Murder Has a Sweet Tooth (9 page)

Celia turned and offered me a smile. “You didn’t bring your kids? When they find out, they’re going to declare you Monster Mommy.”

We all laughed. I took that as a good sign and moved a casual step closer. “They’ve got music lessons this afternoon. All three of them,” I said, lying through my teeth—about the music lessons and, of course, about the three kids—and not caring a bit since it was all for a good cause. “I figured it was a good time to come check things out.”

“You’re new to the area?” The question came from Glynis, and since it played into the persona I’d made up for myself on the drive to Fairfax County, I was all set to jump right in.

“Just moved in,” I said. “We bought a house in the Humboldt Creek development.”

“That’s where we all live!” Have no fear, I didn’t tremble when Glynis made the announcement. I had the tasteful program the funeral chapel gave out at Vickie’s service, remember, so I knew all these women’s last names. I’d looked up their addresses, and I’d even cruised by their homes a couple times. I knew there were two new streets being added to the upscale elegance of Humboldt Creek. I saw that on those streets, a few of the houses were finished and people were already moving in. In my mind, I’d decided which of those houses I was going to pretend was mine. It was a redbrick Colonial with white shutters and a brick front walk. I’d just seen the moving truck out front on Tuesday, and when I drove by that Wednesday afternoon, there were already pots of tulips outside the front door and off-white draperies, tasteful and simple, hanging in the windows. There was a Lexus in the driveway, a landscaper busily at work manicuring the lawn, and a couple kids’ bikes leaning against the garage door.

Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

“What a coincidence.” I pretended it was and offered Celia and Glynis a smile in turn. When I got to Beth, I had to wait. She was distracted yelling to her son, Jeremy, who looked to be about eight, that he should take it easy because he had practice with the Tigers later that evening and he was going to tire himself out. That taken care of, she wrinkled her nose and gave me a careful look.

“You were at Vickie’s funeral,” Beth said.

At the funeral, they’d been so preoccupied with their own grief, I hadn’t expected any of them to notice me, and I silently cursed myself. Out loud I said, “Oh, my gosh, wasn’t it just awful? I never knew Vickie, of course. I mean, we just moved here from Chicago so I don’t know anyone in the area at all yet. But I read about her murder in the paper and I saw that she lived nearby and I just had to pay my respects. As a neighbor. And a mom.”

Tears streamed down Beth’s cheeks. I didn’t have to lie when I said, “I’m so sorry. Now I recognize you. All of you.” Celia sniffed and fished a tissue out of her pocket. Glynis’s bottom lip trembled. “You were her friends. I remember seeing you in the front row at the funeral chapel. I’m so very sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

“Oh, there aren’t any bad memories. Not where Vickie is concerned.” Beth laughed through her tears. “She was so wonderful. I’m just glad they found the creep who did that to her.”

“But why?” When all three women looked at me in wonder, I knew I had to explain myself. “Not why are you glad they found him,” I said, pretending to be embarrassed by the gaffe. “Why did he do it? It’s just so awful to think about. I can’t imagine anyone would stab a woman to death. Not unless they were involved or something and it was a sort of lovers’ quarrel.”

“No way.” Glynis slashed one hand through the air. “Did you see something like that in the papers? Because I’ll tell you right now, no way that’s true.”

“Then she didn’t know him?” I asked.

“I can’t even imagine she knew where that bar was.” This came from Beth. She paused and glanced at her friends. “Well, can any of you? Vickie was such a home-body. She would never hang around in a bar by herself.”

“Only she wasn’t by herself,” I reminded them.

“Vickie wasn’t the type who snuck around and did things behind her husband’s back,” Celia added. “She never would have been in that bar alone. And she sure never would have been carrying on with somebody. It’s crazy.”

“But the cops think that guy . . . I think I read his name was Alex . . . they say that this Alex guy did it. Do you have any theories about why he would?”

Celia shook her head. Glynis stared at the ground. Beth started crying all over again.

And I knew I wasn’t going to get another thing out of them. “Look, I really am sorry to have dredged up so much sorrow,” I said, relieved that at least I could be honest about this. “I’m sorry you lost your friend in such a horrible way, and I’m truly sorry because I can see that you’re going to miss her terribly.”

“She was perfect,” Celia said, and it struck me that it wasn’t the first time I’d heard the word. I remembered the eulogies these women had given back at the funeral. Each one of them had used that word,
perfect
.

Perfect friend.

Perfect wife.

Perfect mother.

Vickie Monroe was perfect.

So what was she doing hanging out in a bar every Tuesday night?

And if she was so perfect, why would anybody want to kill her?

APPARENTLY THE COPS HAD ALREADY BROKEN THE
news to Alex. That would explain why when he walked into the visitors’ room at the jail that Wednesday evening, the first thing out of his mouth was, “I didn’t know, Annie. Honest, I didn’t know that Vickie was married.”

If Alex was a liar, he was a mighty good one. When he sat down in the chair across from mine, I studied the pained expression on his face.

