A Deadly Row (22 page)

“How’s Thomas?” Zach asked.

“Confusing,” I said.

“That’s an interesting answer. What happened?”

“He gave me a box from my mother that he’s been holding onto since she died.”

“Why’s he giving it to you now?” Zach asked, the investigator’s stare in his eyes.

“He was supposed to wait longer, but I think something shook him up, and he wanted to get rid of it.”

“Did you look inside yet?”

“I checked it last night. There were some photographs, some old love letters from my dad, and a key to a safety deposit box. That’s not all. There was a note with it, too.”

I got the box from the end table, opened it, and handed him the note from my mother.

The second he finished reading it, he stood and said, “What’s Lorna’s phone number?”

“Why?”

“I’m canceling your breakfast and we’re driving to Hickory.”

“There’s no need to.”

“Savannah, I don’t know how you even slept after reading that note. What’s inside the box? Why didn’t Tom tell you about it sooner? It raises a lot of questions, doesn’t it?”

“Sit down,” I said. “I’ve got the contents of the safety deposit box, too.”

“You didn’t mention that your uncle gave that to you, as well.”

“I didn’t know it the last time we talked. He had to clean the safety deposit box out, but all he found was another box. Uncle Thomas hid it in the backseat of the car while I was there yesterday. He wanted me to have it, but I don’t think he knew how to tell me.”

“So? Don’t keep me in suspense. What was this great secret your mother was keeping from the world?”

“There was ten thousand dollars in the box, all in hundreds, and a note from my uncle.”

“Why would Tom give your mother that kind of money?”

“Not that uncle. The other one.”

“Jeffrey? I thought he was lost forever.”

“Evidently he contacted my mother, and he wrote her a note along with the cash. This is it.”

I handed him the second note.

After he read it, he said, “No wonder you were jumpy when you heard me in the bathroom. Having ten grand in your room will make you paranoid if anything will.”

“It’s not here. I put it in the hotel’s main safe downstairs as soon as I knew what I had.”

“That’s smart thinking,” he said. Zach tapped the second note. “That answers at least some of my questions.”

“I don’t see how. Why didn’t my mother spend the money? Why did she leave it to me? And why did she ask for my forgiveness?”

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Zach said as there was a knock on the door.

After the bellman identified himself, Zach let him in. He directed that the cart be set up by the window, and as soon as the worker was gone, he started lifting lids.

“This looks great. You can have a bite or two, but most of it is mine.”

I moved between him and his food, a dangerous maneuver even when my husband wasn’t starving. “You don’t get a bite until you explain what you just meant.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked as he looked at the food.

“You said it answered questions, but all I can see are more things I don’t understand.”

He held up his index finger. “Think about it, Savannah. Your mother didn’t forgive her brother. She didn’t even get back in contact with him, and she felt bad about cutting you off from your family.”

“How do you know that?”

“The money was still there, so she didn’t forgive him. If she had, there was no way Astrid wouldn’t spend it. Your mom knew how you felt about your Uncle Thomas. Do you honestly think she didn’t agonize over keeping Jeffrey out of your life? She had to be really conflicted by all of it, and lastly, she dumped it all in your lap.”

“She didn’t want me to contact J.B., did she?”

Zach smiled. “You noticed that the envelope with a return address wasn’t with the letter, didn’t you? I’ll make a detective out of you yet.” His stomach grumbled as he looked at the food. “Can I eat now?”

“Go on. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get in your way.”

“Feel free to join me,” he said as he dug in. I was tempted; it looked awfully good, but if I ate a big meal now, I would never be able to have breakfast again in fifteen minutes with Lorna.

“Maybe I’ll have one cinnamon stick,” I said, taking one from his plate and dunking it in maple syrup.

“They’re great, aren’t they?”

After I ate one, I was debating about grabbing another when I asked Zach, “What do you think I should do?”

“I definitely think you should stop eating those cinnamon sticks. You wouldn’t want to spoil your appetite.”

“You saw me eyeing them?”

“Hey, I’m a trained detective. Not much gets past me.”

“Well, I wasn’t talking about the food,” I said. “I mean the money.”

“Beats me,” he said after a moment’s thought.

“You’re a lot of help.”

“This has to be your decision. You can’t really contact your uncle, since you still don’t know where he is. Unless Tom knows. Have you asked him?”

“He denies having any contact with his brother since the day he walked out.”

“Could he be lying?”

I was surprised to hear my husband ask that about Uncle Thomas. “Why would he possibly do that?”

“Think about it. If he was trying to protect you, I can see it, can’t you? After all, those boxes have been in his hands for a while, but you’re just getting them now, aren’t you?”

“I’m sure he had his reasons.”

“Okay, let’s say he has no more idea than you do about how to find Jeffrey. That means you couldn’t return the money, even if you wanted to. The way I see it, you have three options.”

“Go on, I’m listening.”

“You can keep it, spend it, or give it away. If you choose the last option, I’d be more than willing to take it off your hands.”

I grinned at him. “Thanks for that generous offer.”

“Hey, you know me. I’m all heart.” Zach glanced at his watch. “I’m not trying to get rid of you, but aren’t you going to be late for your breakfast appointment?”

“I’ve got another minute. I didn’t mean to take up all of our time together this morning. Have you made any more progress on the case?”

