by Bobbi Holmes
“How did you happen to break into the house in the first place?”
Danielle chewed her lower lip, considering his question. “Adam, everything I’ve told you is true. I understand if you don’t believe me. I wish I could tell you why I happened to check out the house, but I can’t.”
“Joe admitted he didn’t have a good look at her face?”
“Half of her head is covered in a bandage, and they’ve cut her hair. He looked at the tattoo and only saw Isabella. He pretty much said I was insane to imagine Stoddard would do something like that—have Lily tattooed.”
Adam let out a snort. “Joe can be clueless.”
“What do you mean?”
“I could see Stoddard doing something like that—the tattoo—if it suited his purpose. But my only question, where is Isabella?”
“I don’t know.” Danielle shook her head. “That was her car at the rest stop.”
“You don’t think Isabella was the one driving Lily’s car, do you? The one killed in the accident?”
“I don’t know. Do you think it’s possible?” Danielle asked. “You knew Isabella. I didn’t.”
“Well…” Adam pondered the question a moment. “If whoever was driving that car was the one who left Lily in the desert, then it wasn’t Isabella. Isabella could be a little flaky sometimes, but she was never mean or cruel. She would never hurt anyone. It wasn’t in her nature, which is one reason she got sucked into that screwy cult.”
“Do you believe me, Adam?”
“It’s an interesting story. What are you going to do now?”
“I’m not sure.”
They pulled up beside Danielle’s car a few minutes later. As Danielle unhooked her seatbelt she said, “I’d still be happy to give you that hundred bucks.”
“Nah, if Grandma ever found out she’d bust my chops.”
Danielle opened the door and stepped out of the car. “Thanks again, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, and Danielle—”
“Yes, Adam?”
“I liked Cheryl. I’m really sorry about what happened to her. I don’t think I ever told you that.”
“Thanks, Adam. She liked you too.”
Chapter Nineteen
When Danielle got into her car, Lily was waiting, sitting in the passenger seat.
“I wondered where you went,” Danielle said under her breath as she closed the car door. She waved to Adam before he drove off, and then she slipped the key into the ignition.
“I wanted to check on my body before we went home.” Lily looked out the window to the Gusarov Estate.
“Let’s get outa here and go home. After I get something to eat we can figure out what to do next.” Danielle turned the key and started the engine.
“We have three days, Dani. I’ll be okay for three days but we have to do something before Wednesday,” Lily announced, still gazing out the passenger window at the house where her body was being held. The car pulled away from the curb and headed north, back to Marlow House.
“Wednesday? What is Wednesday?” Danielle asked.
“They’re moving me on Wednesday, out of the country. Our break-in has really freaked out Isabella’s aunt and uncle. They don’t believe they’ve heard the end of you. I think the fact you have money makes them uneasy.”
“Why are they doing this? Did you find out?”
“When I first listened to their conversation, I thought Isabella was upstairs. Not me. They kept talking about Isabella changing her will. I assumed they thought she was going to come to and they’d convince her to revise it. But I don’t think that’s what they were talking about.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think they intended to have a fake will prepared and lead people to believe she’d changed it when she came out of the coma. But Gusarov feels that’s too risky now. He says they need to revise their plan. They intend to move me out of the country—to a private hospital in Canada. They want to get me out of Frederickport and away from you before you try something again. He’s contacted the hospital, and the soonest they can take me is Wednesday.”
“What about the will?”
“They’ve decided to create a new will—one supposedly written six months ago—that leaves everything to Gusarov. They’re planting it at her place, and when he sends over a crew to clean out her house, they’ll find it.”
“What do you mean clean out her house?”
“I got the impression no one’s been in it since she disappeared. When they talked about the house, Gusarov’s wife mentioned selling it, but he said it would take some legal wrangling for him to be able to sell Isabella’s house, and even if he could, he didn’t want to. He’d rather make a show of taking care of it—so it would be there for Isabella when she recovered and came home.”
“What a nice guy,” Danielle snorted.
“At least they’re no longer talking about holding a pillow down on my face.”
“Did they say anything about Isabella? Where is she? Do they know where she is?”
“They never said. But if they’re doing this, they must believe she’s not coming back.”
“Maybe you should stay and see what else they say.”
“It wouldn’t do any good. Apparently, we gave Gusarov’s child bride a migraine. She took some aspirin and is lying down. No talking between those two. And it seems the staff only speaks Russian—even the maid. So nothing to pick up there.”
“At least we have until Wednesday.”
“I was a little surprised how you used your one phone call—Adam?”
“You told me they were going to cut me loose, so I didn’t see the point in calling an attorney. And I figured I’d need a ride back to my car.”
“But Adam?”
“When I was sitting there deciding who to call, I realized I don’t have any real friends in Frederickport. Oh, I’ve met a few people but none I consider friends—other than Ian and Marie. And if Adam hadn’t come forward with that video of his, I might be serving time for my cousin’s murder.”
“Does he know why you were at the police station?”
“Yes. I told him you’re the one at the Gusarov Estate, not Isabella.”
