Leslie was the only person to know about a little problem her friend had with her husband, and how she had to take some steps to make sure he never fooled around again. Sure enough, he never did, and the police could never prove that he didn’t commit suicide when he jumped out the window, because there were no witnesses.
Leslie had promised her friend she’d never divulge the truth about her husband’s suicide. In return, she knew her friend would never tell anyone if she happened to let Leslie into the Waterfront Palace building on the evening Maureen Knight was murdered.
CHAPTER 5
“Al, we need to leave for the airport soon. What in the world are you two doing up there?”
Cassie walked out of the kitchen and stood in the hallway, where the deep strains of Al’s voice reached her from upstairs. Cassie was becoming used to the fact that despite the size of their home and only the two of them living there, Al never did anything quietly. The only time the house was silent was when he wasn’t home. Dino Argyros, their neighbor, claimed he could hear Al snoring at night across both of their gardens when the windows were open.
When called upon to adjudicate the friendly argument, Cassie had been unable to take sides. She told them the reason she never heard Al snoring was because she was such a sound sleeper, but truth be told, since marrying Al she never went to bed without wearing a pair of heavy-duty earplugs.
Cassie started up the stairs in the direction of the noise. “It’s time you and I had a man to dog conversation about responsibility and loyalty, Balto,” she heard Al saying. “I know you’ve enjoyed temporarily livin’ here with me an’ Cassie for a while, but DeeDee needs ya’. Today’s the day you’re gonna’ have to make the trip back to Connecticut to be with her.”
Balto whined, and Cassie heard the splashing of water as she made her way towards the guest bathroom, where the sounds were coming from.
“Thing is, life’s a beach as far as you’re concerned,” Al went on. “Good thing there’s plenty of beaches in Connecticut, too. It’s not goodbye, buddy, just so long. Before you know it, you and DeeDee and Jake will all be back here in good ol’ Washington, and we can all hang out together again. Till then, yer’ gonna’ have to be brave, all right fella’?”
Cassie rounded the corner of the doorway, gasping at the sight in front of her. Balto was standing proudly in the bathtub, being scrubbed by Al who was kneeling beside the tub with a soapy dog brush in his hand. The white marble floor was soaking wet, muddy footprints marking Balto’s route to the bath.
“My guest towels aren’t for dogs,” she said, reaching down to pick up one of the wet towels off the slippery tile floor. “They’re ruined. I’ll never get this dirty sand off them.”
Al looked up at his wife with a grin. “Doesn’t Balto look nice? Gonna’ have him clean as a whistle fer when he sees DeeDee again. Look, Cassie, he’s waggin’ his tail. I’m sure he’s excited about his comin’ adventure on the plane.”
He turned back to Balto with a straight face. “I’d take ya’ myself, but I gotta’ work. See, I’m doin’ my bit to help Jake out too. Don’t worry, they’re gonna take real good care of ya’ on the flight to Hartford. Took a little money, but I made sure yer’ gonna get special treatment. Matter of fact, the stewardesses are already waitin’ fer ya’.”
Al’s voice cracked as he began to rinse Balto with the same care and attention one would use to bathe a baby. Cassie, touched, but not surprised by his tenderness, didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She rested a hand on Al’s shoulder. “Let me help you. It will be quicker.”
It was all she could do to hold her tongue when Al reached for one of her best towels to rub down the big husky dog when all of the soapsuds were gone from his fur. Balto had other ideas, and shook out his black and white coat, drenching the two of them as well as the remainder of the bathroom.
“How was your bowling trip with Harry?” Cassie asked him, to take his mind off Balto leaving. “Did you crack the case?”
Al laughed. “Yeah, and I beat Harry four strikes to two. Harry went straight for the jugular, throwin’ the ball all fast n’ bumpy, but I aimed nice and slow. We got photos of the client’s husband foolin’ around with the woman behind the rental shoe counter, then we stayed for another game.” He screwed up his face. “Ugh. She was strokin’ his toes for all to see. And his feet were gross. Remind me to show ya’ the pictures.”
“I think I’ll pass,” Cassie said, checking her watch. “We need to get a move on, or Balto’s going to miss his flight.”
