“Grace, you’re never in our way.”
Grace waved away Emma’s assurances. “There are too many reasons why it doesn’t make sense for Pamela Young to have killed her brother. At least, not in the way he died or at the time. She bore a grudge against both him and her father, but fifteen years is a long time to bear a grudge.”
“Long enough to plan the perfect crime,” agreed Emma.
“Exactly. That means the killer is still out there. It may be someone we didn’t even talk about tonight because we got sidetracked talking about the will and Roger Hill’s sordid past. I’m convinced that when we’re looking at Pamela, we’re looking the wrong way.”
“I wish I could believe that, Grace.” Jake ran his hand through his hair. “Strike that. No, I don’t. If it’s Pam, at least we’re onto her and she can’t hurt anyone else.”
“That’s why I walked Jebidiah out to his car. I wanted to speak with him privately. He and I are in agreement that even if the police department no longer wants to work with us, we need to continue our efforts to find Steven Hill’s killer.”
“What did you have in mind?” asked Emma.
“We need to find the mystery woman from Steven’s funeral.”
“Valerie Smith?”
“Yes. She may have nothing to do with his death, but she had Roger Hill’s address so we know she is somehow connected to him. We need to find her.”
“The police have been looking for her. Where could we look that they haven’t already checked?”
“We’ll look where we know she’s been. Matthew’s apartment complex.”
“But the police already went door to door.”
“They sent uniformed officers to knock on doors on one afternoon of one day. That’s not the way to find someone who doesn’t want to be found. I think you and I will get better results.”
“Why would people talk to us? I bet they won’t even open the door.”
“Not to mention that when Matt finds out, he’s gonna kill you,” added Jake.
“My dear Jake, Matthew can’t possibly object to us doing a little old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning on your behalf.”
“Now I know Emma’s right. Nobody’s going to open the door to you.”
“Don’t smirk, Jacob. Just get us a supply of campaign materials—brochures, buttons, that kind of thing.”
“And one of those red, white, and blue straw hats,” suggested Emma. “I always wanted one of those.”
“That’s a good idea, Emma. Jacob, get one for me too, with a button in the brim that says…what is your campaign slogan?”
“I don’t have one. Nor do I have brochures or buttons or bumper stickers or signs.”
“Well, hop to it, Jacob. You can’t expect us to go out without them. We’d look silly.”
14
“So where do we go from here?” asked Brugnick.
Matt sat behind his desk, happy to be back in his office again, twirling his pen in his hand. “Did you verify Maddie Hill’s movements the morning of her husband’s death?”
Brugnick consulted his notes. “I checked with the stores where she said she shopped. She’s a regular and she spends pretty freely, so they remembered her. Spoke with the ladies she had lunch with, they confirmed she’s there every week and seemed perfectly normal to them.”
“Let’s start with Della Hill. I want to hear her version of events after her husband’s funeral. Then we’ll move on to Maddie and Pam. I want to talk to that finance guy at Hill Energy too. What’s his name?”
“Bruce Lewiston. What about Walter Winters?”
“What about him?”
“If the will says ‘my son,’ and not the name of the son, he might have a claim against the estate.”
“Jake wouldn’t be that careless since he knew there was an illegitimate son out there. Besides, Winters didn’t want Roger’s money when Jake was handing it to him. Why would he suddenly want it now? Even if he did, he’d kill Roger, not Steven.”
“Did the coroner call you?”
“She’s calling it natural causes. He had a heart attack brought on by stress. He was being treated for a weak heart and the autopsy showed advanced coronary artery disease and scarring on his heart from several smaller attacks.”
“That makes it even less likely that Pam killed Steven. Nobody’s that lucky.”
“That’s a gruesome way to look at it.” Matt picked up the phone on his desk and dialed.
“Jake Rand,” came the voice on the other end of the line.
“Jake, it’s Matt. Could you tell me when you’re doing the reading of the will for Roger Hill? I’d like to send Morty.”
“Nobody does formal readings anymore. I meet with the local beneficiaries and send certified letters to the rest.”
Matt winced at how stiff and formal his friend sounded. Still, he knew he was doing the right thing, both for Jake and for the investigation. He rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on. “Can Morty join you when you meet with Maddie Hill?”
“I’m not meeting with Maddie, partly because she’s not a beneficiary and partly because she and Melody left for Colorado this morning. I don’t expect her back until after Christmas.”
Matt swore under his breath. “She should know better than to leave town in the middle of a murder investigation. Why didn’t you stop her?”
“I’m not her attorney; and, if I were, I would have advised her to leave her contact information with the police and go. She’s not under arrest.”
“Jake, stop thinking like a defense attorney. You’re supposed to be on our team now.”
“You kicked me off the team, remember?”
Matt winced. “Did Maddie know that Roger hadn’t made arrangements for her and her children if Steven should die before him?”
“You mean, would she have had a financial incentive to keep him alive?”
“Something like that.”
“Even without what he stood to inherit from Roger, Steven was a wealthy man. I should think Maddie will have more than enough to live comfortably.”
