by Kate Collins
“Don’t think you’ll get away with your lies,” Marie shouted, as the guard tried to escort her away. “Your father made that mistake.” She twisted her wiry arm out of the guard’s grasp only to have the second guard grab her. “Leave me alone!” she shrieked as they escorted her away from the crowd.
Talbot waited until the murmurs died down, then said with a smirk, “Apparently, not everyone is in favor of Sequoia keeping up with the times.”
“You call a granite monstrosity keeping up with the times?” a woman cried. “It will ruin the harbor view and destroy Little Greece.”
“Even your father came to that conclusion,” I called.
“Not true,” Talbot retorted. “My father was as committed to this project as I am.”
“Really?” I called back. “As many will recall, he told everyone at the Greek Merchants’ Association meeting just days before his death that he was canceling it.”
“He was merely trying to pacify them,” Talbot replied confidently. “He had no intention of canceling.”
“Excuse me,” I said, as a newspaperman snapped my photo, “but he signed an agreement that would’ve halted the project.”
“Then where is that agreement?” Talbot retorted.
“He took it back to his office with him to prepare it for filing with the court,” Nancy called. “So why don’t you tell us where that agreement is?”
“I’ve never seen any such agreement.”
“Excuse me again,” I called, “but I also remember hearing that you were so upset by his announcement, you walked out of the meeting. So please tell us again how committed to the project your father was?”
Talbot shielded his eyes again. “Who’s speaking, please?”
The TV news cameraman turned to focus on me.
“Athena Spencer. My father is president of the Greeks’ Merchant Association.” I looked around at the crowd. “Please raise your hands if you were at the meeting when Grayson Talbot Senior announced he would cancel the project.”
Over a dozen hands went up. I saw the cameraman panning to catch them all.
“And how many of you saw him sign a document?”
The same hands went up.
“Does anyone know where the document is?” I asked.
“Like Nancy said,” Barb responded, “Mr. Talbot took it with him.”
I turned back toward Sonny. “Any further comments about the validity of the agreement?”
Talbot ignored me to point to the newspaper reporter. “You had a question?”
“Charlie Bolt from the Sequoian Press,” the reporter called. “Mr. Talbot, are you stating that all these people are mistaken in what they heard and saw, and that your father purposely deceived the GMA?”
“Let’s just say he took the document with him for a reason,” Sonny responded.
“That’s why we need to stick to our resolution to file that court injunction,” Nancy called, and got an immediate round of applause.
“Wait just a minute,” Talbot said, holding up his hands to still the angry buzzing from the audience. “My father was an upstanding citizen of this town—”
“Upstanding?” I called. “He deceived all the shop owners in Little Greece by signing a paper to halt the project, then—”
“—drowned in his own bathtub several days afterward,” a man called over the fading buzz. “That timing was quite a stroke of luck on your part, wasn’t it, Mr. Talbot? Perhaps your father intended to file the document himself, but we’ll never know that, will we?”
The man’s voice seemed to echo as the implications sunk in. A hush fell over the crowd as the TV cameraman swiveled back to Talbot, who slowly lowered his hand from over his eyes. Everyone waited for Talbot’s response, and all I could think of was, Dear God. I know that voice.
As Talbot straightened his cuffs, clearly stalling for time, the onlookers began to whisper among themselves. I raised myself up on my toes again and looked around for Case, but somehow he’d managed to melt into the throng before he was caught on camera—or by the security guards, who were now combing the area looking for him.
“My elderly father died in what can only be labeled a tragic accident,” Talbot answered, trying his best to look and sound bereaved. “But I swear to you that he had no intention of canceling a project that was so near and dear to his heart. And thus, I vow to you today to continue the condominium project in his honor.”
He was roundly booed.
“Were there any witnesses to your father’s death?” the TV newscaster asked.
“We’re getting off topic here,” Talbot said. “Let’s go back to the—”
“Answer the question,” someone shouted from the front.
Sonny closed his eyes and placed his hand over his heart. “He passed alone, sadly, and it grieves me to this day.”
His polished performance made me want to gag.
“Why wasn’t an autopsy performed?” I asked loudly.
Talbot responded, “That’s enough questions about my father’s death. That’s not why I called a news conference.”
“Are you afraid to answer Miss Spencer’s question?” Nancy called.
After a hasty conference with his attorneys, Sonny said, “I’ve been advised to say nothing further on the subject of my father.”
“Sounds to me like you’re afraid to answer her in front of the cameras,” came a man’s voice.
I froze. It was Case again. I, along with everyone else, turned to look, but he had vanished.
“I came here to talk about the condominium project,” Talbot snapped, clearly angry. “Nothing else.”
“You said on live TV that you would address Harry Pepper’s murder today,” another familiar voice called. As all heads swiveled in the speaker’s direction, I glanced around and saw Dad standing two rows behind me. He’d come after all.
Talbot held his hands to his eyes. “The newspaper gave his death full coverage. I don’t see the need to discuss it further.”
“They didn’t cover everything,” Dad called, as the TV news camera rolled. “How is it that someone gained access to the mansion without setting off any security alarms?”