He finished another bite. “Not ready to talk about it yet,” he said, and then polished off the last cinnamon stick. At least he’d removed the temptation from me. “Maybe by lunch.”

I looked at the ruins of what was left of his breakfast. “Seriously? Do you honestly think you’re going to be able to eat again today?”

“Hey, thinking’s hard work. You know that better than most folks do.”

It was true. Though making puzzles didn’t seem like hard work, creating them often left me tired and hungry, and not necessarily in that order.

“Lunch it is. Where would you like to go?”

“Give me a call, and we’ll see what we can work out. In the meantime, you’d better scat.”

“I’m going,” I said as I kissed him, and then smacked my lips. “Um, maple syrup.”

“No extra charge,” he said with a grin.

I left him, and headed down the elevator. By the time I arrived at the lobby, I was feeling good about my life.

And then a woman moved directly in front of me as I stepped off, staring at me like she wanted to kill me.

“YOU’RE SAVANNAH STONE,” SHE SAID. THERE WAS NO
question in her inflection.

“Guilty as charged,” I said. “Is there something I can help you with?” I was surreptitiously looking around the lobby, trying to spot Garrett or one of his security guards. I knew I probably should have denied who I really was, but she’d caught me with my guard down.

“You can tell your husband to find out who killed my brother,” she said. The woman was about my age, but she’d done nothing to make herself anything other than severe, both in clothing and expression. She was bone-thin, as if she had lost all interest in eating, and her graying blonde hair looked dry and brittle, like withered hay. Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Don’t trouble yourself finding security. I’ve said what I needed to say, and I never had any intention of harming you.”

She started to leave, but I grabbed her arm before she could get away. “Hang on a second.”

She started to pull away, but I wasn’t about to let go yet. “I’m finished here. I said what needed to be said.”

“That’s all well and good, but I haven’t had a chance to talk yet. Now, why don’t we try this again?”

She looked perplexed as I released her arm, and then I held out my hand. “My name’s Savannah Stone. And you are?”

Almost without conscious effort, she took my hand as she said, “I’m Julia Tristan.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Julia. Let me start by saying that I’m sorry for your loss.”

She looked at me a moment, and then the poor woman started to cry. We were getting the attention of some of the staff now, as well as a few of the hotel’s guests.

I didn’t care. I put my arms around her, and then let Julia cry herself out. In three minutes, she pulled away from me, wiping her cheeks and eyes with an old linen handkerchief.

“Feel better?” I asked her.

“Much. Thank you. You’re the first person I’ve spoken with since Hank was murdered who actually seems to care.”

“That’s because you haven’t met my husband yet. He’s the reason I know so much about your brother. Zach tries to get to know the subjects of his investigation.” I’d almost said “victims,” but I’d caught myself just in time. I didn’t want to be responsible for another crying jag.

“If he’s anything like you, I believe you. Please, tell him that I’m counting on his help.”

“Is there anything else you’d like me to pass on to him?”

“No, not that I can think of,” she said. “I spoke with an officer earlier, but he barely seemed to pay attention to my answers. What else does your husband need to know?”

“I was wondering if there was anyone in particular that your brother was close to before he died.”

“Was murdered, you mean.” Her words were as strong as black coffee.

“Murdered,” I corrected.

She nodded, and appeared to be pleased by my acquiescence. “The first person I’d look at would be the mayor, unless your husband is intimidated by him like everyone else in this town seems to be.”

“He’s aware of their confrontation,” I said. “Anyone else?”

“How about the new chief of police?” Julia asked as she looked around the lobby. I wasn’t sure if she was looking for police officers, or just random spies, but the action made me wonder if she was a little bit unhinged.

“What did Davis Rawles have to do with your brother?”

She looked at me carefully. “Do you know him? Of course you do. Your husband chose him as his replacement.”

“My husband had nothing to do with that,” I said, though that wasn’t strictly true. He’d made a recommendation, and it had to have carried some weight, but the ultimate decision hadn’t been his. “Trust me, my husband isn’t influenced by his friendships. If anything, he’s harder on people he knows than he is on perfect strangers. Why did you bring up Davis’s name?”

“He and my brother went in together on a little business venture, and when it failed, Davis threatened to kill him. Is that motive enough?”

“What happened?”

“Davis and Hank bought some land in the mountains together on the speculation that a resort would be built nearby. Hank had his hands in a lot of different businesses. He wasn’t just a land speculator, but no one really knew every one of his sources of income. When the parent company dropped out on the development deal, they both lost a sizeable amount of money. Evidently it was bigger for the police chief than it was for Hank.”

“I didn’t know that,” I said.

“Does your husband?”

“If he doesn’t yet, he will soon, and that’s a promise,” I said. “Any other names I should add to the list?”

“There were a few other officers who were minor investors, but I don’t know their names.”

“Tell you what. Find out, and then leave me a message at the front desk. I’ll tell my husband as soon as you tell me. Anyone else?”

She frowned, bit her lip, and then said, “I’ve gone over that night a thousand times in my mind, and the only other reason I can think that someone would want to kill my brother was that dance. Every woman he danced with should be interviewed, along with their significant others.”

“I know for a fact that my husband is going painstakingly through the files, and he’s reading the police interviews right now.”

Julia was about to say something else when I saw her face go cold. “What just happened?”

“She was one of them,” Julia whispered, and then quickly dashed away.

I turned to see who the mystery woman was, and was startled to see Lorna heading toward me.