“Did you write Steven’s will?”
“Steven had his own attorney.”
“Can I get copies of both wills?”
“Once a will is filed with the court, the contents become public. I’m sure Steven’s attorney will have done that by now. I haven’t had a chance to file Roger’s, but I’ll do that today. Can I ask whether the coroner made a determination on Roger’s cause of death?”
“Heart attack, nothing suspicious about it.”
“Thank God. I don’t think Della could have stood him being murdered.”
Brugnick waved his hands and passed Matt a note. Matt rolled his eyes. “Morty wants to follow up on Winters. Can you send me anything you have on him?”
“If it has a bearing on Steven’s murder. Does it?”
“If you ask me, no. Why would someone nobody’s heard from in years suddenly show up and shoot the brother he never knew?”
“Why don’t I check on his whereabouts? If he was nowhere near Casper, we drop it. If I can’t verify it, I’ll make Morty a copy of the file.”
“Jake…”
“I know you don’t want amateurs getting in your way, but I need to be convinced the information is germane to the case before I can feel comfortable releasing it. Give me a day to see if I can contact him.”
Matt rubbed his forehead, where the dull ache had started sending out shooting pains. “Fine. But if you can’t prove he was a thousand miles away, pass the information along and let us run with it.”
“I promise I won’t do anything more about Winters than what I’ve offered.”
“Why do I get the idea that you’re choosing your words carefully?”
“Because I’m a lawyer and that’s what lawyers do.”
“I hope that’s all it is.” Matt scowled at the phone as he hung up. He massaged his temples and leaned back in his chair.
“So, shall we head out to see Della Hill, then try
to get over to see Maddie Hill before lunchtime?” asked Brugnick.
“Maddie’s on her way to Colorado. We’ll go talk to Della and see where that takes us.”
The phone rang and Matt picked it up, spoke briefly, then hung up. “I have to go see the Captain. Head over to the courthouse and see if you can get me a copy of Steven Hill’s will. Ask her to shoot me a copy of Roger’s as soon as Jake files it. Then light a fire under that auditor. I need the final report.”
“What about Della Hill?”
“Just do it, all right?” Matt rubbed the back of his neck and searched his desk for aspirin. After Brugnick left, he walked down the hall and knocked on Captain Danning’s door. He let himself in and sat down, waiting for the explosion.
“Detective Joyner, may I have a copy of your medical release form?”
“I don’t exactly have it with me.”
“Because you don’t have one. Would you like to tell me why you disregarded a direct order not to show your face around here until your doctor releases you to work?”
Danning leaned forward. “You have a headache.” It was not a question. “Tired all the time? Eyes sensitive to the light? Having trouble concentrating?”
“Not the last one.”
“How’d you do with today’s crossword puzzle?”
“It was a hard puzzle!”
“That puzzle was a walk in the park. My nine-year-old granddaughter finished it in sixteen minutes. Look Matt, I know you want to get back in the game, and I want you back, but this is crazy. You have a concussion. Broken bones, internal injuries.”
“I’m fine, Captain.”
“Which is why you look like death warmed over. I heard what happened with Jake Rand.”
“Is everybody spying on me?”
The smile fell away from Danning’s face, replaced by a stern look Matt had rarely seen. “Detective Brugnick reports to me, not to you. Disregard another direct order and I’ll bust you down to beat officer so fast your head’ll really be spinning. Are we clear on that, Detective?”
“Yes, sir.”
Danning rubbed the stubble on his chin. October was beard season and men all over town were in the early stages of growing theirs. “Rand made a mistake. I seem to remember you making a few of them when you were green.”
“Begging your pardon, sir, but a mistake can get a man killed. I don’t want that on my conscience.”
“Nor do I, but Rand’s an adult. He knows the risk. We’re between a rock and a hard place on this one. You can’t work until the doctor releases you. I’ll be walking a beat myself if the Chief finds out I’m letting you direct the investigation, but I need somebody I can trust calling the shots. I know you want to get out there, but you’ve got to learn to let your team do its job.”
“With all due respect, Captain, my team consists of my girlfriend, my best friend and his wife, an old woman, and a writer. Morty’s the only cop I’ve got.”
“As I recall, that team you just disparaged was instrumental in solving a thirty-year-old cold case that the police gave up on. Don’t sell them short. You’ve got an attorney and a therapist, both experts in asking questions and uncovering information. That old woman is a world-renown criminologist who usually commands a five-figure fee to consult with the police. As for Cannon, I don’t know if you’ve read his books, but he knows his way around the criminal mind.”
Matt’s head was throbbing so loudly he barely heard Danning dismiss him. He wanted nothing more than to go back to Kristy’s apartment and curl up on her sofa with a bag of ice on his forehead to knock down the pain. He took a deep breath and forced his eyes to focus. He made a call, then grabbed a set of keys from the department vehicle pool, and headed out.
***
By the time he pulled up in front of Della Hill’s home, Matt’s headache had eased. When he saw the truck parked in the driveway, it came rushing back. “What are you doing here?” he asked, when Jake opened Della’s door.
