Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set

by Jennifer L. Jennings

  “I wonder how Jessica’s feeling today,” I said as we pulled out of the resort and headed east on Farrington Highway. “I can’t believe her father booked their flight home today. Wouldn’t you think he’d allow her a few days to recuperate? She lost a lot of blood.”

  “Mind if I wait for you in the car?” Max asked. “I’m going to call Richard and see if he’s made any progress in finding a connection between Hutchins and Smolinski.”

  “Fine by me. We can’t stay very long anyway.”

  Dr. Theo looked surprised when he opened the door and found me standing in the entryway. “Hello, Sarah.”

  “We were just on our way to the airport,” I explained. “I never got a chance to say good-bye to Jessica.”

  Dr. Theo smiled, though my intuition told me he wasn’t pleased to see me. “She’s resting up before the long flight. I’ll let her know you stopped by.”

  “I have something I want to give her,” I said. “It’ll only be a minute.”

  The doctor swung the door wide. “If you must.”

  “By the way, I wanted to tell you how very sorry I am about everything.”

  “Thank you Sarah.”

  “Have you said anything to her about Toby?”

  He briefly looked away. I sensed sadness when our eyes met once again. “She knows.”

  I let out a long breath. “How is she handling it?”

  “The way my daughter handles everything. She’s in denial.”

  Jessica’s bedroom door was ajar. I could see her reflection in the mirror. I watched as she methodically applied a layer of mascara to her already full lashes.

  She startled as I knocked gently on the door.

  “Hi Jessica. It’s Sarah. I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

  She took her time getting to the door, but once there she opened it wide and motioned for me to enter. “What a surprise.”

  “You’re probably exhausted. Are you really okay to fly?”

  “I’m fine.” She turned around and slowly walked back to the vanity, picked up a hairbrush, and absently ran a finger through the bristles. “You must think I’m a horrible person.”

  The abrupt statement caught me off guard I struggled to find the right words. “You’ve been through so much, Jessica. I would never judge you.”

  She nodded and looked out the window as if she were contemplating something. “I suppose you’re wondering who the father was.”

  I remained quiet.

  “Truth is, I’m not sure myself.” Jessica returned the brush to the table and turned around to face me. “After Duane left, I slept with so many guys I don’t even remember their names.”

  “Oh.” I was caught off guard by her blunt admission.

  “Well, it’s over now,” she said, looking away. “I just want to put everything behind me and move forward with my life.” She crossed the room, sat down on the edge of the bed, and stared out the window. “You must be eager to get home to see your son.”

  “Talk to me, Jessica. It’s okay to feel your feelings, no matter how ugly it gets.”

  She turned her head away like a petulant child. “Please. You don’t have to pretend to be my therapist. I have enough of those already.”

  I was surprised by the remark. “That was not my intention. I’m sorry.”

  Jessica shrugged, still not making eye contact. Her foot tapped on the floor as she fiddled with her necklace, sliding the tiny gold cross pendant back and forth on the chain.

  I reached into my purse for the photo Carter had given me. I took a moment to look at the photo one more time. They were once such a lovely family; Duane looking so proud, Jessica wearing a rare smile, and their beautiful baby boy. I felt myself getting emotional.

  I was about to give her the photo when something struck me as peculiar. In the photo, Duane wore a gold chain with a gold cross hanging from it. I recognized it as the same one he wore during our massage session … and identical to the one Jessica wore now.

  “Where did you get that necklace, Jessica?”

  Her look of surprise seemed genuine as she looked up at me. “What?”

  “The cross around your neck,” I said, pointing to it.

  She diverted her eyes, and pursed her lips.

  I took a step closer. “Duane was wearing one just like it the day before he died.”

  She turned away. “I think I should lie down now. I’m starting to feel a little dizzy. Do you mind?” She made a gesture to the door; a not so subtle hint that I should leave.

  I placed the photo on her bed next to her. She didn’t bother to glance at it.

  “You were there, weren’t you?” I said, keeping my voice low. “What happened the morning Duane died, Jessica?”

  She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “Fine. I did go there to talk to him, just like you suggested.”

  “Like I suggested?”

  “Don’t you remember?” She blinked a few times.

  I finally managed a response. “At first … but then I said it was a bad idea.”

  “No,” she said, pointing a finger at me. “You were the one who put that idea in my head, so I went.”

  I was finding it hard to breathe. “So you talked to Duane?”

  “He was in the pool when I arrived. He climbed up the stairs to meet me at his front door. I asked if we could go inside and talk, but the bastard had company.”

  “Did you ask him about Toby?”

  “Of course I did,” she said, thrusting her chin out. “He told me I needed to forget about Toby. I demanded to know what happened. All he could do was stand there like an idiot.”

  “So … you killed him?”

  “No,” she said. “I told him I still loved him.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He said it was a good time to let God into my heart. He took the cross off and handed it to me.” Jessica laughed, but tears were in her eyes.

  “You must have been crushed when he didn’t say he loved you back.”

