by Diana Palmer
When she got home from work, he was in his study, yelling at someone on the telephone. She couldn’t make out what he was saying, and she didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping. She put her purse and coat down and went into the kitchen, where Merrie was helping Mandy with supper.
“Something smells really good,” Sari said with forced brightness.
“It’s liver and onions,” Merrie said with an evil smile.
“Liar.” Mandy chuckled. “It’s that Sussex Stewed Steak you love so much, the kind that King Henry VIII liked, if history got the recipe right. It’s in that medieval cookbook you girls got me for Christmas last year.”
“A five-hundred-year-old recipe,” Sari mused. She sat down at the table. “Well, maybe we won’t start spouting Tudor history when we eat it.”
“And lemon meringue pie for dessert,” Merry sighed, nodding toward it in the heavy plastic container on the counter.
“It sounds lovely.”
“You look tired,” Merrie noted. “Hard day?”
“Yes,” Sari said, and didn’t dare say why. “I’ve got a lot to learn about the routine in the DA’s office. I’m the new kid.”
“Glory Barnes—excuse me, Ramirez—works for Mr. Kemp,” Mandy added. “She’ll steer you right. She worked for the San Antonio district attorney’s office before she married Rodrigo and moved down here.”
“She never had to work at all, since she was an adoptive child of the Pendletons,” Merrie recalled. “Jason Pendleton’s stepsister, in fact.”
“Like Gracie, but he married Gracie,” Mandy recalled. “They live on the ranch down here in Comanche Wells with their son and daughter.”
“Children must be nice,” Sari said, and then remembered Paul’s little girl and winced.
“I suppose,” Mandy said with a sad smile. “I was never able to have any while my husband was alive. But I have you two,” she added, her eyes twinkling.
“And we have you,” Merrie said. She hugged Mandy. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“That’s the truth,” Sari said. “In fact…”
“Sari, I want to talk to you,” Darwin Grayling interrupted curtly. “In my study. Now.”
“Yes, sir.” She got up automatically and followed him, not daring to meet the curious glances of Mandy and her sister. She knew things they didn’t. She had to hope she could keep her nerve, because she knew the subject at hand was going to be her job.
Darwin closed the door.
“Have you heard anything about an investigation into Betty Leeds’s death?” he asked abruptly.
Her eyes widened. She managed to look shocked. “Betty Leeds? The woman who used to come here with you? She’s dead?” she exclaimed.
He stared at her. Trying to size her up, she thought bitterly.
“Yes, that Betty. Have you heard anything?” he insisted.
“No, I haven’t,” she lied with a straight face. “Why would they investigate it? Was she murdered or something?”
“No,” he said heavily. “She was killed by two of her horses, when she was trying to get them out of the barn during that storm that hit three days ago. It was an accident. A terrible accident.”
“Oh. What a terrible thing,” Sari said.
“Yes. Terrible.” He pulled out a handkerchief and mopped his forehead. He was sweating. “I went to see her… I found her…” He hesitated. “She’d been dead for a while, I think. She was cold. I called the sheriff’s department myself.”
“That must have been difficult for you,” she said.
“Very difficult. I was fond of her. We’d been together for a long time.” He drew in a long breath and turned to Sari. “If you hear anything, anything at all at work, you’re to tell me at once, do you understand?”
“Yes. But surely they wouldn’t need to investigate an accidental death. I mean, beyond the autopsy and having the investigator verify the cause of death,” she said, looking surprised.
“I don’t know,” he bit off. “I have no idea. It’s that sheriff, Hayes Carson,” he added angrily. “He was a very young deputy sheriff when your mother died,” he said. “He thought I’d done something to her.” His face tightened and his hand went to his head. He winced. “Ridiculous! I talked to his boss and that lunatic idea was put to rest,” he said coldly. “Now he’s the county sheriff. He’s got a little power and it’s gone to his head!”
Sari’s heart jumped. She’d heard once that her mother’s death was suspicious. She hadn’t doubted that her father was capable of violence. She herself had been subject to it, like poor Merrie. But she schooled her face to show nothing of her inner turmoil.
“I’m sure he was just young and overenthusiastic,” she said.
“He’s just as unreasonable now,” he said angrily. “But he’s not going to do anything to me. I can take care of it. I know people. I can have someone from Europe come over and handle it.”
She remembered that Hayes and his wife had just had a little girl. She knew what her father was talking about. He’d already told her that he’d committed murder. If he’d also killed his paramour, he wouldn’t hesitate to go after Sheriff Carson’s family.
“It’s routine to investigate a sudden death of any sort,” she said, hoping she sounded nonchalant. “You remember when old Miss Murphy down the road had a stroke and died on her front porch? They still had to investigate and do an autopsy to make sure there was no foul play. It’s just routine.”
“Routine?” He looked hunted as he turned to her. “You’re sure?”
“Of course,” she lied. “It’s nothing to concern yourself with. I’m sure they know it was accidental by now.”
He drew in another breath. He rubbed his head.
“Another headache?” she asked.
