Pushing Up Bluebonnets: A Yellow Rose Mystery

by Leann Sweeney

  ''Wait.'' Richter seemed about as happy as an exsmoker who'd forgotten his Nicorette. ''I want Abby to accompany us. She works for me, Boyd. She's aware of everything that's gone on.''

  Cooper hesitated, then said, ''Sure. Kate, you okay hanging out with Scott?''

  ''I'd like to get to know him better,'' she answered with a smile. ''We didn't get much of a chance to talk at the ranch the other night.''

  So Cooper, Richter and I went downstairs, got coffee and sat at a table as far from the food stations as possible. The lunch crowd had dissipated and the place was nearly deserted.

  ''I have some serious questions, Mr. Richter,'' Cooper said. ''Consider this talk an informal interview. If I learn I need to take this discussion further, we'll talk again at the Pineview police station, where I will get your answers on tape.''

  ''On tape? Do you suspect me of something?'' Richter said.

  ''Like I said, this is informal. No tape, no notes, no lawyer required,'' Cooper said. ''We simply need to get to the truth.''

  Uh-oh. Cooper was ready to ask about things we'd speculated on in the last few days. I knew this because I was sitting across from Cooper and the hardness I'd seen in his stare when he'd brought out the worst in Dugan the other night was back with a vengeance.

  ''You think I don't want the truth as well? Get on with your questions,'' Richter said.

  ''Are you aware that Elizabeth 'JoLynn' Dugan is most likely not your granddaughter?'' Cooper said.

  Gosh, don't beat around the bush or anything, I thought.

  Richter's expression went from irritated to jumbo-size irritated in an instant. ''What are you talking about?''

  ''Aside from the fake ID, the missing birth certificate and credible evidence she was scamming you, I suppose I don't know what I'm talking about.''

  ''What are you implying, Chief Boyd?'' Richter said. Man, his stinger was out now. This was not a guy used to being challenged.

  ''From what I've learned about you,'' Cooper said, ''I'm guessing you knew all about her misrepresentation not long after she arrived at your place a year ago.''

  I was certain Cooper was being tactical, using speculation, not facts, but his delivery seemed especially harsh.

  Richter picked up the plastic stir stick he'd used for

  his coffee, not looking at either of us. Finally, he raised his head and stared at the man who now seemed like an accuser. ''What are you after, Boyd?''

  Cooper said, ''There've been some ugly developments in this case.''

  How I wished Cooper had asked Kate to come with us. No sending out a distress signal now, though. ''Maybe we should tell you the most dramatic development first,'' I said. ''Unless you already know.''

  ''Dramatic? Would you two just get to it?'' Richter said.

  Cooper was sitting back, arms crossed, and he glanced over at me with raised eyebrows. ''Go ahead. Tell him.''

  ''Kent Dugan was murdered yesterday,'' I said.

  Richter's skin immediately washed out to pasty gray. ''I—I didn't know.''

  Anyone can lie with words, but the skin never lies. He looked like he could use a bed in the cardiac-care unit about now. Why was he so upset? I had no idea.

  ''We don't know how he was killed yet, but they pulled his body from Brays Bayou. You know anything about that, Mr. Richter?'' Cooper asked.

  Oh boy. This little interview was making me so tense my nerves might poke through my skin.

  ''You think I had something to do with his death?'' Richter shot back. ''I didn't even know the man existed until a few days ago.''

  Wanting to calm Richter down before I had to recall the ever-changing CPR steps, I said, ''But that's one of the reasons you hired me, right? To find out who tried to kill JoLynn? That person was probably Dugan.'' I hoped my voice conveyed the genuine care I felt for this very odd man. Maybe Cooper thought I was playing good cop to his bad, but I was being sincere.

  ''Dugan tried to kill her?'' Richter had quickly regained his stride, not to mention his color, and his interest in this trumped his anger.