  Her slender fingers trembled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Nostrils flaring, she said, “I’m done talking about this. You need to leave my room right now.”

  “Does your father know you went to see him?”

  “Of course. He doesn’t miss a thing. He had Alex follow me.”

  “Jessica, what did you two do to Duane?”

  Her eyes burned into me. “How dare you stand there and judge me. You’re not even a real detective. You’re just a washed-up, middle-aged hag who wants to feel important.”

  “You can sit there and insult me all you want, but all I care about is the truth.”

  “Okay, I’ll tell you. I never meant to hurt Duane.”

  I paused for a minute to look at her expression. I believed her. “If his death was an accident, why did you lie about it?”

  “You just don’t get it, do you?”

  “Well, why don’t you explain it to me?”

  “After Duane gave me the necklace, he tried to hug me. The bastard had the audacity to try and comfort me after brushing me off. I shoved him away a little harder than I meant to. He lost his balance and fell backwards down the steps. He hit his head on the edge of the pool.”

  “Did you try to help him?”

  “Of course, but he wasn’t breathing. Alex saw it happen. He told me to go back to the house and keep the whole thing to myself. Said he’d take care of it.” Jessica crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. I felt ill when I realized she had never been required to take responsibility for her actions in life.

  “You’re not thinking of going to the police, are you?” she said, lowering her voice. “Fuck with me, and you’ll regret it.”

  I shook my head. “You really are out of touch, aren’t you?”

  Jessica rolled her eyes. I turned to leave, mainly to prevent myself from slapping her across the face. As I walked away she said, “By the way, you’re way too old for Max. He’s out of your league. I wouldn’t expect him to stick around for
very long if I were you.”

  I stood motionless for a few seconds. I wanted to have the last word, but decided it just wasn’t worth it. I turned and left her room in silence.

  Dr. Theo was standing close by when I made my abrupt exit from his daughter’s room. He grabbed my arm. “What did you say to her, Sarah? I told you she shouldn’t be disturbed.”

  “She’s already disturbed,” I said, “And it started way before she ever met me.”

  Dr. Theo released me and took a step back. “I beg your pardon?”

  “You knew Jessica was going to Cunningham’s that morning. Good thing you had O’Malley follow her. Lord knows we couldn’t have her involvement in someone’s death sully the Sanborn name.”

  An eerie smile appeared on his otherwise rigid face as he stepped closer to me. “You’re already in way over your head. I suggest you cut your losses, get on your flight, and forget any of this ever happened. It’s in your best interest to do so.”

  “Another thing,” I said, not backing down to him. “You knew from the beginning that Jessica had no real desire to find her son. All she wanted was Cunningham back, with or without her kid.”

  “She’s too young to appreciate what it means to be a mother.”

  “How do you expect her to mature if you keep treating her like a little girl?”

  “I have specific reasons behind each of my decisions.”

  “You mean you have excuses.”

  Dr. Theo narrowed his eyes at me. He motioned to the door. “Go. Now.”

  Max glanced at his watch as I climbed inside the Jeep. “What took you so long? Is Jessica okay?”

  “Oh, she’s great.”

  “What happened?”

  I shook my head and looked out the side window. “Can we please just get the hell out of here?”

  Max put the vehicle in drive and pulled out of the Sanborn’s driveway without another word spoken.

  A few miles into the drive, Max reached over and squeezed my leg. “Talk to me, Sarah.”

  I took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Jessica was at Cunningham’s the morning he died. O’Malley followed her there.”

  Max almost drove off the road because he was glaring at me. “She told you this?”

  I proceeded to tell Max everything.

  He remained silent for several minutes. “So what do you want to do?”

  “Nothing.”

  An hour later we arrived at the airport. Max dropped me off with the luggage while he went to return the Jeep. As I stood waiting just inside the terminal, I glanced over at the ticket counters. Alex O’Malley was standing alone in the first-class line, checking a suitcase. The agent handed him his ticket and he headed toward the security checkpoint.

  I picked up the suitcases by my side and double-timed it to head him off. He saw me and stopped so I could catch up.

  “What airline are you taking?” he asked, shooting me a broad smile.

  “United,” I replied. “Why aren’t you flying with the Sanborns?”

  “I have miles on Delta that I prefer to use. Their flight leaves later today.”

  “Yes, I know. Max and I stopped to see them on our way here.”

  O’Malley nodded. “I figured you might.”

  “You also figured me for a fool, didn’t you?”

  He took a step back and tilted his head. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

  “Jessica told me what happened to Cunningham. You’re involved in a very serious cover-up.”

  O’Malley held up his hand. “Lower your voice, would you please? Jessica didn’t kill Cunningham. It was an accident. I saw the whole thing happen, Sarah.”

  “It was you who warned Brenda to disappear. That poor woman has been running scared simply because you felt it necessary to protect the interest of your clients.”

  “Look, Sarah. I don’t expect you to understand---”

  “What was all that talk yesterday about making a difference? You don’t give a shit about doing the right thing. You’re nothing but a fraud. I can’t prove it yet, but I’m fairly certain you know what happened to Toby. That whole Smolinski bullshit was just a smokescreen to throw me off course.”

