Kelsey took a deep breath, picked up the heavy carrier, and hurried along the concrete walkway leading to her loft above MG Interiors. The sturdy wooden outside stairway seemed twice as long and steep as it had two weeks ago. She knew that meant she was tired. She was beyond tired. She felt drained, emotionally and physically, and every step she took was an effort.
Kelsey set down the cat carrier on the wide platform at the top of the stairs. She unlocked the black steel security door, pushed it open and stepped into the loft she’d designed with care. Everything looked the same. White oak flooring extended the length of the living room. Floor-to-ceiling corner windows let in a blaze of light at the east end of the loft. A contemporary navy blue suede sectional couch sprinkled with large russet and yellow pillows sat across from the white-painted brick wall bearing a mirror-fronted flat-screen television above a linear gas fireplace. The wall at the far end of the living room was covered by bookshelves, with extra height between the shelves, loaded with books that were well-read and not just for show. Like her mother, Kelsey collected books – as many first editions as possible – and she cherished them just as her mother had done.
She looked at the white leather recliner and flashed back to the day she and Lorelei had returned from hours of shopping. Her sister had kicked off her high-heeled shoes and sunk into the padded chair as she put her slender, graceful feet on the ottoman and wiggled her expensively manicured toes. ‘Oh, I could stay right here all night!’ She’d sighed. ‘Then let’s do that,’ Kelsey had answered. ‘I have some DVDs of great movies I know you haven’t seen.’ ‘No,’ Lori had replied. ‘We’re on a roll. Let’s go to that place you like so much. Conway’s Tavern? That’s it, isn’t it?’ Suddenly Lorelei had abandoned the chair and reached for her stylish high-heeled shoes. ‘I want to go now. I have a feeling that I’m supposed to go to Conway’s tonight.’ Kelsey had laughed, asking, ‘Are you psychic now, Lori? Are you tapping into the cosmic will?’ Lorelei had giggled. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kelsey. I just know what I know. It’s Conway’s. I’m meant to be there. I feel it. After all, who knows what tonight will bring?’
Death, Kelsey thought. Death for her sister, who was too beautiful and too naive for this world. Death for Lorelei at the hands of an empty-eyed man with a history of hurting women and a recent windfall of money.
Kelsey’s stomach tightened. She closed her eyes and shook her head as if she could cast out the memory. Gatsby, who rarely made a sound, meowed loudly in his carrier, his patience at an end.
‘I’m sorry, Gats,’ she said, setting down the carrier and unlatching its door. ‘You’re home now, boy.’
The big tabby cat emerged from the carrier and shook himself. He slowly extended his paws and stretched them, separating the toes on each paw. Then he looked around as if assuring himself that he was truly back in the loft where he’d lived for the last five months. Kelsey watched as he eyed the bookcase, then sauntered to the sliding ladder attached to the ceiling-high bookcase. He climbed the steps leading to the place on the fifth shelf where his favorite space lay in the midst of large hardback books. He stepped off the ladder on to his special cushion, nestled between Moby Dick and Anna Karenina. After circling it twice, sniffing furiously to make certain no other cat had invaded his space, he settled down and began purring loudly as he gave himself a slow, ecstatic wash.
Kelsey went back to her car and retrieved her suitcase. She carried it to her bedroom and dumped the contents on her bed. It contained only the clothes Eve had packed when she brought the suitcase to the hospital after Lori’s death. Kelsey tossed most of the clothes into two heaps, some to be washed – and some to be thrown away because she couldn’t bear to look at them again, much less wear them.
Finally she went into her open kitchen with its black cabinets, white marble countertops, stainless-steel appliances and white stone-slab backsplash. She opened the gleaming refrigerator. It had been full of fresh food for Lori’s visit. Eve had disposed of most of it, which would have spoiled by now. The refrigerator was nearly empty. She gratefully discovered a loaf of wheat bread in the freezer, put two slices in the toaster, found peanut butter and jelly and made a thick sandwich. She’d eaten very little during the past week, and the sandwich tasted unbelievably good.
