Deadly Accusations (16 page)

“That is not the first time you've called me selfish, and I really resent it,” Casey said. “I am
not
selfish. I've already done more for you and your brother than anyone else around here. And don't ever use Summer to manipulate me, understand?”

“Fine.” Marie headed for her desk. “Whatever.”

Casey tried to focus on her timesheet, but she was too furious to think. She had to get out of here. Scrunching the paper with the landlord's number into a ball, she marched out of the room. While Casey jogged downstairs, it occurred to her that Marie might have a point about helping find the killer fast. Looking over her shoulder, waiting for the bad guy to be caught, wasn't her style. Should she at least phone Paval? No one would have to know, and she really was curious about Gabrielle's alibi. Why else would she still be carrying this ball of paper?

In the lunchroom, Casey poured herself a coffee and sat at the back of the room. She removed her cell phone from her purse, flattened the paper, and memorized the number. After she'd come up with a suitable story to tell Paval, she started pressing digits.

Paval answered on the second ring. After pleasantries were exchanged, Casey asked him if he knew Gabrielle's phone number. “We have Jasmine's personal belongings in her locker, and my supervisor said I should contact next of kin. Since Jasmine's mother's been ill, I thought I'd try Gabrielle.”

“I doubt she'll pay to have anything delivered to Parksville.”

David Eisler sauntered in at the other end of the room. When he spotted Casey, her muscles tensed. She looked out the window. Half a dozen conversations were going on in here, so he wouldn't be able to hear her from this distance.

“Casey, are you still there?” Paval asked.

“Yes, do you know if she's employed?”

“I've no idea, but since she showed up on a weekend, she could be. All I have is a home number. Give me a minute and I'll get it for you.”

Eisler stared at her as if he expected her to do something wrong. At last he turned away and poured himself a coffee.

When Paval returned and recited the number, Casey scribbled it on the sheet. Eisler started toward her, but three drivers at a table said something to him and he stopped. Casey swept the paper into her purse and held her breath.

“Thanks, Paval, and just one more thing: did Jasmine ever say anything about moving away?”

“No, but I wouldn't be surprised if she'd wanted to get away from her ex, and she did talk about spending time with her mother.”

“That reminds me, did you ever see a woman with Birch during these stalking episodes?”

“There had been someone with him a couple of times over the past month, but this person always stayed in the car. I can't honestly say if it was a him or her.”

Eisler was still with the drivers. Since Paval knew a lot about what went on in his building, she said, “Did Jasmine ever mention a man named David Eisler calling her, or coming by her place recently? He has light brown hair, a tan, and nice clothes.”

“Hmm, my wife said something about a man in a suit lurking by the building's entrance about a week before the murder. Ursula saw him when she was getting the mail and asked what he wanted. He said he was looking for Jasmine, so she assumed he was one of Jasmine's nightclub acquaintances.”

Casey kept her gaze on Eisler. “Did he give a name or say anything else?”

“I don't know. You should probably ask Ursula.”

“Is she around?”

Eisler's conversation ended and he headed for her. Damn.

“She's working days this week. Today she's meeting a friend at the Silver Groove after work.”

The club Ursula had mentioned when Casey first met her.

“Thanks, bye.”

As Eisler drew nearer, she sat up straighter. “Miss Holland.” Eisler's icy tone reached the table before he did.

“Mr. Eisler.” She sipped her coffee.

Eisler rarely sat with people. He seemed to prefer standing and looking down at them.

“Are you feeling better after yesterday's mishap on the M10?”

“Pretty much.” She picked up her coffee and stood.

“Have you completed an injury report?”

“I will this morning.” She'd felt too lousy to complete the form yesterday and had forgotten about it until now.

Anxious to get out of here, Casey left the room. She couldn't shake the feeling that Eisler had another reason for approaching her and that it had everything to do with Jasmine.

FOR SUMMER'S SAFETY, THE PRINCIPAL
had allowed Casey to park close to the door so Summer could enter the car quickly. As she waited inside the school's exit, Casey watched, through the glass in the door, for anyone who looked like he shouldn't be on the grounds. Her cell phone rang.

“Hey, it's Lou. Mom says you can bring Summer over anytime.”

“Great.” Barb's house was only five minutes from her place. “I'll take her after supper.”

“Think she'll want to go?”

“Given that Winifred moved in yesterday, she'll be running out the door.” Casey scanned the grounds. “Would you like to go dancing tonight? Summer will be safe and neither of us have early shifts tomorrow, and the club I have in mind plays your kind of music.”

“Disco? Really?”

“Totally.” Casey grimaced. Much as she loved Lou, she didn't share his taste in music.

“I thought you hated disco.”

“Yeah well, things have been stressful lately, and I wanted to make up for dragging you to Birch's trailer.” The strain Casey had sensed in their relationship since she'd agreed to help Marie hadn't eased, and the danger to Summer had made things worse. “We could use a fun night.”

“I'm kind of tired. How about a rain check?”

Casey glanced down the empty hall. “That's not going out, and this is Thursday, so maybe the place won't be too crowded.”

“Is going out that important to you?”

The bell rang and kids began rushing out of classrooms. “There's another reason, which is to talk to Jasmine's landlord's wife about David Eisler.”

Casey spotted a frowning Summer shuffling down the hall. She hadn't been happy when Casey told her she couldn't hang out with friends after school, but Casey wanted her close to home.

“What about Eisler?” Lou sounded edgy.

“Ursula Gallenski apparently talked to a man at her building who wanted to see Jasmine. Based on Paval's second-hand account, it sounds like him, but I need to talk to her to be sure.”

“I thought you'd quit investigating.”

