Unexpected Sparks

by Gina Dartt

  “Can you afford this property?”

  That was definitely not a question anyone of class would utter, and Kate proceeded to stare at Katherine evenly, as if she were a bug that had just landed on her arm and she was contemplating exactly what she was going to do with it now...brush it away or merely squash it. It was a very effective look, one her mother had cultivated to a level of artistry and painstakingly taught her daughter, who knew exactly how it appeared to others. It had extricated Kate from more situations than she could count and never failed to intimidate the most obnoxious of opponents.

  It clearly intimidated Rushton, the woman’s fair skin flushing a dull red, though the reaction could easily spring from anger as well. Kate didn’t budge, merely maintained the stare until Rushton stepped back from the truck.

  “I don’t suppose you’d mind moving your vehicle so I can pull onto the road?” Kate asked, in that devastatingly polite tone that only a person with a certain panache could use with absolute authority.

  Rushton stared at her a few seconds longer and then backed away from the truck, teetering unsteadily on heels that were really too high to be wearing in snow deeper than an inch.

  Kate took the opportunity to glance at the other mirror, discovering that Nikki had been standing quietly by the side of the truck, out of Rushton’s sight, though she was obviously listening to the conversation. It was as if she were hunting, waiting for her prey to make a false move, and Kate wondered why she felt that way about Nikki’s demeanor. When Rushton turned away from the truck, Nikki quietly opened the door and slipped inside, as if trying not to draw attention to herself. It was an astonishing performance, particularly when Kate saw Rushton glance back into the interior of the SUV to say something else and actually twitch violently, presumably when she saw Nikki in the passenger’s seat. Kate was hard-pressed not to laugh.

  Rushton jerkily brushed her hair back over her ear and stalked over to her car, getting in and starting it. She backed up onto the road and Kate easily slipped past her, beeping her horn in acknowledgment as she headed toward town.

  Nikki was twisted around in the seat, staring out the rear window. “I think she’s going to try to drive up to the house.”

  Kate, observing in the side mirror, slowed as much as she could without being obvious, watching as the car disappeared up the lane. “I wouldn’t think she’d be able make it,” she said, pulling off to the side of the road, the engine idling as she also glanced back, trying to spot the vehicle. “Not in that car.”

  “Do you think we scared her?”

  “She was definitely agitated about something,” Kate said. “At first, I thought James had called her and that’s why she showed up, but now I’m wondering if someone else was keeping an eye on the property for her.”

  “Who?”

  Kate looked around. The area surrounding them was comprised of snow-covered fields, dotted by occasional copses of trees. An isolated farmhouse sat on the rise in the distance, with a clear view of the road and Edwards House. “I’m guessing whoever lives there,” she said, nodding her head at the property.

  “The Nelsons. She wouldn’t even have to pay them. Mildred’s such a nosey old biddy.”

  Surprised, Kate looked over at Nikki. Though she was familiar with most people in Truro, once she moved out to the surrounding rural areas, she was somewhat lost. “You know them?”

  “I grew up around here.” Nikki gave a crooked grin. “I’m a country girl.”

  “I see.” Kate filed away yet another tidbit of information about her new friend.

  “Anyway, do you think she made it up the driveway?”

  “If not, then she’ll just have to deal with it. She obviously didn’t want us around.”

  Nikki looked agitated. “She’ll probably move the evidence. What did you tell this James guy when you asked for the key?”

  “I told him I wanted to check out the rest of the antiques in the house after seeing what was available at the auction. If she asks, that’s what he’ll tell her.” She tapped her fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “She may not move the evidence. There’s no reason for her to believe we even found it. We put the key back exactly where it was.”

  “But were we that careful with the file?”

  “Maybe not, but I’m not sure it’s enough reason to call Rick.”

  Nikki looked torn and then took a breath. “We’d better. If it really is evidence—”

  “You’re right.” She flipped open the compartment between the seats and drew out her cell phone, punching in the numbers of the Truro police station. “Hello, Sandy? Is Rick around?”

