by Jaden Skye
“Terrific arrangement,” Wayne commented. “Pretty rare too, I’d say.”
“I guess it is.” Clay suddenly sat down on a long, wooden bench that was standing in front of them and stretched his legs out on a nearby footstool. “Come on, sit down,” he said, inviting Olivia and Wayne to make themselves comfortable as well.
“So, it sounds like you’ve got a fantastic marriage,” Wayne continued as he and Olivia pulled over chairs to join Clay.
“Sounds like to who? I wouldn’t say exactly fantastic.” Clay smiled oddly then. “I’d say my marriage is good, very good indeed!”
“Why not fantastic?” Olivia laughed.
“Fantastic is something else! It’s up in the clouds! Heavenly! Breathtaking!” Clay laughed. “Is that even possible in a marriage?”
“I’d say no,” Olivia agreed. “Very good is excellent.”
“I’d say fantastic is possible!” Wayne interrupted. “Actually, it has to be. Why not? I believe it’s possible to love someone so much that you can call your marriage fantastic!”
Both Clay and Olivia stared at Wayne. “Ever been married?” Clay asked Wayne.
“No, I haven’t,” Wayne confessed, “not yet.”
Clay laughed louder then. “No wonder you’re not married yet if you think that way! Once you’re married you see things differently.”
“Were you married before, Clay?” Wayne asked.
“Yeah, I was once, actually,” Clay remarked. “The marriage only lasted a year, we were both very young and I made every mistake in the book.”
Olivia found Clay fascinating and life giving to be with.
“Is that why you married someone older the second time around?” Wayne wasn’t dropping the conversation so quickly.
“Maybe.” Clay scratched his face slowly. “That and practical reasons, too. I met Alice at just the right moment in my life. My sculpting was taking off a little and I found out how happy the sculpting made me. I couldn’t live without it, actually.”
“You were married to your art then, basically,” Wayne commented.
Wayne’s remark startled Clay. “You could say that, I guess,” he replied.
“And Alice did a lot for your art,” Wayne continued.
“But Alice is beautiful, too, don’t forget that.” Clay suddenly defended his wife.
“What keeps your marriage from being fantastic then?” Wayne pursued it.
Clay sat up straighter and looked Wayne in the eye. “Alice is completely obsessed with Tyron. I had no idea to what extent when I married her. She just can’t get over him marrying a much younger woman and making her look old. Like he’d thrown her away. She can’t get over it! Even today.”
“That has to be annoying,” said Wayne.
“Annoying is putting it mildly,” Clay grumbled. “She talks about it all the time and visits Tyron regularly. After we got married I finally realized what was going on. And I didn’t like it! Once in a while I even wondered if she’d married me to get back at him.”
“That must have made you feel rotten,” Wayne remarked.
“It did for a little while,” Clay remarked. “But I don’t hang onto things for too long. Pretty soon I decided to take charge of the whole situation.”
“How?” asked Olivia, fascinated.
“Well”—Clay grinned at Olivia then, as if they were compatriots—“to start with I began to go with Alice on her visits to Tyron. I couldn’t imagine that Megan liked these visits from Alice either and I wanted to find out why she didn’t put a stop to them.”
“Why didn’t she?” Wayne was glued to every word.
“Basically, Megan couldn’t,” Wayne replied. “Even though she’s smart and beautiful and has got everything going, she’s powerless with Tyron. Her wishes mean nothing to him. Nothing at all! I was shocked to realize it. Megan would ask Tyron to keep Alice away and he flatly refused.”
“Sounds like Tyron got off on torturing both wives and playing them against one another,” said Wayne.
“Made him feel powerful, I guess,” Clay added, getting up off the bench suddenly and stretching.
“Did Tyron mind that you accompanied Alice to his house?” Olivia stood up as well.
“No, he didn’t seem to care at all,” said Clay. “Tyron and Alice would huddle together in his room. They’d always say their discussions were private. Megan and I would be left in the room outside together. When they came out, sometimes they said they were talking about their daughters. But it was all a total bunch of crap. Megan knew it, too. Believe me, she’s not stupid.”
