by Sandra Brown
“For what?”
“Elaine’s murder.”
“It hasn’t been established that she was murdered. There could have been an accident. He could be out there in the water, waiting to be rescued.”
“The man who swims miles every day?”
“He could be hurt.”
“He could also be safely on shore and changing his appearance as we speak. The next time you see him, you won’t recognize him as the man you share a bed with. You didn’t recognize him as the man at Marian’s party, but that was him, going by the name of Daniel Knolls. Marian was his most recent victim before Elaine, but there were a lot of others before he met you. He doesn’t deserve your loyalty. One last time, where is he?”
“I don’t know.” Her voice was so husky, it was barely audible.
He stayed as he was, peering deeply into her eyes. They were watery, but she never looked away.
Sighing regret, Drex stood up and motioned for the other men to follow him. They withdrew as far as the entryway. They were still within Talia’s sight, but Drex spoke so that she couldn’t overhear.
He posed a question to the group at large. “What do you think?”
Locke said, “Since we first broke the news to her about the body on the beach, she’s seemed distraught and unaware of her husband’s activities.” He looked over at his partner.
Menundez shrugged. “I don’t know. I flip-flop.”
Drex looked at Gif. “What’s your verdict?”
“We’ve laid a lot on her. I abstain.”
Drex gave him a sour look. “Mike? Your take?”
Mike addressed the detectives. “How much do you know about her? You know she’s not hurting financially?”
“We haven’t been given figures,” Locke said, “but word is that she’s worth a bundle.”
“Well, up to this point, me, Gif, and Drex have been agonizing. Was she going to be this asshole’s next victim? Or was she in on his fleecing scheme?” He raised one beefy shoulder. “She’s still breathing. Elaine Conner is in the morgue. Which is answer enough for me.”
“Victim or accomplice,” Drex said, “we’ve reached a stalemate with her.”
He looked into the living room, where Talia sat, hands clasped in her lap, rocking back and forth, staring vacantly into space. She looked frail and afraid. But he thought of how hot and cute she had looked when she’d paid him the surprise visit to the apartment. That could have been calculated. It had worked. He’d wanted what was inside those ragged jeans.
This sad victim could also be a pose that appealed to another instinct. He wanted to be her protector, to hold her, reassure her, comfort her over the tragic loss of her friend. His susceptibility made him mad at her, but absolutely furious with himself.
He turned back to the other men. “I’m thinking a night spent in the detention center might make her more forthcoming.”
Chapter 23
Drex’s suggestion caused Locke to wince. “We don’t have anything to hold her on.”
“Seriously, Drex?” Gif said in a stage whisper. “Jail?”
“It would be a short night,” he argued. “Only a few hours. Just long enough to convince her that we’re not messing around.”
“One major discrepancy is gnawing at me,” Gif said. “The audio surveillance.” He told the detectives about Jasper’s finding the transmitter and moving it. Looking back to Drex, he said, “If he knew you were eavesdropping, why did he talk about Marian Harris at all?”
“Because he can’t help himself from bragging about killing her and getting away with it.” He turned to the two detectives. “I’ve been after him for a long time, but having spent time with him and learning the unspeakable circumstances of Marian Harris’s murder, it’s evident to me that he has the characteristic ego of a serial killer. He doesn’t want to be caught, but his ego compels him to flaunt how smart he is.”
With chagrin, he added, “Much as I hate to admit it, he outsmarted me this time. He said just enough. Stopped just shy of a confession. He knew that a defense lawyer would shred the recording in court, even if it were admissible, which it isn’t. Jasper used it to get me running in the wrong direction, and now he’s laughing up his sleeve.”
“I guess you’re right,” Gif said, and the rest nodded in grudging agreement.
Drex asked the group, “So what’s it to be?”
“If we mention jail, she’ll lawyer up,” Menundez said.
“Shit.” Drex dragged his hand down his face. “You’re right. In which case, our involvement would become known. Sooner or later, if not already, the FBI will get in on this investigation. There’s a resident office here, right?”
Locke nodded.
“Good men and women, I’m sure, but I would rather continue operating independently if at all possible.”
“We could use their help, Drex,” Gif said.
“True, but here’s my thought. Jasper knows that I’m screwing with him, but he doesn’t know why. I could be a crook trying to poach his territory. I could be a gigolo after his hot wife. I could be a cop trying to nail his murderous ass. As long as he’s unsure, we have an edge.”
“How’s that?” Locke asked.
“Because I don’t think he’ll be able to stand not knowing. I don’t think he’ll go too far afield without either dismissing me because I’m no real threat, or dispatching me because I am. But if I’m at the epicenter of a bureau investigation, he won’t risk sticking around. He’ll leave me to the devil and vanish.”
Mike said, “I predict he’ll vanish if you put his wife in lockup. As you told her, he’ll turn his back and let her take the fall.”
Drex scowled. “Thanks for those words of wisdom, Mike.”
“I’m just saying—”
“And you’re right,” he snapped. “I just don’t trust her not to take off, and we can’t strap on an ankle bracelet.”
“Good God, no,” Gif said.
