“You’ve got to get some rest, Harper. And you need a shave,” Alyssa told him.
“I’m going to shower and shave before I visit Barbara. I’ll probably catch a nap there.”
When Harper arrived at home, none of the lights was on to greet him. No smell of food or Barbara’s smiling face. His home felt lonelier than ever. He showered, changed, and even took the time to shave.
The next day, they got the results of the fingerprints of the person who’d handled the boat.
“Do you know a Sonya Davies?” Harper asked Elliot.
“No, never heard of her,” he said. “Why do you ask?”
Harper saw the shift in his eyes. He was lying. “I’m asking the questions.”
Harper moved closer, got right in his face, and loomed over him. “You want to think about your answer?”
Elliot leaned back and shook his head. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”
Harper interrogated Elliot for an hour but didn’t get any useful information. Harper had nothing to hold him with, but he held Elliot and Minerva an extra couple of hours and was forced to let him go, even though he didn’t want to.
CHAPTER 15
Barbara felt like Sleeping Beauty must have felt after her extremely long nap. Then the pain hit her and she groaned.
“You just can’t do things the easy way, can you?”
Barbara tried to open her eyes, but she felt as if she was in a fog. “Liane?” she whispered, but it couldn’t be. Liane was on her way back to New York. And what was wrong with her?
“I’m here.”
“What…”
“You were shot.”
Her fuzzy memory began to return. She had been talking to Elliot and suddenly something hit her.
She remembered waking up a couple of times and people talking or barking at her. She remembered hearing Harper’s voice. But he wasn’t there now. Liane looked worried.
“I’m glad you’re finally pulling out of this.”
Her mouth felt dry. “Who shot me?”
“They don’t know. Did Elliot do it?”
She shook her head. “Don’t think so. We talked. I was going into the store and he was leaving. Didn’t see a gun.”
“That doesn’t mean he didn’t have one.”
The nurse came in, took her vitals, and gave her medication. Barbara couldn’t keep her eyes open for very long before she slept again.
When she woke up the next time, the nurse was there and Harper was sleeping in a chair near her bed. His face was lined with exhaustion.
He moved close to the bed. “How are you?”
“Okay.” Barbara wasn’t one to say the obvious. Anybody looking at her knew she felt like hell.
Barbara was looking a little better, but she was still in ICU.
“How are you feeling, babe?”
“I wasn’t trying to get out of our conversation, honest,” she said hoarsely. At least her breathing tube was removed.
It was too soon for Harper to find levity in the situation. Not the way she was hooked up to tubes and beeping machines.
“You could have trusted me.”
“I do trust you. So who shot me?”
Harper squeezed her hand. “I don’t know yet.” He pulled up a chair. “So you were here to retrieve the money the Stones stole from your grandmother.” Harper knew this but felt like repeating it. Liane had given him an abridged version. How much she left out was questionable.
“Elliot killed her.”
“Detective Mosley said she fell down the stairs.”
“She called me when she—” Barbara coughed, alarming Harper.
“Don’t talk now,” he said. She was worn out from the conversation, but she gripped his hand.
“I know he killed her. And I know he killed Sarah.”
He stroked her forehead. “Get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
When Naomi came in, Harper left and called Alyssa for an update. None of them was getting much sleep. When he returned, he straightened the covers over Barbara.
“Someone broke into your house.”
“Did they steal anything?”
“I can’t tell.”
“Did they damage anything?”
“Looks like they knew you weren’t there and were looking for a place to stay. Your grandmother’s picture was on the desk.”
“But I left it in the back of the drawer.”
“Why? You don’t have any pictures around.”
“In case Elliot broke in.”
“You want to tell me what’s going on?”
“It’s part of what I was going to tell you. Elliot courted my grandmother and ultimately stole money from her—a lot of it.” She told Harper about the five other women the PI had found.
“They were all women and all seniors?”
Barbara nodded.
“So you came here to get your grandmother’s money back.”
“He operated a little differently with my grandmother. Because her signature wasn’t on the CDs, the bank was responsible. Dorsey wouldn’t just hand them over for any reason. She wore huge floppy hats and Minerva wore one pretending to be my grandmother. She did a pretty credible job of the signature, too.”
“So how did you plan to get the money from Elliot?”
Barbara was silent. “You don’t want to know. Suffice it to say, Elliot killed Sarah. I can’t prove it. But he did.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because Lambert Hughes was their next mark. The only reason they can’t get money from him is that I called his daughter to give her the heads up. She was able to get power of attorney over his assets. But Elliot had no problem with killing Sarah to get her out of the way.”
“And you think he shot you?”
“No, he can’t get his money back….”
Harper scrubbed a hand over his face. “Barbara, what have you done?”
She clamped her mouth closed.
“Barbara.”
“One woman they stole money from can’t afford to buy her medicine. These women are alone, Harper. They have no other resources. Social Security doesn’t pay enough to take care of all their expenses. They are in their seventies and eighties, and often alone.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this in the beginning? I could have helped you.”