  ''Evidence is strong in that direction,'' Cooper said. ''But I still need you to clear up a few things. If I start gathering phone records and talking to potential witnesses in Pineview, will I find out you knew about Kent Dugan long before JoLynn's accident?''

  Richter said, ''Let me jump from A to D. You believe I found out about Dugan and asked him to get rid of JoLynn because she was lying to me about who she was?''

  Impressive leap, I thought. Was he smart or was this the truth?

  ''That's one theory, but then I have to ask, why hire Abby?'' Cooper said. ''Who'd want someone snooping around when they might just uncover that you conspired with Dugan to kill JoLynn. Unless hiring a PI was all for show and you figured she couldn't investigate her way out of a paper bag.''

  I didn't have time to be offended by the paper-bag remark because Richter quickly said, ''I do my homework, Chief. I'm very aware how good Abby is at her job and that's why I asked for her help. I knew absolutely nothing about Kent Dugan until the other night and if I'd wanted to get rid of JoLynn, I would have sent her packing, not have her killed.''

  ''But you wanted me to make sure JoLynn is who she says she is, right?'' I said. ''You were worried about the fake license and fraudulent inspection stickers.''

  ''No,'' he said. ''You don't—''

  But I kept going. ''If you wanted the truth about JoLynn, why didn't you hunt for that truth when she first arrived at Magnolia Ranch? Why didn't you know about Kent Dugan?''

  ''I just didn't.'' Richter's mouth tightened into a stubborn line.

  Cooper said, ''You want us to believe that a successful businessman, known to check facts scrupulously, didn't look into this young woman's story? Because I plan on finding out, if that is the case.''

  Richter studied the swizzle stick again for what seemed a long time. ''You'd be wasting your time. I'm certain you won't understand—I'm not certain even I understand—but before the attempt on JoLynn's life, I didn't want to know anything about her past.''

  ''You never suspected she was a fraud?'' I said.

  Despite my attempt to say this in a gentle way, he turned to me and his steely eyes bored into mine. ''She is not a fraud.''

  Delusion alert. Oh my gosh, Kate. I need you. But I kept my tone even when I said, ''Okay, here's what I've learned. She was never adopted, Mr. Richter. She was abandoned in a bus station when she was nine and aged out of foster care. Did you know any of this before I found out?''

  ''Abandoned?'' He closed his eyes briefly, seemed to be gathering himself. ''Who could be that cruel to her?''

  ''I don't know yet,'' I said, ''but it's possible JoLynn— who has also used the name Elizabeth—and her boyfriend Dugan planned to set you up by playing on your weakness: Katarina.''

  Cooper said, ''But JoLynn may have betrayed Dugan by coming to you without Dugan's knowledge and—''

  Richter held up his hand like a traffic cop. ''Wait. I need to clarify something. JoLynn wasn't a fraud in the way you two are thinking, no matter what her background. She asked for nothing from me. Not a red cent. I doubt she conspired with Dugan. Aside from Katarina, she is the most genuine person I've ever met.''

  Cooper looked surprised. ''Doesn't her behavior sound less than genuine, sir?''

  Richter sighed heavily. ''This is very difficult for me, but let me tell you how this all came about . . . hopefully explain my behavior without sounding like a fool. Katarina's cancer? Ovarian. She fled the ranch when she found out, went away without telling me where she was going or why. She was running from me, knowing I'd be calling every doctor in the country and be breathing down her neck trying to save her. She was so young, so strong-willed, she thought she could run, not only from me, but from the cancer, too.''

  I closed my eyes, taking this in. ''Ovarian cancer? Then when did she have a baby—wait, are you saying Katarina couldn't have children?''

  ''Exactly. She came home to die once she knew it would be useless for me
to interfere with her decisions. She'd been through treatment on her own, treatment that didn't work. She wanted to deal with her cancer without me taking charge of her life.''

  ''B-but why?'' I asked.