“Yes. They get worse…” He stopped and turned to her. “You can go. By the way, I have visitors coming next month. A Middle Eastern prince with ties to the British monarchy.” He smiled coldly. “We have business dealings together. It will be a fine merger.” His eyes dared her to say a word.
She didn’t dare. There was too much at stake. “I see,” was all she said.
“You’re old enough to marry.”
“I do have a job…”
“Expendable.” He cut her off. “It’s just something to keep you busy. You’ll learn court manners from his mother and sister. And the money will stay in the family.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing.
He waved her away. “I won’t be in for supper. Tell Mandy. And remember what I said, about anything you hear at work,” he added with a cold threat in his voice.
“Of course, Daddy,” she said, forcing a smile.
She opened the door and left him. She felt as if she were shaking from her head to her toes, but she maintained her poise all the way into the kitchen.
“What did he want?” Merrie asked covertly.
“Nothing,” she lied. “He just wanted to know how I was liking my job. Oh, Mandy, he won’t be in for supper, so can we all eat in here?”
“Suits me,” Mandy said. “I hate setting the table in the dining room. I’ll get the plates!”
* * *
When they were sure their father had gone, Sari pulled out her jammer and activated it.
“Just in case there are bugs,” she told the other women. “Daddy said that he found that Leeds woman dead at her home three days ago, trampled to death by two of her horses. He called the sheriff’s department himself.”
“I heard about it on the radio,” Merrie replied solemnly, “but I didn’t want to say anything.”
“She died?” Mandy asked, shocked. She bit her lip. “Convenient timing.”
Sari’s heart jumped. “What do you mean?”
“You can
’t repeat this,” Mandy said.
“You know we won’t,” Sari told her, and Merrie nodded her agreement.
She leaned forward. “My brother has a friend. His cousin’s with the Bureau. They’re investigating a money-laundering operation that has ties to organized crime…”
“I know,” Sari said heavily. “Mr. Kemp told me this afternoon.” She winced. “He says they think our father is involved.”
“Well, the Leeds woman worked for the government, and what my brother told me is that she was an agent assigned to investigate money laundering in south Texas. But she switched sides and started working for your father. She was helping him process the funds by covering up the transactions in collusion with a bank employee at one of the larger national banks in San Antonio. But she got cold feet, or something Mr. Darwin did spooked her, because my brother says she suddenly went to the US attorney in San Antonio and spilled her guts.”
“Oh, dear,” Sari said, grimacing.
“Mr. Darwin found out,” Mandy continued. “That’s why she had an accident.”
“They’ll call in the FBI,” Sari said. “And the Department of Homeland Security. A federal employee’s death involves government intervention. You can bet your life that Hayes Carson has already called them.”
Merrie bit her lip. “What will they do to Daddy?”
“They’ll seize any illegal funds he has and arrest him,” Sari replied.
“He’ll buy off anybody he has to,” Mandy said.
“He’s already threatened to call in outside talent to take care of Sheriff Carson,” Sari told them.
“No!” Merrie exclaimed. “He and his wife have a little girl. And they have her little stepbrother and stepsister…!”
Sari held up a hand. “I won’t let that happen, no matter what I have to do,” she said. Her face was very pale. She swallowed. “Any way it ends, it’s going to be a mess.”
“There’s something more,” Mandy said quietly.
“What?”
“Betty Leeds has a son. He’s Merrie’s age,” Mandy said. “And unstable. He’s been in and out of facilities. They say he loves his mother insanely. She doted on him, spoiled him, bought him things. In fact, they say the reason she went in with your father in the first place was that she wanted to have enough money to leave for her son’s care, if she died.”
“She never seemed that sort of woman,” Merrie said. “She was incredibly rude to us.”
“She didn’t like girls, apparently,” Mandy said. “But she loved her son. She took care of him. He was in and out of therapy for years and there was talk of an attempted murder charge once. Now she’s gone and he’s on his own. No other relatives.”
“Poor guy,” Sari murmured.
“Poor us, if they put Daddy in jail,” Merrie added. “Nobody will be safe. He can buy anybody. He can hunt anybody.” She shivered.
“We’ll be okay,” Sari said. “If it comes down to it, the authorities will look out for us. And we can hire some people to protect us.”
“With what?” Merrie asked.
Sari grimaced. Merrie was right. They had no means of their own, no money that they had access to. Darwin had made sure that his daughters were kept poor, so that they couldn’t leave him or ask for help to get away from him.
“We’re stuck,” Merrie concluded. “We can’t get away. Ever.”
Sari drew in a breath. She didn’t mention the Middle Eastern prince. Rather than marry a stranger, she’d run away, even if she had to hide at Eb Scott’s place and beg work there. Then she laughed. Fat chance about that. She couldn’t even shoot a gun.
“What’s funny?” Merrie asked.
“I was thinking maybe I could hire on at Eb Scott’s place,” Sari laughed. “Now I’m just getting silly.”
“We could learn to be mercs,” Merrie mused. “I’ll bet we’d be the terror of the Texas plains.”
“No doubt about that, if somebody gave you guns,” Mandy said and gave them a mock shudder. “There wouldn’t be a streetlight left in Comanche Wells!”
