Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set

by Jennifer L. Jennings

  “Hi Alice. Hope I’m not intruding.”

  Alice waved me in and gestured to a nearby chair. “I like sitting out here. It’s very peaceful, don’t you think? The flowers have lost their blooms, but they’ll be back in the spring. Death is only temporary for them.”

  Lucy strolled over to Alice and fussed with her blankets. “Ma’am, are you warm enough? I could make you some hot tea.”

  “Thank you. I’d love it. Perhaps Sarah would like a cup?”

  “No thanks, I’m fine,” I said, taking a seat next to Alice.

  Lucy bowed her head and disappeared.

  Alice shifted her position to face me. “I enjoyed your company last night. Max is delightful. And so knowledgeable.”

  I placed my purse on the floor by my feet. “Yes, he had a wonderful time, as did I. He won’t stop talking about the movie props. I’ve never seen him so giddy.”

  Alice chuckled. “I am so pleased.”

  “You’re probably wondering why I stopped by.”

  “Oh? Has something happened?”

  “No, not really. Remember the fellow who sent Mari the nude photos of himself? Joshua Limp?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’ve just been to his house. He says he doesn’t know where Mari is right now, but he’s been following her the past week.”

  Her face remained frozen in confusion. “Following her?”

  “It’s probably no big surprise, but Joshua is a bit obsessed. I wouldn’t be shocked to find out he’s spent some time in a mental institution.”

  “Is he dangerous?”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t strike me as the violent type, but that brings me to another disturbing matter. After receiving the photos, Mari’s husband went to Joshua’s house, assaulted him, and threatened his life should he ever contact Mari again.”

  “Kenneth? I can’t picture him assaulting anyone.”

  “Maybe Kenneth was jealous, or he thought he was protecting his wife. But, here’s the problem. Kenneth misled us when Carter and I talked to him on Sunday. He acted as if this issue with Joshua was no big deal. Non-threatening. And he certainly never mentioned going to his house.”

  “So, what does this mean?” Alice seemed to shiver under her blanket. “How does any of this information help us?”

  “I don’t know, exactly. My guess? Kenneth is really just an insecure bully. It’s possible Mari decided to leave him, especially because she’s so against any kind of violence.”

  “Yes, I know. But, if she were leaving her marriage, she would have discussed it with me. I’m certain of it.”

  “Maybe she thought you’d try to talk her out of it.”

  Alice narrowed her eyes. “I may be old, Sarah, but I’m not so old-fashioned. If she had told me that her husband was a violent man, I would have begged her to leave him, I assure you.”

  We lingered in silence for a moment until Lucy returned with the tea. I had nothing else to report, so I got to my feet. “I should get going,” I said, grabbing my purse. “Enjoy your tea, Alice. I’ll call you as soon as I have any more information.”

  Alice’s weak smile, laced with despair, was the only response to my comment. She turned her attention to Lucy, as I rose and began walking away.

  As I ambled back to my car, someone called out my name. I spun around to find Oliver walking toward me from the backyard. He had a bundle of split wood in his arms. “Do you have a wood stove or fireplace?” he asked.

  “Yes, a fireplace.”

  “Are you interested in some kindling? I had to cut down some dead trees out back.”

  “As a matter of fact, I’d love some.” I popped the trunk and stood aside as he carefully placed the wood inside.

  “I have more out back,” he said.

  “That’s okay. I appreciate this, really.”

  “So,” he said as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a leather-gloved hand. “Have you had any luck locating Mrs. Rossini’s friend?”

  “I’m working on it.”

  Oliver nodded, smiled, and turned to leave. “Well, have a good night, ma’am.”

  “Excuse me,” I said. “Do you have a second?”

  He stopped and turned to face me. “Sure.”

  “I know you and Lucy have only been living here a few months, but I’m wondering … have you ever talked to Kenneth and Mari Parker?”

  Oliver glanced across the street and nodded. “A few times. Why?”

  “What’s your impression of the couple?”