No one had been aware that she’d returned to her loft, so after she’d finished her food she called downstairs to the store and told Stuart she was back. He asked what he could do to help her, and she said she was fine and ready to return to work tomorrow. He assured her that they could make it through another day without her, but she was determined. She knew the only thing that could save her now was work. She needed to immerse herself in interior design. She was good at that, she thought. Lately she had not been so good at life, but she had to keep trying to be strong and stable. She couldn’t crumble. As she’d realized this last week, her father would never recover if his second daughter fell apart. For his sake, she wouldn’t let that happen, no matter what came her way.
At ten o’clock she curled up on the couch with a bowl of microwave popcorn and tried to watch television, but she couldn’t concentrate. She kept thinking about how anxious Olivia had been when she apologized for Brad’s absence at Pieter Vaden’s funeral. ‘He’s sick. He says it’s the flu, but I think it’s exhaustion. I’m worried about him, Truman. That law firm is working him to death.’ She’d gazed at Truman with distressed green eyes.
Kelsey’s father, cool and distant because of his tranquilizer, had looked at Olivia emptily. ‘He’s young. He’ll be fine,’ he’d said tonelessly.
Olivia persisted dramatically. ‘Truman, Bradley’s not well, I tell you. He’s working too hard.’
‘Well, what do you want me to do about it?’ Truman had snapped. Olivia looked as if he’d hit her.
‘I just thought you could speak to one of the partners at the firm,’ she’d gone on meekly. ‘John Reid is a senior partner. He’s your lawyer. He’s your friend and has influence at the firm.’
‘Now isn’t the time to talk about this,’ Kelsey had said in a hard voice. ‘This is my grandfather’s funeral, in case you’ve forgotten. No one except you is thinking about Bradley today.’
But that wasn’t quite true. Throughout the service she’d thought of Brad at Lorelei’s funeral reception. She remembered him looking at Lori’s Palomino before his gaze turned venomous and he announced that his stepfather had had his sick horse put down without getting it adequate medical care. He’d sounded young and wounded, and bitter with a long-nurtured fury. He’d even seemed resentful of the March horses, who received the best medical care possible.
And what about Declan Adair, the man who had passed himself off as Cole Harrington at Lori’s funeral? Pike said he was a private detective – a man with a reputation for being an exceptional PI. A man whom even Pike hadn’t been able to find in Louisville. A man who’d stood eating apple pie and staring at the barn, admiring it and the horses. A man who’d made her heart skip a beat under his intense gaze. Why had he been so interested? Could he have come back that night with a can of kerosene? She couldn’t imagine why he’d do such a thing, but then she didn’t know him at all. He could be capable of anything.
Or did the barn burning have something to do with Pieter telling Olivia he knew she was pursuing Truman? He’d said Olivia hated him for it. Could she possibly have set the barn on fire? Could she have set Pieter on fire? Now she sat going over it all again while the television rattled on, unwatched. She closed her eyes. ‘Don’t think about this now,’ she said aloud. ‘You have to get some sleep. You have to go back to work tomorrow.’
Kelsey shuddered. She hadn’t been able to shake off the chill that had gripped her after she watched her grandfather burn to death. Although it was a warm night, she was wearing a long, heavy black velour robe over her satin nightshirt. She’d left the rabbit slippers at her father’s house, and now had on the elegant black and gold suede slippers that Lori had given her for Christmas. Lorelei �
��
A tear ran down her face and she looked at Gatsby sleeping peacefully on his cushion. If only she could be so tranquil—
Suddenly, Gatsby raised his head, tensed, and then leaped from his spot on the bookshelf. He hit the floor with a thump and ran to the floor-to-ceiling corner windows, one of which Kelsey had left slightly open. He nosed his way underneath the translucent pleated blind on the window facing the alley and the walkway between the garage and the stairs. He raised himself up on his hind legs and put his front paws on the window, then stood motionless, staring.
Kelsey had never seen Gatsby move so quickly or show much interest in the view from the corner windows. His behavior unnerved her, and she sat frozen on the couch. Finally she glanced at the wall clock and realized Gatsby had stood vigil for three minutes. It was now 11:05. She got up and approached the window. A nearby floor lamp with an opal shade put out muted light. Kelsey pushed aside the semi-transparent blind a couple of inches and peered down. In spite of the light coming from the wall sconce mounted outside her door, all she saw was the outline of a man. He wore a hoodie with the hood raised. His head was turned away from her window – she couldn’t see his face – but he stood casually at the edge of the alley, his hands in his pockets. The image of Vernon Nott standing innocently on the sidewalk in dim light before pulling a gun and shooting Lorelei seared through Kelsey’s mind. This man looked just as harmless as Nott. At least from this angle he did.