  The dispatcher told her to hang on, and Kate waited until he came on the line. “Hi, Kate,” he said, his tone robust, even over the cell connection. “Remember something about the fire?”

  “Not exactly. But I may have found something else that could be connected. Do you know who Katherine Rushton is?”

  There was a pause. “The woman who’s selling Edwards House,” he said, a hint of wariness in his tone.

  She assumed that meant he knew very well who she was, at least in connection to Sam Madison. “Yes. My friend and I were up there, checking out the antiques that were left over from the auction, and we found something by accident.”

  “Friend? You don’t mean Nikki Harris by any chance?”

  Kate wondered why he had asked. “Yes.”

  “Go on.”

  “We found some papers in a desk. They indicated a business partnership between Sam Madison and Katherine Rushton. We also found a gun.”

  “A gun?” His tone suddenly became gravely serious. “Any indication that it’s been fired recently?”

  Kate felt her lips thin. “Rick, I own a bookstore. Forensic science isn’t one of my specialties.”

  “You always were a smart-mouth, Kate. Even when everyone else thought butter wouldn’t melt in it. In any event, did you touch it?”

  “No, but we did look through the file folder.” She paused, glancing over at Nikki. “We found both it and the gun in a false-bottomed drawer.”

  “Ah, so it wasn’t just in passing. Nikki’s playing detective again, isn’t she? And she’s dragged you into it, as well.”

  Kate raised an eyebrow. Obviously, there were things about Nikki she needed to find out. She trusted it would be a pleasurable investigation. “Regardless of whether we were being inquisitive or not,” she said, “the gun and files are there, but they might not be for much longer.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “While we were leaving, we ran into Katherine Rushton, and it appears she went up to check the house. She’s there right now, assuming she managed to get her car up the lane.”

  “Where are you?”

  “Sitting in my truck about half a mile down the road from the house.”

  “You know, that’s outside town limits. It rightfully belongs to the Mounties.”

  “Should I call them?”

  There was a silence on the line before Rick finally spoke, his tone rueful. “Sit tight. I’ll come take a look. Call me immediately if Miss Rushton leaves.”

  “Fine. See you in a bit.” Kate cut the connection and glanced over at Nikki, who was regarding her expectantly. “Rick wants to know if you’re ‘playing detective’ again. Is there something you would care to tell me about before he gets here?”

  Nikki flushed and looked forward through the windshield. “It was stupid.”

  “Can I decide that?”

  “You’ll decide it was stupid.”

  “Try me.” After a while, Kate wondered if her friend was going to confide in her or not.

  Finally Nikki sighed and began to speak. “When I was sixteen, I was convinced that one of the teachers at the high school was on America’s Most Wanted list. I followed him all over town and finally caught him in a somewhat indelicate situation.”

  “What kind of indelicate situation?”

  “You know the mayor’s wife?”

  “Abigail Jen
kins?”

  “Yeah, she and him...well, they have a thing for leather, and while it’s sort of disgusting, it’s not illegal. Sitting in a tree watching them through the bedroom window is.”

  “Oh, dear,” Kate said, putting her hand over her mouth.

  “They didn’t press charges, mostly because they didn’t want any of it to come out, particularly Mrs. Jenkins, but I had to agree never to tell anyone.” She peered at Kate. “You have to swear not to tell. I only told you because...well, I guess I just trust you.” She looked away, her voice trailing off to a whisper. “More than anyone I’ve ever met.”

  “Thank you,” Kate said gravely. “I won’t betray your trust.”

  The sudden flashing in her mirrors alerted her to the arrival of the sheriff, and with a smile of encouragement to Nikki, she opened her door and walked back to speak with Rick.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Katherine Rushton’s car was already in the courtyard when Kate pulled in, closely followed by Rick in the police SUV. Nikki examined the tires on the sedan, noting that they were studded and top-of-the-line. Exchanging a look with Kate, she decided that they were thinking the same thing—the vehicle might have easily made it up here within the last week, even if the snowfall had erased all traces of it.