“How were they going to pay for their expenses if lawyers got most of their money? By the time any court case is over, they’d be dead and still wouldn’t have their money,” she said, then coughed. Jesus, the pain shooting through her chest felt like somebody stabbed her.
“Take it easy,” he said, concerned. “Take a couple of breaths.”
It took several moments for the pain to abate. When Barbara had calmed down, she said, “These women are not going to resort to eating cat food to exist, and they will be able to buy their medicines.”
As angry as Harper was, he couldn’t help but feel a touch of pride. His tigress was laid up in the hospital and still fighting. But this was dangerous, too.
“So obviously Elliot gave you the money. And since you were a broker, then he expects you to invest it.”
“He doesn’t know I was a broker and it’s not his money.”
Harper blew out a long breath. “What did you expect to do once you got the money? Did you think he’d just walk away because you spanked him?”
“I expect you to put him in jail where he belongs and I won’t have to deal with him.”
“With no information? You didn’t say one word, not one…” Harper restrained his temper. He’d wait until she was well before he laid into her, but good.
“You know now, don’t you?”
Harper grabbed his temper. “What else can you tell me? Can you give me the names of the other women?”
“It’s in my credenza. The file folder says ‘Marks’.”
“Let’s hope your thief didn’t destroy it.”
“If he did, I’ll give you the name of the PI. He can give you name
s and addresses. I also have them in Dorsey’s house in Philly, but that would take more time.”
“Why don’t you give me the name of that PI?”
“It’s in the same folder. His phone number is also on my cell phone.”
“Did you break into the Stones’ house the first time?”
“No.”
“Trent mentioned some woman was watching the Stones’ place.”
“I don’t have a clue. I haven’t been there.”
He could see she was tiring. “Get some rest,” he said. He kissed her on the forehead.
“Take my ring back.”
He looked at her sharply. “Why?”
“I can’t wear it in here. I’d rather you kept it until I go home.”
He nodded.
“The info on the contact lens came back,” Alyssa said late the next morning. “The ophthalmologist identified Elliot Stone as the one he made them for.”
“Book him for the murder of Sarah Rhodes.” About time they got a break.
“And for the attempted murder of Barbara?”
“I don’t think he shot her.”
Alyssa and John left to pick Elliot up again. It had really bothered them when they’d had to release him.
Trent had visited Barbara while she was in ICU, but a couple days later they moved her to a regular room. He got there around eleven that morning.
“You’re looking better,” he said, standing in the doorway.
Barbara smiled. “I feel better.”
He carried a bunch of flowers in his hand and had the foresight to put them in a vase.
“The flowers are beautiful,” she said. “Thank you.”
He searched around for someplace to put them and noticed the available space was already covered with flowers, so he set them on the floor and dropped into a chair near her.
“Your customers been sending their regards. They want you to get well soon.” He encountered people everywhere—the cleaners, the grocery store, the Greasy Spoon.
Barbara smiled. “How was your visit with your family?” she asked.
“Very good. My mother’s doing much better. Got her up and moving again. I talked to my sister and she hasn’t regressed.”
“I didn’t know your mother was ill.”
Trent glanced at his hands. Seemed to choose his words carefully. “She’s the reason I came here. When you get outta the hospital, we’ll talk.”
“I’ve got nothing to do here. Why don’t we talk now while we have a quiet moment?”
“You just get yourself well. This can wait.”
“You can do manicures and pedicures in the shop if you want to. The customers will want their nails done for Christmas parties.”
“I might. Give me something to do.”
“I’ll have Harper give you a key. It seems everyone has a motive for being here. So tell me, why are you really here?”
“The Stones stole my mother’s life savings.”
“Oh, Trent. No wonder she’s heartbroken.”
He shook his head. “Didn’t think anything could knock her off her feet. She’s a proud woman. Reminds me of you.”
“She’s lucky to come out of it with her life. I believe Elliot killed my grandmother. But I can’t prove it.”
Trent frowned. “What about that women they found near my place? You think they killed her, too?”
“Yes, or at least Elliot did, so that Minerva could take her job as Lambert’s companion. He’s very wealthy and I believe they planned to bilk him for everything they could. I called his daughter before that could happen, and she now has control of his money.”
“What about you? You think they shot you?”
Barbara shook her head and sighed. “I don’t know. I was with Elliot when it happened. I can’t see Andrew having the gumption to shoot anyone.”
“Andrew has a girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend?”
“Yeah, my mother told me about her. Then there’s this woman who was spying on their house.”
“How do you know this?”
“’Cause I was spying, too. Trying to find a time I could get my mama’s money back. Mama went to the police department. They couldn’t do nothing.” He sighed in disgust. “No wonder people take care of things themselves. Especially when the law won’t do a thing.”
“They have to have proof.”
