For the Sake of Their Baby (21 page)

Patty Idle sat in the same chair she’d been sitting in that morning when Alex first met her. She was a faded, emaciated looking blonde, dressed in jeans and a turtleneck, the same clothes she’d worn that morning, only now she’d added an additional layer, a bulky orange sweater.

Sheriff Kapp sat across from her.

Patty popped to her feet the minute she saw Alex and almost jumped into his arms. “Daddy still can’t talk to me!”

He patted her back. She’d confessed earlier that day that she’d been away from Ocean Bluff for most of her adult life and had few remaining friends in town. Alex had experience with people in crisis and he knew that a sympathetic ear and nonjudgmental attitude was like a warm blanket to someone like Patty. However, he couldn’t help but notice the way the sheriff stared at Patty’s clinging figure. It didn’t take much of an imagination to figure out that he was seeing something that wasn’t there.

Alex’s gaze met Liz’s. She smiled warmly, and the chill the officer had introduced to the scene disappeared.

Liz held out a hand. “My name is Liz, I’m Alex’s wife. Let’s you and I take a walk,” she said. “We’ll find some coffee.”

Patty seemed delighted to escape the small room. She grabbed her handbag and the two women were suddenly gone.

Kapp got to his feet. “Have to admit that I can’t quite figure out what you’re doing here,” he said. “Patty told me she’d never met you before this morning, but you two seem mighty friendly.”

The sheriff still wore his padded jacket and Alex could see a veneer of sweat glistening on his forehead, beneath the brim of his hat, despite the cool temperature. “What exactly are you hinting around at?”

“Let’s play us a game of ‘What if.’
What if
Patty decided her daddy was worth more to her dead than alive. She’s his only kid, he dies, she stands to get his house and property. A woman like Patty could do a lot with that kind of money.
What if
she and you knew each other before today and she convinced you to help her get her daddy out of the way, maybe split the money with you.”

Alex kept his rising temper in check. He said, “And why would I murder for money when my wife stands to inherit a small fortune anytime now?”

“
What if
you and Patty are more than friends and Elizabeth found out about it. She kicks you out, Patty’s money starts to look better.”

“Did Liz look angry or upset to you? Come on, Sheriff, you don’t honestly believe I’ve had the time or inclination during the few days I’ve been out of jail to hook up with a woman who until Saturday was down in
Los Angeles, and agree to help her kill her father? All this while I’m trying to keep myself out of your wily clutches? Just how stupid do you think I am?”

“I don’t think you’re stupid at all,” Sheriff Kapp said. “I think you’re an arrogant killer.”

“You’re wrong. Did Harry’s toxicology report come back?”

The sheriff chewed on the inside of his cheek as though trying to decide if he wanted to share information. It was obvious he didn’t, but just as obvious that he had a point to make. He finally said, “Old Harry ingested more than enough of that stuff to kill him. My deputies went back to the house and studied things. They got a funny feeling that maybe Harry wasn’t alone when he took the stuff, which leads to the next speculation. If Harry wasn’t alone, did someone help him take it? Where were you on Friday evening?”

“Harry was at our house at five-thirty. He left. Liz and I ate dinner and went to check on Harry about seven-fifteen. During that time, I never left Liz’s sight nor she mine.”

“And I’m sure she’ll happily swear to all that,” Kapp said, sarcasm dripping from his words. “Well, it won’t be a problem much longer. Doctor says Harry ought to be able to talk for himself pretty soon. Think I’ll post a deputy outside his door, just to be safe.”

Alex refused to rise to the bait. Instead, he said, “Say, Sheriff, how about you answer a question for me? How about telling me what you had on Devon Hiller?”

The sheriff’s eyes narrowed.

“I’ve heard it’s the blackmailer who usually ends up dead, not the one being blackmailed, so I figure something went wrong. Did Hiller get tired of being fleeced,
did he fight back? Did you kill him and try to blame it on someone else?”

The sheriff shook his head. “You’re either grasping at straws or trying to deflect your guilt, Chase. Say goodnight to Elizabeth for me. Tell Patty I’ll see her once her daddy is conscious again.”

Alex watched Sheriff Kapp leave.

Kapp was never going to admit to blackmailing Devon Hiller; he’d be an idiot if he did. But Kapp had apparently tried this same thing on Battalion Chief Montgomery.