“And he believed you?”
“I’m not sure. But I found out something interesting at Marie’s. It seems Adam used to date Isabella. They broke up about a year ago.”
“Really? Humm…But you don’t know if he believed you?” Lily asked.
“He didn’t discount me. We discussed where Isabella might be—assuming you were in that hospital bed. We discussed one possible scenario—that Isabella was the one who took your car and that she was the person killed in the accident. After all, you drove your car to the rest stop, and it looks like someone else drove it out—while Isabella’s car was abandoned there.”
“I never really considered that.”
“Adam says he doesn’t see that happening. Claims Isabella would never hurt anyone. I can’t see her doing it either. I mean why? The woman was rich. If she had car trouble, she’d simply ask you for help, she wouldn’t hit you over the head, take your car, and dump you in the desert. Makes no sense at all.”
“Makes more sense that someone stole Isabella’s car—and when they needed a new one, they took mine.”
“That’s what I’m thinking too. And if someone left you for dead, I would assume they did the same to Isabella, since she hasn’t resurfaced.”
“There is one thing that doesn’t make sense, Dani.”
“What?”
“The way Isabella’s aunt and uncle are behaving, it’s as if they already know she’s dead—or not returning. How do they know that? Are they someway connected with whoever left me in the desert?”
“Why have them dump you in the desert and then claim the body? I can’t believe they planned that. They had no way of knowing the cops wouldn’t use fingerprints to ID you—which they obviously didn’t for some reason, or you wouldn’t be in Frederickport.”
; “It’s probably a good thing I’m in an altered state right now—or I’d be getting a headache!”
“When we get home, we’ll discuss this with Walt and figure out what to do. And if all else fails, we’ll resort to plan B.”
“We have a plan B?”
“Yes. I just thought of it. We storm the Gusarov Estate and take you.”
“How do we do that? As you can see, I have no Walt-like powers.”
“True. But I could probably round up some local mercenaries—with the help of Adam—to storm the fort.”
“Ahh…friends in low places.”
“And enough money to pay them with.” Danielle smile smugly.
“Have you forgotten how Adam and Bill bungled the break in at Marlow House? And we didn’t do such a terrific job ourselves today.”
“Okay…you have a point. Perhaps I’ll rethink plan B.”
* * *
Joe entered the break room and found the chief sitting with Brian, having coffee.
“You back already?” the chief asked.
“I didn’t take her.” Joe filled his coffee cup and then sat down at the table. “Apparently she used her one phone call on Adam Nichols. He picked her up.”
“Are those two getting chummy?” Brian asked. “I wonder if something is going on there.”
“I remember when she couldn’t stand him. Insisted he broke into her house.” Joe shook his head in disgust and then took a sip of coffee.
“Boatman has a penchant for telling tall tales,” Brian said.
The chief set his mug down on the table and looked from Brian to Joe. “I think you’re both reading her wrong.”
“What are you talking about?” Joe asked.
“Brian seems to think she’s some sort of fruitcake—”
“She is,” Brian interrupted.
“And you see her as this vulnerable broken creature, who’s not wholly responsible for her actions.”
“It’s just that she’s been through a lot,” Joe said in defense.
“Poor little rich girl,” Brian snickered.
“What—you think just because she has money means she can’t have issues?” Joe asked.
“Hell no. That woman has a boatload of issues!”
“Like I said, I think you’re both wrong,” The chief picked up his mug and downed the rest of his coffee.
“How so?” Joe asked.
“She seemed pretty rational to me today. Now that I think about it, she always has. We need to remember she was completely innocent in her cousin’s disappearance and murder. As for her attack on Clarence, can’t say I wouldn’t have been tempted to finish the job myself if he had tried to kill me.”
“Are you saying you think that’s Lily and not Isabella up at the Gusarov’s?” Brian asked incredulously.
“No, of course not. If Joe says it’s Isabella, that’s good enough for me. But I do wonder what Danielle Boatman’s up to.” The chief stood up and went to get more coffee.
“What do you mean?” Brian asked.
After filling his cup, the chief turned to face Brian and Joe. He took a sip of the coffee and then said, “She doesn’t come across to me as a fruitcake or vulnerable. From what I know about her, she was doing well before she inherited Marlow House. I did a little checking and the marketing firm she started with her late husband was well respected and profitable. She made a tidy little sum when she sold it. She’s no dummy. And frankly, I don’t think she’s some fragile wimp. But she is up to something, and I’d like to know what it is exactly.”
“You don’t think she believes it’s Lily at the Gusarov’s?” Joe asked.
“Do you?” the chief countered.
Joe considered the question a moment then said, “I did when I first arrived on the scene. Not that I believed her, but I thought she believed it.”
“But you changed your mind?” the chief asked.
“When I came back downstairs she immediately knew I hadn’t found Lily and started giving a reason for it—saying I hadn’t looked at Lily’s face. It was as if...” Joe paused a moment trying to frame his thought. “It was as if she knew I wouldn’t find Lily and was working off a script. But she screwed up and delivered her lines too early. She should have waited until after I said I hadn’t found Lily upstairs, before she accused me of not looking close enough.”