“Della asked me to sit in on her meeting with you. I would have done it out of respect for Roger anyway, but I’ll admit, I wanted to hear what she had to say.”
“Don’t advise her not to answer my questions.”
“Don’t ask her questions I’ll have to advise her not to answer. Why are you questioning Della anyway, if Roger’s death was a heart attack?”
“If you’re going to be a lawyer today, I can’t discuss that. You’ll have to wait until I ask the questions.”
“Are you feeling okay, Matt?”
“I’m fine. Shall we go?”
Jake ushered Matt into a small sitting room off the master bedroom. Della rose as the men entered and gestured toward two chairs. “Coffee, gentlemen?” she asked, reaching for a silver urn on the table beside her.
Matt held his questions until she had finished pouring and was seated again, holding her own china cup and saucer. “Mrs. Hill, please allow me to extend my condolences.”
Della nodded but did not speak so Matt continued. “I’m trying to get a better understanding of your family, Mrs. Hill, and the role each of them played in your son’s life and the family business.”
“I suspect you’ve heard about the little spat between Maddie and Pam?” Matt nodded, amused at her dismissing it as a little spat. “Gossip is the bane of existence in a small town, don’t you think Detective?”
“Yes ma’am. Has there always been tension between your daughter and daughter-in-law?”
Della sighed and put down her cup. “Those two have been on each other’s last nerve for years.”
“Never liked each other?”
“Oh, I suppose they liked each other as well as two people with nothing in common can. Pam was always fascinated with business and if she hadn’t had seven children to look after, she would have pursued a career. Maddie never wanted anything but to be a wife and a mother and she was happy making a home for her family. Since Guy went off to college, she’s started doing more charity work, but she never had Pam’s ambition.”
“I understand Pam once worked for your husband?”
“She worked part time after school all through high school and summers when she was in college. She has a degree in finance from Brigham Young University, you know. She just loves numbers. Always has. When she graduated, she went to work at Hill Energy. She was there off and on as her first few children were born, but eventually, the demands of her family pulled her away from the office. She’s expecting her first grandchild now.”
“Was leaving the company her idea?”
“Of course. Oh, I know there was some fuss made, but it wasn’t anything important. Pam could have gone back to work if she’d wanted to, as soon as her children were all in school, but she must not have wanted to do that.”
Matt and Jake exchanged glances, but neither interrupted Della. “Steven missed having Pam at the office. He used to tell me she knew her way around a balance sheet better than he did. His degree was in chemical engineering, you know, from UW. He was just like his father, more interested in the oil than the business of selling it.”
“Did Steven ever ask Pam to go back to work?”
“I imagine so. Hill Energy is a family business and Roger always said there was room in the business for any of the family who was willing to work. He didn’t want to just give them anything, mind you. Thought it ruined the children of wealthy families when they had things handed to them.”
“Will Maddie inherit Steven’s share of the business?”
“Maddie never had an interest in the business, as I told you. I believe Steven told me his share would be divided between Guy and Melody. Melody’s just like Pam. She has a real head for business. Maybe now she’ll move back home and get involved in Hill Energy. That would be lovely.”
“You’ve seen Steven’s will?”
“I don’t have to see it. We’ve always been very open in this family about finances. Roger always impressed upon our children the importance of good financial planning.”
“Then the co
ntent of the wills, both Steven’s and Roger’s, are known within the family?”
“Of course.”
“I think what Della meant to say is that each man had discussed the contents. What may or may not have been in their actual wills, or changes that may have been made in those wills since the last time they discussed the contents, may not have been widely known,” offered Jake.
“Isn’t he wonderful, the way he speaks?” asked Della, smiling warmly at Jake.
“Has your family discussed how Steven’s death alters the disposition of your late husband’s estate?”
Della looked puzzled and turned to Jake. “Why would Steven’s death change anything in Roger’s will?”
“Roger didn’t want to put a condition in his will addressing the possibility that one of his children would die before him. You know how he was about that kind of thing, Della. I spoke with Roger about it when I was out there, but he hadn’t had time to change the will before he died.”
“I don’t understand. Are you saying Maddie and the children have been disinherited?”
“They will, of course, inherit whatever Steven had. That just won’t include any of what Steven would have inherited from Roger.” Jake looked uncomfortable as Della digested this piece of news.
“I had no idea,” she said at last.
“I’m sure Steven provided well for Maddie and the kids,” Jake assured her.
“But what happens to what should have been Steven’s share?”
“Roger’s share in Hill Energy will go to Ryan, that hasn’t changed. The rest of the estate, after your lifetime interest in it, will go to Pam.”
Della looked relieved. “I’ll speak to her. I’m sure Roger would have made arrangements for Maddie and the children had he lived. Pam will want to honor his wishes.”
Matt thought it was unlikely Pam would part with a penny to assist her brother’s widow or his children, but it was not his place to point that out to her. “I’d like to ask about the burglary of your home.”
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