by Anne Canadeo
Dana had been drifting in private thoughts but suddenly looked up. “That doesn’t sound far-fetched at all. That could be it.”
Suzanne brushed some crumbs from the front of her sweater. Lilac cashmere, with a draped collar, Maggie noticed—a very Suzanne style. “All this talk of ex-cons brings one guy to mind. Mr. Thornton. He could have been pressing Holly anonymously and then decided he wanted a bigger payoff. So he shows up on her doorstep, hangs around a few days, and confronts her.”
Maggie squinted as she considered the theory. “I do agree that the blackmailer could have been operating anonymously, and Thornton certainly fits my idea of what a former felon might look like. But why would he go to all the trouble to work at the nursery and try to win her confidence?”
“I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t like the idea of him working at the nursery,” Dana admitted. “But Maggie and I were standing right there when he practically saved Holly’s life. Or at least saved her from a very bad accident,” Dana reminded them.
Between Dana and Maggie, everyone else had heard about the fallen tree limb and Thornton’s quick thinking. Though Maggie still wasn’t sure how to interpret the act.
“I know. You told me. But what does that mean? Of course he tried to save her. She was his meal ticket.” Suzanne was getting carried away with her emotions, as usual. She still had not learned to control her short fuse. “Who knows what he was scheming by putting boots on the ground at the nursery. Isn’t it exactly the sort of creepy thing a stalking, blackmailing ex-con would do? Didn’t you ever watch a movie on the Lifetime channel?”
“Calm down, Suzanne . . . No one wants to argue. We’re trying to look at this from all angles,” Maggie reminded her.
“I lost it. I’m sorry. My bad.” Suzanne pursed her lips, looking repentant. “It’s just that my intuition insists Thornton figures into this. I can’t put my finger on exactly how, but I’d bet a week of lattes he’s in the mix.” She picked up another muffin, then put it down again. “And this entire conversation is triggering a carb binge. Will someone please take this box out of my face?”
Phoebe leaned over and moved the box of muffins to the far side of the table. “If you change that bet to a week of chai teas, I might take you up on it.”
“Consider it done, sweet pea.” Suzanne smiled warmly at her younger friend.
“I can understand the problem with telling Jack,” Lucy said to Dana. “But what about Detective Reyes? You’re going to tell her about the letters and the bank withdrawals, aren’t you?”
“They’ve probably noticed the withdrawals already,” Suzanne pointed out. “They have had access to Holly’s financial records since day one.”
“That’s true. But the letters certainly supply a logical explanation for what happened to the money,” Maggie added.
Dana sat back in the armchair and cradled her mug of tea. Maggie guessed it was cold, and she would have normally jumped up to warm some more water. But she was too riveted by the conversation to be a good hostess.
“Calling Detective Reyes was the first thing I thought of. Now I’m not so sure. What if the police go after Holly? Jeremy Carlson can only gain by clearing his name, and his romantic motive for protecting her may have totally evaporated by now. Even if Holly can’t be charged after all this time, the word could get out and her reputation would be ruined.”
“It is . . . complicated,” Maggie agreed. Dana was caught in a moral dilemma, between the proverbial rock and a hard place if ever there was one.
Lucy had opened Maggie’s laptop, which was sitting on the counter, and had been tapping at it for a bit. She glanced at Dana over her shoulder. “The statute of limitations for vehicular manslaughter is six years. Holly can’t be charged at this point.”
Maggie heard Dana sigh out loud. “That’s good news. But what about a civil suit? Or if the charge is upped to murder by the prosecutor? Who can predict what they will do? The young man who died, I forget his name. His family might come forward and sue her for wrongful death.”
“Spoken like a woman who’s been married to a lawyer for over twenty years,” Suzanne noted. “I wouldn’t have even thought of that.”
“Let’s see . . .” They waited while Lucy searched for answers to the questions, typing at a lightning-fast pace. “The time limit for a civil suit has run out, as well.” She looked up from the computer. “Though the victim’s family might find some other angle that would get Holly into court.”