“We had a power outage that night, sir,” one of the attorneys answered.
“A big mansion like that with no backup generator for the security system?” Dad shook his head. “Hard to swallow.”
“It wasn’t my decision to make,” Sonny replied. “It wasn’t my home at the time.”
“Well, it sure is now,” Dad said, and got some snickers from the audience. “You held that estate auction before his body was even cold in the ground.”
There was a whispered conversation among Sonny and his aides, then one of the lawyers stepped up to the microphone. “This conference is over.”
As people began shouting questions, I heard a voice in my ear say quietly, “Miss Spencer, Mr. Talbot would like to see you after the press conference.”
I turned to see who it was and saw a man in a black suit walking away, holding a cell phone to his ear. At the same time, Sonny, surrounded by his henchmen, disappeared into the building.
Dad immediately began making his way toward me. I glanced to my right and saw Case doing the same thing.
Help.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“A thena, there you are!”
It was Dad who reached me first. Case saw him and veered away, almost bumping into one of the security guards.
“What a press conference,” Dad said, shaking his head in disgust. “Then again, I don’t know why I expected anything different.”
Keeping my eye on the security guard who was now giving Case a long, hard look, I muttered, “Yep. That sure was a disappointment.” I felt my shoulders tighten as I watched Case speak to the guard, but the man merely nodded and went on his way.
“Thenie?” Dad snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said. Where’d you go?”
“Sonny wants to see me. I’ll be right back.”<
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I hustled around the retreating crowd up to the door of the building, where two guards now stood blocking the entrance. “My name is Athena Spencer. I was told to see Mr. Talbot after the press conference.”
One of the guards placed a call on his cell phone, then said, “Okay, step inside.”
I walked into a lobby of gray and white marble floors, gray walls, and crystal sconces and chandeliers. Sonny was huddled with his attorneys near a set of white double doors but looked up as I approached. He whispered something to his team, then walked over to me. “I didn’t appreciate your questions about my father’s death.”
“I didn’t appreciate your dodging the questions, either. It makes me wonder why. I also have questions about why you’re going against your father’s wishes about the condo project when you’re quite aware that he signed an agreement to cancel it.”
“Unfortunately, the document seems to be missing,” Sonny said, “and the only two people who would know where it is are both gone. Now,” he said, as his cell phone dinged, “I’ve got business to handle, Miss Spencer. I don’t have time to discuss that issue with you.”
“I’ll bet you’ll make time if I start talking to the press about the lack of an autopsy.”
At that both of his lawyers bent in for a whispered conference. Obviously, they thought it was worth his time to talk to me because after their conference, Sonny sighed sharply. “Fine. If you want to meet with me, it’ll have to be tomorrow.”
“That works for me.”
The second those words were out of my mouth I wished I could take them back. What was I thinking meeting with Sonny alone?
Wait. I had a partner now. My shoulders sagged in relief. All I had to do was figure out a reason for Case, or rather my cousin Dimitrius, to be there with me.
“I don’t work at the corporate offices on the weekend,” Sonny said, “so I’ll see you at my home office at ten a.m. tomorrow morning.”
I made a show of checking the calendar on my phone. “Okay,” I said, trying to keep a cool expression. “I can do that.” We shook hands and then I walked out.
It had been just that easy. But would it be that easy to get the truth from him?
I could hear my dad saying, Keep your eyes on the prize, Athena. It’s all about justice.
* * *
Dad was talking to Barb when I got back. “How’d it go?” she asked.
“I’ve got a meeting with Sonny tomorrow at ten o’clock.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Dad asked.
“I think it’d be best if I went alone. He made it clear he wasn’t in favor of meeting with me, but after I threatened to talk to reporters about the lack of an autopsy, his lawyers pressed him to do it. Remember, I’ve handled interviews before. I’m not a novice.”
“You are when it comes to the Talbots,” Dad said.
Didn’t I know that. But neither did I want to admit that I had a backup: Case.
“Sonny Talbot puts his pants on one leg at a time, Pops,” I said. “That’s what you always used to say about bullies.”
“You’ll do fine,” Barb said.
Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Case trying to signal something to me. He was standing next to the TV news van parked at the edge of the plaza, well away from the crowd. He pointed to his watch, held up six fingers, then three, then made a zero, followed by a wavelike motion. I tipped my head slightly to indicate I understood. Meet him at the boat at six thirty.
I realized suddenly that my father was waiting for me to answer a question that I hadn’t heard. I felt a blush sting my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Pops. I missed what you said. My mind was somewhere else.”
“It wouldn’t have been on that good-looking man over there waving at you, would it?”
We both swiveled for a look but thankfully Case had slipped away. “What man?” I asked.
Turning back to me, he said, “Isn’t that odd. He’s gone now, and here I was hoping you’d introduce me to meet the brave soul who questioned Talbot’s drowning.” Dad tilted his head and looked over his glasses in playful skepticism. “You sure you didn’t see who the man was?”
“Sorry. I was all the way up front. Couldn’t see a thing.” I could feel my voice starting to get tight and squeaky again, a dead giveaway that I was lying, so I decided to change the subject. “But I did get the crowd all riled up, didn’t I?”