“I’ve got proof. A mama who’s sick to her soul for what they did. Look at you laid up in the hospital. That bullet coulda killed you.” Trent stood. “If the law isn’t gonna take care of it, I will.”
“Trent, give Harper a chance. You know he’ll do a thorough investigation. It’s their main priority. They have to make sure that the information they find holds up in court. It does no good if they do a shoddy job. And I don’t need to be worrying about you.”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I’ll get a confession out of ’em.”
Barbara leaned over to grab his hand. Pain stabbed her chest and she groaned. It hurt so bad she couldn’t breathe.
Trent gently laid her back. “Don’t you be moving like that. Take it easy.”
It took a minute for her to get a breath. Trent pulled up the chair and patted her hand awkwardly, not knowing what to do. “Want me to call the nurse?”
Barbara shook her head. Finally, she spoke in a weak voice, “Promise me you’ll leave the investigating to Harper and Alyssa.”
He could see she was tired. She couldn’t talk about this any longer. He gave her a curt nod, but it was evident she didn’t believe him.
“What will it do to your mother if you end up in jail? Do you want to worry her more than she already is?”
Frustrated, Trent leaned back in the seat. That’s the last thing he needed. If he couldn’t get that money back, he might have to help her pay the bills. He couldn’t do that in jail. He regarded Barbara. She was upset when she should be concentrating on getting well. He didn’t want her worrying about him.
“Okay. I’ll let your man take care of things. You get a nap now. I’ll be back to visit you.”
“I may be able to get some of her money for her,” Barbara said. “I’m considering different options, such as setting up a trust that I manage and sending each woman a monthly check. With the money invested, they’ll eventually get all of it back.”
“You can decide that later. Just get some rest now.”
Barbara nodded. “Okay.”
Elliot was dead. Murdered with a single gunshot.
Jesus Christ, Harper thought as he drove toward their house, lights blinking.
He had every deputy and even the retired ones canvassing the island, the shore, and the ferry, but already they could be too late, depending on how long ago Elliot was killed. Having drank himself nearly unconscious, Andrew had either slept through it all or it happened before he got home. Minerva had slept through it. Andrew had found him that morning when the phone woke him. Lambert had phoned the house when Minerva didn’t show up for work. Minerva had overslept. Elliot usually woke her.
Andrew and Minerva were now with Naomi Claxton.
That house was going to get a reputation for bringing bad luck. First the Flemings and now Elliot Stone. He doubted anyone would want to live there after this. Soon they’d be including it on ghost tours.
Crime scene cones and tape had already been put up. It was going to take the rest of the day to process the scene. Harper really wanted to know the whereabouts of the couple living at the artist colony.
At the hospital the next day, Barbara was sitting up in bed eating, but only picking at her food.
“Oh, Harper, I can’t believe it. That Elliot was killed. I mean, I was very upset at him for Dorsey’s death, but I never expected this.”
“Do you know or have you ever heard of Boyd Xavier?
Barbara frowned. “He’s my ex-husband.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
More than puzzled, she said, “More than a year
ago. When I was in Manhattan, and I only saw him in passing then,” Barbara responded. “Why?”
“His fingerprints were on the boat we found on the island the day you were shot.
“Boyd is here? On the island?”
“His fingerprints were also in the cabin at the artist colony where he was staying with another woman—Sonya. We don’t have her prints on file. Does he hold a strong enough grudge against you to kill you?”
“Kill me? Why would he want to kill me? He has nothing to gain by my death. He doesn’t get one cent if I die. Besides, our marriage was over fifteen years ago. It makes no sense that he would try to kill me now.”
“And this whole case makes sense?” he asked, tongue in cheek.
Barbara shook her head. “I can’t imagine why Boyd is here. He was always jealous. But he remarried twice after me. I think he’s divorced again, but he and I parted fifteen years ago, Harper. If he wanted to kill me, why not do it soon after we divorced? As far as I know, he’s never been involved in criminal activity.”
“So it’s just a coincidence his fingerprints showed up on a stolen boat on my island.”
Barbara frowned. “No, but I don’t know what his purpose is.”
“Okay. Let’s discuss the divorce. Whose idea was it?”
“Mine. Like I’ve told you, he was cheating and offering nothing to the marriage. I wasn’t going to put up with that crap.”
“Did he fight it?”
“I told him if he fought it, I’d use his infidelity as the reason. If he didn’t, we could go with irreconcilable differences. It took less time and I didn’t ask for alimony.”
“And the apartment?”
“I owned the condo before we married. I had already tossed his stuff into garbage bags and changed the locks on the door. Anyway, I paid the mortgage. And since I owned it before we married, I considered it mine. It was also part of the prenup.”
“How did he feel about that?”
“The prenup was his idea. He wanted to keep his assets in the event of a divorce, and I felt I should, too. There was nothing he could do.”
“How has his career progressed in the last fifteen years?”
“I don’t keep up with him. Quite frankly, I didn’t care enough. As far as I was concerned, it was over.”
Island of Deceit Page 24