Sarah Woods Mystery Series (Volume 3) (8 page)

Chapter 14

Vivian was bent over a filing cabinet and looked up when she heard our footsteps. There was confusion in her eyes as she said, “Oh, good evening, Ms. Woods.”

“
Hi Vivian,” I said. “I'm glad we caught you before you left for the day. Do you have a few minutes?”

She closed the filing cabinet drawer and stood up while straightening her skirt. “Sure. How can I help you?”

“
Is anyone else here?” I asked.

“
Well,” she said, hesitantly. “Andrew left a few minutes ago, so it's just me.”

“
Good, can we all sit? This is Carter, by the way.”

She gave him a polite nod, but didn't make a move to shake his hand. “We can go into the conference room if you like.”

Carter and I followed her down the hall and into the room. She invited us to have a seat at the table and she chose a seat across from us.

I tried to offer her a reassuring smile. “I know you're probably wondering what this is all about, so I'll just cut to the chase. Brook has hired us to look into a personal matter, and I'm afraid it involves you.”

The pleasant smile evaporated from her face. “Me? What's this about?”

“
Your affair with Brook.”

She paled. “What do you mean?”

“
Don't worry. Carter and I won't breathe a word of this to anyone, but we need your help.”

She squirmed in her seat and diverted her eyes. “Help with what?”

“
I assume you've met Angela Foster, Dennis's daughter.”

She nodded. “Of course, many times. What does she have to do with anything?”

“
Has she gotten in touch with you recently for any reason?”

“
No. Last time I saw her was … I don't know, a few months ago. She came here to the office to see her dad. They talked for a while, then she left. She barely looked at me.”

“
Was this before or after the last time you and Brook were here alone?” I asked.

Vivian fidgeted with a loose piece of yarn on her blouse, avoiding eye contact at all costs. “I can't really remember.” She looked up and blinked at us, her eyes getting moist. “Who else knows about me and Brook? Who have you been talking to?”

“
I'm going to level with you.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “Someone sent Brook a letter in the mail with a photo, and threatened to show Dennis unless she paid a hundred thousand dollars in cash.”

Vivian blinked wildly, clearly stunned by the news. “No.”

“
Brook paid the money,” I said, “but now she's hired me and Carter to find out who was behind it. So if you know of anyone … anyone you might have told, anyone who could have a key to let themselves into this office after hours, we need to know.”

Vivian hands were shaking as she quickly shook her head. “No. Why would I tell anyone? If Mr. Foster found out, he'd fire me. And my husband, he'd … I honestly don't know what he'd do. You're not going to tell him, are you?”

“
Roy doesn't need to know about this,” I said. “And I don't want to get you in trouble.”

Vivian let out a sigh of relief. “So what happens now?”

“
Well,” I said. “Other than Angela, we have no other leads. Is there anyone else you can think of, who could have been here at the office the last time you and Brook were together?”

She chewed a thumbnail as she stared at the table. Finally, she shook her head. “I can't think of anyone else. My boss was out of town and Andrew went with him. Who else would it be?” Vivian pushed her chair back, preparing to get up from the desk. She glanced nervously at her watch. “My husband is expecting me home soon. I'd better go.”

“
Thanks for talking to us.” I reached into my purse for my business card. “Can I give you my number, in case you remember anything about that night?”

“
Well … I suppose.”

* * *

It was almost six when we left Vivian. I immediately got on my cell phone to text Max that I was finally on my way back to the room.

Carter rubbed his stomach. “I could go for a burger and a beer. Think I'll head downstairs to the restaurant. Guess you have plans with Max?”

“
Yeah, he's waiting for me, so I better hustle.” I paused. “I'd invite you to join us for dinner, but I think Max has something planned just for us.”

He waved a hand. “Don't worry about me. I can fend for myself.”

“
So I'll see you tomorrow?”

“
Yep. Tomorrow.”

When I got back to the room, I was greeted by utter silence. The bottle of wine and the glasses were still on the table waiting, but Max was gone. He had not left a note.

