Murder of a Barbie and Ken (7 page)

The pillow’s cool smoothness beneath her cheek felt wonderful as she stretched out on the bed. She let her thoughts wander while she tried to drift off to sleep. She was just beginning to doze when the doorbell rang.

Bunny wasn’t in the great room when Skye walked through on her way to answer the door. Where was she? A quick peek in the kitchen and bathroom revealed she was nowhere to be seen. Could she have locked herself outside?

Skye pushed aside the curtain and looked out the window. It was Simon. She flung open the door and pulled him inside. Snow swirled around him as he stepped into the foyer.

The elegant black wool overcoat he wore emphasized his tall, lean physique. Ice crystals melted on his auburn hair, making it shine and picking up the golden highlights in his hazel eyes. He gathered her into his arms and buried his face in her curls.

They stood for a moment, enjoying the comfort of each other’s embrace. Then she sneezed.

“Bless you.”

“Thanks. I’ve got a cold.”

“Did you take anything?” Simon cupped her chin.

She nodded. “Yes, and it makes me groggy.”

That seemed to end the conversation, until they both spoke at once.

“Why—”

“What—”

Simon indicated that she should go first.

“What are you doing here? I thought you’d go straight to the crime scene, and be tied up for the rest of the day.”

“I was worried about you, and wanted to know why you needed to talk to me yesterday. It sounded like there was something more than you missing me.” Simon kissed her on the temple. “And I heard you were the one who found the bodies.”

Skye bit her lip. The situation with Bunny would be hard to explain, so she’d start with discovering the Addisons. Sad to say, but sometimes the dead were easier to deal with than the living.

Simon wrapped a chestnut ringlet around his finger. “How are you and Jed doing? Wally told me the whole situation was brutal.”

“Let’s just say I tried to take a nap, woke up screaming, and realized I hadn’t fallen asleep.”

“Poor baby.”

Skye allowed herself to savor his concern for a moment before easing out of his arms. She had to tell him about Bunny right away, before it started to look like she was hiding something. Speaking of hiding, where was Bunny? Skye took a quick look around. The cottage appeared to be empty.

“Simon?”

“Mmm?” He took off his coat, hung it up, and moved into the great room. “What happened in here? It looks a Victoria’s Secret store exploded.” He sat on the sofa after moving a pair of black silk stockings.

“That’s what I want to talk to you about.” Skye followed
and sat on the chair opposite him. “I had a surprise visitor last night.”

“During the snowstorm?”

“Yes, she just appeared on my doorstep. It was almost as if someone cast a spell and poof, there she was.”

“Who?”

There really was no good way to break this to him. She might as well just blurt it out. “Your mother.”

“My what?” Simon sprang off the sofa. “No. That’s not possible.”

“Well, that’s what I thought. I was sure you had told me your mother was dead.” Skye stopped. Wait a minute. Could Bunny be an imposter? She hadn’t asked to see the woman’s identification. Had Uncle Charlie? Probably not. “Is she … dead, I mean?”

“She is to me.”

“Oh.” Skye chewed her lip. “So, then technically it is possible that my houseguest is your mother.”

“Houseguest?” Simon swiveled, looking around the room. “You invited her to stay with you?” His tone sharpened. “Why?”

“I didn’t exactly invite her. She just sort of moved in.” Skye noted Simon’s frown and hurried to explain. “You weren’t home. I wasn’t able to get hold of you. What was I supposed to do, turn her out into the snow?”

“Why didn’t you answer the phone when I called?”

“Your mother,” Skye said. Simon glared at her, and she edited her answer. “Bunny, that is, broke my toilet. I was fixing it, and somehow she and I got tangled in the doorway, making me miss the call.”

“Typical Bunny behavior.” Simon began to pace, his anger apparent in his stride. “So, where is she?”

“Uh, I don’t know.” Skye got up and checked the bathroom and kitchen again. “She was watching TV last time I saw her. I was napping in my bedroom when I heard the bell, and when I came out to answer the door, she wasn’t here.”

“Maybe she left.”

