Dead Women Tell No Lies (18 page)

“I wish we could pick up from where we left off but—” She glanced at the clock on the kitchen stove. “We’re going to be late.”

He wanted to groan in protest. Instead he asked, “Are you ready to go?”

“As soon as I reapply my lipstick, I’ll be set.” She disappeared into the other room.

She was right. Now wasn’t the moment to start something he couldn’t finish. After the dinner, they had all night.

“Let’s go,” she said, reappearing.

“Rose, I want you to know something. I’m attracted to you, but you and I together might not be the best idea.” That wasn’t exactly what he wanted to say, but it was better than confessing he was looking through the lens of a detective at their relationship.

“I’ll be going home to Vermont once you make an arrest, and no one will remember me or us together.”

Was he that forgettable? Her explanation irritated rather than reassured him.

She shrugged into her jacket, and they walked out of the apartment toward his car. She settled in the front seat, snapped on her seatbelt and then folded her hands together. “I can’t wait to get into a warm house. Spring sure takes its time coming.”

“The Drowns live in the North End, only a short distance.” He turned the key, and the engine roared to life.

Within seconds, they were officially on the road and on their “date.” Rose seemed absorbed in the passing scenery outside the window. Was this a good sign or bad? He drove past the downtown, hung a left up the hill by the Pizza Palooza and pushed the pedal to the metal. If Buddy hadn’t calmed down, then the evening would take a different spin. No matter, the sooner they arrived, the quicker he could run interference with Buddy and end the first part of the evening, which meant they’d reach the conclusion at Rose’s apartment. The last part of the night presented all kinds of possibilities he liked.

Finally he reached the neighborhood of larger homes with manicured lawns and mulch covered flowerbeds. Luke parked in front of the familiar beige Dutch Colonial with the three-stall garage. Buddy’s silver SUV was nowhere to be seen, which was a minor relief. They strolled together along the walk lined by small evergreen bushes and had reached the front steps when the door flew open.

Dean stepped out. “Luke and Rose, welcome to the Drown Castle.”

“Thanks, Dean.” Rose glided over the threshold.” I can’t wait to enjoy a dinner with all of you. Is Buddy here yet?”

Luke stepped inside behind her. Dean might as well be the executioner welcoming them into the dungeon. Let the torture begin.

Chapter 13

Rose and Luke entered the gray tiled hall lit by an overhead chandelier.

“Bud will be along.” Dean slapped Luke’s back. “Hey, how about those Celtics? Come over and watch the next game on my new TV. The huge screen makes you feel like you’re at the game. Rose, it’s good to see you.” He shook her hand. “Tia’s taking care of last minute dinner preparations and will join us in a moment. We’ve planned a special announcement for you.”

“For me?”

“Absolutely, I hope you’ll approve.” Dean paused a moment, and his smile faded. “I don’t want to spoil the evening, but I’ll mention the obvious once, and then we can forget and enjoy our dinner. Rose, I’m your landlord, and I’m responsible for the building’s security. I want to apologize for what happened at your apartment. I’ve hired two men to install an alarm system. Of course, nothing is easy. The tragic news about your sister’s disappearance and death set off a buying frenzy for security measures and a backlog for installation. The men will put in the system Wednesday. If I’m really lucky, the permit for the restaurant renovations will be approved immediately and remodeling can start in a day or two. Workers in the place will discourage anyone from thinking it’s an easy target to break into.”

“Glad you brought up the safety issues, Dean,” Luke interjected.

Rose widened her eyes at him. “I’m not moving out.”

“You’re leaving?” Dean asked.

She shook her head.

“The safety measures in the building are poor.” Lennox interjected. “The chain lock won’t keep out a two-year-old, and the intercom is fried.”

Rose’s face flushed. “I’m responsible for the broken intercom. I’ll pay for a replacement out of the security deposit.”

“Thanks for alerting me. I’ll work on the issues first thing tomorrow. Let me take your coats.” Dean held out his hands.