“That’s very true. You’d be surprised what some attorneys can come up with,” Dana replied. “I just don’t know what to do. What if she was being blackmailed, but it’s not related at all to what happened Tuesday night? It’s a Pandora’s box, and Holly is left open to all sorts of new problems. Including Toby’s challenge to Rose’s guardianship. If—and it’s a big one—his challenge ever reaches court, the information that Holly was driving that night could come out and be a black mark that causes her to lose Rose,” she said quietly. “Not to mention how she’s going to feel about my rummaging through the most private pockets of her life and giving away her darkest secrets.”
“Toby . . . I almost forgot about him,” Maggie admitted. “His agenda certainly puts another wrinkle in things, doesn’t it?”
“Without a doubt.” Dana’s tone was gravely serious.
“How’s that going? Did he really start the legal ball rolling to win guardianship of Rose?” Suzanne asked.
“Jack heard through the grapevine that he hired a lawyer somewhere around here, but no documents have been filed yet. He also heard that Detective Reyes questioned Toby and checked on his whereabouts Tuesday night. He wasn’t very far away. Definitely not in Portland, like he told us.”
Maggie was encouraged. “So he was in the area on Tuesday night?”
“That’s right. Now they need to call him back and confront him with the lie. He must know his return looks suspicious, and wanted to avoid attention. But it is a red flag for the police.”
“A big one.” Phoebe was the only one who had taken out her knitting, but she suddenly looked up. “Maybe he’s been blackmailing her anonymously all this time. It’s not hard to imagine that he knows she was the driver. He still lived with the family at the time of the accident. But the blackmail payments were not enough, and he got greedy. He could have lured Holly from the house, attacked her, and set the fire.”
“And he has a truckload of motives to want her out of the way, so he can get his hands on the business and the property,” Suzanne said. “I see your point now, Dana. If it turns out Toby is behind this, Holly’s secret will be exposed, and she’s liable to suffer the consequences for no reason.”
“That’s my problem exactly,” Dana sighed, truly torn. “No matter what I decide, to tell the police or not, we can’t let Rose know. There’s no telling how she might react, and it’s certainly not my place to disclose this to her. Holly is the only one who can do that.”
“People often say that with great power comes great responsibility. I think it’s true about knowledge, too,” Maggie said. “This kind of knowledge anyway.”
“It appears that our little safecracking moment unleashed more than we bargained for,” Lucy said. “Now Dana is left juggling a stick of dynamite.”
Dana offered a small smile. “Knitting has made me nimble enough to juggle, I hope. I will say that I’m glad I told all of you. I trust you completely, and you’ve been very patient, hearing me out.”
“Except when some people yelled at you,” Suzanne added.
Dana offered her a warm smile. “And offered some excellent insights and advice. And you didn’t really yell . . . just spoke very strongly.”
“That’s what I should tell my kids. ‘I’m not screaming. I’m just talking to you strongly.’ ” Suzanne laughed. “I don’t think they’ll buy it.”
“Patient? We’ve been on the edge of our seats with this story, Dana,” Phoebe replied.
“And we want to help in any way we can,” Lucy remin
ded her.
Maggie noticed the time. It was getting close to nine. Customers usually didn’t drift in until half past or even at ten, but there were always a few early birds.
Suzanne’s phone buzzed with a call, and she sent it to voice mail. “Wish I could hang out longer, but the exciting world of real estate sales beckons.”
She gathered her things and headed to the door. “Let me know if there are any developments. You know how I hate to be left out of the loop.”
“We’d never dream of it,” Lucy promised.
With a quick wave and her trademark sassy grin, Suzanne was out the door.
“I’d better get going, too,” Lucy said, peering out the window at her dogs. “Tink and Wally have been suspiciously well behaved out there.”
“Maybe Rose trained them so well the other day, they’re turning over a new dog leaf?” Phoebe glanced at Dana. “Where is Rose?”
“Jack took her to the center this morning for her appointments and sessions. I need to see one or two clients in town. Then I’m going to pick her up and bring her to see Holly.”