  O’Malley lowered his head and looked away. “Let me give you some free advice, Sarah. Don’t get yourself involved more than you already have. I would hate to see something bad happen to such a nice person.”

  “Don’t you dare threaten me, you son-of-a-bitch.”

  “It’s not a threat, Sarah. It’s a sincere attempt to convince you it just isn’t worth it.”

  “Then tell me this. Why did you share that story about your father? Is it true or was that just another attempt to throw me off kilter?”

  “It’s all true.”

  “Then I really don’t understand you at all. How can you work for people like the Sanborns? Can’t you see? You’re part of the reason why justice will never prevail.”

  O’Malley checked his watch. “I’m sorry. I can’t continue this conversation right now. I’m going to miss my flight.”

  “I see,” I said, waving him away. “You’re pleading the fifth. Why am I not surprised?”

  ***

  A few minutes after O’Malley left to catch his flight, Max walked into the terminal and found me. “Sorry that took so long. Are you ready to go through security?”

  I nodded and decided not to tell him about my encounter with O’Malley. I was too emotionally exhausted, and needed time to process all I had just been told.

  Chapter 41

  Logan International Airport was bustling with travelers when we landed at 9:05am the next morning. There was a text from Brian, letting me know he was already in Boston to pick me up.

  Max escorted me to baggage claim. We both retrieved our respective suitcases and decided to part ways to avoid any potential conflicts with my family.

  Max set his luggage down, reached one hand around the back of my neck, and gently pulled me in for a kiss. “I’ll wait to hear from you, okay?”

  I nodded, giving him a sad smile. “You might be hearing from me tonight.”

  “What?” Max’s eyebrows rose up.

  “That’s if all of my belongings are on the front lawn when I get home. I have no idea what Daniel’s been up to.”

  “You know you can call me any time, right?”

  “Thank you, Max.”

  He turned and walked away. I watched him until he was out of sight.

  It was a chilly fifty degrees outside when I wheeled my suitcase out to the curb to wait for Brian. Despite the absence of all things tropical, I was relieved to be home.

  After a short wait I spotted my son drive up in my Toyota. He pulled up to the curb, jumped out, and grabbed my bags. “Hi, Mom. Welcome home. I missed you.”

  “I missed you too, honey,” I said, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek.

  “Dad didn’t want to come. He’s still pissed at you. In fact, he’s staying in a hotel room tonight. What happened in Hawaii? He won’t tell me anything.”

  “Nothing happened,” I said, trying to slow my breathing. “Just a misunderstanding.”

  “Could you please be a little more vague?”

  I laughed. “It’s complicated.”

  “Adults always say that.”

  I slapped his arm playfully. “Brat.”

  “So, what happens now?” he said. “Do you think you and Dad will work things out?”

  I couldn’t give him an answer I didn’t have. “Only time will tell.”

  Chapter 42

  I opened my eyes after twelve full hours of sleep. A quick look around reminded me I was back to my old life in New Hampshire. I had to come to terms with the fact that my reality now included being a massage therapist, not an amateur sleuth. I didn’t have any clients scheduled, but decided to go into the office anyway. Daniel still hadn’t called or made an appearance since my return. I guess it was just as well. I needed more time to think.

  I took a seat at my desk, flipped open
the laptop, and checked my neglected e-mail account. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a message from Max.

  Sarah,

  I hope you’re rested up from the long flight. I wanted to let you know I really cherish our time together in Hawaii. I realize you have a lot to deal with but I hope you know I’m here.

  I told the people in Chicago I needed a few weeks to make a decision about their offer. I hope to discuss it with you when you have time.

  Remember, I’m only a phone call away if you need me.

  Xoxo

  Max

  I leaned back in my chair, closed my eyes, and thought about the time we’d spent together. How long would he remain patient? The question prompted me to pick up the phone to call Daniel. We needed to come to terms about a mutual separation. There was no point in putting it off.

  There was a knock at the front door just as I was about to place the call. I was annoyed that the individual outside didn’t know the meaning of the word closed.

  I opened the door to find Alex O’Malley standing there. As if that wasn’t shocking enough, I saw the man I knew as Sal Hutchins standing next to him. “Hello, Sarah,” O’Malley said, looking around. “Is this a bad time?”

  “Wow. I’m speechless.”

  “Sarah Woods, I’d like to introduce you to my uncle, Charlie Quinn.”

  Quinn offered his hand. “Nice to see you again, Sarah.”

  “I guess you should come on in.”

  O’Malley unbuttoned the front of his coat and looked around my office. “Cozy place. Are you here alone?”

  “Just me and two big fat liars.”

  “Okay, I guess I deserved that,” O’Malley said. His cheeks turned pink as he cleared his throat. He glanced toward the waiting room off to my right. “Mind if we have a seat? This could take a while.”

  I motioned toward the couch. O’Malley sat down then fidgeted for a moment, adjusting his tie and smoothing out his pant legs.