“She wouldn’t leave her stuff.” Skye gestured around the room.

“No. Maybe she went to town for something.”

“That’s another funny thing. I noticed this morning there was no car in my driveway. I meant to ask her how she got here but I forgot. If she left, someone would’ve had to pick her up.” Skye looked into the foyer. “And her coat’s still hanging on the hall tree.”

“She’ll turn up. Don’t worry about Bunny. She can take care of herself.”

“What are you going to do when she does?” Skye drew him down on the sofa and curled up next to him.

“Send her back to wherever she came from.”

“She said she’s been living in Las Vegas.”

“That’s what she always wanted, bright lights, fast living, and no responsibility.” Simon rested his head on the back of the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

Skye hugged him. “Why did you say she was dead to you? What happened?”

He sighed. “Dad was a high school basketball star.”

“From Scumble River, right?”

“Right. Bunny was from Laurel. They met at a game. She saw him as her ticket out of small-town life.”

“And your dad?”

“He was mesmerized by her.” Simon’s voice had an edge to it. “He had a basketball scholarship from Loyola, and she convinced him to marry her and bring her along.”

“What happened?”

“Dad wrecked his knee, lost his scholarship, and dropped out of college. He ended up operating a crane at the steel mills. She went to work as a go-go dancer at a club. Things were okay until she got pregnant.”

“Your dad wanted her to quit her job and be a full-time mom?” Skye guessed.

“Exactly, but that was the last thing she wanted. And
Bunny always got what she wanted. She went back to dancing right after I was born. My dad said he’d walk in at five-thirty after his shift at the mill, and she’d hand me to him, then head downtown to the club.”

Skye squeezed his hand. “That must have been rough on them both, having such different dreams.”

“Rough on Dad, you mean. Bunny ignored his wishes completely. She stuck around for a couple of years, but left when I was three.”

“Was that the last time you saw her?”

“Oh, no.” The skin across his prominent cheekbones tightened. “That would have been too easy. If she had just divorced Dad, let him get remarried, and disappeared for good, maybe I could forgive her.”

“But she didn’t?”

“Every few months she would pop in with a toy, take me to the zoo or a movie, and promise that she was coming back for good real soon.”

Skye could feel his hurt. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears from falling. “But she never did?”

“No. Later I found out that she came to visit only when she wanted money from Dad.”

“Your dad never tried to divorce her?”

“He loved her until the day he died.”

Skye kissed his cheek, knowing there was nothing she could say to ease his pain.

“I was fourteen the last time I saw her. We hadn’t heard from her for nearly five years before that. Then one day I came home after school, and there she was sitting on our front steps.” Simon was silent for a while, then said, his voice thick and unsteady, “She really fooled me that time. She said she was tired of being on the road, and she was getting too old to dance, and she wanted to come back.”

“What happened?”

“Dad and I welcomed her home like the prodigal mother.
She stayed almost a month. Then one day she was just gone.”

“No note? No good-bye?” His expression told Skye that something worse was coming.

“She didn’t leave a thing,” Simon’s face hardened, “but my dad had given her access to his bank account. She took ten thousand dollars from it before she disappeared.”

Skye gasped.

“And that was the last time you saw her? She never tried to get in touch?” Skye knew the answer, but had to ask.

“That was it. To me, my mother died that day.”

Skye gave him a few minutes to process all that had been said before she spoke. “Maybe your mom did, but Bunny is still alive. And sometimes happiness comes through doors you didn’t even know you left open.”

Simon put his hand on her cheek. “You’re too soft-hearted, but that’s why I—”

The moment was shattered by a loud thump, a yowl, and Bunny’s voice yelling, “Damn it.”

They ran into the kitchen, and were just in time to see Bunny come flying out of the utility room.

She skidded to a stop, ignored Simon, and said to Skye, “Your cat just ruined my last pair of pantyhose.” Bunny put her hand out. “You owe me five bucks.”

Skye’s mouth hung open, but no words came out.

Turning to Skye, Simon shook his head. “And some doors should be nailed shut, sealed behind concrete, and the earth in front of them spread with salt.”

