Her Alibi
Page 7
“Not yet.” Connor swirled the wine in the glass. “Any ideas?”
“Yeah, I have an idea.”
Connor’s fingers curled around the stem of the glass. “Are you serious?”
“Dude, I heard you were filming the Cove Boys this morning.”
“Who?” Savannah had been listening to their exchange, her head turning from side to side, as if she were watching a tennis match.
“Some localism going on at the cove. You know, pushing out other surfers from different areas.” Connor turned back to Brock. “That’s right. I was filming them this morning. You hear something?”
“Just that Takata was pissed off and talking trash.”
“Enough to start a fire?”
“Maybe.” Brock rapped his knuckles on the table. “Gotta get back to work. I’ll come back around.”
“Thanks, man.” Connor tapped his wineglass against the rim of Savannah’s champagne flute. “Cheers.”
“To what, exactly?” She sipped her bubbly drink and scrunched up her nose.
“We may have discovered our arsonist.”
“Jimmy Takata’s become some rabid surfer?”
“You know how localism goes. These guys think they own the best waves on the beach and drive everyone out. People started calling them the Cove Boys, and several are suing them.”
“And you decided to get involved in it?” She traced the rim of her glass with her fingertip. “Why? You’re not a cop anymore.”
“The sheriff’s department won’t do anything about it.”
“Not your problem, Connor. Can’t help yourself?”
“I hate to see that kind of stuff going on in this town.” He took a longer pull from his glass than he intended under Savannah’s amused eyes.
“So what happened this morning?”
“I was at the cove, helping out the lawsuit with my camcorder, and Takata didn’t like it.”
“He threatened you?”
“I don’t know if I’d call it a threat, but he got aggressive.”
Savannah snapped her fingers. “That could be it, couldn’t it? We were so worried that someone followed me here and set fire to the structure to smoke out that...object, and it could just be a local problem.”
“We don’t know for sure if it’s Takata.”
“Sounds promising.” She stared at him over the rim of her glass. “Why didn’t you think of that before, when the deputy asked you if you had any enemies?”
“I don’t think of Jimmy Takata as my enemy. If it was him, that’s a pathetic attempt at intimidation.”
“Maybe, but it is criminal. That can’t help his case any.”
“I’ll call tomorrow and drop his name.” He held up his glass to the candlelight. “If I could make something like this at my vineyard, I’d consider that a success.”
“Widow’s Peak?” She placed a hand against her chest. “Maybe it’s some kind of sign. I guess I’m a widow.”
“Technically, not. Niles was your ex.”
“I wish I hadn’t encouraged him to keep that life insurance coverage. It looks bad.”
“It all looks bad, Savannah, but in the end, if you didn’t do it, you’ll be okay.”
“You don’t believe that.”
He took another sip of wine, savoring the blackberry taste on his tongue before swallowing. “Tell me more about the company. You know I couldn’t be prouder of you for what you’ve built.”
A rose tinge that matched her drink touched her cheeks. “Thanks, Connor, but it wasn’t all me. Niles had a brilliant mind and was able to realize all my imaginings.”
“I know.” He pinged the side of his glass with his fingernail. “I always thought if I’d had something like that to offer you, I could’ve made you stay.”
Her hand shot out and she grabbed his wrist. “It wasn’t like that at all. Things just got...complicated between us. I know your mom hated me—and I totally understood it. My mom had no right to embroil your father in her problems.”
Connor’s mouth twisted up at one corner. “I don’t think my father could’ve kept away from Georgie if he’d tried, and besides, he was the chief of police. He had a duty to help her.”
“You and I both know Chief Wells wouldn’t have gone to those lengths for anyone other than my mom.”
Savannah still had hold of his wrist, and he slipped it out of her grasp and threaded his fingers through hers. “I’m just sorry it had to affect us and what we had.”
“I heard you two were back together.”
Connor jerked his head to the side and nodded to Savannah’s best friend in town, Lexi Morris.
Lexi dipped down and gave Savannah a one-armed hug. “So glad to see you back here. I heard about Niles. I’m so sorry. So horrible and scary. Are you worried someone could be coming after you, too?”
“I don’t think his murder is related to the company, but I do feel safer down here with Connor.” Savannah brought his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
“And you.” Lexi prodded his shoulder. “I heard there was a fire at your vineyard.”
“Just a small one. Nothing much damaged.”
“Typical for you two.” Lexi rolled her eyes. “Drama dogs you everywhere. I’ll be following the news of the murder. I hope they catch the killer. Niles wasn’t my favorite person in the world, but nobody deserves that.”
“I hope so, too. Are you having dinner with Zach?” Savannah craned her neck, twisting her head to take in the dining room.
“We’re finished.” Lexi made a face. “I’ll tell you about it later. Just meeting a few friends for drinks at the bar, but let’s catch up soon. Lunch?”