Balto growled, and Al and Cassie exchanged a smile.
“Harry can take us, he knows all the shortcuts,” Al said. “That’ll be fun, won’t it, Balto?”
Cassie shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’ll drive. If I had a dollar for every one of Harry’s traffic violations, I’d be a rich woman.”
“You already are a rich woman,” Al reminded her.
She threw a dirty towel at him. “Let’s get out of here before I throw you in Balto’s dirty bathwater.”
Al stood up, dwarfing his petite wife and put his arm around her waist. “Sure thing, boss. C’mon, Balto, you heard the lady. Let’s get goin’.”
*****
In the car on the way to the airport, Cassie broached the subject of the party at the Waterfront Palace. “Briana’s really nervous about the event. She’d like us to be there to support her, and I think she’s right. I told her I’d speak to you. Al, we should go, it’s the right thing to do, and you know it.”
Al groaned. “Do we have to go over this again, Cassie? I get it that Mario Carlucci’s her boss an’ all, but gimme’ a break. He hates my guts. And his wife’s my ex-girlfriend. Also, do I have to remind you it wasn’t that long ago that we thought they might have tried to kill you when the wrong person got murdered at Le Bijou Bistro?” He let out a low whistle. “Ima gonna’ tell ya, I’d rather be anywhere else on Friday night but at the Waterfront Palace. No siree.”
“Fine, I’ll go by myself.” Cassie smiled as she looked in her rear-view mirror at Balto in the back seat. The dog was leaning forward towards Al, like he wanted to be as close to him as possible. “Briana’s my daughter, and while she’s a tough cookie and I’m confident she can handle whatever the evening throws at her, I’d like to attend. I feel like I need to be supportive of her as she deals with this big challenge. You can stay home with a TV dinner and Red for company.”
Al looked over his shoulder at Balto. “She’s got me, buddy, and she knows it. TV dinners ain’t gonna be no fun when you’re not around. Red’s always on guard. He never lets his hair down like you do.”
Balto’s tail wagged, thumping against the back seat of Cassie’s station wagon.
Al turned back to Cassie. “You win, but don’t expect me to speak to anyone. At least I can make sure Kitten doesn’t bother you. I’d hate for her to be disrespectful.”
“I can handle Kitten, don’t you worry about that,” Cassie said, giving him a sideways smile. “Something else I’ve been meaning to ask you, is Luke dating anyone?”
“Luke Robertson?” Al’s eyes widened. “How the heck would I know? He’s been helpin’ me out at the PI firm. We’ve got serious stuff to do, we ain’t talkin’ about women all day long.”
Cassie nodded. “Of course you do. Like bowling. I just wondered, because he’s having trouble dealing with the death of his fiancée, and it must be a very hard time for him. Briana mentioned they’ve been spending some time together, and I’d hate to see her get hurt, is all.”
“This stepdad thing is all new to me.” Al rubbed his chin. “Kids n’ relationships, you know, it’s a lot different than what I’m used to. Gimme’ time, Cassie. I’m tryin’. Ya’ know that, don’tcha?”
“Yes. And I love that about you, Al, you’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know. Briana is becoming very fond of you, even if you two did get off to a bad start.” She slowed the car as they approached the airport parking entrance barrier, lowering her window to push t
he button for a parking ticket.
“Briana’s a great gal. Just like her mom.” Al brushed his cheek with the back of his hand. “Musta’ got somethin’ in my eye. Looks like we’re here, Balto. Now listen up. When we get out, Al’s gonna give ya’ a great big hug, so yer’ not allowed to cry, got it?”
Cassie held back tears of her own watching Al say his goodbyes to Balto. The big man held the dog in a strong embrace and whispered something in his ear before finally letting him go. After they handed him over to the dog handler and had dealt with all of the paperwork, their arm-in-arm stroll back to the car was in subdued silence.
CHAPTER 6
“No!” Joe Li slammed his fist on the boardroom table. The sound of his yell filled the room, although there was only one other person present, Mario Carlucci, who was sitting next to him. Mario opened his mouth to speak, but Joe cut him off.