Dana’s phone rang, and Maggie saw that it was a call from her husband. She picked it up quickly. “Hi, hon. What’s up?” Dana listened a moment, and her fair complexion turned pale as paper. When she finally spoke, her voice stammered. “I can’t believe it . . . what awful news. Are they sure?”
Everyone froze in the midst of their movements and sat perfectly still, listening to Dana’s side of the conversation.
“Who found her?” she continued, her voice low and trembling. “I see. Yes, tell them I’m on my way. I’ll leave right now.”
Lucy was the first to speak. “What happened, Dana? What’s wrong?”
“Please tell me nothing happened to Rose . . . Or Holly?” Phoebe sounded beside herself at the thought.
Dana had already jumped up, but her knitting tote and purse had slid to the floor. “It’s Emily Curtis. It’s just awful. Her cleaning service came to her apartment and found her . . . She’s dead . . .” Her voice trailed off. She looked frozen and confused.
The news was shocking. Maggie pictured the vital, confident young woman she’d met just a week ago. Young and successful, at the top of her game, it had seemed. It was hard to believe she was no longer among the living. Tomorrow was not promised to anyone. That was true enough.
Maggie pulled herself from her bleak thoughts. Dana needed her attention. She stood up and touched Dana’s shoulder. “Don’t run off like this. You’re too upset.”
Dana turned to her. “I’m worried about Rose. She loved Emily. Jack says she’s taking it very hard.”
“Of course you want to be with her quickly. But Dr. Riley is there and lots of others. She’ll be all right.” Lucy stood up now, too, and picked up Dana’s purse and knitting bag.
“What happened? Did Jack tell you?” Phoebe asked.
“No one knows yet for sure. She died alone, so there will definitely be an investigation and an autopsy.” Dana held her shawl but didn’t put it on. Maggie could see she wasn’t herself, but she was still determined to get to Rose.
“I’ll drive you there,” Maggie offered.
Without waiting for Dana to answer, Maggie grabbed her poncho and purse off the counter and fished out her car keys. “Dr. Riley may need your help today. This is very sad news for the entire staff and all the patients. I can keep Rose company. I’ve grown very fond of her, and I think she’s come to trust me.”
Dana looked about to speak but then stopped, as if she’d decided not to argue. Lucy helped her on with her shawl and carried Dana’s bags. “I’ll walk you out, and I’ll stop at the Pipers’ later and look in on the dogs.”
As they climbed into Maggie’s car, Dana looked a bit calmer and was grateful for her caring friends. She was usually cool as a cucumber, the super-centered friend whom everyone relied on. But Maggie could see that this time Dana needed their help and support as much as anyone.
Maggie drove as fast as she dared, while Dana used the time to call clients and make new appointments. She also called Dr. Riley and left a message that she was on her way.
“Tim must be beside himself,” Dana said. “Everyone must be looking to him for support, and he’s lost his right-hand, his best friend, and business partner. His significant other in every sense of the word.”
“It must be a great blow,” Maggie agreed. She recalled the contentious conversation she’d overheard between the two doctors and wondered if Dr. Riley regretted the way he had treated his friend, business partner and, most likely, his lover, as well. She wondered if they’d ever made up, or if Dr. Curtis had passed away with their relationship left on a bad note. That would be hard for him.
She knew it was an odd turn of thought, but she couldn’t help thinking that with Dr. Curtis gone, the way was clear for Dr. Riley to continue his pursuit of Holly, if Holly’s main objection had been his entanglement with Dr. Curtis. But when she factored in the lost love revealed in the letters, Maggie had a feeling Holly’s rejection of Dr. Riley was rooted in something deeper.
Maybe Holly kept her distance from all men to protect the dark secret in her past. Or maybe it was simply that she’d known real love, and every connection after that had seemed a shadow.
The buildings and grounds at the Riley-Curtis Wellness Center looked exactly the same, but Maggie felt something different in the air compared to her first visit. A sense of heaviness and disruption. The parking lot was nearly empty, and she steered her car into a space near the entrance to the main building. They climbed out of the car quickly. As they approached the big doors, she saw a white sign, its message typed in large letters, taped to the glass:
ALL APPOINTMENTS AND TREATMENT SESSIONS
ARE CANCELED TODAY. PLEASE CALL TO RESCHEDULE.
