An Ear for Murder

by Diane Weiner

  Travis came back inside. “I have to go.”

  Patty said, “We haven’t had dessert yet.”

  “I have to go out of town tomorrow, early. I’ll need to pack. Ready, Sara?”

  “I’ll take her home,” said Phil. “Go on and get ready for your trip.”

  Sara felt torn. She didn’t want to eat and run, yet she wasn’t keen on Phil driving her home. And why had Travis’s demeanor changed so drastically after the phone call? He’d been relaxed and happy, now he was all business. She saw worry lines deepen across his forehead and his jaw was clenched.

  “Maybe I can swing back later.”

  “Really, Travis. No problem at all.” Phil put his arm around Sara’s shoulder. She pulled away.

  “Wait a minute.” Patty went into the kitchen and returned with a plate of brownies. “Take these, for the road.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Baron. Dinner was delicious.”

  “I told you, call me Patty. And you’re welcome to come over any time.”

  “Sara, you going to be all right?”

  “Of course. I’ll see you when you get back. When do you get back? And where are you going?”

  He didn’t answer, just slid out the door.

  Bob Baron threw a new log onto the fireplace while Patty carried a tray of brownies and cookies into the living room.

  Gail passed around plates. “So, Sara, what’s on the next symphony program?”

  “Marriage of Figaro Overture, Brahms Second Symphony, and Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto.”

  “Nice. Wish I could hear it.”

  Bob said, “You can stream it live. I’ll show you how.”

  I hope my father doesn’t do that. He’ll know it isn’t me playing oboe, even if they don’t zoom in on the oboe section. Then again, she couldn’t keep her secret much longer. I’ll have to tell them sooner rather than later that I’ll be here for at least six months. The thought of disappointing him squeezed her heart like a garlic press.

  Sara yawned. She hated that Travis was leaving town, only because she felt safer having someone right next door. One minute she needed him, the next she suspected him of murder. What’s wrong with me, anyway? How long does he plan to be gone? What sort of emergency? He didn’t say his parents were sick or that there’d been an accident. Two phones? Haven’t you learned your lesson? That right there is a deal breaker.

  When Gail got up to leave, Sara suggested they head home as well. Phil grabbed their coats and graciously accepted the care package of cookies and brownies from her mother. He held open the car door while she scooted in.

  “Let me know if you need the heat turned up,” said Phil. He backed out of the driveway.

  “Do you think Preston would kill over not getting the ring back?”

  “Where’d that come from?”

  “Sorry. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

  “His mother is the one really pushing the whole missing ring drama. It was passed down from her family, yada, yada, yada. Preston never came in and reported it missing after the engagement was called off. She’s the one who filed the police report.”

  When they pulled into the driveway, Sara saw light in Travis’s bedroom window. With so few belongings, she didn’t imagine it would take him long to pack. What emergency? The migraine medicine! Cameron Stokes was the name on the prescription. I’ll bet she’s a secret girlfriend and he’s going to see her tomorrow. Maybe she has a husband. Maybe Travis has a wife. Or two wives!

  “Here we are. I had a really nice time tonight.” Phil inched closer to her.

  “Me too. I’m pretty beat.” She opened the car door and hopped out.

  “Wait. I’ll walk you to the door.”

  She wasn’t thrilled about it, but then again, staying alone, even with the super security system still gave her the jitters. “Okay.” She waited for him to turn off the engine.

  When they got to the front door, she was thankful for the detective escort.

  “Oh, my God! What’s that?”

  The menacing message was clear. Stay out of it or you’ll be next. Spray painted in red across the entire front of the house.

  Phil immediately grabbed his phone. “This is Detective Lambert. We need a team at the Rossi house ASAP.”

  Chapter 18

  Travis appeared as soon as the police cruiser flashed its lights in the driveway. He’s always just around the corner when these threats happen.

  “Sara, what happened?”

  “Look at the door. Someone thinks I’m getting close to finding something.”