It was time to come clean with Montgomery. Alex would have to convince the chief he was innocent. He did some quick math in his head. Dave was working a regular shift, twenty-four hours on, forty-eight hours off. That meant he would be back at the station tomorrow. There would be a change of shift meeting at 7:00 a.m. After that, barring a fire, there would be training exercises or tours of old buildings they might someday have to save, or even physical training. If he was lucky, Chief Montgomery would be at the station.
If he was lucky…

His mouth slid into a grimace. Luck and he hadn’t been on speaking terms for quite some time now.

Chapter Eleven

As tired as she was, Liz insisted they go back to Emily’s duplex and make sure she was okay. She knew Alex would protest and he did. He’d been acting jumpy since talking to the sheriff, and as they drove along the dark, wet streets, he finally told her the gist of their conversation.

“He’s going to try to pin Harry’s incident on you,” Liz said. “I knew it!”

“He won’t get very far.”

“Why would anyone want to kill Harry?”

“Unless he really did see someone in our yard and the perp heard him, I can’t imagine. His daughter seems genuinely upset about her dad’s condition.”

“Patty is a nice woman, just a little scared. She told me she’s going to stay with her dad when he comes home, she wants to get to know him again and help him. I’m hoping Harry might actually help her.”

“Yeah. She’ll get him hooked on cocaine and he’ll have her guzzling beer.”

“Alex.”

“Sorry.” They pulled up in front of Emily’s place. A few lights were on downstairs, glowing through the rain. Ron’s duplex looked dark and empty.

“I bet Ron is still there with her,” Alex said. “I have to admire the way that guy is sticking by her.”

“He’s a good brother. Half brother, that is.”

“Half brother?”

“Emily and Ron had different fathers,” Liz said as Alex helped her out of the car. Ron had apparently heard them arrive. He opened the door while they were still on the stairs and led them into the living room. The rain outside combined with the mossy green color inside gave the place the look and feeling of a cluttered cave.

“How is she?” Liz asked.

Ron shook his head. “Out like a light. I can’t believe her doctor actually made a house call. I wonder what that will cost her. He referred her to a shrink. To tell you the truth, I’m relieved this is all out in the open. Emily has always been squirrely, but since her divorce, she’s been obsessing like mad, doing crazy things, acting weird.”

“And I didn’t even notice,” Liz said.

“You didn’t know her before. I’ve tried to help her, that’s why I bought her this duplex next to mine.”

“I thought she bought it.”

“No, I did. She put all her money into her store.”

“But I didn’t think your mother left you much, Ron, just some antiques that Emily said weren’t very valuable.”

“There were a couple of gems in among the more ordinary things. Listen, can I get you guys something warm to drink or maybe something to eat? I’m afraid to leave her and I don’t know what she has on hand—”

“We’re fine,” Alex said.

Liz could tell Alex was anxious to leave, and truth of the matter was that she was too, but Ron seemed des
perate for them to stay a bit. She said, “How about coffee? I know Emily always has that on hand.”

Ron bustled off to make coffee and Liz smiled at Alex, asking him with her eyes to understand that they had to stay. He squeezed her hand and called softly, “Hey, Ron, does Emily have any bread?”

In the end, the three of them sat down at Emily’s small table and chairs for a hastily prepared meal of coffee, toast and scrambled eggs. Oddly enough, it hit the spot.

“Take my mind off my sister,” Ron said. “Tell me what’s going on with you guys.”

Alex and Liz took turns bringing Ron up to date on their frustrating search for the identity of the real killer and their plans for the next day. “We’re going to search Hiller’s den tomorrow afternoon,” Alex said.

“What if the sheriff finds you there? Won’t that strike him as mighty suspicious?”

Liz said, “Remember the other night when you asked what was going on and we hemmed and hawed a lot? That’s because there’s incriminating evidence hidden in my uncle’s den.”

Ron’s startled gaze flicked over to Alex. “I thought you were innocent,” he said, almost rising from his seat.

“The evidence he hid incriminates
me,
not
him,
” Liz said before Alex could contradict her. She’d felt his body tense the minute she started down this path, but as they’d explained their so-called investigation to Ron, she’d come to the realization that they had gotten exactly nowhere on their own. If she told Ron about the scarf then the information would be out there, so to say, and perhaps Alex would finally feel comfortable with the idea of her telling the sheriff the truth and asking for help.