  “She must already be inside,” Rick said as they tramped toward the front door. In the foyer, a wet trail of melting snow led in toward the library.

  “Must not like the slippers,” Nikki muttered as they followed the watery path, none of them wearing the footwear designed to spare the flooring.

  Katherine Rushton was bent over the drawers of the desk and looked up with a flare of anger as they entered the library. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “I think you recognize me, Miss Rushton,” Rick responded.

  “This is private property,” Katherine said, but she backed up, leaving the drawer open and the panel removed to expose the contents of the false bottom.

  Rick walked around the desk, lifting his brow as he spotted the weapon. To Nikki’s surprise, he reached down and picked it up, apparently unconcerned about fingerprints. “Is this the gun you were talking about, Kate?”

  She nodded but Nikki frowned, struck by a thought but unable to pin it down.

  “What’s this about, Sheriff?” Rushton asked, managing a more civil tone.

  “It’s actually ‘Constable,’ and it’s about your connection to Sam Madison. Is this your gun?”

  The woman regarded him warily. “Yes, it’s mine. It’s registered and I have a license for it. It’s to keep wild animals clear of the property. When it’s not in use, it’s locked up in the drawer. Is something wrong with that?”

  “Was Sam shot, Rick?” Kate asked, her cool tone indicating that she didn’t necessarily want to know the gory details but accepted that it was vital information.

  “Yes, he was.” Rick smelled the barrel and then laid the gun on top of the desk. “But it wasn’t with this particular caliber of weapon.”

  Nikki felt deflated and disappointed. Had she and Kate been completely wrong in their conclusions? She perked up when she saw Rick pull out the file.

  As he began to flip through it, he said, “I know you and Sam were in business together. Is this part of that business?”

  “Some of it,” Katherine said, with a little more assurance than Nikki would have liked. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling about the situation, afraid they were missing something very important.

  “Would you mind if I took these in as evidence?” Rick laid the folder next to the weapon.

  “I’ll want proper receipts.”

  Nikki really started to wonder. As agitated as the woman had been down at the end of the lane, why was she suddenly the picture of composure now that the police had arrived? Rushton was sneering at Kate and ignoring her.

  Rick glanced at Kate himself. “Mrs. Shannon, is the car outside the same as the vehicle you saw parked in front of the insurance office Wednesday night?”

  His question seemed to give Rushton a bit of a pause, Nikki noticed with satisfaction, and she grinned slightly.

  “It looks...very similar,” Kate said. “It’s the same color, and they were both four-door sedans made by Lexus. It has the same general outline and shape.”

  Rick turned to Rushton. “Did you visit Sam Madison Wednesday evening?”

  She hesitated, gave Kate an angry look, and finally nodded. “We had some business to go over, but I was only there for awhile. I assure you, he was very much alive when I left.”

  “What time was that?”

  “Around eleven-thirty.”

  Kate, who had said she didn’t hear a vehicle leave until well after midnight, remained silent.

  Nikki, glancing back and forth among all the participants, wondered if Rushton realized she had just tripped herself up.

  “Why didn’t you come forward with this information?” Rick asked, not telling her of the discrepancy either. “Surely, you were aware a crime had been committed, and as one of the last to see him alive, your information could have helped us.”

  She shrugged. “I guess I’m just not very civic-minded.”

  “If what those papers indicate is true, that’s an understatement,” Kate interjected, to Nikki’s surprise.

  Rushton’s face turned a little ugly, but she didn’t react directly to the comment. Instead, she turned to Rick. “Neither of these...women...have the money to even stay in this hotel, let alone be interested in buying it. Obviously they’re here on false pretenses. Isn’t there a law against that?”

  Rick’s face altered, his First Nation heritage suddenly becoming even more apparent in the hollows of his features and dark eyes as he regarded the woman. He tapped his fingertips on the folder lying on the desk. “Was it just business between you and Mr. Madison?”

  “Of course.”