Dana pushed open the heavy door. The waiting area was empty, as well as the front desk.
“Let’s go upstairs. I need to find Rose. I texted her from the car, but the reception is bad out here.”
Maggie followed Dana down the hallway. Their footsteps seemed to echo in the silence. The office doors were closed, and Maggie wondered if Dana would start knocking in order to find somebody. Or just shout out loud, “Is anybody here?”
Dana peeked in the office she shared with another therapist, but it was empty. “No luck. Maybe we should try the new building,” she said.
Before Maggie could reply, a door swung open. It was Dr. Curtis’s office, Maggie remembered. Though she was certain the esteemed neurologist would not walk out.
Dr. Curtis’s assistant, Beth, emerged. She quickly shut the door and locked it, then twisted the knob to be sure it was secure. She held a ring of keys in one hand and a sheaf of files cradled to her chest. She seemed unaware that they were watching. Her head was lowered, and a curtain of fair hair hid her expression.
“Beth,” Dana called to her. “We just heard the news. I’m so sorry. You must be shattered.”
Beth looked up and started to speak but was overtaken by tears. Dana swept to her side and put an arm around her shoulder.
“I can’t believe it. I keep thinking someone is going to tell me it’s a huge mistake. Some sort of mix-up or a really awful joke.” She was sobbing, her head pressed to Dana’s shoulder. Maggie could barely discern her words.
“It’s a great shock. I can barely take it in,” Dana said, sympathizing.
Beth lifted her head, her face streaked with tears. “I spoke to her last night on the phone. She seemed perfectly fine. She called to let me know a big shot she’d met in Boston agreed to fund the center with a huge donation. It was such good news for everyone. A real victory for her. It makes it even harder to understand why she’d do such a thing.”
Dana’s gaze turned troubled and confused. “What do you mean? Are you saying she didn’t die from natural causes?”
“Please don’t repeat it. It was just something I overheard. I was with Dr. Riley when the police came here, and I overheard them talking. The police suspect su
icide, from what they’ve seen so far. Or an unintentional overdose, I think they said. I really don’t know why.”
Dana’s arm slipped from Beth’s shoulder, and she took a step back. “I guess we have to wait to hear more from the police. I agree it’s not wise to repeat what you overheard. The police really don’t know what happened yet.”
Maggie thought so, too. The term unintentional overdose echoed in her head. It suggested Dr. Curtis had been abusing drugs. Maggie would have never suspected that, though she’d met the woman only briefly. It was true that doctors were in a high-risk field, with easy access to painkillers and other habit-forming medications.
“They should know what happened soon. An autopsy will take a while, but the police will find out a lot from the postmortem,” Dana said.
“That’s what they told Dr. Riley.”
“How is he doing?” Dana asked quietly.
Beth sighed and shrugged. “It’s hard to tell. He didn’t faint or cry, or anything like that. He just seems stunned. Of course, he’s had to put his feelings aside to support everyone. A few patients who had early appointments were here. We managed to keep the rest away. There was such confusion for a while.”
Maggie could imagine how such terrible news had rocked this little world. A world that Dr. Curtis had helped to create.
Her death marked a sea change for Dr. Riley, there was no doubt. He was probably having trouble wrapping his mind around the far-ranging consequences.
“Here he comes. You can ask him yourself.” Beth tucked the files tighter to her chest, as if cradling a baby. But Dr. Curtis doubtlessly had piles of sensitive, highly confidential records in her office. Information that needed to be protected and kept private.
Maggie turned and saw Dr. Riley and Rose and Oreo walking toward them. Rose broke into a run when she saw Dana. With Oreo beside her, Rose met Dana halfway down the hall, and they shared a tight hug.
“Aunt Dana . . . did you hear? Dr. Emily is dead. I feel so bad. How can that be? I can’t believe I’ll never see her again.”