“There’s no way we’re agreeing to a buyout. The boss won’t hear of it. I told you our answer two months ago, and nothing’s changed since then. If you don’t like it, you can find another investor to bankroll your next project. But as far as the Waterfront Palace goes, and the other developments China Create Group signed up for, no dice.”
Mario shook his head. “That’s not what we talked about at the outset, and it’s not what the contracts say. Either party has the option to buy the other investor out prior to completion for market price. I’m offering China Create the chance to bank its profits now while I take all of the risk on the unsold units at the Waterfront Palace.” He leaned across the table. “You know it’s a generous offer, Joe. And I’m prepared to pay top dollar for all of the units at the other development at the university, which isn’t completed yet. All I’m asking is that you recommend it to your boss, Wu Hsiang.”
The corners of Joe’s mouth turned upwards. “What’s in it for me?”
“That’s more like it. How does half a million bucks sound, twenty percent now and the rest when the units are sold? Wu doesn’t need to know anything about it. It can be our little secret.”
Joe let out a hollow laugh and folded his arms. “I think you’ve wasted enough of my time today, Mario. This conversation is over. Wu’s very happy with how the Waterfront Palace turned out. He’s not stupid. The market’s buoyant and Seattle property values are going through the roof. We could end up banking a whole lot more on the remaining units than originally projected. China Create doesn’t need the cash in a hurry, so we can wait and be patient.”
He watched Mario, whose mouth was set in a straight line, his chin rigid. From what he knew of Mario through their mutual business interests over the past couple of years, Mario was used to getting his own way and had a hot temper. But in this instance, Joe could tell Mario was trying to contain himself from lashing out, and Joe decided to have a little fun with him.
“You seem to have forgotten the primary reason why you partnered with China Create in the first place,” Joe said. “It was because you needed access to the kind of capital we could provide for big developments like the Waterfront Palace and the other projects. We both know there’s no way you could have gotten them off the ground without us. So now you’re the big shot, huh, trying to bite the hand that feeds you?” Joe chuckled, enjoying seeing the veins pulsate on Mario’s neck. “Nice, Mario, but I’d expect a little more respect, instead of you trying to stab us in the back. Consider yourself lucky I don’t tell Wu about your pathetic attempt to bribe me.”
“Or what?” Mario shook his finger at Joe. “You’re nothing but a little weasel. Don’t take your inferiority complex out on me. You’ve done nothing on this project except swagger around and get in my hair. And don’t think I don’t know about you running back to Wu, taking all the credit when you’ve done zip. Nada. The Waterfront Palace is a triumph despite your meddling, and certainly not because of anything you’ve contributed.”
Joe flinched and leaned back in his chair, trying to keep Mario’s wagging finger from getting in his eye. “I admit there has been some personal tension between us,” he sputtered, “but I’m sure Wu appreciates everything you’ve done. I’ll make sure he knows.”
Mario pushed his chair back and stood up. “I might not have Wu’s scale of wealth, but I know people, Joe, so don’t push me.” He straightened his thousand-dollar sport coat and brushed away some imaginary wrinkles in it. “Without my contacts, China Create wouldn’t be able to secure the land to build anything. Remember that. Am I making myself clear?”
Mario turned and strode out of the room, leaving Joe trembling with both anger and fear as he watched the door slam shut.
Did he just threaten me? Joe asked himself. He was aware of the rumors in the company about Mario’s history with the Mafia and wondered how much intent lingered behind Mario’s menacing tone. His heart rate slowed after Mario had gone. Two can play this game.
He didn’t care for Mario’s confident swagger, his stunning wife, or their busy social life on the Seattle scene. Joe didn’t drink, or go out, or do much else apart from work. Since his wife had left him, jealousy consumed him whenever he saw other happy couples enjoying themselves, Mario being the prime culprit.
It’s time Mario got knocked off his high horse. I’ll speak to Wu, see if we can’t do something about that.