“He found my scarf at Uncle Devon’s,” she contin
ued, “and he hid it. He thought I killed my uncle and he took the blame.”

Beside her, she could feel Alex’s anxiety radiating outward from him like rays from the sun. She dared not look at him. She added, “I’m trying to convince Alex to let me turn the scarf over to the sheriff and come clean about the fact I visited Uncle Devon later that night for a fruitless try at reconciliation.”

Ron shook his head vehemently. “Absolutely not,” he said, looking from Liz to Alex and back again. “Liz, are you crazy? If you give Sheriff Kapp that kind of information, you’ll wind up in jail.”

“But if I don’t, Alex might. Again. I can’t sacrifice him to save myself.”

“Did you kill your uncle?”

“Of course she didn’t,” Alex said. Liz could tell from his voice that he was seething and kept her gaze averted. He’d thank her for this in the end. Wouldn’t he?

“Then keep your mouth shut and follow Alex’s advice,” Ron said. “Listen, you told me that Alex is going to talk to the chief tomorrow and then you’re going to look over your uncle’s house. Every day you stay free gives you a chance to find the murderer. You go talking to Kapp, it’s over, you’ll be neck deep in lawyers and courtrooms.”

Alex said, “Ron is making sense, Liz.”

“Of course he is, he’s agreeing with you,” she said. “On the other hand, aren’t we already neck deep in lawyers and courtrooms? Have you forgotten you still have a new trial to face?”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Alex said softly.

“Think of it this way. If the original investigation was a little slipshod, perhaps Sheriff Kapp will go all out this time and that might include DNA testing on things like
the carpet. Maybe they’ll find blood from the real killer. Why not? I mean how do we know the killer wasn’t scratched or cut during the fracas? We can’t do that kind of thing on our own.”

“Too risky,” Alex insisted.

“Alex is right,” Ron said. “Find that scarf and destroy it before you tell the sheriff a thing.”

“What scarf?” Emily said from the doorway. She was dressed in blue pajamas and seemed to sag against the frame as she repeated, “What scarf?”

“Liz lost her scarf,” Ron said softly, rising and going to his sister. He put his hands on her arms and steadied her.

“I smelled the coffee,” Emily said.

“Liz will get you a cup while I take you back upstairs. Do you want something to eat, too? Come on, Em, you shouldn’t be up and about in your condition.”

“What scarf?” Emily said as Ron led her away.

Brother and sister left the room, leaving Alex and Liz alone. She darted a look to his face, and felt stricken. She’d expected him to be angry, but his expression was one of intense disappointment. “I’ll…I’ll get her the coffee,” Liz said.

Alex nodded curtly. “I’ll wait for you in the car.” Then he was gone.

T
HE NEXT MORNING
, after convincing Alex she could manage being alone for a couple of hours, Liz watched Alex drive away with a heavy heart. They’d quarreled about her disclosure to Ron, she trying to explain her reasoning, him acting as though she’d betrayed him. She’d told him to get over it. What harm had been done? Ron had reacted exactly like Alex had, adamant she be protected. Honestly.

Her thoughts momentarily turned to Emily. Liz imagined Ron would take the day off to be with his sister, and the parallels of his selflessness with his mother and now his sister were too big to ignore. When would Ron be free to lead his own life?

Somewhere out there, people were happy, she thought suddenly, vowing to join them as soon as possible. She cleaned up the kitchen, then settled down to comb Sinbad who, as his bone mended, was growing increasingly restless with each passing day.

“You deserve a little happiness, too,” she told the cat as he tried to find a lap in which to curl. She smiled as she kissed the tip of his beautiful brown ear and ran the comb down his sable back. “When this is over and you’re all better, you can go outside again,” she said. “No bluff though, okay?”

He purred in agreement, or so it seemed to her. “You’re welcome,” she crooned.

O
NE OF THE
bay doors stood open which made getting into the fire station that much easier. No ringing the public bell and waiting for an old workmate to let him inside—or not let him inside, as the case may be. There was a new guy checking out the equipment piled into the search and rescue rubber raft, and Jimmy Thurmond was busy tinkering with the paramedic truck. The new guy accepted Alex’s wave and obvious familiarity with the place. Alex breezed behind Jimmy’s back and quickly climbed the stairs.