“Maybe Tyron was also attached to Alice?” Olivia wondered.
“Not at all.” Clay smirked. “Tyron basically couldn’t care less about anyone but himself. When he and Alice came out of the room, he would throw me a nasty look, as if he’d won.”
“Maybe he did,” Wayne remarked.
Clay scowled. “Wrong. Alice doesn’t love Tyron, she’s obsessed with her own pride. In fact, she loves having younger guys go after her. She has plenty of them she hangs out with down at the club.”
“Guy friends?” asked Wayne.
“Sure,” said Clay. “Why not?”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” Wayne continued.
Clay laughed. “Why should it? I’m the one she cares about and everyone there knows it.”
“So why does she keep running back to Tyron?” Olivia jumped in, fascinated.
“Megan told me that Tyron was pissed at Alice for marrying a younger guy. That made her happy. She loved seeing him caring about her in any way.”
“Why did that upset Tyron so much?” Olivia continued. “After all, he did the same.”
“Tyron thought I’d married Alice just for her money. Megan even said that Tyron tried to get Alice to leave me in the lurch!” Clay laughed loudly then. “That wasn’t going to happen, of course. Not while I’m still breathing.”
The fervor with which Clay spoke startled Olivia. It even seemed as if Clay was implicating himself as he spoke.
“Sounds like you were pretty upset with Tyron yourself,” Wayne commented, sharing Olivia’s concern.
“Not that upset!” Clay threw Wayne a rough glance. “The old jerk didn’t warrant that. I just got sick of Alice visiting him all the time. It started to make me queasy.”
Olivia now walked slowly around the room, looking for anything she could see that might give her a clue about what really went on.
Suddenly, Clay walked up close beside Olivia and accompanied her on her stroll. “Looking for something in particular?” he asked.
“Not in particular,” Olivia answered lightly. “Just wondering where Alice’s things are. I don’t get a sense of her presence here at all.”
“This part of the house is my studio area,” Clay responded. “Alice’s quarters are on the other side.”
“You guys live separately?” Wayne was startled.
“No, not at all,” Clay answered. “I work here and we live over there. But if you want to know the truth, I have been staying on my side of the house since Tyron died.”
“How come?” Olivia was alerted.
“Alice has really gone over the deep end since Tyron’s death. She’s become even more paranoid than before.”
“Paranoid about what?” Olivia stopped close to Clay, confronting him.
“In fact, there have been times when she’s even threatened me,” Clay continued. “She asks me over and over about the time I spend with Megan at the house while she and Tyron are visiting. What about it? I ask. Then she gets crazy and yells that she doesn’t like that we’re alone together! I’d better never do it again.”
“My God,” breathed Olivia.
“Yeah, she’s off the deep end,” Clay continued. “The other day she lashed out and said she was convinced that I was happy now that Tyron was gone.”
“Was she implying that you pushed Tyron down the stairs?” Wayne dove right in. “Maybe she thought you were after his money, too?”
“Stupid idiot,” Clay murmured under his breath, looking as though dark thunder clouds had suddenly descended on him. “Frankly, I couldn’t give a damn about his money or hers. Before long I’ll have so much money from my art that whatever they have will mean nothing to me!”
“Her power over you will be gone then?” asked Wayne.
“It’s gone now,” Clay muttered. “I see Alice for who she is.”
“What happens then, Clay?” Wayne closed in. “Is this the end of your marriage?”
“That’s what she fears,” Clay burst out harshly. “And if you want the truth, she’s driving me to it. She’s threatening me and suspecting me of everything. She can drive everyone else crazy if she wants, but it’s not gonna be me. I’m not gonna be the next one to bite the dust.”
“You think Alice drove Tyron crazy?” breathed Olivia. “You think that’s why this happened to him?”
“Could be. How do I know?” snapped Clay.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock outside, as if a tree had slammed against a wall.
“What’s that?” asked Olivia, startled.
Clay rubbed his hands over his face. “Could be her, slamming her car door,” he said as they heard the knock again.
