A Secondhand Murder (27 page)

The car that had frightened him pulled up in front of my house. It was a black SUV. Anyone could have been in it. With the exception of Madeleine, Alex, and me, almost everyone I was acquainted with drove a black vehicle of some kind.

Two men got out and approached the house. Rob and Antoine? Why would they be here? No. It was Jerry, accompanied by Napolitani. I'll be damned.

At that moment, Alex's car pulled up and parked behind Napolitani's. Hail, hail, the gang's all here. My admirers. Here to help me or to interfere with my plan. Which was it to be?

Alex didn't seem surprised to see Jerry and Napolitani. They, too, acted as if his presence was expected. I told Jerry I wanted him here tonight so he knew that I had something cooking. Since I don't ever cook, he also knew I didn't mean food.

Alex muttered something to me as I held open the door for him.

“
What?”

“
I said, I'm sorry I was sick in your house.”

“
That's it? That's all you're sorry for?”

Jerry and Napolitani followed Alex in the door and took seats side by side on the couch, watching Alex and me as if they had tickets to some great boxing match.

“
Did I invite the two of you in? Did I ask you to sit down?”

“
We're here to help you,” said Napolitani. “You do need help, don't you? Jerry seemed to think you wanted to go back to the stables and take a better look at the place. He thought I might come in handy in case—”

“
In case I need someone to take out an alarm. Or maybe to disable more than the electrical system.”

“
We called Alex so he could be in on the plan this time instead of just following us around,” Jerry said.

Oh, crap. What if they had also called Madeleine? She'd just knock things over or let the horses loose. Who knew what trouble she might get into? Correction, get
us
into.

The horrified look on my face must have said it all.

“
I didn't call Madeleine. Did you guys?” Alex looked at Jerry and Napolitani.

The guys on the couch shook their heads.

I hadn't realized that I'd been holding my breath, hoping that Madeleine might spare us her presence tonight, until that moment. I exhaled and chuckled in relief. “Too bad Grandy can't be here.”

The gods must have heard me call Grandy's name. The phone rang. It was Max.

“
Grandy's in the hospital in Tavernier. Someone grabbed her on her way back from the Laundromat and roughed her up. They warned her that she'd better give back the locket or next time you wouldn't escape becoming dinner in the swamp.”

N
apolitani drove. Jerry was in the passenger's seat. Alex and I sat in back. As we sped down the turnpike toward the Keys, I sputtered with rage. I contemplated the satisfaction I would derive from hurting the people responsible for putting Grandy in the hospital. I was certain that I knew who they were, or at least who was behind the attack. I was torn between wanting to hold Grandy in my arms and wanting to lay siege to the Sanders' house, taking no prisoners. Grandy came first. I needed to see her, make certain she was all right. Then I could play barbarian with the Sanders clan.

“
Maybe we should have split up,” said Napolitani. “You and Alex could have gone to your Grandy while Jerry and I took care of business in West Palm.”

“
Thanks, but your methods are—”

“
They are effective. More so than yours. Right now, I'd guess that you're not concerned with the legality of thrashing the hell out of Sanders. Right? And you, my dear, want revenge. There's a more important issue here.”

“
Like what?” I didn't care about the other issues. I wanted pay back.

“
Someone must be punished for what they did to Grandy,” Napolitani said. “I'm good at that.”

“
I don't understand the difference. Revenge. Punishment. It's all the same.”

“
Not at all. Revenge is the sweet feeling the avenger gets when the criminal is punished. The punishment itself? It's to teach a lesson. This I know well. Later. Later we'll talk about what must be done.” Napolitani peered over his shoulder to look at me and make certain that he'd made himself clear. He had.

Alex squeezed my hand. “I'm sorry.”

“
I know.”

“
I mean, I'm sorry for everything. For Grandy. For her pain and yours. For the hell you're going through wanting to get to the people who beat her up.”

“
Especially the ones who arranged for her beating.”

Alex gave my hand another gentle squeeze. “About the other night. There's no excuse for my bad behavior, but I'm so crazy about you that my jealousy got the better of me.”

“
You sure have a great way of telling me how much you care. You lie to me, find another woman, then get drunk and pass out in my bed.” I should have jerked my hand out of his, but the contact felt so good, so comforting. I squeezed his hand back.

“
I shouldn't have kept my relationship with the Sanders family from you. It just never seemed like the right time to tell you.”

He leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. “Do I have any chance with you?”

Here I was, frantic to find out how my Grandy was. That should have been my only concern, other than the satisfaction that came from contemplating my revenge. Instead, what popped into my head was how I could continue to make Alex squirm with guilt and jealousy. I guess I can be a difficult woman.

“
Leave the poor guy alone. He's got a thing for you and he's not thinking clearly,” said Jerry.

“
Have pity on him,” said Napolitani.

Now, I could understand Jerry's ability to read my mind—we had been married for over fifteen years—but how had Napolitani been able to tap into my brain waves?

Oh, the hell with it. I was too anxious about Grandy to give Alex a bad time. I filed it away on my mental “to do” list, which now read: Have fun. Bust Alex's chops.

“
We'll talk some other time,” I said.

Alex smiled. Was that an “I'm so happy” smile or a “Gotcha on the run, gal” smile. I didn't really care. I looked out the window and caught the reflection of my worried face in the glass.
Please let my Grandy be okay
.

She looked so small propped up in the hospital bed. I could barely see her face through all of the bandages that covered it, but what I did see looked swollen and more colorful than the biblical Joseph's coat of many colors.