“I’ll call you.” Savannah kissed the tips of her fingers and waved them at Lexi as her friend turned back to the bar.
“She didn’t seem surprised to see you here, or see us together.” Connor took a deep breath. Maybe this was going to be easier than he thought.
“No, she didn’t. Didn’t even ask when I got here.” She pushed her water glass to the side. “Food’s here.”
Connor dug into his fish and chips, and after Savannah squeezed lemon over her grilled salmon, she snatched one of his fries and popped it into her mouth. “Mmm.”
He pointed his fork at her. “I don’t know why you just don’t order your own fries.”
“It’s more fun stealing yours, and if they’re not mine the calories don’t count.” She grabbed another one to prove her point.
While they ate, he asked her more questions about the business. She’d majored in computer science at San Diego State and had met Niles there. He hadn’t been worried about Niles at the time because Savannah had assured him she and the computer geek, as she’d called him, were just friends.
But after his own relationship with Savannah had unraveled, Savannah and Niles began spending more time together and she’d come up with this idea for a social media app. They’d put it to work, formed Snap App, made millions and got married, or got married and made millions.
And there had been nothing he could do to stop any of it.
Now Niles was dead and Savannah stood to gain control of the entire company—and that life insurance money.
“Enough about me.” Savannah dabbed her mouth with her napkin. “How’s the winery coming along? It looks like you have fruit on those vines.”
“I need to wait one more year before harvesting the grapes and making wine. The plants need to go through a few growth cycles before they’re ready to produce wine.”
“You mentioned you have a chemist. Have you decided on the formula or recipe or whatever you call it?”
“Yeah, Jacob is finalizing it now.” He tapped his chin. “You missed a spot of tartar sauce.”
“Can’t take me anywhere.” She swiped at her face with the napkin, missing it again.
She fluttered her long lashes, not even denying the compliment like most women would. “D-does that mean you regret helping me?”
He dropped his hand and dropped his voice, pushing away his empty plate. “No. I do owe you. If you and your mother hadn’t lied to the police and told them Manny drew his gun on my father first, Dad would’ve been arrested for murder, or at least manslaughter.”
She coughed and gulped down the rest of her water. She glanced at the diners nearest to them, absorbed in their own conversations. “If you hadn’t agreed to give me an alibi for Niles’s murder, it’s not like I would’ve reported your father. It’s water under the bridge now.”
“But you still brought it up when you asked for my help.”
Savannah dropped her chin to her chest and looked at him from beneath her long lashes. “I regret that. I never meant to call in the favor. I knew you wouldn’t turn me down.”
Connor clenched a fist against his thigh beneath the table. He couldn’t figure out which was worse—Savannah using an old favor to bring him to heel or her understanding that she didn’t have to use anything at all to make him come around.
“I’m coming with you tonight when you meet Letty, even though she told you to come alone.”
“You’d better stay out of sight. I want to see whatever she’s got so I can gauge how worried I need to be.”
“You don’t need a worry gauge.” He drilled his finger into the table in front of her. “The fact that someone thinks she can blackmail you should cause you enough concern—whatever she has.”
“It does, believe me. That’s why I’m meeting her. How much time do we have?”
Connor rolled his wrist inward. “About an hour, but it’ll take us almost thirty minutes to drive up there. I’m not familiar with Logan. What kind of area is it?”
“Sketchy—some residential, some light industrial with a whole lot of abandoned warehouses, and that’s where we’re meeting.”
“Great. Why do you think she picked that spot?”
“It’s isolated, no witnesses, and I believe she lives out that way.”
“So, Letty might have reinforcements on her side.”
“She’s not going to hurt me, Connor. She just wants the money.”
“Everything you thought you knew about Letty went right out the window when she decided to use this information against you. She could be plotting anything.”
“I think she’s planning to nab the cash and quit working as a housekeeper. I almost admire her.” Savannah buried her chin in her hand.
“What?” Connor bolted upright in his chair. “She’s a criminal about to commit an illegal act, already committed that act by calling you.”
“True, but that was some quick thinking on her part to jump on a piece of evidence and turn it to her advantage.”
“Save your admiration until you find out what she has. Seems like an immoral money grab to me.”
“Of course. I’m not condoning her actions, especially because they’re aimed at me. I’m just marveling at the realization that you never really know anyone, do you?”
Uneasiness churned his gut. And what about Savannah? Did he really know her? She’d changed from the girl who’d been raised by an economically struggling single mother. The girl who’d mastered everything she did to prove she was as worthy as all the kids who lived in comfort and ease in their idyllic beach community.
Her current wealth had given her a different kind of confidence. The founding of Snap App had afforded her more wealth, several times over, than any of the kids she used to try to impress.
“Well, I’m ready to find out what she has.” Savannah threw her napkin on the table beside her plate.
“Let’s get the check.” He waved at Brock, who was heading for the bar to pick up a drink order.