“So you think she’s up to something too?” the chief asked.
“I suppose. But I don’t know what.”
“Either way, I still say she’s a fruitcake,” Brian grumbled. “And don’t forget, according to her cousin, Boatman thinks she can communicate with the dead.”
“That was when she was a troubled kid,” Joe argued.
“Maybe a troubled kid then, fruitcake now,” Brian said.
“If she was just your average run of the mill fruitcake it wouldn’t be an issue,” the chief said. “But she’s the type that can get herself into all sorts of trouble—send us running in circles—while having more than enough money to pay whatever lawyers she needs to bail her butt out. What bothers me, I don’t think she’s some eccentric we have to deal with. She strikes me as a clever young woman who we shouldn’t underestimate. And frankly, I think both of you have done that.”
“What do you want us to do?” Joe asked.
“A little digging. I want to find out what sort of connection she has to the Gusarov family or any of their business interests. Did she have any kind of a relationship with Isabella or with anyone in Stoddard’s circle? See if she has anything to do with that group Isabella supposedly left her estate to, Earthbound Spirits. If the rumors are true, I bet they’re anxious to find out how Isabella is doing. If she dies, they’ll be coming into a significant fortune. There has to be some reason Boatman broke into that house and I don’t believe it’s because she thought Lily was being held there. No, that makes no sense at all. She’s playing us, with all this Lily nonsense. She is up to something, and I want to know what. Find out.”
Chapter Twenty
“I suppose I need to call Ian. But what do I tell him? How am I going to explain why I happened to break into the Gusarov Estate?” Danielle asked Lily as she pulled into the drive at Marlow House.
“I’ve been wondering about that myself.” Lily gazed out the window considering the day’s events.
When Danielle got out of the car a few moments later she pulled her phone from her back pocket and looked at it. “Speaking of the devil.”
“What do you mean?” Lily stood outside the car by Danielle.
“Looks like I missed a call from Ian. He left a message.” Looking closer at the phone she said, “Dang, I must have accidently turned the sound off when I called Adam.” She turned the phone’s volume up, then placed it by her ear and listened to Ian’s message.
“Are you going to call him back?” Lily asked when Danielle finished listening.
“No. It seems poor Ian has the flu. He just called in to see if I’ve heard anything from your mom or the private investigator I hired. He’s going to try to get some sleep and he’s turning his phone off for a while. He’ll call later.”
“Is he at the motel?”
“That’s what I assume.” Danielle quickly checked her other messages. “There’s nothing from the PI I hired.”
“Not surprised, since you sent him on a wild goose chase. He’s obviously not going to find my body anywhere near the rest stop.”
“I’ll need to redirect the PI. Maybe see if he can find anyone who saw the people driving Isabella’s car.”
“Hey, I just noticed, the Cadillac isn’t here,” Lily said as they walked into the kitchen at Marlow House. They found Walt inside, waiting for them.
“Where have you two been? It’s been hours!” Walt demanded.
“We found my body!” Lily said excitedly. “It wasn’t Isabella Strickland they found at the rest stop, it was me!”
“Then why are you here?” Walt asked.
“Where are the Stewarts?” Danielle asked as she tossed h
er purse, keys and phone on the kitchen counter. “I really don’t need them walking in on me talking to myself.”
“I don’t think that’s their name. But, they went out to dinner.”
“Is it that late? No wonder I’m hungry.” Danielle opened the refrigerator and looked inside. “What do you mean you don’t think it’s their name?”
“I’ll explain, but you first,” Walt insisted.
Danielle made herself a quick sandwich and then joined Lily and Walt at the kitchen table. She told Walt about their day, beginning with what Lily found at the Gusarov Estate, what she’d learned at Marie’s, and how she’d been arrested.
“That explains why I couldn’t jump into Isabella’s dreams. Either she wasn’t sleeping at the time—or—”
“She’s dead,” Danielle finished for him.
“Yes. But it was daytime when I tried to jump into her dream. So it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s dead.”
“I suppose you could try a little dream jumping tonight, when she might be sleeping. If she’s alive I’d like to find out where she is—and what she has to do with Lily being taken by her uncle.”
“I’ll try,” Walt said.
“Umm…where’s Sadie?” Danielle asked Walt as she glanced around the room.
“She’s with the Stewarts.”
“She’s what?” Danielle screeched.
“When they left to grab something to eat, the woman told Sadie she could go with them.”
“And you let them take her?” Danielle could feel her blood pressure rise.
“Oh settle down, it’ll be all right. I figured Sadie could keep an eye on them. When she gets back she can let me know what she’s learned about those two.”
“I don’t like it, Walt. I don’t like it at all. We don’t even know those people. Ian trusted me to take care of Sadie! And I trusted you!” Danielle felt like crying.
“She’ll be fine,” Walt insisted.
“You said they went out to dinner. Why would they take Sadie to dinner with them? None of the restaurants around here allow dogs.”
“I figured they were going to grab something to eat and go down to the beach.”