They gave their jackets to Dean and he hung them in the hall closet. “You can leave your pocketbook inside.” He nodded toward the open door.

“Thanks for the offer.” Rose rested a hand on top of the purse slung over her shoulder. “But a girl always keeps her lipstick close. You never know when a touch up is in order.”

She was carrying her gun. As long as she didn’t whip it out and shoot Buddy, the evening would be a rousing success. Luke grimaced. His dream of a stress free night was vanishing faster than a celebrity’s sobriety after rehab.

“Luke.” Tia Drown stood at the edge of the hall.

She wore tan pants and blouse. Her brown hair was mixed with strands of red. As usual, the way she entered a room and held her head reminded him of Miss America strutting down a runway. She beamed her contagious smile, the one that Buddy had inherited.

“I’m happy you’re back where you belong.” Tia gave him a quick hug.

“Let me introduce Rose Blue,” Luke said when she released him.

“Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Drown.” Rose stepped forward and offered her hand.

The older woman embraced her in her swift style. “Please call me Tia. I’m happy you joined us tonight. Ledgeview must seem like a place out of a horrible dream. I hope to show you decent people do live in our community. Dean, will you announce the news?”

Luke shot a glance at Dean. What was he up to?

Rose, my wife and I agreed to organize a Tip Crimeline of volunteers dedicated solely to your sister’s case. They’ll report directly to the police.”

“And,” Tia said, stepping into her husband’s side, “we’ve donated a reward of three thousand dollars for anyone who has information that leads to the conviction of your sister’s killer. Dean’s spoken to the mayor, and he’s already pushed through the red tape for the setup.”

Rose stood still, staring, and then, bolted forward and hugged each of them. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Words left Luke for a moment. “That’s…generous of you both.” He calculated the hours, manpower and money needed for the project. Should he pen a thank you or lead a taxpayers’ revolt?

“I hope you’ll be involved, Luke. You can assign a man of your choice to head the committee, or do it yourself. The mayor raved over the idea.” Dean clapped his hands together. “We’ll work out the details after dinner.”

“I can’t believe your generosity.” Rose blinked away tears of happiness.

Sure, she could play on their good natures for information on Buddy.

“Believe me. Lots of fine people live in Ledgeview.” Tia smiled at her.

“Thank you, Mrs…Tia. Your gift is better than Christmas. I’ll always remember your kindness,” Rose said to her. “I’ve wanted to meet you for quite a while. Where’s Buddy tonight? He’s the only one missing.”

“Don’t forget dinner, Rose. The real reason we came,” Luke added. Despite the Drowns’ generous offer, Rose seemed determined to focus on his friend.

“Buddy and Shauna should arrive in about half an hour. She works until seven thirty at the bank on Tuesday nights, and Buddy picks her up.” Tia lowered her voice. “She’s like a daughter to me. Have you met?”

“I’ve never had the pleasure.”

“You’ll love her. Everyone does.”

“Luke, let’s leave the women to their talk.” Dean clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve plenty of cold ones in the bar fridge. What would you like?”

To avoid a disaster tonight. “If you don’t mind, I’ll stick with the women for a while.” He edged closer to Rose, who narrowed her eyes in disapproval at him.

“Don’t be silly,” Tia said. “I want to show Rose the results of the clothing drive. You’d be bored to death.”

“Right, Lennox, bored-to-death,” Rose confirmed, widening her eyes at him. “Go with Dean.” She walked with Tia to the hall.

Luke mentally swore. She was going to interrogate their hostess.

“When Buddy arrives, he won’t waste a minute straightening out his father’s version of the last basketball game.”

“Does that annoy Dean?” Rose followed Tia into a cream-colored corridor decorated with photos of Buddy at different ages. What would these good people say if the tip line led to their son?

“Dean takes Buddy’s corrections all in the spirit of the evening. Teasing each other is part of their relationship. Luke joins in when he visits. He and Buddy have been friends since middle school. They’d do anything for each other.”

Or, be blind to each other’s faults.