On his way past their table, a tray of drinks balanced on one hand, Brock slipped their bill onto the table and tapped it with one finger. “See you next time.”
Connor put his knuckle on the check. “I’ll get this,” he said to Savannah. “You don’t want to start spending money like you have it.”
“I do have it—even without full ownership of the company and Niles’s life insurance.”
“I know.” He pinched the bill between two fingers and squinted at it in the low light. “I’m just kidding.”
She nudged his toe beneath the table. “That’s nothing to kid about. Once those detectives find out all I stand to gain from Niles’s death, they’re going to come calling again.”
“They may know by the time you go in to give your DNA sample, and they probably put in a request for your phone records already.” He pulled some bills from his wallet and placed them on the tray.
“I liked it better when you were kidding.” Savannah hitched her purse strap over her shoulder. “Do you think they’ll find it odd that my phone was off during the crucial time?”
“Maybe. There’s not much they can do about it, though.” He grabbed the bag with the money and hitched it over his shoulder as he stood up from the table. “Ready?”
“As much as I’ll ever be.”
They said goodbye to a few people on the way out, and Connor kept his explanations of the fire brief.
When they got inside the car, Savannah turned to him. “How are we going to do this? If Letty sees me with someone, it might scare her off.”
“You can drop me off at a distance and drive my car in. Just pick me up on your way out. If there’s trouble...get to the car and honk the horn.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem with skulduggery. When you’re leaving your cell phone at home, there’s no way to get in touch.”
As he started the engine he slid a glance her way. Had she expected skulduggery the night Niles was murdered? Was that why she’d left her phone at home?
“Just be careful.”
“I know Letty.”
“We went through this before. You thought you knew Letty. This is a different person you’re dealing with now.”
“You’re right.” She twisted around and smacked the money bag with her hand. “Do you want this bag back?”
“Of course. I’m not leaving any evidence with Letty that we paid her off. Any self-respecting blackmailer is going to bring her own bag for the money.”
“And if she doesn’t?” She tugged her skirt over her thighs. “Then what?”
“That’s her problem. She can dump the cash in the back seat of her car. Don’t let her leave with the bag.”
“Got it.”
They discussed a few more logistics on the way to Logan, and when he exited the freeway, Savannah pointed to her right. “Take this street down to the T in the road and then hang a left. You might want to park there and turn over the car to me.”
“Remember, park as close to the warehouse as you can. This doesn’t look like the kind of area where you want to be loitering.”
“You, either.” She tapped on the window. “You can wait at that gas station. There’s even a convenience store.”
“Great. I’ll get some coffee and thumb through the smutty magazines.”
She squeezed his thigh. “You don’t read smutty magazines.”
“Who said anything about reading?”
“I give you points for trying to lighten the mood, Wells.”
“Just be careful.” He swung into a parking space at the side of the service station and turned the wheel over to her.
He watched the taillights until they disappeared as Savannah turned right onto a side street. He strode around the corner of the building and entered t
he convenience store, where he bought a cup of coffee.
Then he pushed out of the front door and took off in the same direction as Savannah and the car. He had no intention of waiting out this meeting in the store. He’d try to keep out of Letty’s sight, but he didn’t really give a damn about what she wanted. The woman was blackmailing someone who’d employed her, paid her well and, if he knew Savannah, had treated her well, too.
He picked up the pace as he turned down the side street and spotted the warehouses crouching at the end of the cul-de-sac. As he drew closer, he couldn’t see a yellow sign and he couldn’t see any cars.
He wove through the first row of buildings and tripped to a stop when he saw two cars parked in front of a hulking warehouse with a corrugated metal roof.
He watched from the corner of another building, but seeing no movement, he crept forward with his heart thumping in his chest. How long could this exchange between the two women take?
As he drew closer to the building with the yellow signage, he cocked his head, listening for voices. The silence caused a ripple of fear across his flesh.
He placed his hand on the metal door, which was standing open several inches, and hunched forward, peering into the cavernous space of the warehouse. The moon filtered through some broken windows, creating a muted spotlight around two figures—one crouching and the other sprawled out on the floor, a dark pool beneath her head.
Chapter Seven
Savannah flinched as her hand brushed Letty’s clammy skin while she searched her front pocket.
A soft creak echoed in the warehouse, and Savannah spun around on her knees, placing one hand on the cold cement floor as she listed to the side.
“Savannah! Are you all right? What happened?”
She released a breath and staggered to her feet. “Connor, what are you doing here? Not that I’m not glad to see you. It’s Letty. Sh-she’s dead.”
Connor strode across the floor, stopping short of the dead body between them. “What happened here?”
“I don’t know.” She wrapped her arms around her midsection. “When I got here, I saw Letty’s car out front and then I came inside and saw her body on the floor. It’s a gunshot wound. She has a gun in her hand.”