Whispers of Danger and Love

by Janis Lane

  “Do you think he just sat down underneath the tree like Rip Van Winkle and went to sleep never to wake up?” Jane was obviously still mulling over the incident.

  “He went to sleep, all right. He had a couple of holes in his forehead. Someone shot him.” Cheryl tried to suppress the memory.

  “He was murdered! You didn’t tell me he was murdered. Oh, my. I can’t believe we found a murdered man. Did you tell David about that?” She wrung her hands in excitement.

  “Yes, he knew. The uniform cops radioed him. He’s one of the detectives who will work on the case, probably. You want to go to lunch at my parents’ house? I could use some petting. How about you?”

  Jane nodded enthusiastically. She knew the Esterbrooks would feed them well.

  “This day is turning out to be a big surprise all around, isn’t it?” Jane asked. “First, we find a dead man, then we find out he’s murdered, then we get to have a special lunch with your parents. Wonder what the rest of the day will be like,” Jane said, giggling, only slightly hysterically.

  “Did I tell you that I met the policeman who dragged you out of the old garden the other night? He asked about you. Nice-looking fellow.” Cheryl glanced sideways and saw Jane’s jaw drop.

  “No, really, Cheryl? The big fellow? He kept apologizing for holding his hand over my mouth. Smelled like mint chocolate. He asked about me? What was his name?”

  “Malcolm. I don’t know the rest. He plays volleyball with David, one of those noisy ones that come over. David invited them to meet me. They all apologized for the poor lily that was smashed.”

  “He was cute. Do you suppose?” Jane subsided into thoughtful silence, which was Cheryl’s intent. She didn’t want to answer any more questions about the dead man.

  Cheryl intended to quiz her parents about the Malone’s, but she kept quiet on that subject for now. No sense in alarming Jane more than she had to. Life was complicated enough as it was.

  The Esterbrooks were just going out to the Country Club for lunch and insisted that Cheryl and Jane join them. Cheryl forgot how dependent they were on the dining room at their club. Just what they wanted to chat about over an elegant lunch. Who killed a man and dumped him on the Malone’s property? No, that wasn’t it. How did it happen that they’d recommended the Malone’s to Cheryl in the first place and had they any knowledge of their background?

  Jane preempted her, of course. “You won’t believe what happened to us this morning,” she rattled off in a too loud voice. Cheryl tried to poke her underneath the table, but to no avail. “Oh, sorry.” Jane smiled at Cheryl and scooted her chair over a bit.

  “We went over to look at that backyard acreage . . . ouch!” She turned a wounded face to Cheryl. “Oh, okay. You wanted to tell your parents, didn’t you? I’ll keep quiet. See, I’m zipping my lips. I won’t say a word about what you found under the tree.”

  “Too late. The beans are spilled. Tell all, daughter,” her father ordered.

  Her mother’s eyes crinkled with worry while guilt raced through Cheryl’s stomach. She hated upsetting her mother.

  “What happened?” her mother asked. “I worry about you off by yourself. You had Jane with you, though. Still, I just don’t know why you didn’t take over your father’s office. You got that business degree.” She rearranged the silverware beside her plate so that it was perfectly aligned. “It was so right for you.”

  “Nothing exactly happened to me,” Cher explained. “I did want to ask you why you recommended me to the Malone’s. How well do you know them?” She had their attention now, and both focused on her with intent gazes. Her parents weren’t slow turtles. They read between the lines just fine.

  “Not very well. We met them about a month ago here at the Club. Seemed a nice enough young couple. He’s in finance so I understand. Sounded similar to what my old office dealt in. The company he’s affiliated with is respectable, or at least used to be. I’m retired for five years now. Things change. Why do you ask, honey? Did you lose money with them?”

  Before Cheryl could reply, her mother rushed to say, “We recommended them to you for your business. We didn’t mean for you to be forced to work for them. They talked about a big project. We thought it might give your little business a boost. Did it turn out wrong?” She clasped her hands together.

  Her mom’s emotions were right out there for the world to see. Her dad was different. He had a pleasant expression turned to the world, but one never knew exactly what he was thinking. He was a ‘can do’ kind of fellow though. If she had a real problem, she wouldn’t hesitate to ask for his counsel. Usually he was very tactful.

  “It’s kind of a long story,” Cheryl hedged. “Can we order first? I’m starving and I’m sure Jane is too.

  Everyone agreed, and her dad called for the waiter.

  “Unless you want to just eat from the buffet. Alaska salmon is the special.”

  Cheryl couldn’t fathom eating fish of any kind today. In fact, she wasn’t sure she could eat anything at all. “I think one of your wonderful hamburgers with sweet-potato fries would suit me just fine,” she said.

  “It really had nothing to do with me, Dad. I was walking the property and spotted this half-grown oak tree, a lovely specimen. I headed over that way—it sat right on the property line, I think. I wanted to be sure I could save it from the bulldozers.”

  “Cheryl! Hello! What are you doing here? I thought you had left us and gone to join ‘the real work force.’ Tired of it already?” She laughed like the hyena she was.

