaned up between the front seats and tapped his arm. “How do you know?”
He captured her hand. The connection helped calm his anxieties. “Did you see how the moment she became uncomfortable with my questions she turned to Bruce? She’s discussed this case with someone, and I’m betting it was Devin.”
“But why lie about it?” Lily cupped both hands
around his.
“Because she’s somehow involved,” Bruce offered and drove the car a little faster around the curve than he should have.
Lily rocked in her seat and tugged on Sebastian’s hand, using his strength to hold herself steady. “So what should we do now?”
His gaze met Bruce’s briefly before his partner shrugged. He squeezed her hand and then released it. “We don’t have a lot of options here. We can either go back into hiding for who knows how long or we can try to find Devin.”
Lily fell back in her seat and crossed her arms. “Do I get a vote?”
“No. We’ve probably already exposed you to more danger than we should have by taking you to see Karen.” Sebastian glanced at his partner again and noticed the hard line of his jaw. Bruce didn’t agree with the idea of splitting up. But what other choice did they have?
“Can I also add Devin will probably be more willing to talk to me than either of you?” she argued, bitterly.
Sebastian glanced back and met her unrelenting glare. He could almost hear the bedroom door slamming in his face. She’d retaliate if he left her out of the investigation. He’d win her over eventually, but…
Everything inside him wanted her tucked away somewhere safe. He also didn’t underestimate her value if they did find Devin. The two of them at one time had been friends. Maybe she could get him to admit the truth of what happened between him and Mark.
Bruce kept his eyes on the road and steered the car back onto the main thoroughfare, leading across the bay. “I don’t see an easy solution. One of us will need to stay with Lily if we decide to stash her somewhere. Or perhaps, we might call in and see if Aaron can help. Though, I think he’s been reassigned.”
Sebastian weighed his options, finding himself torn between leaving her behind and taking her with them. “If we take her with us, we run the risk of either the killer or the police finding her.”
Lily tapped him on the shoulder. “I believe I should have a say. After all, it’s my life on the line here.”
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