  He removed his gloves and stuffed them into the back pocket of his jeans. “To be honest, I don’t think they care much for the likes of me.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, the wife is pleasant enough. But her husband … he looks at me like I don’t belong in a neighborhood like this.” He laughed. “I guess I can’t blame ‘em. I spose I don’t really fit in.”

  “Why? Because you don’t drive a Mercedes?”

  Oliver shifted his weight from one foot to another, staring at the ground. “It’s fine. I don’t mind too much. I just do my work, and that’s good enough for me.”

  “Have you ever seen Kenneth get rough with his wife?”

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “What about Kenneth’s son, Ethan? Have you talked with him?”

  “A few times.”

  “Well, what did you talk about?”

  Oliver stared at his feet. “I don’t want to get anyone in trouble, ma’am.”

  “Did Ethan do something bad?”

  “Naw. I’d noticed there were cigarette butts lying on the ground near the barn. Come to find out, Ethan had been sneaking over here to grab a smoke. I caught him one night.”

  “Smoking cigarettes?” I said. “On Alice’s property? Why?”

  “Ethan said his dad never allowed him to smoke.”

  “Did you tell Alice about this?”

  “Mrs. Rossini has other things to worry about. I just reckoned it wasn’t that important.”

  “I understand.”

  “Look, I don’t think Ethan has many friends. I told him if he needed to talk to someone he could come over and have a butt. I figured it wasn’t hurt’n anyone.”

  “Did Ethan ever confide in you?”

  “About what?”

  “About his family life? How he felt about his parents?”

  “A little. I got the sense he didn’t feel comfortable talk’n about it, but he talked about his mom a little.”

  “Mari? Or his biological mom?”

  “His biological mom. He hasn’t seen her in a while. I guess she’s been in prison.”

  “When was the last time Ethan was over here?”

  “I haven’t seen’m much since he moved to Boston. But If I had to guess, maybe a few weeks ago.”

  “Oliver, I know you don’t want to betray Ethan’s trust, but did he ever mention anything about his dad? Was he afraid of him? Did he complain about anything specific?”

  “Just the usual stuff. His pop can be a hard-ass. Like most, I suppose.”

  I noticed Lucy was standing in the window, watching our exchange, a tense look on her face. “Well, Oliver, I think I should let you get back to work. I really appreciate you talking to me about this. You’ve been a big help.”

  “If you say so, ma’am.”

  I turned to walk back to my car when I nearly tripped over something. I looked down at my feet and spotted a brown cat brushing against my leg.

  “Sorry about that,” Oliver said, rushing over to scoop the cat up into his arms. “This is Precious.”

  “I didn’t know Alice had a cat,” I said. “He’s beautiful. A Maine coon?”

  “I think so,” he said. “But he doesn’t belong to Mrs. Rossini. I found him a few weeks ago. I think he was abandoned. I keep him in the barn and take care of him. Please don’t mention it.”

  “Mums the word.”

  Oliver stroked the feline, a look of adoration on his face. “Anyway, I better put him back in t
he barn before he goes and gets himself run over.”

  “Well, thanks again for the wood,” I said, waving goodbye.

  * * *

  Max called to say he had to work late, so I decided to stop at my favorite Mexican place for dinner and found an empty seat at the bar. I waved to Kari, the cute blonde bartender I’d become friendly with over the past few months. She skipped over to greet me with a generous smile. “Hey, girl. You want the usual?”

  “Please make it a double,” I teased. “It’s been quite a day. I’m glad it’s dead in here. I’ve got you all to myself. Hey, that’s a cute outfit.”

  “Thanks. Got in on sale. It’s a little tight in the chest, but oh well.”

  “Ah, quit complaining and make my margarita, will ya?”

  She tossed a coaster at me like a Frisbee. “Here, catch.”

  I snatched it in mid-air, laughing at her over-dramatization.

  “Nice reflexes,” she said as she began mixing my drink.

  “So, what is the famous Kari Stewart starring in this week? Did you get the part in that soap opera?”

  “I wish.”