Then the front door of the house flew open with a crash, as Alice wildly stormed in.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Alice flew into the room, her hair messy, face flushed, sparks flying from her eyes. Then she stopped a moment and stared at Olivia and Wayne, startled to see them in her home.
“What the hell are you two doing here?” she yelled, outraged.
“Wayne called and made an appointment to see us.” Clay spoke with as much calmness as he could muster.
“Talk to who? You, or me?” Alice flailed about. “Nobody told me anything about this visit.”
“I tried to call and tell you, but there was no answer,” Clay said flatly. “You couldn’t be reached.”
“Who cares if you called or not?” Alice refused to be consoled. “It’s over anyway, isn’t it? Whether they’re here or not won’t change a thing.”
“What’s over?” Olivia jumped in quickly, wanting to settle Alice down. “Did you find out what happened to Tyron?”
At that Alice stopped cold. “What do you mean what happened to him? He’s dead, that’s what happened. Everyone knows it.”
“Olivia means did they find out who did it?” Wayne joined in the fray. “Do they know who pushed him down the stairs? Who has the most to benefit from his death?”
Alice’s eyes narrowed. “Plenty of people have a lot to gain from Tyron’s death. Don’t think you’re the only ones investigating the case either. Everyone connected to him is searching for clues. In fact, my daughter Lana has hired her own lawyer and I’m doing my own footwork, too.”
“What exactly have you been doing?” asked Wayne, trying to quiet her down. “We’d love to know.”
“Oh, would you?” snapped Alice.
“Yes, of course,” Olivia joined in.
Alice spun directly toward Clay then, opened her bag, and pulled out a bunch of papers.
“The game is up, Clay,” she shouted. “It’s over. “See these papers! They tell the whole story.”
Clay’s eyes clouded over as if he’d been through scenes like this with her many times. “What’s over?” he asked. “What did you find now? A receipt for a golden bracelet that ties me to a secret lover?”
Alice rushed over and slapped Clay in the face as he grabbed her trembling hand.
“You cut that out or you’re in big trouble!” he muttered. “I’ve had enough.”
“You’ve had enough? How about me? Before you know it, you’ll be out on the street, like you were when I met you,” she hissed.
Clay’s eyes glared. “No, you got it wrong this time! No one’s throwing me anywhere. I’m making a good living now, Alice.”
“So you don’t need me anymore, right?” she snapped.
Olivia wanted to stop the conflagration between them which was growing more and more intense. She was disturbed by the slap as well.
“What did you find, Alice?” Olivia took a step closer, trying to pull Alice away from Clay. “What’s in these papers?”
“Papers don’t lie, neither do photos,” Alice moaned. “Here’s evidence, in black and white, that Clay and Megan were sleeping together. They spent the night together in Mexico City. Not only do I have the hotel receipt. I’ve got a photo.”
Clay blanched as Alice thrust the papers in his face, and he looked at the photo.
“How the hell did you get this?” he breathed.
“Your friend Hank was down at the hotel that time too.” Alice was irate. “He took the photo of the two of you. Remember?”
“Vaguely,” Clay barely spoke. “But I have no idea why he showed it to you. What’s he getting out of that?”
“This isn’t about Hank,” Alice sputtered. “You and Megan have been cheating on me behind my back! I thought so. I knew it all the time!” Alice was so incensed she could barely speak. “This is how you thank me for all I’ve done for you? More humiliation?”
Clay said, seemingly unconcerned, “Alice has a funny way of finding evidence and throwing it at me. Just because I was down there at the hotel when Megan was doesn’t mean we were sleeping together.”
“Give me a break,” Alice muttered.
“Why in hell would Megan and I go all the way to Mexico City to spend the night?”
“You tell me that!” Alice demanded.
Clay smiled. “This is paranoia,” he murmured to Wayne. “The question is why in hell did Hank show Alice these pictures?”
“Hank’s my friend now, not yours,” Alice spit back at him. “Did you and Megan plot to get rid of Tyron so you two could finally be together?”