“They think it’s why I killed her,” he said on the end of a sigh. “They think that maybe I didn’t know, and that Vickie, she told me that night that she was married and that I wasn’t happy hearing it.” His voice faded; his gaze was suddenly unfocused. It took him a couple seconds to come out of his funk, but when he did, his eyes snapped right to mine. “I never knew until the police told me. I swear to God.”

“And I believe you.” The guard outside the door happened to be watching, or I would have reached across the table to give Alex’s hand a squeeze.

“Jim couldn’t come.” Since I was alone, it was an obvious thing for him to say, but I forgave him. In a place like this—in a situation this insane—it was only natural for Alex to think about his friend and cousin.

“You know how the restaurant business can be. There was some problem with a beer delivery today and Damien, one of our cooks, has been sick. Jim wanted to be here—”

“But he’s busy. Aye. I understand. And I know he’ll come by when he has a chance.” Alex shifted in his chair. “And the house? I feel so awful about the house, Annie. The redecorating, it’s my gift to you and Jim. And now . . .”

“It doesn’t matter.” It didn’t. But a thing not mattering and that same thing not being of burning interest, those are two different things. I tried not to sound too eager when I said, “I’m sure you’ve already accomplished a whole lot in the house. You probably got the living and the dining room done, and . . .” I drew out the last word, encouraging him to chime right in.

Instead, Alex laughed. I shouldn’t have been offended, seeing as how I’d intended to cheer him up with this visit. I wouldn’t have been offended if he didn’t shake his head in wonder. “You’re brazen, you know that, woman? Even here in a jail in the midst of the worst thing that’s ever happened to me—”

“I’m sorry,” I groaned. “I can’t help myself.”

“And I don’t hold it against ye. And I do appreciate all you’re doing for me. There couldn’t be any better friends in the world than you and Jim. I owe you for that, surely.”

Hope blossomed in my heart. It had nothing to do with my case, and everything to do with finding out what was happening inside the home I would soon be living in. I sat up. Smiled. Leaned forward, eager to hear more.

Alex sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not sayin’ another word. Not about the house.”

“But . . . but . . .” I was stammering and it wasn’t pretty. Then again, Alex was a relative (or soon would be) and I didn’t have to put on a front for him. I stammered some more. “You said . . . what about appreciating what I’m doing for you? And . . . and . . . visiting here . . . and—”

He interrupted me with a laugh. “Wish I could help. Can’t. I’m sworn to secrecy by Jim. And in case you haven’t heard it lately, Jim and I—”

“Like brothers. Yeah, I know.” I, too, sank back in my chair. “I could blackmail you, tell you that if you don’t let the cat out of the redecorating bag, I won’t work on your case.”

“And I could promise all the broken biscuit cake you like, as soon as I’m out of this place.”

Talk about a stalemate.

I swallowed my pride and opted for the cake. “All right,” I said. “But this isn’t about gluttony, it’s about respecting Jim’s wishes.”

“Which means you’re still my personal private eye?”

“I wish I had better news.” I went through what I knew about the case so far. It didn’t take long. I waited until the end to bring up the two things that were bothering me most. “What are the chances you were drugged?” I asked Alex.

Thinking, he cocked his head. “I can say this much for sure: I had only a couple of glasses of beer, so that surely shouldn’t have knocked me on my arse. And if I was drunk, it was a drunk like I’ve never felt before. When I woke up in that alley . . .” A shiver skittered across his broad shoulders. He twitched the memory aside and started again. “My head was poundin’, my heart was racin’. I thought it was all due to being arrested. You know, you don’t expect to open your eyes and the very first thing you see is a police officer with his gun trained on you and the second thing you see is a body, a woman, dead.” He looked away. “Yes, I could have been drugged, I suppose. But wouldn’t I have noticed something?”

“How about someone?” I’d been itching to ask. “If someone slipped something in your beer, that same someone must have been hanging around your table.”

Frustrated, he shook his head. “We were dancing. And it was crowded. Even then, you think when I came back to the table and took a drink—”

“If everything I’ve read on the Internet is true, date rape drugs are pretty much colorless and odorless. Some of them have a slightly salty taste, but you were drinking dark, heavy beer. You probably wouldn’t even notice.”

“And a drug like that, would it explain why I don’t remember?”

“It might. It might also explain why you passed out, and why when you did, the killer was able to put that knife in your hands.”

“But there’s no way to prove it?”

I knew my expression gave Alex all the answer he needed.

Since he was already in a bad mood, I didn’t feel guilty bringing up my visit to Swallows. “The girl who waited on you—”

“Jennifer.”

“That’s right. I don’t know if the police have spoken to her yet, but I’ll bet they have. And I bet she told them what she told me. Alex, according to Jennifer, you threatened Vickie. You said you wished she was dead.”

He winced as if I’d slapped him. “Dead?” The way he said it, it sounded like
daid
. He scraped a hand through his mane of red hair. “Are you daft, Annie? I’d never in my life say that to a woman, certainly not to one I was trying to impress. Give me some credit, I know the way to a woman’s heart isn’t through threatening her.”

If he was right, someone was lying.

And I was left with more questions than I’d come into the jail with.