Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set

by Jennifer L. Jennings

  Max took my hand and kissed it. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

  “Max!” I shoved him away as he laughed.

  Oliver pretended as if he hadn’t heard us. “You should take a look in that wooden chest over there. Unless you have a weak stomach.”

  Max opened the top, and I almost thought I’d lose my dinner all over the concrete floor. “What is all that?” I asked.

  “Body parts,” Max said, reaching in and pulling out a very real looking arm that had been severed at the shoulder.

  “That’s disgusting,” I said, looking away.

  Max returned the severed arm and pulled out a foot. If this were my house growing up, I would have been the coolest kid in school. Can you imagine playing hide and seek in a place like this?”

  “Bet you were a cute kid,” I said, “but not so cute with a severed limb in your hands.”

  Max reached into the crate and pulled out a head with bulging eyes. “This is awesome. Here, catch.”

  Max tossed the head at me but I was too shocked to move. It bounced off my chest and fell to the floor. “Ewe, you actually expected me to touch that thing?”

  “It’s just a decapitated head. What’s the big deal?”

  I rolled my eyes, but truth was … I’d become fascinated. “What else is in there?”

  He pulled out a plastic bag full of eyeballs, and then reached inside. “They feel rubbery.”

  “Please don’t throw anything else at me,” I said, backing up a few steps.

  Max returned the bag to the crate and looked around. “Look over there,” he said. “A mummy sarcophagus.” He was practically giggling as he set off to examine it. “Someone spent a lot of time crafting these replicas. I’m impressed at how real they look. Talk about talent.”

  “And when was the last time you saw a real sarcophagus?” I teased. “How would you know how authentic it was?”

  “I watch the History Channel. Ask me anything about King Tut.”

  “Come on, Max,” I said, nudging his arm. “We should go back up. We don’t want to be rude. Besides, I can smell coffee brewing.”

  Max could hardly tear himself away. “Okay.”

  I gave Oliver an apologetic smile. “Thanks for bringing us down. As you can see, Max is enjoying this a little too much.”

  Oliver grinned. “Believe me. I did the same thing the first time I saw this place.”

  * * *

  Upstairs, Alice and Lucy were sitting at the dining room table with coffee mugs and the plate of cookies I brought.

  “So what did you think?” Alice’s arthritic hands were molded around a teacup.

  “Truly inspiring,” Max said. “Thank you for allowing us to see it.”

  Alice smiled wickedly. “Did you … hear anything unusual?”

  Oliver patted her shoulder. “No Mrs. Rossini. Your husband did not make an appearance this evening.”

  “Just checking.”

  A cup of coffee and a few cookies later, I looked at my watch. 8:45 p. m. “Well, Alice,” I said, noticing her yawn for the third time. “Max and I should get going. You must be exhausted.”

  Alice nodded. “I suppose. But I’ve been so enjoying your company. We don’t get visitors often enough.”

  “The pleasure is all ours,” I said, acknowledging Oliver and Lucy as well. “Thank you for a wonderful dinner and tour. I have a feeling Max won’t stop talking about this night for many weeks to come.”

  Max made a point to lean over and kiss Alice on the cheek. She seemed a little surprised by his kind gesture. “Please, come back and visit any time,” she said.

  Chapter 7

  Tuesday, October 29

  7:15 a.m.

  Max was already in the shower when I woke up. I could hear him whistling, and it made me smile as I lay in bed.

  He sauntered out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. A cloud of steamy air followed in his wake. He eyed me on the bed and opened his towel to flash me - something he did most mornings to get a laugh.

  Unable to tear my eyes away from his nether regions, something occurred to me. “Hey Max, you’ve given me an idea. Maybe this stalker guy —the one who sent Mari the nude photos — has been following her. He might even know where she is now.”

  His expression changed and a serious look emerged. “Do me a favor. If you insist on meeting with this stalker, take Carter with you.” He kissed my head and grabbed his clothes. “Speaking of jobs, I’m meeting a prospective client so I gotta go. Meet you back here for dinner around five?”

  “Sure.”

  * * *

  By lunchtime, Carter had an address for Joshua Limp. I appreciated the speed at which Carter could produce such information. It was a talent I had yet to master. After ten years in the business, he had connections … something I needed to work on.

  “Are you sure you want to provoke this guy?” Carter asked. “He might not be right in the head.” We were having breakfast, seated at our favorite booth we had dubbed our official meeting headquarters. The Hometown Diner served breakfast all day, and I always ordered the special. This morning’s was blueberry pancakes. Carter hovered over his plate of corned beef hash and scrambled eggs and devoured everything as if he were a starving, homeless man.

  “You just told me the guy doesn’t have a criminal record,” I said. “Just a restraining order from over a year ago, right?”

  Carter shook his head. “Yeah, but you never know about guys like him. Usually they’re harmless, but sometimes they go off the reservation.”

  “Okay,” I said. “All the more reason for you to go with me to talk to him.”

  Carter sipped his coffee as he gazed out the window, pretending to watch the cars drive by. The rain had subsided but the clouds lingered, with no sun in sight. “Sure, why not,” he said. “Let’s pay Mr. Limp a visit. It might be entertaining.”