Kelsey’s heart pounded and she went cold to her bones, but she couldn’t pull away from the window. She longed to slam it shut, but didn’t want to make any noise. Besides, it would take at least a twenty-foot ladder to reach the corner windows. The sturdy front door was locked and bolted. No one could get in unless she let them in, and she wasn’t going to open the door for anyone at this hour – not even Pike.
Suddenly, an idea gripped Kelsey. Wasn’t the man’s build and stance familiar? Could it be …
‘Brad,’ she called softly. Then loudly, ‘Brad? Is that you?’
The man stiffened. She thought he would look up. Instead, he kept his head tilted downward. After a few seconds, he pulled something from his pocket and a small, bright light flared in the darkness. Kelsey flinched, thinking of the barn fire. Then she realized it was a lighter. He was just lighting a cigarette. Mesmerized, for nearly four minutes she watched the glowing cigarette end rise up and down. Finally, the man dropped the cigarette and ground it with his shoe. At last, he turned, still not lifting his head, and began walking slowly down the alley past Kelsey’s garage and into the shadows.
She thought he was singing.
NINE
Kelsey leaned back in her pale blue swivel desk chair, looked at the ceiling and thought about brushing up on her handgun skills. Four years ago, her mother had been worried when Kelsey had taken a gun-safety course and upset when she’d proved herself a good marksman, applied for a concealed weapon license, and bought a Glock 26. Her license hadn’t expired. Her Glock lay safely in a fingerprint safety box kept in the second drawer of her mirrored bedside table. And if there was ever a time when she felt the need of protection more dangerous than the pepper spray she usually carried …
‘Kelsey, am I bothering you?’
Kelsey sat up straight and looked at Eve. ‘Not at all.’
‘You looked lost in thought. Coming up with new inspirations for the Sanderson job?’
‘I’d forgotten the Sanderson job exists. I have to get my mind back on business.’ Kelsey smiled. ‘Come in and sit down. Want some coffee? I just made a pot of hazelnut coffee. I know it’s one of your favorites.’
Eve grinned. ‘I smelled it as I came down the hall.’
As Eve came in, shut the door and sat down, Kelsey fixed a mug of coffee the way Eve liked it. ‘I’m not on a par with Olivia as a hostess, but at least I know you like cream in your coffee.’
Eve laughed. ‘She’s so proud of what she considers her refined manners, when really she’s one of the rudest people I’ve ever met.’
‘She wasn’t rude at Grandfather’s funeral.’ Kelsey handed Eve the coffee mug. ‘She just seemed desperate. Did you notice?’
‘How could I help but notice?’ Eve had attended the funeral with Stuart. ‘No one was upset that Brad didn’t attend the funeral, but she kept going on about him suffering exhaustion from working too hard.’
‘I know.’ Kelsey sat down with her own mug of fresh coffee. It was her fifth since she’d awakened feeling heavy and blurry because of the sleeping pill she’d taken when she was still wide awake at 1:00 a.m. ‘She’s always been so concerned about Brad. Not about his welfare but about advancing him. He’s very good-looking – she got lucky on that count. But Brad’s neither brilliant nor ambitious. Olivia and Milton chose his career. It was their way or else he was on his own, and Brad’s attachment to Olivia isn’t what I’d call normal. He resents her but he’d crumble without her.’ Kelsey took a sip of coffee. ‘Milton used his influence to get Brad into John Reid’s law firm, but Brad hates practicing law. He’s also not very good at it. He isn’t going anywhere in the firm. In fact, I think he’s on the verge of being fired.’
‘Are you sure he hasn’t been fired already?’
‘No,’ Kelsey said thoughtfully. ‘I’m not certain, though I wouldn’t be surprised. He had a reason for lying about being in The Silver Dollar with a woman the night Lori was murdered. I’ve thought about it. You said his date looked about eighteen and was tall with almost waist-length black hair. That sounds like John Reid’s daughter, Megan.’