  “Who could have done this? Jailyn Peters? I’ll bet someone at the med school tipped her off that you’d been asking questions.”

  “Maybe she followed me out there.” The cold night air made her shiver; the thought of Jailyn following her and spray painting the message chilled her bones. She was struck by the incongruity. A Barbie doll, country club surgeon wielding a can of spray paint? Then again, she slashed someone’s tires and came after him with a tire iron…

  “Why don’t you stay at your parents, at least while I’m gone.”

  “I’ll be okay. I must have forgotten to set the alarm system. The motion sensors should have been activated.” She had to admit she was glad he cared.

  “No one broke in, did they?”

  “Phil’s checking.” Something shiny caught her eye. She bent down and picked up an oblong gold pin. “Travis, look at this.”

  Phil ran over. “Door was still locked from inside. No broken windows. We found an empty can of spray paint under the porch. You should stay with your parents tonight.”

  “I can’t leave the cat. Besides, it will be no better tomorrow night or the night after. Whoever did this was just trying to scare me.”

  “Then heed the warning. Stay out of this. We’ve got it covered,” said Phil.

  “He’s right,” said Travis. “You can’t put yourself in danger.”

  “I’d recommend sleeping elsewhere.”

  “No, I’ll have to get used to it sooner or later.”

  “I can have a patrol car keep an eye on the place.”

  “You can stay with me tonight,” said Travis. “I had the window in the guestroom repaired.”

  “You have to leave early. I’ll be okay.”

  Phil said, “I’m going to have my men check the closets and under the beds. Wait here.”

  Travis whispered in her ear. “I wish I didn’t have to leave.” His warm breath on her neck made her tingle.

  “Can’t you postpone your trip?”

  “It’s non-negotiable. I’m sorry.”

  The officers drove off. Phil returned. “Coast is clear. Set the alarm system, and make sure your phone is charged. Call if you think anything seems amiss or if you just feel scared. I can be here in a flash.”

  She hustled inside, immediately turned on every light in the house that Phil hadn’t, hugged Panther, and carried him upstairs. Phil’s crew checked under the beds. No monsters in the closet. Alarm is set. She plugged her phone into the charger and turned on the bedroom TV. She closed her eyes, but opened them every few minutes just to be sure.

  The bed felt too warm, then too cold when she turned down the comforter. She considered adjusting the thermostat, but felt paralyzed. She listened to The Late Show, hoping for a laugh or two to lighten the mood. She stayed awake through The Late, Late Show, Murder She Wrote reruns, and finally, The Early News at 4:30.

  When sunlight streamed through the bottom of the blinds casting shadows on the floor, she was relieved it was morning. She peeked out the window hoping to see Travis’s car in the driveway, but he was already gone. Why did she feel so empty knowing he wasn’t there? She pulled her phone off the charger and noticed a voicemail from Ellie’s mother.

  Ellie’s boss called and asked if I’d go by and pick up her things. I can’t do it. I was wondering…you said if there was anything you could do to help and this would be a tremendous help.

  She immediately punched in the number. “Mrs. R
ossi, I got your message. Of course, I’ll pick up Ellie’s things. She worked in the building next to the hospital, right? Got it. I’ll head over there after breakfast.”

  She was thankful to have something to focus on this morning. After downing an entire pot of coffee, she headed over to Medivision and found Ellie’s desk.

  “Can I help you with something?”

  She recognized Ellie’s friend from the funeral. “Camaya, right?”

  “Yes. We talked at the funeral. Are you here to get her things?”

  “Her mother called and asked me to come by.”

  “Looks like someone rifled through her desk. The contents are right there in that box. I don’t know who would have taken the initiative, but it wasn’t me.”

  She rummaged through the box. A framed photo of Ellie’s parents, a globe shaped paperweight, a black sweater…“Do you want to keep this?” She held up a picture of Ellie and Camaya on a boat. “When was this taken?”