  * * *

  Joshua Limp lived in a rundown farmhouse situated on several acres near the river. It was a secluded spot; the nearest neighbor being at least a quarter of a mile away. There were several outbuildings on the property: a shed, a dilapidated barn, and what appeared to be an old greenhouse with its windows busted out. Must have been at least a ten-acre plot.

  We traipsed up to the front door and rang the bell. A few moments later, a man appeared behind the screen wearing sweatpants under a fleece robe. Greasy strands of black hair stuck to his forehead. “Can I help you?” he asked, his flinty gaze on Carter.

  I cleared my throat to get his attention. “Yes, hello. My name is Sarah Woods. This is Carter. I was hoping we could have a few minutes of your time.”

  “What for?”

  “Mari Parker. You know her, right?”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “What about her?”

  “Can we talk?”

  He glanced at Carter again, his beady eyes squinting and blinking rapidly. “I’m busy.”

  “Please?” I said. “Mari might be in trouble.”

  His expression changed. “What kind of trouble?”

  “She’s been gone for a few days and friends are worried that something’s happened. Do you know where she might be, or who she’s with?”

  “Who are you guys? Police?”

  “We’re private detectives. Hired by Mari’s friend.”

  He glanced around nervously. “I’m not supposed to follow her any more. I’d get in trouble again.”

  “We’re not here to make any trouble for you,” I said. “In fact, this is your chance to help.”

  “You have to go,” he said. “Mother needs me to make her breakfast.”

  The door shut in our faces.

  We got back in my car, but I didn’t start the engine. “You know,” I said to Carter. “I got the feeling Joshua was intimidated by you.”

  Carter shifted his position to look squarely at me from the passenger seat. “I didn’t even say a word, Sarah.”

  “I saw the way he looked at you. I don’t
think he trusts men.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “Maybe he’ll let his guard down and open up to me if I speak to him alone.”

  “Sure, he’ll open up alright … his robe.”

  “Very funny. He only does that for beautiful models. I don’t fall into that category.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Sarah. You’re a beautiful woman.”

  I eyed him curiously. “Was that a compliment that just fell out of your mouth?”

  “Don’t let it go to your head. Part of your charm is that you don’t know how attractive you are.”

  “Thanks, I guess.”

  “Anyway,” he said, nodding his head toward the house. “Joshua keeps peeking at us through the curtain. What’s your next move?”

  “Wait here, okay?”

  Carter eyed me suspiciously. “Are you going to use your cunning charm to trick him in giving you information?”

  “Seriously. I’m just going to be nice to him. I have a feeling it will work.”

  He waved a hand. “Well, then. Go work your magic.”

  Joshua opened the door just as I was about to knock. He glared at me. “I told you I have nothing to say. Please leave now.”

  “Hear me out, please,” I said. “I know you must be worried about Mari. Unless your feelings for her aren’t genuine.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “You don’t know me. How can you know how I feel?”

  “You’re right. But how can I get to know you if you won’t even speak to me?”

  His features softened as he studied my face. Then his eyes moved to my hair. He pointed to the strand of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail. “What color is that?”

  “My hair?”

  “Yes,” he said. “What color is it?”

  I wasn’t sure why he was suddenly concerned about my hair color, but I figured I’d indulge him. “Comes from a box,” I said. “It’s called ‘toasted pecan.’”

  Joshua’s eyes widened as a small smile appeared. “You’d look nice as a redhead.”

  “You think so? Maybe I’ll try a new shade next time.”

  Finally, he rubbed his cheek and let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. We can talk. Why is your partner waiting in the car?”

  I turned around. Inside the car, Carter’s head was tilted back. His eyes appeared to be closed. I knew he’d never fall asleep while on assignment, so he was obviously faking. “He’s tired and needs a nap,” I said.

  “Yeah, well, he does look pretty old.”

  “So where can we talk?”

  He made a sweeping motion with his hand and I followed him over to a rusty set of lawn furniture. “Have a seat if you’d like.”

  “Thank you,” I said and chose the chair with the least amount of dirt.

  “So you think I’m supposed to know where Mari is?” he said, crossing his legs. “Unfortunately, I haven’t seen her around. She wasn’t at her Pilates class yesterday.”

  “When was the last time you spoke to her?”

  “I’m not allowed to talk to her. I watch and listen. I’m … kind of like her protector.”

  “So, you feel Mari is in danger?”

  He shrugged “Everyone looks at her wherever she goes. I make sure she stays safe from all the crazies out there.”

  I stifled a nervous laugh. This guy was creeping me out. Good thing Carter was close by. “How did you first meet Mari?”

  He fidgeted with the belt of his robe like it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. “I took Mother shopping at Nordstrom’s a few weeks ago and I spotted Mari at the Channel counter buying perfume. I heard the Spanish accent from across the noisy store. Then I saw her face.”

  “So you approached her?”

  Joshua scratched his cheek and shifted his position in his chair. “I couldn’t. Mother had me by the arm and wanted me to help her pick out a new pair of shoes. I was finally able to get back to the Channel counter while Mother was using the restroom. Mari was still there so I pretended to look at something in the display case and then started a conversation. Most women walk away when I try to talk to them. Mari actually talked to me.”