  “Hello, Alexia. It’s been a long time. How are you?” Cheryl hoped she had inherited some of her father’s ability to keep his feelings to himself. Alexia Williams was a high school acquaintance of hers who grew up to be the town crier. She married a geek who kept her in sports cars but seemed to look straight through her whenever they were out together. Cheryl wondered if he even remembered her name.

  “I’m just having a quiet lunch with my parents, Alexia. You know how it is. Privacy is hard to come by.” Did you have to be hit over the head with a two-by-four? Go away, Alexia, Cheryl muttered in her thoughts. Finally the unwanted interruption left.

  “Anyway, Dad and Mom, long story short, I found a body behind the tree that sat on the property line. I can’t say for sure, but it looked like he’d been shot. I confess I’m a bit shook up about it.”

  They both exclaimed with horror.

  “Did you call the police?”

  “What did the police say?”

  “Who was it?”

  “Did you talk to David Larkin?” her father asked and looked relieved when she nodded yes.

  “He came over while we were waiting for the police. He’ll probably be on the team that does the investigation.”

  “You don’t think the Malones had anything to do with this corpse, do you?” her father asked. “They seemed totally innocuous when we chatted with them. I’ll see what I can find out and call you.”

  “Fair enough. I have work to do when it stops raining.

  “This is that total remake you’re doing for Sam Toledo up on the hill, right?” her dad asked. “What did David say about you working up there?”

  Cheryl gave him a startled look. “Why should David have anything to say about where I work? Jeepers, Dad. You men think you have the say so over us women. I just got out of a relationship where a man thought he had the right to dictate my every move. You are my father and I respect your opinions, but I’m an adult. As for David . . .”

  “Well, look who’s here. How are you, Mr. and Mrs. Esterbrook? And Jane. Haven’t seen you in ages.” Without even glancing at Cheryl’s father for permission to join them, Gordon pulled a chair from another table and settled, crowding between her and Jane.

  Cheryl remembered belatedly why she disliked dining at the Country Club.

&nb
sp; “Don’t you think you should have waited to be invited to join our table, Gordon?” Cheryl asked as she looked at her watch and then caught Jane’s eye. It was time for them to leave.

  Reading the message correctly this time, Jane gathered her purse and murmured her thanks to Cheryl’s parents.

  “Ha-ha. As if I was a stranger to the family when you know how close we all are. Right, Mrs. Esterbrook?” He looked to her mother for confirmation, but frowned slightly when she remained silent.

  “How is retirement, Mr. Esterbrook? Getting any reading done? I’ll bet you’re enjoying those lazy days of doing nothing.”

  Her father remained silent as well, and Gordon floundered.

  As Cheryl stood and reached for her purse, Gordon jumped up and held her chair for her. She pointedly ignored him and leaned over to kiss her mother’s cheek. “I’ll see you later, Mom.”

  “Call me on that research topic, will you, Dad? I’ll wait to decide about the new project until I hear from you.” Cheryl kissed his cheek then called for her car. Jane and she stood outside waiting for the valet service.

  Gordon, who had followed them from the dining room, persistently tried to engage her in conversation.

  “I’ve postponed that business trip until you are free to join me, Cheryl. I know how you love visiting San Francisco.” He gave a hearty laugh as if he had said something witty.

  Cheryl ignored him totally, while Jane nervously rubbed her eyes.

  Relieved when her car was brought around, Cheryl slid behind the wheel while Jane popped in from the other side. Gordon kept a smile on his face.

  “He loves you still, Cher,” Jane said. “Are you sure you made the right decision. Perhaps you just had a lover’s spat and . . . My God, he’s a doctor, for goodness’ sake! How many chances are you going to get?”

  “No. You’re wrong, Jane. He never loved me.” Cheryl shook her head. “I don’t want to talk it. Please. I just wish he would accept that our relationship is dead and buried. Darn. Wish I’d found another word to describe it. Dead isn’t my favorite word these days.”

  “What did David say about the poor man with the holes in his head? Did he say it was a murder?” Jane persisted.

  “He really didn’t say much at all about it, really. He did promise me details tonight. I can’t believe we were the ones to find that man. I only wanted a closer look at the young oak. What did the Malones say when you spoke with them?”

  “She didn’t seem so upset, but she had no idea it was a murder. They just told her there was a corpse up there and to stay in her house until the police tended to it.” Jane turned to her and spoke urgently. “Cheryl, do you think they killed that poor man?”

  “No. Emphatically not. I just wanted to know what my father knew about their background. I don’t want to take the job if there’s anything shady about them. Let’s think of more pleasant subjects for the rest of the day, shall we? Surely we can think of something.”

  “Well, how about how good-looking your next-door neighbor is, and when do you think he will have another volleyball game?” Jane tried for an innocent face but failed.

  Chapter 10

  The rains had started again. Cheryl peered out the window at the threatening clouds that evening and turned to check the weather forecast on TV. She would be seriously behind if this kept up. She was in the process of warming a fragrant pot of vegetable soup. It felt right for this rainy, chilly evening. She reached for her cell phone and dialed Larkin’s number.