I checked my phone. No calls or texts. I tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail.

Perhaps he had just stepped out to get something. Surely, he'd be back soon. I decided to take a shower and get ready for dinner.

When I emerged from the bathroom five minutes later, still no Max.

I did my hair and make-up. I got dressed. I started to feel the panic rise in my chest as twenty more minutes passed.

Was he pissed because I'd taken longer than expected? No way. Max didn't play games. If he was upset, he'd send a text to let me know he was upset.

But there was no communication whatsoever.

By six-thirty, I had already chewed off most of my fingernails. I tried calling him again, but got the same result. I sent him yet another text.

When seven rolled around, I started to get really worried. Maybe Max had gone out for a walk, got hit by a car or something. My imagination started to leap off the charts. What the hell had happened to him?

I was going stir crazy. I decided to go down to the restaurant and see if Carter was still around. Maybe he'd have some ideas.

Chapter 15

“
Come on,” Carter gestured to an empty bar stool. “Have a drink and relax. Max is gonna call you back any minute.”

“
You're right.” I sat next to Carter at the bar. He ordered another draft beer for himself and a margarita for me.

The restaurant seemed to be pretty dead for a Friday night. Jazz music played softly in the background and it had a calming effect on me, which I really needed.

“
You think maybe he's with Jennifer?” Carter asked.

“
Why would he be with
her
when he'd promised me a romantic night out?”

The bartender set our drinks on the bar. Carter took a slug from his mug and let out a satisfied sigh while wiping foam from his lip. “I have to say, I don't trust the client.”

I looked at him and blinked. “Why? You think Brook is lying to us for some reason?”

He shrugged. “Something's not right about her. And it's not because she's a gold digger or a bisexual, or because she had an affair … it's something else.”

I usually trusted Carter's instincts, so I wanted to hear more. “Does it have to do with Dennis's death?”

He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “What are the chances that he'd have a heart attack during a dinner party with a bunch of people?”

I had to admit, the thought had occurred to me, too. “If you'd seen the way Dennis ate and smoked that evening, you wouldn't be all that surprised. Plus, he had high blood pressure. Even Andrew saw it coming.”

“
Was there an autopsy?”

“
They usually only perform autopsy's when there's suspicion of foul play.”

As Carter sipped his beer, I knew the wheels were turning.

“
You're right. With Dennis's lifestyle, nobody would assume foul play,” he said. “Pretty convenient.”

Where was he going with this? I leaned in closer and lowered my voice. “Are you saying that someone could have poisoned him, with the intent to induce a heart attack?”

“
It's possible. But it's too late to find out now. Brook wasted no time having her husband's body cremated.” Carter turned to look me squarely in the eyes. “Was Dennis on meds for his high blood pressure?”

“
I'd imagine so.” I paused to consider the implications. “You think Brook tampered with his pills?”

“
She could have substituted his meds for ibuprofen or Tylenol, or some other benign pain medication that could have reacted poorly with his condition.”

“
Why would Brook take the risk? All she'd have to do was wait a little longer and Dennis probably would have died in a few years anyway.”

Carter chuckled and downed the rest of his beer. “Like I said, doesn't matter at this point. We can't prove anything. And, hell, she
is
our client, after all.”

Yeah,” I replied. “But it's not like we're her lawyers. If she's committed a crime, don't you think we should do the right thing and tell the police? They could open an investigation.”

He shook his head. “Trust me, unless someone comes forward as a witness, claiming they saw Brook do something … no. Look, maybe I'm way off base. Maybe Brook had nothing to do with his death.”

I didn't know what to think. I had only known Brook a few days, so how could I make any assumptions. Sure, it seemed obvious that she had married Dennis for his money, but that didn’t make her a murderer. Still, Carter wouldn’t have mentioned it if he hadn’t already given it some thought.

“
Do you want to order some food?” Carter asked, breaking my concentration.

