Estate Affair

by Sara Orwig

When Eli turned into the parking lot of the San Francisco Police Department, he swore again. Two television vans were parked by the door. A man stood leaning against the building, and Eli suspected he was a member of the press. A woman in a white blouse sat in a car. Nearby two men stood talking beside two cars, and Eli guessed they all were reporters waiting for Caroline and Grant to appear.

  Eli clamped his jaw closed tightly, knowing the best he could do when his family arrived was get on one side of his mother and let Lucas stay on the other and try to get her into the building without too much hassle from the reporters. But he hated that the story would be in the papers and on television. He watched two men get out of a television van and lift out cameras and equipment. Another cameraman was already set up near the door. Hopefully, the detectives would help and not add to the problem.

  A car like the one Lara drove turned into the lot. Eli stared at it grimly. A woman in a floppy hat and dark sunglasses was behind the wheel, and he shifted his attention back to the street to watch for the arrival of the car with his mother.

  Since he hadn’t spotted Grant on the way to the city, he guessed Grant was farther behind and would come after Caroline and Lucas arrived.

  The car like Lara’s pulled alongside Eli, and he frowned. He didn’t want anyone to get in his way. When he looked at the woman, she motioned to him. Startled, he frowned and took a harder look. His stomach clenched.

  Nine

  L ara got out of her car and slid into his, closing the door.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked sharply, stunned to see her. He ached to pull her into his arms.

  Her bright red, Look-at-me! suit had a matching red silk blouse. She wore high-heeled red pumps on her feet. The hat that framed her face was a perfect background for her peaches-and-cream skin. While his mouth went dry and his pulse pounded, he wanted to reach for her and pull her into his arms. Instead, he kept his hands to himself and tried to listen to what she was telling him.

  “I was in town and heard on the news that the police intend to question your mother about Spencer’s murder. I figured you’d be here and thought I’d see if I could help in any way,” she said.

  “I didn’t recognize you at first,” he replied, looking at her floppy hat and the dark sunglasses. He couldn’t see her eyes, and the hat hid her hair and part of her face.

  “If the press gets my picture, I don’t want to be recognizable.”

  “Your red suit practically screams for attention, and everyone will notice you,” he said roughly. The urge to pull her hat off and run his fingers through her hair grew by the minute, but he controlled his impulse.

  “I came to the city three hours ago. I can’t do anything now about my suit. This is an old hat I had tossed into the back of the car.”

  “I think the reporters will focus on my family, but if you get out of the car, you’ll be on the news with us,” he said, his mind only half on their conversation, the rest of his thoughts swirling over Lara. Why was she here?

  “That’s what I figured. Lilah Ashton would be less than happy to find I’m here to support your family at this moment. Where is your mother?”

  “I passed them on the way here. They should arrive any minute now. The police intend to question Grant, too.”

  Lara nodded. “That’s on the news.”

  “Damn, I hate this,” Eli grumbled. “I hate it for both of them. Our lives have been one crisis after another, and this last year has been pure hell. It’s not the first time, but I think we’ve had more than our share of trouble. Always the turmoil goes back to Spencer. He couldn’t even die without tormenting us.”

  Lara squeezed Eli’s hand, and he focused on her. “If you don’t want Lilah Ashton to know you’re here with us, you better leave,” he said, still surprised that Lara had come. She seemed cool and remote, and he suspected her presence didn’t mean her feelings toward him had changed, but at the moment he couldn’t sort it out. Right now he was in knots about his mother and Grant.

  “There are already two television crews here, and I’m sure there are three reporters. Here comes another damned reporter,” he said when a woman drove into the parking lot. “Lara, don’t jeopardize yourself. Dad and I are here, and the others are on their way.”

  “I’m not too recognizable. My face is almost covered and I don’t wear this hat at the estate. I want to be here, Eli.”

  Her words strummed across his heart. She wanted to be with him and his family. Was it pity? Sympathy? Or something deeper? How much did she care?

  It was tempting to tell her to get in her car and go because now there were two women he wanted to shield from the media instead of concentrating on one. Yet deep down, in spite of her aloofness, he was glad to see her and he couldn’t send her away.