  Before she could stop herself, Nikki blurted, “Is that why you went to the Keltic Lodge together? Business?”

  Rushton stared at her as if she had just grown another head, but Nikki knew she had undoubtedly scored by the way Rushton’s face altered.

  “I know who you are,” Rushton said suddenly, staring at Nikki. “You’re one of those…deviants…from the group of dykes that meet at the Sportsplex every month.”

  “Well, we certainly can’t afford to meet at the Keltic Lodge,” she said, not allowing herself to be diverted by the deliberate slur. The resort was one of the most expensive in the province. “Did you and Sam go there often?”

  Rushton shifted her eyes to the police officer who was regarding them both impassively. “Fine,” she admitted slowly. “Sam and I did spend a weekend together, but it was only the one time, and it wasn’t serious on either of our parts.”

  Rick glanced at Nikki, undoubtedly wondering where she had picked up her piece of information, but didn’t refer to it as he retrieved the file and tucked it under his arm. “You’re very quick with a lie when the truth is required, Miss Rushton. I think you and I should return to the station to discuss these papers further.”

  “I’ll want my attorney there,” she said as she picked up her gloves. She glared at Nikki and Kate, especially the latter. “Mrs. Shannon, I wonder if the town council knows about your...extracurricular activities.” Her slight sneer at Nikki left no doubt as to what she was alluding.

  “Come on,” Rick said, taking Katherine by the arm and nudging her toward the door. In the courtyard, he directed her into her car with instructions to follow him back to town before motioning Nikki over to his truck. “Keltic Lodge?” he asked.

  Nikki dug out the card she had been carrying with her and handed it to him. “It fell out of a used book I bought Wednesday.” She lowered her eyes. “It sort of started the whole thing.”

  “Well, I’m ending it,” he said, tucking the card into his pocket. “This is a murder, Nikki, and I don’t want to see you messing around in it just because you have some free time on your hands. You could find yourself in serious trouble.�
�� He glanced over at Kate. “Just spend more of your energy looking for a new job and less of it getting in the way of a police investigation.”

  Chastised, Nikki trudged back to the truck, where Kate was waiting with a displeased expression on her face. Nikki suspected she was embarrassed by the entire situation. The drive back to town was excruciatingly quiet, Nikki miserably convinced that her presence had undermined Kate’s credibility in Rick’s eyes and was mortified at the condescending way Rushton had treated Kate.

  When Kate stopped in the lot that belonged to a nearby business behind her apartment building, Nikki put her hand on the handle and started to open the door.

  “Nikki.”

  She flinched, certain Kate was about to tell her it would be best if she didn’t come by the store any more. She couldn’t imagine how the day, which had started out so promisingly, had ended so badly. “Yeah?” Despite her best effort, her voice was a little unsteady.

  “Your composure with Katherine Rushton was amazing. You really pinned her to the wall with the information from the card and never let her wiggle out, even when she became, well, unpleasantly personal.”

  “Being called a dyke isn’t unpleasant, Kate. It’s what I am. As for the rest, it doesn’t mean anything. But I’m sorry she made assumptions about you just because you were with me. That’s unfair.”

  Kate shook her head. “It’s irrelevant. Katherine Rushton’s opinion is of no consequence to me. And anyone else who’s suffered her presence for more than ten minutes would probably feel the same way.”

  Nikki glanced at Kate sideways. “Uh, what about someone else’s opinion? Someone who does matter to you?”

  Kate was silent as Nikki watched the snowflakes once more beginning to fall, sticking wetly to the windshield. The incident at the Edwards House had taken them into late afternoon, and dusk had fallen with an overcast sullenness that contrasted greatly with the sunny dawn earlier in the day. At length Kate said, “It doesn’t bother me that people assume you and I might be...together.”

  Nikki absorbed that statement, feeling a sudden thrill of some kind in the pit of her stomach, unsure of exactly what it was, but wanting to pursue it desperately. After another still, quiet moment, she cleared her throat tentatively. “Uh, are you hungry?”