I was horrified at her appearance. If I could just get my hands on the people responsible, I'd—

“
They overdid the bandages. It's not as bad as it looks.” Grandy touched her face.

I rushed forward to give her a hug but stopped when I got next to the bed. I leaned over, then hesitated mid-bend. Where did you kiss someone whose face is covered in gauze? I chose the top of her head.

“
Where's Madeleine?” Grandy reached for the others, hugging all of them, including Jerry. Now that we were divorced, she seemed more willing to see his good side, if there was one.

“
She wasn't home when I called. I think she's on a date. I left a message. She'll be in touch, I'm sure. How are you?” I sat on her hospital bed and put my arm around her shoulders.

“
Don't squeeze too tight, honey. I've got a couple of bruised ribs.”

“
When she first came in, they worried that her nose was broken, but it's not. That rainbow of bruises around her eyes will darken by tomorrow. Everyone's gonna think
I
gave her those shiners.” Max made a rueful smile, but I could tell he was worried. There was no mirth behind his grin. Instead, I saw tense lines around his mouth.

“
Grandy, you look terrible.” It was Madeleine, standing in the doorway.

“
Don't tell her that!” Madeleine was usually more considerate.

“
Never mind, Eve,” Grandy said. “It's true. White on rainbow is not my best color palette. C'mere, love.” She reached out to Madeleine.

“
How did you get here so fast?” I asked Madeleine.

“
I heard your message when I got home from the grocery store, so I called Frida. She turned the lights on the cruiser and here we are. Made it in record time.”

Frida stood in the doorway behind Madeleine, looking very official. She and Madeleine entered and sat on the other side of Grandy's bed. If any more people showed up, we'd have to get a parade permit.

“
From your message, Eve, there's little doubt about who's behind this.” To Grandy, Frida said, “Did you see the guy?”

“
No. It was too dark, but I think there was more than one of them. After I was knocked down, a man delivered the warning. I thought I heard another voice in the background.” Grandy tried to roll over in my direction. She grimaced with the pain her movement caused. “You're the one I'm worried about. They said they'd get you. Unless I give that locket back.”

“
I don't think you have to worry about me. As you can see, I've got friends. And not all of them are here.”

“
She's got cowboys, too.” There was derision in Alex's voice.

“
I'm going to talk with the Key Largo police. See if I can help them solve this one,” said Frida.

I knew what that meant, and so did everyone else in the room. It meant that the eventual punishment of the assaulters was out of our hands and in those of my capable police friend, Frida. Napolitani looked disappointed, but I was relieved, relieved that neither Nappi nor I would be serving a jail sentence for assault and battery on the Sanders family.

Frida gave Grandy another kiss and then left the room to meet with the local authorities.

“
I guess I'll have to grab a ride back home with you,” Madeleine said.

“
You can have my seat in Nappi's car,” I replied. “I'll be staying here for a few days.”

“
You'll do nothing of the sort.” Grandy tried to sit up straighter in bed but let out a groan and slid back down onto her pillow. “You've got a business to run.”

“
Madeleine can do that.”

Madeleine bobbed her head up and down in agreement.

“
No way,” Grandy said. “You get back to Sabal Bay and take your bodyguards with you. Down here you'd only have Max and me to protect you. Alex just said it. You've got all these guys and some cowboys back home. What could be better?”

“
I'm not going.”

“
Then I'll be forced to send back this locket.”

I was shocked. Grandy give up the locket? To those Philistines?

“
You can't. That locket means too much to you.”

“
Not more than your life. Look in the bedside table.”

In the drawer lay the locket, its ruby and diamonds sparkling up at me.

“
What do you want me to do with this?”

“
Give it to Jerry. He can return it to the Sanders family, and we'll put an end to all this.”

Jerry looked startled. “Me? Why me? I don't think the family would let me back in their house.”

“
I'll do it. For you and your granddaughter.” Napolitani held out his beefy hand. Grandy nodded her agreement. I dropped the locket into it.

“
Now everyone is safe. I'm tired.” Grandy closed her eyes.

“
Maybe we should let her rest,” said Max.

We said goodnight. Max and I gave her a final gentle kiss on her bandaged cheek and followed the others out of the room.

“
She really wants you to go back home, you know,” said Max. “I can take care of her when she leaves the hospital.”

“
I'm staying.” I walked away from him and caught up with Napolitani to tell him that I wouldn't be joining him on the ride back. Jerry, Madeleine, and Alex stood at the elevator waiting for us. Max checked in at the desk to make certain that the nurse had his cell phone number, in case something came up with Grandy during the night.

I grabbed Napolitani's arm and pulled him into the visitors' waiting room.

“
Are you really going to return the locket? Do you understand what she's giving up?”

“
Do you have a better idea?”

“
Let me borrow it. For a day or two. If things work out, you won't have to return it.”

“
What are you going to do? The people who beat up your Grandy will do the same or worse to you. You almost became a gator's dinner once already.” Napolitani scowled at me and made no effort to reach into his pocket for the locket.

I mulled over the idea of bringing Napolitani in on my scheme. “If I tell you what I have in mind, will you help me?”

He smiled. In the darkened room his white teeth flashed almost as brilliantly as the jewels in the locket. “It would be my supreme pleasure to help you. Yet again.”

“
Help her do what?” Alex stood in the doorway. He was flanked by Jerry and Madeleine.