  ''Because of who I was. We'd been at odds since she was small. I started trying to control her the minute I lost my wife and thus alienated her. I can only thank God she came back to me so I could offer her comfort in the end. Offer comfort—not impose my will.'' His eyes filled and he took a deep breath. ''She never had a child. She couldn't.''

  Cooper's attitude, his tough-guy interrogator persona softened a little. ''I'm sorry for your loss. Very sorry. But this still doesn't explain—at least to this dumbass— why you brought JoLynn into your home and treated her as if she was your granddaughter.''

  Richter looked so fatigued, as if revealing all this had left him completely empty. ''You ask why I took JoLynn in? Because I could tell she'd been running. For a long time. It's in the eyes, you know. Katarina had the same look when she came home—frightened, knowing she needed someone to be there for her—even her bastard of a father. She didn't want to be alone anymore.''

  ''Okay . . . I understand what you're saying,'' I said slowly. ''You couldn't have cared less about JoLynn's background. You needed her as much as she needed you.''

  ''Ah, Abby, I see you took notes when you met my family. I'll bet you found them to be a very cold bunch. Funny thing, since this attempt on JoLynn's life? I'm seeing my family in a different light. Despite their contempt for JoLynn, despite their jealousy when I invited her into my home, they've all gone 'bloody soft,' as Ian would say.'' Richter smiled sadly.

  Cooper looked plain bewildered. This was all too touchy-feely for him. Jeff would have reacted the same way.

  Richter recognized this because he said, ''Maybe I'm not getting through, Chief Boyd. You mentioned I run a successful company. Well, I've learned that unfinished business always catches up with you. And the loss of Katarina caught up with me the day JoLynn appeared on my doorstep. Only someone very desperate would do what JoLynn was trying to do.''

  ''You should have told us all this. Told us both. Why didn't you?'' I said.

  ''I was in denial, that's why. I hoped by some miracle you'd discover JoLynn was my granddaughter. That Ka tarina's cancer came after she gave birth.'' He paused. ''But I was lying to myself. There was no child. But when I nearly lost JoLynn, I realized I don't give a goddamn whether or not we're blood relatives. Right now, all I care about is finding out if she's still in danger. I couldn't protect my daughter, but I can protect this girl. Whoever killed Kent Dugan could be after JoLynn, too.''

  Now I understood why he'd gone white when he learned of Dugan's murder. A killer was still out there with JoLynn in his or her sights. I said, ''You believe the way to protect JoLynn is to uncover her past relationships, the ones that might have led to the attempt on her life?''

  ''Yes,'' Richter said. ''And please listen carefully, both of you. I hope to learn that truth without my family finding out she is not my granddaughter. They need to believe she's the real thing.''

  ''Because . . . ?'' Cooper prompted.

  ''Money, of course. To make her seem like the real deal, so they wouldn't contest my will. I researched the adoption registry—hoping they would accept her when I spouted off a few facts. You see, some of them might skewer her—figuratively, I mean—if they thought she'd cost them even a fraction of their inheritance.''

  ''Like your son?'' I said.

  He didn't answer. Maybe that was too much to admit to. He said, ''Since I have changed my will to include JoLynn, I don't want anyone making trouble for her when I'm gone. That's why I destroyed the birth certificate she gave me right before I hired you, Abby. Having dispensed with denial, I knew it was a forgery and I didn't want anyone throwing it at a judge.''

  ''This is probably an impossible secret to keep,'' Cooper said. ''And not my biggest concern right now. Someone killed Kent Dugan. I can't believe that his murder attempt on JoLynn followed by his own violent death is a coincidence.''

  ''Understood,'' Richter said. ''That bothers me. Bothers me very much.''

  Cooper nodded. ''I won't give out any more informa tion than I think is necessary and I know HPD operates the same way.''

  Richter looked at me. ''I still want to know JoLynn's story, want to know what she's running from. That's why I hired you and that's why I want you to continue on.''