  Her perfume stirred vivid memories of Lara in his arms, Lara pressed close against him. He wiped his brow while he watched a long, dark-green car whip into the lot and park. Three men climbed out, all dressed in dark suits and all of them carrying briefcases. They hurried toward the building to disappear inside.

  “Thank God, there go our lawyers!” Eli exclaimed.

  “Do you want to let them know you’re here?”

  “No, they knew I was on my way. That tall, black-haired one is Ridley Pollard, our family attorney, and he’s here for moral support. The other two are criminal lawyers he recommended. I haven’t met them yet. Mom hired Edgar Kent for Grant.”

  “Your mother has the proverbial heart of gold.”

  “Yes, she does. I want to wait for Mom and Dad so I can help Dad shield her from the press as she goes into the building.”

  “When you mother arrives, I’ll go with you. I’ll just be another person to keep reporters away from her.”

  “Here they come,” he said, watching the unmarked sedan pull into the lot. The television crews jumped into action, running toward the car with their cameras already going. As the reporters gathered, Eli stepped out of the car. When Lara joined him, he took her arm, and they rushed to the official car. Eli merely nodded at Detective Holbrook whose blue eyes were impassive behind her glasses. Eli didn’t know the other tall, thin detective.

  Keeping Lara at his side, Eli shouldered his way past a reporter. He knew a television cameraman was filming every second. Caroline emerged from the car. She looked stylish in a black suit and a black silk shirt, but she was pale and visibly trembling, which sent Eli’s anger soaring. Only a few feet in front of her a flash went off and then another one while other cameras whirred.

  As Eli moved close to her right side, the detectives stepped in front. Lucas had his arm around her waist on her left and they all walked together. Eli glanced over his shoulder to see Lara directly behind Caroline as she said she would be.

  There was no way to totally shield Caroline, Eli thought as reporters crowded in, taking pictures and shouting questions. A microphone was jammed in front of Eli, and he heard questions that were aimed at him, but he had no intention of answering. Furious, he reached out to grab the camera, but Lara caught his arm, and he held back. Simmering with anger, he knew he should control his temper.

  Suddenly a television cameraman got through, shoving the camera in Caroline’s face as he shouted questions at her.

  Eli’s temper exploded, and he grabbed the camera. For an instant there was a tug-of-war between the two men, but Eli yanked, and the camera slipped out of the newsman’s hands. Eli tossed the camera to the ground and it smashed against the asphalt, pieces splattering.

  Several of the newsmen shouted at Eli, but he ignored them. He could hear one of them yelling at the detectives to arrest Eli. Instead, the detectives walked faster, and Eli and Lucas hurried Caroline along.

  “You’ll have to pay for my camera!” came a shout behind Eli.

  The thirty yards to the door seemed a mile, but then the detectives were there. The man held open the door, and Detective Holbrook stepped back to block the reporters.

  Caroline and her entourage swept inside, and Detecti
ve Holbrook closed the door. Eli looked down at Caroline. They strode down a hall into a room that held a desk with a sergeant on duty and another desk with a dispatcher. Detective Holbrook led them through a closed door into a large waiting room.

  “No reporters will be allowed in here,” she said.

  Chairs lined one side of the plain room, with a drinking fountain on the other side. A low rail divided the area from another room filled with desks. Eli barely noticed his surroundings as he looked down at his mother.

  “You okay?” he asked, and she patted his arm, but she was paler than before, and he knew the past few seconds from the car to the station had been upsetting to her.

  “Thanks for being here.” She turned around. “Lara, thank you, too.”

  “I’m glad to help in any little way,” Lara replied, and Caroline squeezed Lara’s hand.

  The three attorneys joined them, and Ridley Pollard introduced Edgar Kent and Amos Detmer to all of the Ashtons and Lara.

  “Ridley, you may have to bail Eli out now,” Caroline said, giving a worried glance to her oldest son. The attorney nodded his head and turned to Eli. “I’ll talk to the cameraman. He may have already contacted his attorney.”

  “Thanks,” Eli said, all his worries focused on Caroline. At the moment he wasn’t concerned with the reporter.