  “That was last year’s company picnic. Our boss rented out the yacht club. He’s a boating aficionado. I’ll keep it if you think Ellie’s parents wouldn’t mind. We had so much fun that day.”

  “I’m sure her parents would want you to have it. You said Ellie had been acting strangely before she died.”

  “Yeah. One day I saw her stuff a file into her bag on her way out.”

  “Maybe she was taking it home to line up clients or something.”

  “She had her regular clients. And any new prospects would have been discussed with all of us at our morning briefing.”

  “Did her ex-fiancé ever drop by?”

  “Preston Montague? His family owns a large share of this company. Both he and his father came in regularly for board meetings. Preston took Ellie out to lunch afterwards a few times, when they were still together. And he picked her up after work to go to the gym together once or twice.”

  “Is that how they met? At work?”

  “Yes. He was here for a meeting one day and they got to talking. Things moved fast after that. Next thing you know they were engaged.”

  “After they broke up, did he still come by?”

  “For meetings, but not right here. The board room is clear on the other side of the floor.”

  “What about Preston’s old girlfriend, Jailyn Peters? Do you know who I’m talking about?”

  “The Barbie doll doctor? Yeah. She came around a few times. I saw her in Craig’s office on occasion. Gossip was they were secretly seeing each other.”

  “Jailyn Peters and Craig Danalchek?”

  “What about Craig Danalchek?” Ellie’s boss appeared out of nowhere.

  Camaya stuttered, “We’re just…”

  Sara said, “I came by to pick up Ellie’s things for her family. This box, right?”

  “Yes, that should do it.”

  “It’s very light. That’s all the personal stuff she had?”

  “I have a feeling she had one foot out the door,” said Craig. “I think she was looking for another job on the sly, though I don’t know why she’d have wanted to leave. She was one of our top representatives and she’d just gotten a substantial raise in salary. Anyway, give my regards to her parents.”

  He shook her hand and disappeared down the corridor.

  Camaya said, “That was embarrassing. I hope he didn’t hear the part about him and Jailyn.”

  “Was Sara looking for another job? I thought the company was sending her to London to pitch the new product or something.”

  “London? That’s the first I’ve heard about it. I don’t think the company even has an overseas office.”

  “You sure she wasn’t going away on business?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Was she job hunting?”

  “She was being secretive, like I said, but she’d always been happy here. I don’t know what changed.”

  “What about the engagement ring? Do you have any idea where Ellie would have kept it?”

  “Personally, I don’t think she had it. She would have returned it if she did. She didn’t even like the ring. She called it gaudy.”

  “Well, I’d better get this box over to Ellie’s parents. If you think of anything that may be helpful in finding Ellie’s killer, please get in touch. Here’s my card.”

  Sara placed the box in the back seat and drove to the Rossi’s condo. The sky had turned darker and the weather forecast predicted snow later that afternoon. Jailyn Peters and Preston Montague both made appearances in the Medivision office. Preston was invested in the business, and Jailyn may have been seeing Craig Danalchek. She was also linked to the business in her role as an orthopedic surgeon. Travis mentioned that she used their products. Why wouldn’t Camaya and her boss know that she was going to London on business?

  She parked in front of the condo and carried the box up the stoop. Ellie’s mother, wearing faded sweats and no makeup, opened the door.

  “Sara, thanks for doing this for us. I just couldn’t face it.”

  “No problem. Looks like there wasn’t much there. Did Ellie say anything about looking for another job?”

  “No. As far as I know, she liked her job. She’d even gotten a raise recently.”

  “Did she tell you she was going away on business?”

  “She mentioned she’d be out of town for a while. She wasn’t clear on the details.”

  “Another thing. If Ellie still had that engagement ring, where would she have kept it? Did she have a safety deposit box?”

  “A safety deposit box? I doubt it. Ellie wasn’t the spiteful type. She would have returned the ring. If she had it, and I doubt she did, it’d likely be right in her jewelry box. Did you look there?”

  “No. I…I haven’t opened the door to her room since that night.”