  I started to remind him that he was repeating the same controlling behavior that had sent his daughter away, but Cooper interrupted me. ''One more thing. Dugan never contacted you and never promised to keep your family from knowing JoLynn wasn't related to you? For a price, of course?''

  ''No. If he had come to me, I would have paid him whatever he asked. Every aspect of my life is open to you for your private examination if that's what you need to uncover the truth. But I didn't kill him because he tried to blackmail me and I would have never conspired with him or anyone to harm JoLynn.''

  Cooper's features relaxed and he almost smiled. The tension that had been strung like a tightrope between the two of them suddenly slackened.

  ''I believe you, Mr. Richter,'' Cooper said. ''But I will examine your life if necessary. Right now I need to find out about that stranger who parked himself outside the ICU, not to mention the man who warned Abby off the case and then drugged her.''

  ''Could Dugan have hired those two men?'' I asked.

  Cooper considered this for a second or two. ''I don't know. Since his attempt on JoLynn failed, Dugan might have been concerned we'd find evidence to nail him for the wreck, or he was worried any future blackmail plans involving Mr. Richter would be ruined if certain facts about JoLynn came to light.''

  ''But he would have to get rid you, too, because you know everything I know,'' I said. ''And then he'd face the wrath of your officers, maybe the FBI, and of course Jeff's large network of friends—also known as HPD. Dugan couldn't have been that stupid.''

  ''Your garage assailant was very careful not to seriously harm you. Maybe you've figured out why,'' Cooper said.

  ''You think?'' I said.

  Cooper didn't answer.

  But Richter's concern was evident. He said, ''With JoLynn out of ICU and with at least two men connected to these . . . these crimes, JoLynn's still in danger. And you are, too, Abby. I'm the one who put you in that position and—''

  ''Don't even think about firing me, Mr. Richter. I can take care of myself. That man caught me off guard once, but I guarantee you, he won't get the jump on me again.''

  26

  ''I won't fire you, Abby. But please be careful,'' Richter said. Then he got the call he'd been waiting for. Guess his cell worked down here after all. Scott gave him JoLynn's new room number and we were off.

  On the elevator ride, I thought about the cop Penny had told me about and wondered if Shauna Anthony could give me any leads that might provide Elliott Richter with the information he still wanted about JoLynn. Then my brain skipped to the evidence at the condo. We assumed those newspaper clippings belonged to Dugan, but what if they'd belonged to JoLynn?

  ''The newspaper clippings,'' I said as we got off the elevator.

  ''What about them?'' Cooper said.

  Richter wasn't listening. He was off like a cat with its tail on fire, heading for JoLynn's room.

  As we trailed behind, I said, ''Maybe those articles belonged to JoLynn and not Dugan.''

  We stopped to allow an orderly pushing a gurney to pass and ended up with our backs against a wall.

  ''I see where you're going with this,'' Cooper said. ''JoLynn created JoLynn Richter—not Dugan. After all, she had learned at the foot of the master—and I hate saying Dugan was masterful about anything, but JoLynn's driver's license was the best fake I've ever seen.''

  ''She could have split after using Dugan's ID shop to make herself over,'' I said. ''Which would have pissed off Dugan in a major way. The ultimate betrayal— conning the con man. Maybe it took him an entire year to resea
rch all the people in those articles, figure out exactly who she'd chosen as her new family. But we do know he found her. I mean, his prints were all over that wreck.''

  We started down the hall again.

  ''And that explains the attempt on JoLynn's life, but again, it doesn't explain why someone wanted Dugan dead. We're missing something, Abby.''

  ''Right,'' I said. ''And maybe we missed whatever that something is during the condo search. What about the pictures of JoLynn taken at the cemetery? I don't understand why he took them, aside from him being a twisted, angry stalker.''

  Cooper and I halted outside JoLynn's room and looked at each other and he whispered what I was thinking. ''Maybe Dugan didn't take those pictures.''