Dad put his arm around my shoulders and gave me an affectionate squeeze. “Yes, you did. You got Sonny riled up, too. That was quick thinking on your part, Thenie. I’m proud of you. I’ll bet it’ll make the ten o’clock news.”
“Good. I want as much attention on the subject as possible.” I glanced at my watch. If I didn’t leave soon, there’d be no way I’d make it to the boat by six thirty and, without Case having a cell phone, I’d have no way to let him know I was going to be late. I had to get him a phone today, something untraceable, and there was only one place I knew that sold them. So back to the discount store I needed to go.
Tucking my arm through my father’s I said, “Where are you parked?”
“The employees’ lot.”
“Me too. I’ll walk back with you.”
As we started off around the building I asked, “Pops, what do you think Marie Odem knows? She seemed pretty adamant about having some kind of information.”
“It sounds to me like one or both of the Talbots cut a deal with her to spare her building, then pulled the rug out from under her. Maybe she was promised her building would be safe if she didn’t join in the fight against his project.”
“You know what struck me as odd? When Marie said, ‘Don’t think you’ll get away with this. Your father made that mistake.’ That sounded like a threat to me.”
“Are you suggesting Marie Odem is a suspect?” Dad asked as we stopped by my SUV. “Somehow I don’t see her as the murdering type.”
“But think about it, Pops. Remember those TV shows we used to watch? It was always about means, motive, and opportunity. From what Marie said today, we can guess she had a motive, and she knew the layout of the mansion, so she would’ve had the opportunity. All she’d need is the means to carry it off.”
“Let’s not forget the man who was caught on the security cameras. We don’t know whether he’s tied to Talbot Senior’s death, but we do know he had the means and opportunity to kill Harry. Whether he had a motive remains to be seen.”
I knew what Case’s motive would’ve been—to find the statue’s papers—but I couldn’t share that with my father. Could I imagine the Case I’d come to know killing Harry over them? I didn’t want to think about it.
“I’ve got to run to the grocery store, Pops. I promised Nicholas his favorite treat tonight.”
I hated missing dinner with my son because of our late Friday hours, but luckily, he had my family to eat with and he loved my sisters, who coddled him no end.
“Then I’ll see you back at the garden center,” Dad said.
As I climbed into my SUV, I pondered my father’s words and came to one conclusion: Marie Odem was definitely worth investigating.
After a quick stop at the discount store to pick up a disposable phone, a pair of brown canvas deck shoes for Case, and a Ghirardelli dark chocolate bar for Nicholas, I drove back to town, parked in the public parking lot close to the garden center instead of at the harbor so no one would see my SUV near the boat, and put on the hooded sweatshirt I now kept in my vehicle. Then I set out for the three-block walk to the harbor.
It was a warm spring evening, and everyone was taking advantage of it. I couldn’t help but feel a little rushed as I walked along the sidewalk incognito, passing shops and tourists, getting the odd glance now and then. I must have looked slightly out of place wearing a thick sweatshirt with the hood up over my head, partially covering my face, but it was better than being spotted by a nosy shop owner, or worse, a member of my family.
As I drew near the dock, I noticed a police car parked alongside the curb and
then saw two policemen talking to a man in a boat docked at pier one. I recognized the first cop, Bob Maguire, by his beanpole body, freckled face, and stubbly orange hair, and his partner, Officer Gomez, by his short, sturdy body and dark olive skin. For a moment I thought there’d been some sort of mishap, but then I saw them show the man a flyer and I knew at once they were looking for Case.
My heart began to race. If the police were going boat to boat, would Case’s new haircut, clothing, and fake tan be enough to fool them? Trying to tamp down my rising fear, I pulled my hood down farther and steadied my stride so as not to attract attention. At the far end I turned onto pier three and hurried out to the last slip where the Páme was docked.
I glanced back to see what the cops were doing but the other boats blocked my view. Crossing the gangway, I jumped down into the boat, hurried past the seating area on the upper deck, and slipped through the cabin door, locking it behind me.
I scuttled down the short flight of steps calling, “Case, it’s me. We’ve got trouble.”
There was no answer. I called his name again and still heard nothing. Quickly, I took my purse out of the bag, tossed it onto the vinyl sofa, then tucked the shopping bag with his shoes and disposable phone into the utility closet near the door. I pulled my sweatshirt over my head and stuffed it down into the bag to cover the phone, then, looking around the cabin to make sure there was nothing else to hide, I slid my cell phone into my back pocket and made my way toward the bow.
Before I could get there, heavy fists pounded on the cabin door. “Police! Open up.”
I backed against the wall, my heart slamming against my ribs. They had just been at the first pier. Why were they here so soon?
I decided not to answer, hoping they’d think no one was home. After a moment I started silently toward the bow once again only to hear, “We know you’re inside. Open up or we’ll have to smash the door down.”
“Okay, just a minute,” I called, trying to gather my wits. I’d heard nothing from Case and hadn’t seen any signs of his presence, so he must have seen the police and headed away from the harbor.