  “Any other auditions?”

  She rolled her eyes. “You know how much I love playing the blonde bimbo, right? Well, needless to say, I’ve landed another doozie.”

  “Why don’t you tell that agent of yours you don’t want to do another tampon commercial,” I said.

  “It’s car insurance. I get to play the idiot girl who crashes her car into a telephone pole.”

  “Hey, at least you’re getting paid.”

  She placed the margarita in front of me. “So, where’s Max tonight?”

  “Working late. Just as well. After a drink and a chicken burrito, I’m heading straight home to bed.” I took a sip and smiled. The taste of freshly squeezed lime captivated my senses and my whole body relaxed. “Yum. This is the best one you’ve made, yet.”

  “You always say that.” Kari became distracted by something behind me. “Hey, Sarah.” She lowered her voice. “Don’t look now, but there’s a strange dude that just sat down in the booth behind you. He keeps looking over here and he’s not being subtle about it.”

  “Come on, you must be used to guys ogling you by now.”

  “He’s not looking at me, chickadee.”

  “Describe him.”

  She cupped a hand over her mouth. “Skinny. Greasy hair. Rodent eyes. Wearing a t-shirt that says: Vote for Pedro.”

  “Great. He sounds just like someone I met today.”

  “Want me to go scare him off?”

  “Nah. He’s fine,” I said. “Is he alone?”

  “Oh, yeah. He’s alone.”

  “Better go take his order.”

  Before Kari had a chance to respond, I heard his voice behind me.

  “Sarah?”

  I turned around. “Hey, Joshua.”

  “I thought that was you,” he said. “You come here often? I love this place.”

  I smiled. “Yeah. I like it too.”

  “Um, can I buy you a drink?”

  “Thanks anyway. I was just getting a quick dinner and catching up with a friend.”

  “Oh. Okay. Sorry to bother you.”

  “No problem, Joshua. Enjoy your meal.”

  When I turned back to the bar, Kari leaned in and whispered. “I’ve never seen him in here before. Who is he?”

  I shrugged. “He’s sort of involved in the new case I’m working on. ”

  “Is he a pervert or something?”

  “Or something,” I said.

  Chapter 9

  I woke the next morning to the sound of my cell phone buzzing. I looked around in mild panic, noticing the time on my alarm clock. 7:15 a.m. Without checking the incoming number, I answered.

  “Ms. Woods?”

  I cleared my throat. “Yes?”

  “This is Lucy Adams, Mrs. Rossini’s caretaker. I’m sorry to call so early.”

  I shot up in bed, confused and a little lightheaded. “Lucy? Is Alice okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am, she’s fine. She’s still in bed. I’m calling because when I got up this morning, well … there’s a police car in the Parkers’ driveway. Been there for over an hour now. I’m scared Mrs. Rossini will notice when she gets up. What should I tell her?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to do my best to figure out what’s going on. I’ll call you back as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Woods.”

  My first thought: Mari had been found raped and murdered and the police were there to notify her husband. What else could it be?

  I rubbed my eyes, got out of bed, and doused my face with cold water. No time to make myself look presentable. I grabbed a baseball cap and headed out the door wearing the same black jeans as the day before, and a paint-splattered sweatshirt.

  * * *

  Prescott Heights felt like a ghost town. It was almost daylight, but the street lamps still flickered, bathing the neighborhood with an eerie glow.

  The police car, like a harbinger of bad tidings, was still in the Parkers’ driveway. I pulled my car to the side, parked in front of their mailbox, and waited.

  Ten or fifteen minutes passed before the Parkers’ front door finally opened. A uniformed police officer came out carrying a box, followed by Kenneth, and another man I recognized as Detective James. The three men had a brief conversation. Kenneth seemed a bit frazzled, his hair sticking out in clumps as if he’d been running sweaty hands through it.

  I remained in my car, observing their interaction, until finally the men parted ways. Kenneth retreated back into the house. The police officer and the detective started walking back toward the cruiser.