‘It was his daughter,’ Eve said quietly. ‘I saw her with her parents at Lorelei’s funeral. She was dressed and acted much more subdued than at The Silver Dollar, but she was still unmistakable. I noticed that she and Brad made a point of not looking at each other.’
Kelsey slowly shook her head. ‘If Brad has gotten involved with her, he’s making a huge mistake. John is a senior partner in the law firm. I know he isn’t happy with Brad’s work. He’s also extremely protective of Megan. She’s barely eighteen. If he found out Brad was seeing her – taking her places and getting her drunk – he would be furious. It could be why Brad lied, claiming that on the night Lori was killed he was home watching TV all evening. After all, he didn’t need an alibi. There was no doubt that Vernon Nott shot Lori, and no real proof that he was hired – at least not yet. Anyway, if Brad is seeing Megan, it could be the end for him at the firm.’
‘That makes sense,’ Eve said quietly. ‘I almost feel sorry for Brad. Almost.’ Eve looked at Kelsey closely and frowned. ‘I know you’re devastated about your sister and grandfather, but I get the feeling something else is wrong. You’re so pale, Kelsey. Your hands are trembling. Even your right eyelid is twitching.’
‘The hands? The eye? Too much caffeine.’
Eve continued frowning.
‘Oh, all right. Something odd happened last night.’
Kelsey told Eve about the man who’d stood beside the store last night – the man whose face she never saw. When she finished, Eve burst out, ‘You call that odd? I’d call it damned scary.’
‘It was. And I think it may have been Brad. He smoked a whole cigarette without ever looking up, but he knew I was there, watching him, getting frightened. I could feel it.’ Kelsey paused, then said hesitantly, ‘I think he was singing as he walked away. It was so odd, and … well … scary. Something’s not right with Brad.’
Eve blinked at her. ‘Singing?’
Kelsey nodded.
‘What was he singing?’
‘Well, it sounded like “Gimme Shelter.” You know, by the Rolling Stones.’
‘Oh!’ Eve’s lips parted. ‘Does Brad like that song?’
‘He likes the Rolling Stones.’
Eve stared. ‘Did you take the sleeping pill before you saw him?’
‘Almost two hours afterward.’
‘Could you have dreamed it?’
‘I don’t remember dreaming about Brad or any man, much less one tr
ying to frighten me.’
Eve took a deep breath. ‘Kelsey, you should tell Detective Pike about the man and how he stood for so long without looking up.’
Kelsey nodded.
‘And … well, about the singing, too.’
‘Eve, you should have seen your face when I said he was singing “Gimme Shelter.” I know it sounds crazy, but Brad has been acting crazy. Think about only a few weeks ago when he told Stuart he’d picked you – the good one, the kind one, and that if he wanted to keep you safe he should take you away from Louisville. He’s gone beyond just acting like the hurt, spurned lover. He’s acting … well … creepy. Unpredictable … Still, I’d hate to set the police on Brad if it wasn’t him last night. And I can’t bear to think he might be behind anything more sinister …’
‘I understand.’ Eve looked at her earnestly. ‘But two people have been murdered in your family in the last couple of weeks. You need to constantly think about it for your own protection. You also need to tell Pike everything, even if you believe it sounds silly. He’s a good man, Kelsey, and he’s a smart man who respects you. Tell him. Please.’
Kelsey sighed. ‘I promise to call him today.’
At two o’clock, Kelsey walked through the doors of Conway’s Tavern, trying desperately not to think about the last time she’d come to the bar, with Lorelei. A few people sat at tables eating sandwiches. A couple of them looked at Kelsey and stopped eating in favor of staring. Now she was recognized just as Lorelei had been everywhere she went. Self-conscious, Kelsey hurried toward the booths across from the bar, purposely not picking the one where she and Lori had sat that awful night less than two weeks ago.
She was surprised when Janet O’Rourke appeared at the booth holding a menu. ‘Hi, Miss March,’ she said in her soft voice. ‘It’s so nice to see you.’
‘Nice to see you too, Janet. I didn’t know you worked the early shift.’
‘We were closed for a few days after …’ Janet’s face colored. ‘Well, the incident. Still, I missed some shifts when we reopened. I wanted to make up for them.’
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