Looking troubled, Locke said, “How about this? No lockup, but make it clear to her that she’s not to go anywhere. Get Mount Pleasant PD to send over a policewoman to stay inside the house with her.”
“With us right next door, that would be overkill,” Drex said. “Besides, someone shows up in a uniform, she’ll clam up even tighter until she can summon a lawyer. Gif, Mike, and I’ll take turns standing watch till morning.”
“She won’t like it,” Locke said.
“I don’t give a fuck what she likes.” Drex thought on it, then added, “But having a couple of patrolmen outside wouldn’t be a bad idea. They’d be two extra sets of eyes for us and give her peace of mind.”
“How will I explain the three of you to them?” Locke asked.
Drex shrugged. “Tell them the truth, but emphasize that we’re undercover and that if they tell anybody we’re here, even within their own department, we’ll cut out their tongues.”
“In other words, use subtlety and tact,” Gif said.
“I’ll get on it.” Menundez took out his phone, but before placing the call, he read another text. “You were right, Easton. Local FBI is now assisting,” he told the group, then continued reading. “Word got out how similar our case is to Marian Harris’s. Tomorrow, an agent familiar with that investigation is flying in to talk to Mrs. Ford.”
Mike groaned.
“Rudkowski?” Drex asked Menundez.
“How’d you know?”
Gif, Mike, and Drex exchanged looks of disgust. Drex said, “He’s a blowhard. All mouth. No brains. The three of us took personal days, using phony excuses, just to follow this lead on Jasper Ford before Rudkowski could barge in and muck it up. Mike eluded him yesterday, made him look like an ass, which isn’t difficult to do. He won’t be happy to see us.”
“Who has seniority?” Locke asked.
“He does. In years, not know-how. What time is he due?”
“Around ten. Wants to interview Mrs. Ford right away.”
“They say where?” Mike asked.
Menundez shook his head.
“Find out and let us know the location,” Drex said. “We’ll have her there.” Seeing the consternation registered by Mike and Gif, he said, “It was only a matter of time, guys. We’re lucky he didn’t run us to ground before now.”
Talia had remained seated on the sofa. When the group of men broke up, the two detectives came over to her and expressed their condolences regarding Elaine. “I’m sorry we had to put you through that identification procedure,” Locke said.
“You were only doing your job.”
He thanked her for her cooperation then said, “We’re still relying on your cooperation, Mrs. Ford. Please don’t leave town.”
“I have no intention of going anywhere until my husband is accounted for.”
He nodded and gave her his business card. Menundez also passed her his.
Locke said, “Call either of us if you think of anything that could be useful to the investigation.”
Although Drex’s arguments were damning, she wasn’t ready to concede that it had been Jasper onboard the yacht with Elaine. “Are they still searching for the man?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll notify you if there’s something to report.”
“Please. No matter how bad the news may be.”
He gave her a bland smile. “Try to get some rest. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Menundez nodded a quasi goodbye, then followed Locke out, leaving her alone with Drex and his partners.
Gif said, “I’ll take first shift.”
Talia shot to her feet. “What do you mean first shift?” She walked over to Drex. “You’re my jailers now?”
“Protectors.”
She scoffed at that. “I feel less safe with you than with anybody.”
“Then you’ll be relieved to know that two police officers will be parked on the street. If you feel unsafe, you can signal them for help, and they’ll come running.”
“Am I allowed to go upstairs to my room? Alone.”
Ignoring her snideness, he said, “Of course. In fact I recommend it. Tomorrow doesn’t promise to be your best day. Get some sleep if you can. See you in the morning.”
He turned away and walked from the room, the large man lumbering behind him. Gif passed her his business card. “That’s my cell number. Text me if you need anything during the night.”
She took the card but was still looking at the arched opening through which Drex had left. “Does he always wear that gun?” She’d seen the holster clipped to his belt at the small of his back.
“While on duty.”
“Is he a good guy or bad guy?”
“Depends on who’s asking.”
She looked at Gif. “I’m asking. Can I trust him?”
“You can trust his commitment to catching Weston Graham.”
“You mean Jasper?”
“To Drex he’ll always be Weston Graham.”
“Why?”
“You’ll have to ask Drex.” He backed away. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
He left her. She turned toward the staircase, which, in her exhausted state, looked as daunting as Everest. Using the bannister for support, she climbed it slowly.
She got into the bath but sat beneath the shower and rested her head on her raised knees. From the detectives’ arrival until now, she’d been required to function with some level of composure and reasonableness.
Now that she was alone, the reality of her circumstances crashed down on her. Elaine was dead. Jasper was a multifaceted mystery. And she? She was trapped in a mercurial situation that defied her attempts to grasp it.
As the water pounded over her, she wept. Hard. Copiously. In wracking sobs. When the water ran cool, she got out and pulled on an old pair of cotton pajamas that she hadn’t worn since her marriage. The printed fabric, baggy bottoms, and loose-fitting top had been designed for comfort, not seduction.
She left the master bedroom in favor of the guest room across the hall. She got into bed and lay motionless in the darkness, staring at the ceiling.