  “I understand.”

  “I’m going to go back and check the jewelry box. If you need anything, call me.”

  “Thanks, Sara.”

  Sara drove back to Ellie’s, then cautiously checked the ground for footprints as she walked to the door. The graffiti was still there. She didn’t know whom to call to remove it. If Travis was home, he’d know. She listened at the door before opening it, then jiggled the handle. Locked, like she left it. She turned off the alarm and went in.

  You can do this. The body is gone. It’s just a room. She climbed the stairs, jumping with each creak. When she got to the top, Panther darted out of the bathroom with a loud meow, scaring her half to death.

  It’s just a room. And it’s daylight. And the alarm was set. She opened the door to the master bedroom. She stood there for a moment, imagining the scene the night she’d first been in here.

  Breathe in, breathe out. Do it for Ellie. She shook off her fear and made her way to Ellie’s dresser. The jewelry box was open, necklaces half in and half out. The police were finished in here so she supposed she didn’t need to worry about leaving fingerprints. After untangling the necklaces, she lifted a velvet-covered section containing rings. Ellie’s high school ring. After all these years. I should bring this to her mom. She slipped it into her pocket.

  Sifting through it, she came across several rings—a turquoise and silver one, a band shaped into the infinity sign—but no engagement ring. Maybe she hid it in the drawer.

  Sara searched the drawers, finding a checkbook, an American Express credit card, and a passport. Where was she going without a passport? Certainly not London.

  She checked under the mattress, crawled down to peek under the bed, then foraged through the closet hoping to find some sort of hiding place. She pulled down a decorated box from the closet shelf. Rummaging through, she found scarves, belts, and under all that, a folder full of papers. It looked like some kind of inventory list. KJ, HJ, HV, IP…all with dates and numbers next to them. What kind of list is this and why did she hide it?

  Interesting, but no ring. She spotted running shoes on the closet floor and remembered seeing running tights in the drawer. Think. Ellie was a workout freak. Maybe she stashed the
ring inside a pair of running shoes? The ones on her top shelf look brand new. She pulled down the shoes and reached into the toes. No ring.

  One last thing. She checked the freezer. She’d heard of people hiding valuables in the freezer. No luck. She looked at the sink where she’d placed her coffee mug, a plate, and a butter knife, meaning to wash them later. Butter knife, the kitchen drawer…wait! There was a key in that drawer! She opened the junk drawer. Come on, I know you’re in here. If this was Travis’s place, she’d have found it right away. On second thought, Travis didn’t have a junk drawer. Got it.

  The tiny silver key looked as if it could open a safety deposit box, or maybe a locker. Where would I even start? It’ll be like searching for an earring post on a football field. Her hand froze and the key fell to the floor. Her stomach knotted in anger. This is getting worse, not better. This condition is supposed to be specific to my oboe playing. So much for MedUcate. Should’ve known better than to trust an internet medical blog. Vowing to step up her sessions with Travis and spend more time on the stretches, she picked up the key from the floor.

  Determined to make progress, but clueless as to what direction to take, she got in her car and drove. Following her intuition, she found herself parked in front of her parents’ bank.

  “Can I help you?” The teller was cheerful, smiling. She must have aced the customer service training.

  “Yes, I found this key, and I wondered if it might be the type that opens a safety deposit box.” She slid it under the glass.

  “No, this is definitely not a safety deposit box key. It’s too big.”

  “Even for a big box?”

  “Yes, the keys are all the same size.”

  “How about a safe?”

  “Any commercial safes I’ve seen have combination locks, but I suppose you could find a home safe that uses a padlock.”

  “You think this key goes to a padlock?”

  “A small padlock. You know, it looks like the key I have for my gym locker.”

  “Gym locker?” She felt the adrenaline ramping up. “How many gyms are there in town?”

  “Just one commercial gym. Forward Fitness near the hospital. I’m surprised they stay in business. The YMCA is much cheaper, but it doesn’t have a pool or locker rooms.”