My insides were still doing
flip-flops over Max's disappearing act, and the last thing I needed was a greasy meal to make it worse. “No thanks. I'm fine.”

“
Do you have Jennifer's number?” he asked nonchalantly.

I gaped at him. “No, why?”

“
Look up her phone number and address on the internet.” He slipped his phone out of his back pocket. “Never mind, I'll do it for you.”

I swallowed hard, feeling my pulse quicken. “I'm not going to call her. And I'm certainly not going to show up at her house.”

After a minute or two of punching buttons on his cell phone, Carter smiled. “Ah, here it is. Jennifer Healy, number thirteen, Queen Street. Looks like it's only five blocks away. And here's her number, too.”

“
You are incorrigible. Forget it.”

I took a few more sips of my drink, then inhaled a deep breath as I stood up. My head felt a bit dizzy, but the tequila had given me some courage. “Fine, you talked me into it. I'm calling her.”

Carter gazed up at me, dumbfounded. “Wow. I didn't actually think you'd do it.”

I dialed Jenn's number and waited as a low-level dread crept into my stomach. My fears were confirmed when the call went straight to voicemail. “Shit.”

“
Just swallow your pride and go on over to her house,” he said. “She lives five blocks away.”

I felt paralyzed as I stood there, staring at Carter. Why was he pushing me to do this? Why did he even care? Why couldn’t he just mind his own business?

Carter sighed and shook his head, as if he’d read my mind. “Never mind,” he said. “Bad idea.”

I stood up straight, feeling a new resolve come over me. “You’re right. It might be a bad idea. But I’m going anyway.”

Chapter 16

It was almost eight. The sky was a deep shade of purple black. I sat in my car in Jennifer's driveway, trying to see through the windows of her cute, one-story, stucco house with Spanish tile roof. I knew she was home, because her white BMW was parked in the driveway.

From inside my car, I tried to get a glimpse through the windows. It seemed rather dark in there.

I willed my body to move, to get out of the damned car, but it was as if my butt was cemented to the leather seat. I told myself to calm down.

As I took some deep breaths, something caught my eye from across the street. In the darkness, I could make out a person sitting in a car. As my eyes adjusted to the dim light, I realized who it was. And I knew why.

I grabbed my purse, got out of the car, and walked across the street to the dark sedan. Andrew Foster's driver's side window was already lowered.

“
Andrew? What are you doing?” I whispered.

He looked at me, an expression of despair. “Max and Jennifer have been alone in her house for over an hour now.”

I gasped. Part of me was relieved, and part of me was not. “What have you seen?”

“
Nothing. She closed the curtains.”

I leaned closer to Andrew and smelled alcohol on his breath. “Are you stalking Jennifer?”

The whites of his eyes glowed in the dark. “Of course not.”

“
Then what are you doing here? Did she invite you over?”

I could tell by his clenched jaw and moist eyes that he was pissed, or just hurt. I couldn't tell. “I'm almost forty years old and I've never been rejected by a girl before,” he said.

I paused to consider the right words to say. He and I were kind of in the same boat, and I felt oddly connected to him. “Maybe they're just commiserating over Dennis,” I said.

Andrew didn't respond; instead, he just sat there, staring at the dashboard.

“
Why don't you go home,” I said. “You have to relax and give her space.”

He looked up at me, his brown eyes sad and droopy like a puppy. “Tell me Sarah, do you trust Max?”

I swallowed. “Yes, I trust him.”

He gave a sardonic chuckle and started his engine. “You're a fool.”

I told myself that Andrew was just drunk and paranoid. “Maybe you should call a cab,” I told him.

“
Don't worry about me,” he replied. “You have more important things to worry about.”

I stood there speechless as Andrew drove off into the night. I felt a chill running up my spine as I reluctantly headed to Jennifer's front door.

I knocked once. Nothing. I knocked again. Still nothing. I was about to knock a third time, when the door opened.

Jennifer stood there blinking at me.

She opened the door wide and stepped to the side. “Sarah, come on in. Max has been waiting for your call.”