  I noticed Detective James glance in my direction then advance toward my car with a curious expression. Dressed casually in dark, pressed jeans and a plaid button down shirt under a navy blue wool jacket, he exuded confidence and authority.

  “Hello Detective,” I said, rolling down the window, as if it were perfectly normal to be parked in front of this house.

  “Sarah Woods,” he said, addressing me with a brisk tone. “Just the person I wanted to see.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Can you follow me back to the station? We have a lot to talk about. Kenneth Parker tells me you’ve been hired by his neighbor across the street to locate his wife.”

  “Yes. I haven’t been able to track her down. Did her husband finally call you?”

  “No. We got a call this morning. Mariposa Parker’s abandoned car was found five miles from here.”

  I swallowed hard. “Who found her car?”

  Detective James leaned against my Toyota and looked down at me, his jaw tense. “The owner of the warehouse noticed it early this morning. He saw the woman’s purse in the front seat and figured something was up, so he contacted us. The registration led us here. Mr. Parker confirmed his wife left Saturday morning to go to a spa. Said he had no reason to be alarmed until now.”

  “Any idea what happened to Mari?” I asked.

  “Cash and credit cards were still in her purse. Looks like a kidnapping, but Mr. Parker says he hasn’t received any ransom calls or letters. The forensics team is working to find some prints or DNA in the car. No surveillance cameras and no discernable tire tracks due to the rain.”

  I took a moment to steady my breathing. “Does it look like there was a struggle? Any blood?”

  “No and no. I’m ordering a canine unit to search the area. There’s over fifty acres of woods surrounding the warehouse. Mr. Parker gave us one of his wife’s sweaters to help track her scent, but with all the rain …”

  “What can I do to help?”

  “You can follow me back to the station. I’d like to see your notes.”

  * * *

  Detective James walked back inside of his office, where I had been waiting patiently for close to an hour. “Sorry for the delay,” he said with a frazzled edge to his voice. “Forensics couldn’t find a single print in the Mercedes. Lo
oks like someone was smart enough to wipe down the interior and exterior of her vehicle.”

  “What about witnesses?”

  “The next closest property is half a mile.”

  I pointed to the notebook on his desk. “Everything I know about Mari Parker is in there, including interviews from a few of her friends. Unfortunately, no one knew she was planning to go away. Did Kenneth have any ideas about who might be responsible for her disappearance?”

  “No, but he’s convinced it was probably some guy she’s been seeing, though he couldn’t give me a name.”

  “Did he mention the details of their marital arrangement?”

  He nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Speaking of Kenneth, aren’t husbands usually a prime suspect when a wife goes missing?”

  “He’s fully cooperating with the investigation and has offered to take a polygraph test. I’m looking into his finances, but so far I’ve found nothing. There’s a small life insurance policy on his wife, but twenty-five grand is peanuts compared to his net worth.”

  “I know Kenneth is a well respected businessman, but I’ve heard he has a temper … at least concerning his son Ethan.”

  He sat back and crossed his arms. “What do you mean?”

  “Kenneth beat his son for spying on his wife in the bathtub.”

  Detective James stared at the floor. “Mr. Parker mentioned that his son goes to college in Boston. Have you met him?”

  “Only briefly when I was at his house on Sunday.”

  “I’ll arrange to have the son come in. I’d like to talk to him, anyway.”

  “There’s another person who can attest to Kenneth’s temper. Joshua Limp is Mari’s stalker. It’s all there in my notes. I spoke with him yesterday morning. Joshua Limp sent Mari some nude photos, and he’s been following her around like a lovesick puppy.”

  “Yes, Mr. Parker mentioned him, but he didn’t think his wife would have been persuaded to meet with him at an abandoned warehouse.”

  “Did Kenneth also mention going to his house and assaulting him?”

  The detective looked up from my notebook. “Yes, as a matter of fact he did. He confessed to going over there and losing his temper. Says he took Mr. Limp by the neck and shoved him against the door. Immediately felt bad about it, apologized, and left.”