Dangerous Relations (4 page)

Her mother shook her head. "Dead or alive, Suziette screws everything up."

"Mother!"

"Well, she does. The only sensible thing she ever did was marry Brett Waterstone, and she
made a mess of that in no time."

Ardin's mouth fell open. "How do you know?"

"Julia. How do you think?"

Aunt Julia must know about Suziette and Corey.

Vera pursed her lips, as if debating whether to say more. "Julia did swear me to secrecy, but
there's no harm in telling you, now that Suziette's dead."

"Tell me what?"

Vera rolled her wheelchair forward until her mouth was inches from Ardin's ear. "She was
carrying on, not a month after the wedding, with that Greek Adonis--what's his name? Her personal
trainer over at the gym."

"Her personal trainer? You don't mean Dimitri!" Ardin nearly fell off her chair in shock.
"How does Aunt Julia know?"

The gray eyes gleamed with mischief. "She overheard Suziette set up an
appointment for a session at the gym
and
some hanky-panky afterwards."

Dimitri. Corey. Being married hadn't stopped her cousin from making the rounds. She
realized her mother's mind was running along the same lines when Vera mused, "I wonder which
one of them killed her."

"I don't know." Ardin shivered as the fear lurking in the back of her mind surfaced. Her
mother's unflappable nature allowed her to speak it aloud. "You don't think it was Brett, do you? I
mean, he says he has an alibi, but he must have been furious when he found out Suziette's true
colors."

Vera stared at her in total amazement. "Are you out of your skull? Brett's a good person
from a decent family. The two of you used to play board games for hours at a time. Or have you
forgotten?"

"Mom, that was centuries ago."

"Brett hasn't changed. He's the sort of man I'd like for a son-in-law. Brett isn't Suziette's
killer." Vera shook her head in disbelief. "Whatever put such a ridiculous thought inside your
head?"

"Suziette had black and blue marks on her arms when I saw her two weeks ago." There,
she'd said it aloud. Got it off her chest.

To Ardin's great surprise, Vera threw back her head and laughed until tears filled her eyes.
"Probably the results of passionate lovemaking."

"And," Ardin persisted, "Suziette withheld information Brett needed in order to adopt
Leonie."

Vera shook a finger in Ardin's face. "Stop thinking like a lawyer and consider the child's
best interests."

"I am, which is why I don't want to send her off to live with someone who might have
murdered her mother."

Vera's eyes took on a crafty gleam. "Ardin, you're as smart as a whip, but you've no
common sense when it comes to people. Right now you should be helping that poor fellow and the
little angel every way you can."

"Oh, he'd like that, all right," Ardin said. Then added, forgetting to watch her words, "I
suppose that's what he wants to talk about over dinner."

"Dinner?" Vera grinned. "Honey, that's the best news I've heard all day."

"I didn't say I'd go," Ardin pointed out. But she would go, she suddenly decided, and hoped her
mother couldn't hear the pounding of her heart.

The afternoon had been full of surprises, Ardin mused as she drove home. In eight months
of marriage, Suziette had taken yet another lover--Dimitri. Her cousin had had the morals of an
alley cat. The fact that both her mother and Aunt Julia had known about the affair was almost as
astounding. Clearly Aunt Julia knew more about Suziette's nature than she let on.

She chuckled as she recalled Vera's wholehearted endorsement of Brett, her proclamation
that he was incapable of harming Suziette. The truth was, she'd enjoyed her mother's lively
company. The hour-and-a-half visit had flown by. Vera hadn't been an attentive or especially caring
mother while Ardin was growing up, but a bond had developed between them these last few
weeks.

The red light changed and Ardin accelerated. She would accept Brett's invitation to
dinner. Not because he was heart-stoppingly gorgeous, or because her mother considered
him a great catch. They had to discuss Leonie's future. Brett loved the little girl and Leonie
missed her daddy. Even Aunt Julia was well aware of that.

Brett could challenge the will. A judge might very well decide he came the closest to being
the only parent Leonie had, especially if Leonie had her say. On the other hand, a judge might honor
Suziette's wishes regarding the matter.