  “You wanna come over for dinner? I made soup and biscuits.” She laughed at the enthusiastic response and heard the back door opening almost before she put the phone down.

  “I was already on my way over. I swear I was gonna invite you out to dinner, but this is a much better idea. Ummm. Smells wonderful.” He reached for the spoon and dipped out a large portion. He blew, trying to cool it, but then impatiently sipped at the broth.

  Swear words floated around the kitchen as he hopped up and down and grabbed for a glass of water.

  “You just couldn’t wait. Ole instant gratification David. I remember you,” she said as she helped him to an ice cube.

  “I twied to waith, but it thmelled so gooth,” he said around the washcloth he had wrapped around the ice cube. “I’th all your fauld. Ou thouldn’t oth made it so good.” He frowned at her.

  “Oh sure. Shift the blame to someone else for your own actions. I remember that one too.” She smiled as she teased him, but was halfway serious. David sharpened his gaze.

  “You’re still mad at me about that plant, sweetkins? I am sorry. I said I was sorry and I tried.” He walked toward her but she backed away.

  “No, that’s not it, David. Forget it. I’ve had a rough day and I’m tired.”

  “I know, Cher. I’m sorry you had to see that. You want to talk about it now?”

  “Let’s have some soup first. The biscuits are just about ready. Sit down, and I’ll get us something to drink. You still okay with milk?”

  He grinned and grabbed a chair. “You remember that, do you? I’m a growing boy. Love my milk.”

  She served steaming bowls of chunky vegetable soup stocked with left over pot roast. Hot biscuits were ready. She joined him at the table and then popped up almost immediately.

  “Forgot the butter. You want jam with the biscuits too?” Knowing his answer, she sat a jar of homemade strawberry jam on the table and then collapsed into her chair.

  “I’m almost too tired to eat,” she said but sipped the rich broth spoonful by spoonful. Delicious, if she said so herself.

  “Your tongue too painful?” She watched David dig into the warm biscuits, as he slathered them with strawberry jam then licked his fingers. She squirmed and turned her head away.

  “Nope. Just being cautious. Thought I’d give it a little more time to cool.” He looked up and caught her eye.

  She could feel her face turning red, and she glared at him wordlessly, as a grin left his entire face covered with delight at her predicament. Of course, it would. Plant killer and womanizer that he was. Women probably just dropped like flies in front of him. Didn’t even need jam.

  “Tell me about the murder,” she said, trying to cool the atmosphere and guide it back to business. She spooned up some soup and gingerly handled a hot buttered biscuit as she waited for the story.

  “I’ve actually told you about all I can. You knew we were looking for this man. He was from out of town, and we think he was supposed to meet with Sam Toledo. We don’t know who killed him, but suspect it wasn’t Sam. The two of them had a sort of business deal coming down, and we hoped to intercept it. There’s one more man, the other one in the photo, we’d like to get our hands on. If he turns up dead, we might have something bigger than we expected in the works.” He juggled his biscuit and blew on it.

  “Do you know why the dead man was left on the Malone’s property? And are they involved? That would be sort of important for me to know before I sign any contract to work with them.” She concentrated on her soup and refused to meet his eyes. Enough was enough.

  “We don’t have any idea why he was there. As to the Malones, my advice would be for you to drop any contact with them for the time being.” He finished his soup with a final slurp, then patted his stomach and kissed his forefinger and thumb in a gesture of approval.

  “But you’re saying you don’t have any real reason to suspect involvement at this time. What if the Malones know nothing about this business? I really don’t want to lose this job.”

  “Jobs come and go,” he said breezily. “Best to be safe, Cher.” His attitude had her ire rising like a frog to a buzzing fly.

  “I’m already involved with Toledo and with your approval. Are you saying it’s too dangerous for me to be there?” She knew she had him.

  He frowned and sat forwa
rd in his chair with a firm thump. “I hated it that I’ve had to ask for your help. I wish you’d just said you couldn’t do it and canceled any contract.”

  “I have no intention of doing that. I did sign a contract and I won’t just cancel without reason. All you have are suspicions. True?”

  He ran his fingers through his hair in a parody of frustration which made her grin.

  “Cher. Why can’t you just do as you are told without all these questions? You are the most stubborn of little girls I’ve ever . . .” He hit his fist quietly on the table.

  “Wait just a darn minute. Are you calling me a little girl? Look again, Larkin. I grew up a long time ago. And I make my own decisions. You aren’t my father and I doubt if I’d do what even my father said without a very good reason.”

  He came around the table, pulling her up to stand beside him. “Do you see how much smaller you are than me?” He rested his head on hers momentarily. “You are a grown-up woman, but still little. Sweetest little girl. Been my favorite since you were thirteen.” He swooped down and landed a fierce kiss on her up-turned lips, holding her to him by the back of her neck with his other hand around her waist. “I can certainly tell you are grown-up,” he said, taking a deep breath, and she realized with horror that she had responded just as fiercely back.

  Had she lost her mind? She jerked away and put a chair between them. Detective David Larkin, plant killer and seducer of young women who needed their heads examined.

  “I’ll consider your advice, David, but I must make my own business decisions.”