“They’re close. In school, they were on every team together and inseparable. They were always at each other’s house eating, supposedly studying or tossing a ball around. Luke’s mother’s a close friend of mine. I wish she’d move back to New Hampshire. I miss her.” Tia paused by a snapshot of her son with his arm around a woman with long, dark hair and flawless, white skin. The young woman leaned into him.

“Here’s Shauna and Bud’s engagement picture. Beautiful, isn’t she? Buddy is lucky. She’s totally devoted to him, and he’s crazy about her. They were high school sweethearts. You know first loves often find each other again.”

“Again?” Rose raised her brows. Then she remembered Buddy had cheated on Shauna and she left him.

“They broke up before Shauna left for college. Buddy has dated lots of other girls.” Tia inclined her head toward her son’s picture. “He’s a charmer when he wants to be. When Shauna moved back last summer, they started seeing each other, quietly at first. True love won in the end.”

Rose studied the future Mrs. Drown. She gazed up at Buddy with open adoration in her eyes. Her face seemed to glow. “Buddy’s very handsome. I bet he broke lots of hearts when the engagement became public.”

“Buddy had his share of girlfriends, but he didn’t care much about them. Shauna was his first serious and only love. She was married briefly years ago, but we’ll forgive her.” Tia laughed. “They’re perfect for each other. Sorry, I’m a romantic at heart and seeing them together reminds me of when I met Dean.”

“How did you get together?”

“Not too many people know, but I was married before Dean. My ex and I said our vows the week after high school graduation. Buddy was born nine months later. The marriage was never good, but I was stubborn and determined to make it work. But as the years passed, I decided divorce was my only option to keep myself and Buddy safe.”

“Going it alone must have been tough.”

“Staying was worse. I thought I’d never marry again. Then I met Dean on a ski lift. By the time we reached the top of the mountain, we were a couple. We’ve been married close to thirty years. People thought we wouldn’t last. I’m five years older, and had an eleven year-old when we got together.”

“No wonder you’re a romantic. Did Dean grow up in Ledgeview?”

“We lived in Maine. We moved to Ledgeview soon after we married for Dean to establish his business. Come this way.” Tia switched on a light and led Rose through an arched doorway, into a twelve-by-twelve foot space. “This is my sewing room.”

Piles of clothing covered most of the furniture and probably hid a sewing machine somewhere. The legs of a chair peeked out from under a load of shirts and skirts. “Your store must be a big success. You should rent a storage space.”

“My shop is overflowing, but I don’t rent. Dean owns the building.”

“I forgot. Guess you have a good relationship with your landlord.”

“Once a year, I collect clothes for the homeless. I admit I’m proud of my success.” Tia put a finger to her chin. “Wait a minute.” She grabbed a bag from the top of a pile and dug out a black garment. “Lovely, isn’t it?”

Rose glanced at the fabric in her hostess’s hands and nodded.

“Women are always searching for the perfect little black outfit, and today, one found its way to me. Can you believe it?” Sequins on the garb shimmered as Tia held it higher.

Rose nodded. “The ladies will be jealous when you wear it.”

“The dress is perfect for you.” She held the garment up and tilted her head to the side. “Want to try it on?” Her eyes glimmered with excitement. “You’ll have to wear it to the celebration for Dean after he wins.”

How much would the perfect little dress cost? She bet her hostess never carried a brand Rose could afford. She’d have to find a way to politely decline. Her mind groped for excuses while the last part of Tia’s statement sank in. “Celebrate a win?”

“Dean’s running for mayor. He believes he can beat the incumbent. A lot of people are unhappy with your sister’s murder investigation. Ledgeview used to be one of the safest cities to live in. Now a young woman has been murdered in our hometown, and with no one under arrest, who knows who will be killed next?”

At least she wasn’t alone in her fears. “I’m sorry my sister’s death brought such fright.”

“You’re not to blame. Dean has picked out his platform for his campaign.” She raised a manicured finger. “Elect a working man for the working people who puts safety first.”