She continued to speculate as she followed the line of cars down Main Street. Why had
Suziette named Aunt Julia as Leonie's legal guardian? Was she afraid of Brett? Or had she sensed he
was planning to divorce her and probably move back to Florida, while she wanted to make sure
Leonie grew up in Thornedale?

None of it made any sense. Suziette wasn't the kind of person to concern herself with wills
and the future. Unless she had reason to believe her life was in danger.

Frustrated, Ardin frowned. She'd never find out what Suziette had been thinking
because her cousin wasn't around to explain.

Even though they were first cousins and only two grades apart, they'd never been close.
Suziette had considered her a nerd who'd rather read than party, while she regarded Suziette as
self-centered, deceitful, and man-crazy. Since fourth grade, Suziette had had a string of boyfriends
whom she changed as often as she changed the color of her hair. In her twenty-six years, Suziette
had managed to provoke, infuriate, or entice all who crossed her path. Still, that didn't explain why
someone had been compelled to end her life.

People were shocked and upset by the deed, but no one seemed especially outraged or
concerned about finding her murderer. It was almost as though they thought Suziette had played
fast and loose, and ended up getting what she deserved.

Only she didn't deserve to be killed. Tears welled up in Ardin's eyes. Her cousin had more
than her share of faults, but she'd been a high-spirited, beautiful woman cut down in her
prime.

"I'll see to it her murderer's found and put away for life!"

She had no doubt the killer was a man. Only a violent, power-hungry male would strangle a
woman. Ardin shivered. And they'd better find him ASAP. Because until they did, there was nothing
to stop him from killing again.

* * * *

The two policemen outside her mother's apartment building fell silent as Ardin stepped
out of her car. Her heart sank when she recognized Detective Rabe. His hunched shoulders and
penetrating stare were those of a predatory bird. A hawk, perhaps, considering her for his
dinner.

Detective Rabe had brought them the news last Thursday evening. After Aunt Julia had
been given a sedative and settled in her bed, he'd insisted on talking to Ardin. It wasn't his
questions as much as his insinuating manner that had set her on edge and put her on the defensive.
The way Corey used to--it suddenly occurred to her--when he'd accuse her of having done
something absurd, like coming on to his friends at a party.

She waited for Detective Rabe to say something, but he remained silent, his dark, beady
eyes gazing off into the distance as she approached. The beefy young officer spoke instead.

"Mrs. MacAllister?"

"Ms. Wesley," she corrected. "My maiden name is my legal name, as Detective Rabe
knows."

She glared at the detective, but he continued to ignore her. Ardin was annoyed with his
little act. He was obviously in command. She swept past them and entered the small lobby. They
followed her inside.

"Sorry, Ms. Wesley. I'm Officer Devine. We'd like to ask you a few questions concerning the
murder of your cousin, Suziette Waterstone."

"I've already told Detective Rabe everything I know which isn't much, as I don't reside here
in Thornedale. I wasn't close to my cousin. She certainly didn't confide in me."

She jabbed the elevator button and the door opened. Hoping they wouldn't follow, she
stepped inside.

"You may not reside in Thornedale, but you were here last week when Mrs.
Waterstone was murdered."

Rabe's words implied hidden motives and agendas. Guilt. Ardin froze, too stunned
to answer. They couldn't possibly imagine that she'd killed Suziette!

Officer Devine peered inside the elevator. "May we come upstairs and talk about it?"

A teenaged boy walked past. He stopped whistling to gape at Ardin and the policemen.

She seethed, knowing they were manipulating her by deliberately placing her in an
embarrassing situation. She had no information that could possibly help them solve Suziette's
murder, but she saw no point in arguing about it.

"Suit yourselves, though I've nothing new to tell you."

They entered the elevator.

"You never know, Ms. Wesley," Rabe said. "There's no telling what small item of
information might send us off in the right direction."

Upstairs the two policemen looked around the nearly empty apartment.

"I've just moved my mother into an assisted-living residence. I'm driving back to
Manhattan on Friday," Ardin said. The last part came out defiantly, as though they'd told her she
couldn't leave Thornedale. "We can sit here."

She led them to the dinette table. Too late she remembered the roses.