  Detective Holbrook had stepped to the desk, but she returned. “Mrs. Sheppard, if you’ll please come with me.”

  It was a nightmare for Eli—a moment he never expected to see. He wanted to fling himself between his mother and the detectives, but he knew he’d only make things worse. He let out a long breath. Also, he wanted to hug his mother, but there wasn’t a chance. Lucas gave her a quick hug and stepped back as Amos Detmer moved to her side.

  Lucas looked over his shoulder. “Eli, thanks for all your help. You’re sticking around, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. Grant isn’t here yet.”

  “Watch for him. The reporters will swamp him.” Lucas glanced at Lara, and his eyebrows arched. “Lara,” he greeted her. “It was good of you to come be with us.”

  “Hello, Mr. Sheppard,” she said, removing her sunglasses. “I’m sorry this happened.”

  “Thanks. We’ll get it sorted out, and the truth will prevail,” Lucas said calmly. “We might as well sit down, because I’m guessing this is going to take some time.” He walked away, leaving Eli and Lara alone.

  “I’ll wait outside for Grant,” Eli told her, unable to resist touching her as he brushed a tendril of auburn hair away from her cheek.

  “You won’t want the reporters questioning you,” she reminded him. “They watched you walk in with your mother, so now they’ll have a hundred questions for you,” Lara said. “They’re unhappy with you at the moment, anyway.”

  “You’re right. I don’t want to tangle with them. I probably didn’t help Mom or my family. I guess I’ll stay inside.”

  “I can’t go out without questions, either, because they don’t know who I am. As we came in here, several reporters asked my name and how I know the family. One asked me if my name was Anna Sheridan.”

  “Well, hell. I guess we just sit tight and let Grant fend for himself.” Eli studied her and thought she looked thinner. “You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

  She shrugged. “It’s dreadful that the police suspect your mother.”

  “It’s ridiculous. If she intended to shoot Spencer, she would have done it when he left us. Not now.” Eli pulled out his cell phone. “I’m going to call Cole, Jillian and Mercedes and tell them to park somewhere else, that the back lot is filled with media. I’ll be with you in a minute.”

  “Take your time,” Lara replied, and waited quietly while he made his calls. When he finished, Eli looked over her head. “Ridley Pollard is back. Excuse me a minute while I see what he learned.”

  Eli walked away, talking briefly with their stocky, blue-eyed attorney and then returning to Lara while Ridley Pollard sat down with Lucas and Edgar Kent.

  “Ridley’s going to contact the television station and tell them I’ll buy a new camera and see if he can head off charges being filed against me,” Eli told Lara.

  “I’m sorry all of you are going through this,” Lara said.

  His gaze went past her. “Here’s Grant. Just a minute and I’ll be back.” He left Lara to greet his half brother, shaking hands with Grant and clasping him on the shoulder. “Mom is already here.” Eli said as he shook Grant’s hand. Eli merely nodded at Detective Dan Ryland and the other detective who accompanied Grant. The detectives stepped away to go to the desk and talk briefly with the officer on duty. Looking grim, Grant turned his attention to Eli.

  “Thanks, Eli, for coming. It means a lot,” he said. “Hi, Lara,” he added, calling and waving to her.

  “Cole is coming, too,” Eli said. “I think they all may be here except Mercedes. As far as I know no one has been able to get in touch with her.”

  Grant said, “I really appreciate everything all of you are doing.”

  “Anna wanted to know about you and Mom. She called me.” Edgar Kent came forward and Eli introduced him, walking away so the two men could confer.

  In another minute Detective Ryland joined Grant and the attorney. “Will you come with us,” he said, and Grant and Edgar Kent turned to follow the detective.

  Eli held Lara’s arm. “We might as well sit down unless you want me to try to get you back to your car without too much hassle.”

  “No. I’ll wait with you.”

  “Here comes my brother,” Eli announced, seeing Cole come through a door on the opposite side of the room. Eli waved to Cole and Dixie, who strode toward them. “My practical businessman brother,” Eli said, looking at Cole. “He’ll be as lost in this situation as I am. There’s nothing either of us can do for Mom or Grant now except give moral support.”