Where was Jasper? If it was true that he hadn’t gone to Atlanta, why hadn’t she heard from him? If he had survived the accident that killed Elaine, was he struggling to hold on until he was rescued? Or was he dead? Why had he gone to Elaine tonight? Which of them had suggested that they take the yacht out? Why were they in the dinghy? What had he done?
She had cried her eyes dry over Elaine, but, as she was assailed by unthinkable possibilities about her husband, they stung with the need to cry more. Questions swirled through her mind like a swarm of fireflies, blinking on, blinking off before she could arrive at an answer.
When the door opened, she knew who it was before he spoke. “You didn’t get your tea.”
She pushed herself up onto her elbows. “What?”
“I noticed the tea bag in an otherwise empty mug on the counter. You burned your hand when you lifted the kettle off the stove and never got your chamomile.”
She switched on the bedside lamp. He held the steaming mug in one hand. A fat accordion file was secured in the crook of his other arm. He came into the room without invitation, but she was too depleted to put up an argument. He set the mug on the nightstand and laid the file on the foot of the bed.
“What’s that?”
“Some light reading in case you can’t sleep. But beware. If you start on it, I doubt you’ll sleep at all.”
“Thanks for the tea.”
To her annoyance, he drew an armchair over to the side of the bed and sat down.
“Don’t feel like you have to stay.”
He didn’t bother to acknowledge the hint that he leave. He asked how her hand was.
“Hardly stings anymore.”
“Good.”
Still, he didn’t go. He spread his knees and clasped his hands between them. Head down, addressing the floor, he said, “I’m sick about Elaine. You have every reason to doubt my sincerity, but I mean it, Talia. I had my eyes on Jasper. On you. But I should have seen this coming. Warned her. Something.”
“She wouldn’t have believed you, especially if you had warned her off Jasper.”
“Probably not. But I should have made an attempt. A word of caution might not have saved her, but I wouldn’t feel so rotten about failing her.” He sat up straight and looked at her directly. “Were they having an affair?”
“You were listening. You heard me ask, you heard Jasper deny it.”
“I heard you ask and heard him deny it. But were you asking for my benefit, or yours? Were you playing to the bug, or did you really nurse suspicions about the nature of their relationship?”
“It didn’t know anything about that damn bug! And I don’t know whether or not to believe Jasper’s denial. What I do know is that I would rather have Elaine alive and cheating with my husband than lying dead in the morgue.” Her voice cracked. “Can we postpone talking about this please? At least until morning?”
“All right,” he said with surprising empathy. “For whatever it’s worth, I liked her. A lot, in fact.”
“She was impossible not to like. I’ll miss her…her…”
“Verve and vivacity.”
She gave him a weak smile. “Good words. Maybe you should have become a writer.”
“In my next life.”
After a long stretch of silence that grew awkward for her, he looked around with curiosity, taking in the bedroom, which she had left intentionally uncluttered for the convenience of overnight guests.
But no guests had ever used the room. Jasper wasn’t keen on inviting friends to stay over for a weekend or holiday. He’d never given her a satisfactory reason why, always brushing off her protest with something like, “I prefer having you all to myself.” She’d never pressed the issue, and instead had visited out-of-town friends when she went on business trips.
As she had visited Marian when she made the trip to Key West. On the heels of that thought, she said, “I don’t remember meeting that man in the party picture. If it was Jasper, I did
n’t know it.”
He hiked an eyebrow.
“I’m telling you the truth. I didn’t pick him out that night as someone I’d like to get to know.”
“Maybe. But I’m certain he picked you out that night.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’ll circle back to that. Tomorrow. There’s a lot of ground to cover tomorrow.”
Miffed by his reticence, she said, “All the more reason for us to say our good nights now.”
“Why are you sleeping in here? Why not in the master?”
“I didn’t want you spying on me. You can’t see into this room from your living room window.”
“Fair comeback.”
His wry smile gave her a hint of the dimple, and that irritated her. “You don’t know fair from foul, Drex. You accuse me of lying, when that’s all you’ve been doing.”
“And now you know why.”
“In the line of duty, I suppose.”
“Yes. What’s your excuse?”
She let it drop, too tired to fight back.
He motioned down to the mug. “Drink your tea while it’s hot.”
“It hasn’t steeped long enough.”
“What was the doctor’s appointment about?”
The swift change in topic was tactical, intended to take her off-guard, and it did. “That’s personal.”
“So’s murder.”
“Don’t bully me. Haven’t I had enough to deal with tonight?” She reached for the mug of tea, but her hand was unsteady.
He took the mug from her. “You’re going to scald yourself again.”
“As if you care.”
“I do care, goddammit!”
“That’s not what you told your buddies!” Perhaps she had a reserve of fight left in her, after all. “I have excellent hearing and, clear as a bell, I heard exactly the regard you give my feelings, my likes and dislikes.”
He looked about to defend himself, but she raised her hand to stop him. “Never mind.” With a weary sigh, she pressed her head deeper into the pillow and looked at the ceiling. “Leave me alone, Drex. If you want to know about my appointment with the gynecologist, I’m sure one of your friends will unearth the information for you, even if it breaches ethics.”