“It's just one simple question.”

“We need to talk about this.”

“Oh, Summer's coming, I've got to go.”

Lou could talk all he wanted, but he wouldn't change her mind. One way or the other, the truth about Eisler had to come out.

•  •  •

“MUST YOU USE
the back door?” Winifred glared at Casey as she and Summer stepped into the kitchen. “It's very disruptive.”

Utensils covered the counter, and Winifred was wiping out a drawer.

Casey wrinkled her nose at the smell of bleach. “Since I park my car out back, it's also very convenient.”

“Where's Cheyenne?” Summer scanned the kitchen and hallway.

Winifred kept wiping. “In the basement, where she belongs.”

“Thanks a bunch, Grandma.” She dumped her backpack on a chair and headed downstairs.

The Winifred invasion was twenty-four hours old and she'd already overstayed her welcome. Cheyenne bounded into the room and jumped up on Casey.

“Her leash was tied to the stair railing,” Summer said, glaring at Winifred.

“Animals don't belong in kitchens or bedrooms. They're filled with disgusting germs and parasites.”

Summer rolled her eyes. “Casey thinks it's okay, right, Casey?”

“Well, let's compromise.” She calmed the dog down. “How about if Cheyenne stays out of the kitchen during meal times?”

“See?” Summer stuck out her tongue at her grandmother.

“Summer, stop it,” Casey said.

“What on earth is the matter with you?” Winifred stared at her granddaughter. “You were never this rude before Casey became your guardian.”

Summer's smug expression vanished. “It's not because of Casey. And it's not because of school or my friends.”

Winifred tossed her sponge on the counter. “Are you on drugs?”

“No!” Summer's lower lip quivered. “You don't get it.”

“All I
get
, as you put it, is that you're more belligerent everyday.” Winifred plunked her hands on her hips. “Why is that?”

A tear rolled down Summer's cheeks. She started to say something else, but stopped and paced around the table. Part of Casey wanted to intervene, but part of her wanted to hear what Summer had to say.

“Answer me,” Winifred said.

“You never talk about Mom!” Summer's anguish tore through the room. “You act like she's dead! No one's called her in weeks, or even asked if I want to talk to her.”

Guilt warmed Casey's face.

Winifred said, “Your mother doesn't call us either—”

“You've never once said her name since she went to prison,” Summer went on.

“Are you trying to tell me that mentioning your mother's name now and then will improve your manners?”

While Summer began to sob, Casey slumped into a chair. Just as she'd feared, Summer hadn't really accepted or adjusted to life without Rhonda. She'd hoped that the camping trips, shopping excursions, sports, and tons of movies during those first few weeks had helped Summer; but since school started, they'd both been busier. New friends had entered Summer's life. It had been easier to blame those girls for Summer's actions than to understand what was really happening.

“Acting out while your mother's away won't solve anything.” Winifred pointed her finger at her grandchild. “You might as well make the best of it, young lady.”

“How can I?” Summer shouted. “She's a thousand times better mom than you are!”

Winifred's eyes blazed. “She's not a real mom at all. She doesn't know the first thing about giving birth or watching a child die like I have!”

“Winifred, no!” Casey leapt to her feet.

Winifred's eyes bulged as if surprised by her own outburst. Casey wanted to slap duct tape over the stupid woman's mouth. Winifred knew that Rhonda had never wanted Summer to hear the truth.

“What's she talking about?” Summer turned to Casey. “Mom gave birth to me.”

Oh lord, what was she supposed to say?

“No,” Winifred answered, crossing her arms. “She didn't.”

Summer gasped. “What?”

Casey wanted to explain, but it felt like someone had kicked her in the ribs. She rushed to Summer and started to put her arms around her, but Summer pushed her away.

“Tell me!” Summer's gaze darted from one to the other.

Cheyenne whimpered and nudged Summer's hand.

“I had another daughter, ten years younger than Rhonda.” Winifred's mouth quivered. “Anna died of a heroine overdose two months after she gave birth to you. She was eighteen.”

Casey gripped the back of the chair while the color drained from Summer's face. The old bat hadn't approved of Rhonda's desire to keep the past a secret. Helpless to stop what was about to unfold, she braced herself.

“Anna tried to take care of herself when she was pregnant,” Winifred added. “Right after your birth, she picked up that filthy habit again.”

Summer slumped into a chair. “Who's my dad?”

“No one knows.” Winifred fumbled through her pockets, as if looking for something. “You had health problems at first, but with professional help, you recovered. When Anna died, Rhonda adopted you.”

Summer jumped up and dashed out of the room. Cheyenne bounded after her.

Casey's heart pounded so hard she could only take quick shallow breaths. “How could you do that?”

Winifred picked up her cleaning rag. “It's wrong to live with deceit.”

“It was Rhonda's call to make, not yours!”

“Rhonda's not here! My daughters aren't here because they made bad choices.” She glowered at Casey. “Do you actually think you're competent enough to control that girl?”

“Are you?” Casey's voice rose. “I mean, your track record isn't too great, is it?”

“And you have no record at all!” Shades of red mottled Winifred's face. “You're destroying Summer!”

“She's a grieving twelve-year-old who misses her mom. I know what that's like.”

The bitterness and resentment toward Mother was still vivid. Casey wished she'd ended their estrangement when Mother offered her the chance.

“Do you have any idea how agonizing it is to watch that bright, beautiful child unravel?” Winifred's eyes glistened. “It was hard enough losing one daughter to drugs, and a husband who had nothing to say to me even as he took his last breath.” Her voice wavered. “But to have my oldest child kill another human being in one insane moment is unbearable.”