*****
Joe was in no rush to get back to his home, a modern luxury estate on Hunt’s Point, one of the most exclusive communities on the shores of Lake Washington. He was unable to find any comfort in its view over Cozy Cove, or the secret paths where he’d once enjoyed shaded blissful forested strolls with his ex-wife, Mei. The large dock that extended into the lake lay in a state of disrepair. It had become a sad reminder of happier times, when boating with his family was a regular occurrence.
His gardener, Bert, still tended the grand old-growth grounds with care, but happiness no longer radiated from the garden, even when it was drenched in sunlight. Where once happy shouts and laughter had filled the air when his three young children played together and had friends over, now there was only silence. The outdoor grill hadn’t been used in more than a year, since Joe never dined at home or invited guests to dinner. Lunch was his only real meal of the day, usually with clients at a restaurant, or catered if he was conducting a meeting. Every morning and evening he made himself a cup of coffee from the Nespresso machine in the vast kitchen, leaving a dirty cup for his housekeeper to place in the dishwasher when she arrived after he’d gone to work. At his request, Anna, the housekeeper, had stopped preparing meals for him and leaving them in the refrigerator for him to reheat. Eating alone was too painful.
He was confused to see a car already in the driveway when he pulled up outside the architect-designed entrance to his mansion. Then he remembered the real estate agent had left a message to say he would be showing the property to prospective buyers. Since the property had been listed two months earlier, Joe had made a point of staying away when there was a viewing. Tonight’s was a video walkthrough, so he wouldn’t have to meet anyone. He slipped in the front door quietly, where he found real estate agent Tom Hwang climbing the gilded staircase, shooting a video on his iPad and narrating it in Chinese.
He raised a hand in greeting to Tom, and made his way into the kitchen, where he nursed a double espresso until Tom entered a few minutes later. Despite Joe’s depressed mood, he couldn’t keep from smiling at the sight of the flamboyant realtor, whose black locks reached the collar of his pink shirt, carrying a Pomeranian in a glittery puppy purse. The dog yelped to be let out, and Tom obliged, letting her run across the room.
“Behave yourself, Giggy,” Tom said with a smile, before turning to Joe. “Good news. Buyers from China have inquired about the house. I made sure to capture the blue-sky fresco in the formal dining room. It’ll remind them of Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.”
“That’s what you said to me when I bought the place,” Joe said glumly. “That and the yacht-ready dock on Cozy Cove were the big selling points, if I remember correctly. Mei and I both loved
the water features. They were important for feng shui, not it was any help in the end.”
“The dock is definitely in need of a makeover,” Tom said with a frown.
Joe sighed. “Take care of it and send me the bill. I just want the place sold as soon as possible. But I’m not moving on the listing price. I won’t accept a dime under five million dollars.”
“When you have 1.4 billion Chinese, many of whom are millionaires, there’s got to be somebody who will like it,” Tom said. “It has five-and-a-half thousand square feet, famous neighbors including the former CEO of Microsoft, and the view of Cozy Cove is stunning.”
“Stunning doesn’t pay my divorce lawyers” Joe said scowling. “Or for my ex-wife’s new villa in Beijing. I thought you told me China’s super rich are investing in Seattle real estate by the droves. We’ve seen a lot of corporate interest on the development my employer invested in downtown, but what about the wealthy individuals? I can’t be the only one dumb enough to have been willing to pay top dollar to experience Northwest living at its finest.”
Even as the words left his mouth, Joe knew it wasn’t true. It hadn’t been a dumb move at all. Mei had forgiven him for his marital indiscretion, and in return he was willing to give her whatever she wanted, including the waterfront mansion of her dreams, to make amends. The house was supposed to be their forever home, a fresh start. And things were good, until Joe strayed again. When Mei found out, he was out of chances, and it wasn’t long until he was home alone.
“Give it some more time.” Tom bent down and scooped Giggy up into his arms, puckering his lips and rubbing his nose against Giggy’s. He looked back at Joe. “The buyers who have historically been drawn to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Vancouver, B.C., are investing in Seattle-area real estate in growing numbers. They’re buying multimillion-dollar homes, rent producing properties and land for commercial development. I’m confident I’ll have an offer for you soon.”
Murder at the Waterfront: A Northwest Cozy Mystery (Northwest Cozy Mystery Series Book 7) Page 4