Rabe's eyes fixed on them like a bird sighting a worm. "Lovely flowers," he said. "I bought
roses for my wife for our twentieth anniversary. What was the occasion?"

Rabe's line of questioning led straight to Brett. Having tunnel vision, the detective would
assume the roses meant that she and Brett were romantically involved. Had been romantically
involved before Suziette's murder. Should she lie? Remain silent?

"They're simply--a gesture."

Officer Devine laughed. "I'd say. What does a dozen roses cost--twenty, thirty bucks? Not to
mention the vase."

"The vase belongs to my mother's neighbor. Now if you have any questions regarding my
cousin, I'll be happy to answer them."

"Who sent you the roses, Ms. Wesley?" Rabe said.

Ardin poured herself a glass of water and took a sip before answering. "That, Detective
Rabe, is none of your business."

"Ms. Wesley?"

Ardin took a deep breath. "What does it matter? They have nothing to do with Suziette's
murder."

"Anything you tell us will be kept confidential," Officer Devine said. "We don't want to
interfere in your love life."

"The roses are not about my love life! They're just something a friend sent--by way of an
apology."

Rabe walked around the long side of the table and sat down. "Did your ex-husband send
them?"

"Corey? Of course not! What a ridiculous idea!"

"Did Brett Waterstone?" Officer Devine said.

The question churned up waves of agitation. Dumbly, she watched him remove a notepad
from an inside pocket.

"Ms. Wesley?" he said, pen poised.

Ardin forced herself to speak calmly. "Detective Rabe, I've answered enough of your
questions. Now I'd like you and Officer Devine to leave."

Her request brought a grin to the detective's face. "Leave now, Ms. Wesley, just as we were
asking you about Mr. Waterstone?"

"Why? Are you tailing Brett? Are you assuming he's your man simply because he was
Suziette's husband?"

Detective Rabe ignored her questions and asked one of his own. "What was he apologizing
for?"

Everything she said came out wrong. Incriminating. Ardin took a deep breath. "I've nothing
more to say. You may continue your interrogation in the presence of my attorney."

"But you're an attorney," Officer Devine said reasonably.

"A lawyer who represents herself has a fool for a client."

"Ah, the comfort of familiar proverbs," Rabe murmured.

Three sharp knocks had them turning toward the door. Probably Mrs. Katz wanting her
vase back, Ardin thought, and went to let her in.

* * * *

The sound of approaching footsteps brought a grin to Brett's face. After he'd ordered the
roses, he found he couldn't stop thinking about Ardin. Why? he wondered, when his visit the night
before had been a disaster. Still, her pale, winsome face remained fixed in his mind like a TV that
wouldn't shut off.

At his pre-wedding dinner, he hadn't recognized Ardin when she'd approached to offer her
congratulations. To his astonishment, the skinny, gangly girl he'd known had transformed into a
beautiful woman--slender yet shapely, with expressive, watchful eyes. An understated beauty
beside Suziette's radiant appeal. But he'd only had eyes for his future wife.

More important, Ardin had a heart. Though their paths hadn't crossed very often this past
month, he knew of the kindness she extended to Julia and Leonie when she wasn't busy looking
after her mother. And last night she'd shown genuine concern for his pain after dropping the
bombshell of Suziette's will. She was the type of woman he should have married.

Cut it out!
All the upheaval in his life was making him soft. Soppy. A
male-female relationship was the last thing he needed. Besides, Ardin was a childhood friend, not
someone he should be hitting on. She was a good kid who cared about other people.
Cool
it, buddy
.
Don't get carried away by a show of simple kindness.

The trouble was, he wasn't used to someone giving a damn about what he felt or
wanted.

He'd left work early and come to the apartment, hoping Ardin would agree to see him
tonight. She might think he was pushy or obnoxious, but what did he have to lose? It was now or
never, since Ardin was leaving town in a few days. Either she'd have dinner with him or she
wouldn't.

"Brett!"

Ardin stepped into the hall and closed the door behind her. Startled, Brett froze as she
moved toward him. They stood face to face, so close, their bodies almost touched. He breathed in
her floral perfume, the herbal scent of her shampoo, her fear.

She quickly stepped back. "What are you doing here? You have to leave!" Her voice was
low, urgent.