“It’s a living hell to be with someone who has paranoia,” Clay continued.
Alice wouldn’t be stopped, though. “If you both got rid of Tyron, you’d have even more money then, wouldn’t you? You’d have Megan’s inheritance too!” she added.
“Dream on, dream on,” Clay muttered.
“Let me see the papers and photo, please?” Wayne asked then.
To Olivia’s surprise, without a moment’s hesitation, Clay gave them all to him.
“They don’t mean a thing,” Clay said under his breath. “Just because she and I happened to end up at the same hotel isn’t proof of anything. Even if it were true, even if Megan and I had some time together, there’s no proof that we harmed Tyron.”
“But you harmed me,” Alice yelled. “You harmed me terribly. And I’ll never forget it.”
Olivia’s head was swimming. If Alice’s story were true, it could certainly explain the rumors about Megan’s abortion. Olivia had no idea if Alice had heard about that yet. She was concerned what Alice’s reaction would be when she found out. Even though Olivia would have preferred to remain silent, she knew she had to bring it up. Clay’s reaction would also tell them something. For all they knew, news about the abortion could be the golden key to unlocking Tyron’s murder.
“Is there anything else about Megan you want to tell me?” Olivia challenged Alice.
“Not really, not at the moment.” Alice’s eyes flashed. “What are you implying?”
Olivia decided to let the chips fall where they may. “I heard a rumor that Megan might have recently had an abortion,” she announced.
A horrible sense of doom suddenly pervaded the atmosphere as Alice began trembling with rage.
“An abortion?” Alice stared.
Olivia then looked over at Clay, whose face had contorted. Was this the first time he’d heard about it? Could it have been his baby?
“Megan would never have an abortion,” Clay suddenly exclaimed. “That’s not who she is. She just wouldn’t do it.”
“She would, she did!” Alice turned to Clay darkly. “Megan aborted your baby, and you allowed her to do that?”
“More paranoia,” Clay insisted.
“You both went down to Mexico City to have the abortion, didn’t you?” Alice added.
“Alice dreams up one grotesque scenario after another.” Clay turned to Wayne and Olivia. “But none of them hold up. She loves to implicate everyone in her crazy schemes. Why would Megan and I run to Mexico City? There would have been no need for that.” Clay was defending himself beautifully.
“You had a child with her, admit it!” Alice looked both victorious and deranged. “You couldn’t have one with me, I was too old for you. I was all used up. So you had one with her!”
Clay got up then and walked to the door.
“Wait a minute, where are you going?” Wayne tried to stop him.
“I don’t have to stay here and be assaulted like this,” Clay responded. “All kinds of accusations are being flung around and there’s no solid proof of anything. Everyone’s looking for a scapegoat, but it’s not going to be me!”
Olivia felt sympathetic to him. Even if Clay had spent a night alone with Megan, there was no proof that he was the father of her child. Or even that she was ever pregnant. In fact, the idea of it seemed to unnerve Clay as much as it did everyone else.
“Clay’s right, this has gotten out of control,” Olivia spoke heatedly. “All we have right now are suppositions and rumors.”
“Wrong,” Alice howled. “I have evidence, real evidence, that Clay and Megan spent the night together in Mexico City.”
The phone rang bitterly at that moment, stopping them all midstream. Alice ran over and picked it up instantly.
“It’s Lana,” she breathed, “my daughter.” Alice listened for a while and quieted down. “Okay, I’ll tell them,” she murmured. “It’s good news.”
“What is it?” asked Olivia avidly.
“Lana has solid information that will change everything immediately.” Alice seemed to calm down a bit more. “She’s calling from her lawyer’s office.”
“Tell us what it is,” Wayne spoke up.
“Lana’s lawyer just found out that Megan was recently cut out of Tyron’s will,” Alice declared triumphantly.
“That is news.” Olivia was shocked to hear that.
“How’s that for motive?” Alice’s face twisted. “And here’s more, the changes in Tyron’s will have not yet been finalized. They were made a few days before he died. Megan had to have found out about it and had him killed!”