“I could shoot if I wanted to,” Sari said haughtily.
“Honey, you couldn’t. Trust me,” Mandy said. “Remember the slingshot?”
“I’m trying to forget it,” Sari returned, wincing.
“It was only two windows.” Merrie defended her sister.
“I might have learned to aim properly if you hadn’t taken it away from me,” Sari said with a mischievous glance at Mandy.
“Or not. Okay, there it is.” Mandy indicated the casserole and accompanying dishes she placed on the table. “Dig in!”
* * *
Hayes Carson came into Blake Kemp’s office the next afternoon, shook hands with Blake and Sari, and took a seat, crossing his long legs. Sari had the jammer on Mr. Kemp’s desk, turned on, just in case.
“I hear you might know something about a case I’m working on,” Hayes said to Sari.
“I’m afraid I do,” she replied. “My father told me that he found Mrs. Leeds and called in the police about the accident.”
“That’s true,” Hayes said. His face hardened. “Except that it was no accident. Dr. Copper Coltrain, our county medical examiner, performed the autopsy last night. He said that her injuries were not compatible with such an accident. She was beaten with a blunt instrument, most likely a tire iron found propped against the wall at the scene of the crime. He’s put it down as a homicide and the coroner is calling an inquest. That means your department will be assigned investigative duties as well, with an eye to local charges. Not that federal charges won’t supersede those, if they’re made.”
Sari leaned forward, sick at her stomach. “So, now what?” she asked miserably.
“So now we gather evidence. Since Mrs. Leeds was a federal employee, the Bureau is sending down an agent from San Antonio to aid with the investigation.”
“But Garon Grier lives here…”
“He’s giving a class at the FBI Academy in Quantico,” Hayes replied, “and he won’t be back for a while. In fact, you might know the agent they’re sending,” he added, watching her. “It’s a man named Paul Fiore. I believe he once worked for your father.”
Every ounce of blood drained out of Sari’s face. Her hands on the chair she was sitting in were clenched so tight on the arms that her fingers were white.
Hayes’s eyes narrowed. “He didn’t want the case,” he added, his voice softening when he noted her violent reaction to the news. “He said that there were some personal issues involved. But they didn’t have another agent available. So he’s coming tomorrow.”
“I won’t talk to him,” she said in a driven tone. “I won’t see him. I’ll give any information I have to you,” she told Hayes, “and you can relay it. But there is no way that any member of my household will even speak to Mr. Fiore.”
Hayes wasn’t surprised. He just nodded. “He said that.”
“We’ll work around it,” Blake assured her. “It’s all right, Sari.”
She was breathing as if she’d been running a marathon. Her face was flushed now, her body so tense that it felt trapped.
“Sari, we’ll handle it,” Blake repeated. He looked concerned. “Are you all right?”
She wasn’t all right. She’d never be all right again. Paul was married. He had a wife and child. He’d betrayed her. Her father had beaten her. Because of Paul. Because she’d loved him…
“Sari!” Blake repeated.
“I’m sorry, what?” She was buried in the past, reliving the trauma. She pulled herself back to the present. She felt her heartbeat shaking her. She could see each beat in her eyes, behind her eyelids if she closed them. A gray static had already started to fill one eye. She groaned and put her hand to her eye. The aura led to throbbing pain.
Both men were watc
hing her, but Sheriff Carson seemed puzzled. Blake wasn’t.
“Tera!” Blake called.
His paralegal came running. “Yes, sir?”
“Go rummage in Sari’s purse and bring her migraine capsules and a bottle of water. Hurry.”
“Migraine capsules…?” Hayes asked.
Blake grimaced. “I have two assistants who both have cardiovascular issues,” he explained to Hayes with a smile. “Glory has high blood pressure and Sari gets migraines. It’s okay. As long as Sari and Glory keep their meds handy,” he added.
“Sorry, boss,” Sari said, swallowing hard. “I only get them once in a while. But I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. I guess that’s what brought it on.”
“I know that.”
Tera was back with the pills and the water. She handed the prescription bottle to Sari, who shook out a capsule and swallowed it down with water from the bottle. She took a long breath. “It will work. It just takes a little while. Sorry again for all the drama,” she told Blake.
He smiled gently. “No need for apologies. But keep up with those meds. I can’t afford to lose you. Not many people line up to do this job,” he added with a grin.
She laughed. “I guess not. I applied when I started law school and the job was still open when I got here.”
“Not quite,” he mused. “We had Barkley White working for us for a while. But then he decided that Austin was a better place for an up-and-coming lawyer. He’s working for the Hart boys’ brother Simon, our state attorney general.”
“Nice job,” she said.
“Don’t you dare,” he returned shortly. “Don’t you even think about going to Austin. This is a great job. You’re doing valuable work. Local crime will be stemmed forever because you work here,” he added.
She grinned as she began to calm down. “Actually, it’ll be reduced forever because of him—” she pointed at Hayes “—and Cash Grier.”
“They’re good,” Blake conceded. “But I’m the best DA in Texas. You remember that,” he told Sari, who chuckled.
“Yes, sir, I will,” she promised. The pain finally began to ease. She relaxed visibly.