“
Has he?” I replied, trying to keep the condescension out of my voice. “Because his phone is turned off. And your is, too.”

Once inside, I noticed Max lounging on the couch. Thankfully, he still had his clothes on.

“
How'd your meeting go?” he asked. There was a weird look on his face that I couldn't read.

“
It went okay.” I stood there, hands in pockets, feeling awkward as hell. “I'm really sorry about tonight and our dinner plans. I tried calling you but your phone is turned off. Why didn't you leave a note?”

He reached into his back pocket and checked his phone. I could see that his hand was shaking. “Aw, shit. My battery is dead. Sorry.”

Before I could decide what to do next, Jennifer walked in from the kitchen with a glass of wine. Was it just my imagination, or was her hand a bit shaky, too?

“
Here you go. I figured you could use this after your busy day,” she said with a forced smile. “Have a seat next to Max, I'll grab another chair.”

The couch was only big enough for two, and I realized, with dismay, that Jennifer and Max must have been sitting on the sofa together – at very close proximity. For some reason, I didn't feel like sitting, afraid I'd be able to smell the deceit on him. But what was I going to do? Just stand like an idiot, holding a glass of wine that I didn't want?

Jennifer pulled a chair up by the sofa and sat down. “I'm sorry to steal Max away from you. But I figured since you were working, he'd let me talk his ear off for a while.”

I took a sip and forced the liquid down my tense throat. It tasted bitter. “Max is a good listener.” The comment came out like an insult.

We sat in silence for a few seconds. I gulped down some more wine, searching for something to say. Max seemed awfully quiet. I just wanted someone else to talk so I didn't have to think and wonder what had gone on between them before I arrived. Finally, I said the first thing I could think of. “So, Jenn, why don't you consider going out on a date with Andrew? He seems like a decent catch.”

She paused, glanced at Max for a brief moment, then shook her head. “Oh, he's nice enough. Just not my type.”

“
How do you know he's not your type?” I persisted.

She very sat still, hands clutching her knees. “Because ... I just know.”

“
Maybe you could give him a chance,” I said.

An awkward silence followed, and part of me just wanted her to finally admit that Max was the one she wanted. At least I could respect her for her honesty.

Jennifer stood up. “Excuse me for a minute. I need to … get a glass of water. Would you like a refill on your wine, Sarah?”

“
No, thanks,” I replied dryly.

When Jennifer left the room, Max turned to me with a sour expression. “Why are you trying to talk Jenn into going out with Andrew? She obviously doesn't care for the guy.”

“
But why not? He's good looking, smart, and rich. Sounds like a perfect fit for her.”

Max sighed in exasperation. “Look, just trust me okay. Andrew is
not
the guy for Jenn.”

“
Why?” I asked. “Is it because
you
want to be with her?”

When he looked away, I realized that my comment had touched a nerve.

A burning electricity shot up my spinal cord, and I jolted to a standing position so fast that I spilled the wine all over me just as Jennifer came back into the room with her water.

She looked at me, then at Max, then back at me, her expression wrought with confusion. “Is everything okay you guys?”

“
You know what?” I snapped. “Everything is
not
okay. In fact, I don't like this at all.”

Jenn and Max looked at each other, panic on their faces, and that's when I knew. They were hiding something from me.

Max stood u and, clasped a hand around my arm. “Sarah, just calm down, please.”

I glared at him. “The two of you obviously have unfinished business. And please don't deny it. I can see it on both of your faces.”

Max's shoulder's slumped. He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I really don't appreciate the accusations, Sarah. I've done nothing wrong.”

“
Even if you haven't done anything wrong, you're thinking about it. You've changed, Max. And it all started when you got to Florida.” I handed Jenn the empty wine glass and grabbed my purse.

Jennifer just stood there, wide-eyed, like a stone statue as I marched to the door.

“
Sarah, where are you going?” Max called out.

I didn't respond. I just got the hell out of there.