  “What did you talk about?”

  “I saw the ring on her finger, so I casually mentioned that her husband was a lucky man.”

  “What did she say?”

  “Nothing. She smiled, but it was a fake smile. Anyway, when she paid for her purchase, I noticed her name on the credit card receipt.”

  “Did she say anything else to you?”

  “Not really. Just grabbed her bag, said good-bye, and walked away. I tried to say something more but my tongue was tied. At least I had her name. I was able to find her address pretty easily.”

  “And then you sent her the letter with the photos of yourself?”

  He focused on his hands, his cheeks turning pink. “In the letter, I asked her to meet me at the Bridgeport Cafe the following day at sunset. I guess maybe it scared her a little. In hindsight, I should have been more subtle in my approach.”

  I nodded, but kept my opinions to myself. “So I take it she never showed?”

  “No, but a police officer did. He told me never to contact Mari again.”

  “Were you angry?”

  “Not really. I guess I understood. These things take time.”

  “Sounds like you’re not giving up.”

  Dark eyes studied me from underneath a blanket of oily bangs. “She talked to me. I took it as a sign.”

  His tone was so sincere I was beginning to feel sorry for him. “How do you know she’s the woman for you? You barely know who she is?”

  “She’s my soul mate.” Joshua crossed his arms over his chest and glared at me. “That’s how I know.”

  “Did you ever see her with any other men besides her husband?”

  Joshua paused to think while brushing the greasy locks from his forehead. “No.”

  “Did you know the Parkers hosted a party last Friday night?”

  He shrugged and diverted his eyes. “Yeah, I guess my invitation got lost in the mail.”

  He didn’t appear to be joking. “You actually expected to be invited?”

  He looked up, but this time, his eyes held contempt. “Are you making fun of me?”

  His abrupt paranoia caught me off guard. “No, I’m just trying to understand. Do you really believe that she’s the one for you? You only talked for a few minutes, right?”

  “Love doesn’t have to make sense,” he said smugly. “And it’s not something you can explain. It just is.”

  There was no point in debating the topic. I could tell Joshua was getting impatient so I decided to cut to the chase. “You know, sometimes love is cruel. Sometimes the people we love don’t love us back. And sometimes we want to hurt the people we love. It’s natural.”

  He let out a melodramatic sigh. “I know what you’re doing,” he said.

  “What?”

  “This psycho-analytical bullshit. You think I did something awful to Mari. You’re trying to get me to confess to something. Well, I told you before, and I’ll tell you again. I’d never hurt Mariposa.”

  “I’m just trying to understand, that’s all.”

  “Well, if I were you, I’d be talking to her husband. That guy is a lunatic. I wouldn’t be surprised if he did something to her.”

  “Why do you say that?” I asked.

  “A few days after I sent Mari the pictures he came here. To my house. He threatened me.”

  “Kenneth Parker came here and threatened you? What did he say?”

  “He said if I ever tried to contact his wife again, he’d kill me.”

  I blinked in disbelief. “He actually said he’d kill you?”

  “And then he grabbed the back of my neck and squeezed real hard.” Joshua lowered the collar of his robe to show me two faint reddish-brown marks on the back of his neck. “I should sue him. How dare he come to my house and harass me.”

  “What happened then?” I aske
d, feeling the blood pulsing in my temple.

  “He just left, but not before kicking the side of my car.” Joshua pointed to the KIA SUV parked in the driveway. Sure enough, a dent the size of a hamburger graced the driver’s side door.

  “You didn’t call the cops?” I said.

  “I wanted to,” he said. “But they probably wouldn’t do anything. Besides, hasn’t it occurred to you that maybe she decided to leave him?”

  “It’s beginning to look like a real possibility,” I said. Something else occurred to me. “Joshua, did you go to the party Friday night?”

  He gave me sideward glance. “I told you, I wasn’t invited.”

  “I know. Did you go and watch from outside the house?”

  He turned his head so I couldn’t see his eyes. “No. You can even ask my mom. We watched movies all night.”

  “So, your mom lives here with you?”

  He nodded.

  “Do you mind if I speak to her?”

  “She’s practically deaf, but I’ll introduce you if you want.”

  I figured it probably wasn’t worth bothering her so I wrote down my number and slid it across the table. “Would you please call me if you can think of anything else? Even if it seems unimportant.”

  He examined the card like it was a priceless jewel. “You’re giving me your number?”

  “It’s my business number. For work.”

  He slipped it into the pocket of his robe, a devilish smile on his face. “So, I was thinking. If you find Mari, could you put in a good word for me?”

  “A good word? Like what?”

  “You know, tell her that I’m a nice guy.”

  “Okay,” I said. “I’ll be sure to do that.”

  “And don’t forget to tell her … I love her.”

  Chapter 8

  After dropping Carter off at the diner, I decided to stop and see Alice Rossini.

  When I arrived, Lucy escorted me to the back porch where Alice sat, facing an enormous picture window with a view of a garden, her small frame swallowed up in blankets.

  She looked up and smiled. “Sarah. What a surprise.”