  Dressed in brown slacks and a tan shirt, Cole came forward. While he greeted Lucas and Ridley Pollard first, Eli waited and then greeted his brother and sister-in-law. Eli thought again that Cole had married a beautiful woman. Dixie wore a brightly patterned shirt and green slacks. Her straight, dark-blond hair had a silky sheen and she smiled at Lara and Eli.

  “It’s nice to see you, Lara. Thanks for lending your support,” Cole said.

  “Mom and Grant have already been taken somewhere for questioning,” Eli said. “An attorney named Amos Detmer is with Mom. Edgar Kent is with Grant.”

  “Great,” Cole remarked. “I guess we just wait. We’ve been listening to the news. You attacked a cameraman.”

  “That didn’t take long to become news. I smashed his camera. I didn’t attack him. He jammed a camera in Mom’s face and yelled questions at her,” Eli said, and Cole nodded.

  “Under those circumstances I might have done the same thing. Have you talked to Ridley Pollard about it?”

  “Yes. He’s already been on the phone with the television station trying to keep them from pressing assault charges against me.”

  “That’s all we need,” Cole said grimly, rubbing the back of his head. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “I feel the same way,” Eli said. “Mom looked pale and I know she has to be upset.”

  “We might as well sit down,” Cole suggested, turning toward the chairs and taking Dixie’s arm.

  As soon as they were all seated in the hard, brown wooden chairs that were worn and scarred from use, Lara turned to Eli. “Your family is here now. I’m going to leave.”

  “Reporters will be all over you,” Eli said. “They saw you come in with us.” He turned to his brother. “Where are you parked, Cole?”

  “Like you told me. Down the street. No one paid any attention to us.”

  “Lara, give Dixie your car keys. They won’t know Dixie, and she can drive your car out of the parking lot to the street. We’ll go out the front,” Eli said. “Cole, do you want to stay here in case Grant or Mom need us?”

  “Sure,” Cole replied. “Unless you want me to c
ome with you,” he said to Dixie, but she shook her head.

  Eli held Lara’s arm and looked over her head at Cole. “I’ll be back.”

  Lara told Cole, Lucas and Ridley Pollard goodbye and walked out with Eli. At the door she turned to him and pulled her hat lower. Eli put his arm across her shoulders and they left the building.

  “There’s no one out here,” she exclaimed in surprise, and Eli let out his breath in relief.

  “Thank God!” Eli exclaimed. “Cole said there wasn’t any press here when he and Dixie arrived.”

  Eli and Lara went down steps and walked to the drive from the parking lot. “Here comes Dixie with your car.” Eli turned to face Lara, dropping his arm from her shoulders. She tilted her head, looking up at him from beneath the wide hat brim. She had the dark glasses on again and he couldn’t see her eyes.

  “Thanks for coming,” he said. “The whole family appreciates it. It’ll mean a lot to Mom and Grant.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Lara replied. “I was glad to be here and give any support I could. I’m just sorry they’re being questioned. I’m sure it’ll be in the news how things turn out.”

  “I’ll let you know. Actually, Grant is the one I’m worried about. He had a big motive and no alibi. Dad was with Mom and they ought to get that straightened out quickly. We’ve got excellent lawyers.”

  “Here’s Dixie. Goodbye, Eli,” Lara said.

  He wanted to see her again, but he knew she would refuse. It was a situation that was only headed for disappointment. He watched her walk around and get in her car and heard her thank Dixie.

  While he stood watching, she drove away, and he wondered if she were driving out of his life forever. Dixie joined him to go back inside. “That was supportive of her, Eli.”

  “Yeah,” he said. “Even so, there weren’t enough of us to help get Mom inside without a reporter getting in her face. The reporters and the cameramen mobbed us.”

  “I’m surprised one isn’t stationed around here at this door.”

  “They probably think everyone goes in the other way,” he replied, his thoughts still on Lara. He held the door for Dixie, and as he started inside he glanced around to see Jillian and Seth approaching. “Go on,” he told Dixie. “Here comes Jillian and Seth, and I’ll wait for them.”