  
CHAPTER 6
  

It’s no use crying over spilt milk:
it only makes it salty for the cat.

—Anon.

“S
onny Boy?” Bunny studied him. “It
is
you!” She flung herself into Simon’s arms. “Sonny, my baby, let me look at you.”

Derision washed over his features, and Simon peeled her off his chest, casting her aside as if she were a piece of lint he had removed from his jacket. “What in blue blazes are you doing here?”

“Is that any way to greet your mother?” Bunny smoothed her hip-hugging cranberry velvet skirt.

“Answer the question.” The color of Simon’s face was beginning to match his auburn hair.

“I came to see you, of course.”

“How did you find me?” he asked flatly.

“I went to the old house, and when I saw you had sold it, I figured you’d ended up in Scumble River. You’re just like your dad. I never could convince him that the only difference
between a rut and a grave was how deep it is.” She shrugged. “See, no big mystery.”

Simon crossed his arms. “What do you want?”

“Why, to spend Thanksgiving with my only son. What else could I want?”

“Please.” Simon imbued that single word with a paragraph’s worth of meaning. “Thanksgiving isn’t until a week from tomorrow. Besides, what about the last twenty Thanksgivings?”

“There’s no time like the present.” Bunny retied the bow on her midriff top. “I’m not getting any younger and …” she trailed off.

“Never mind.” Simon rolled his eyes. “Look, whatever you’re selling, I’m not buying. Pack your things, and I’ll drive you to Joliet or Kankakee. You can catch a bus from there.”

“But, Sonny, I want to spend some time with you.” She looked up at him and twisted a red curl around her finger. “I know I haven’t always been the best mom.”

Simon snorted, and Skye sneezed. When she tried to leave the kitchen to get a tissue, Simon grabbed her hand and held tight. She blew her nose on a paper napkin and stayed by Simon’s side.

Bunny continued as if nothing had happened. “But I’ve always loved you. And I read this article that said a real good dose of quality time is better than just plain old time. I came so we could have some of that quality time together.”

“Look, I’m not Dad. You can’t come prancing back anytime the urge strikes you and think I’ll welcome you with open arms.” Simon’s face resembled Mount Rushmore. “If you don’t want a ride to the bus station, fine. But you aren’t staying with me, and we certainly won’t be spending any kind of time together, quality, quantity, or quark.”

Skye shook her head as Bunny sidled up to Simon. The redhead did not know when to stop.

Bunny put her hand on Simon’s arm and said, “But, Sonny—”

At that moment the doorbell rang. Skye was relieved to escape to the foyer. She looked out the window. The woman standing on her steps was someone Skye recognized from around town, but she couldn’t put a name to the face.

She opened the door. “Yes?”

The slim brunette held out her hand. “Hello. I’m Kathryn Steele, the new owner of the
Scumble River Star.
Call me Kathy. Are you Skye Denison?”

“Yes,” Skye answered, cautiously. What was the newspaper’s new owner doing here? She supposed it must be about the murder, although the former owner would never have printed anything about that. He saved his pages for ads and high school sports’ scores.

“Can I come in?” Kathy edged around the door and closed it, saying, “Let’s not let out all the heat.”

“Did you want to talk to me?” Skye looked toward the kitchen. Maybe some time alone would be good for Simon and Bunny. “Would you like to sit down?” Kathy seemed like a nice enough person.

“That would be lovely.” Kathy gestured to the great room. “In here?”

“Yes.” After they were seated, Skye asked, “So, what can I do for you?”

“I understand you and your father discovered the Addisons’ bodies this morning, and were the ones to call the police.” Kathy flipped open her steno pad and clicked on her pen. “That must have been awful. How did you feel?”

“I think awful about covers it.” Skye wasn’t about to give a blow-by-blow description of her and Jed’s not-so-excellent adventure.

“Why were you there?”

Skye explained about the Instant Gourmet pickup.

Kathy didn’t seem to be interested in Barbie’s activities
as a saleswoman. Instead she asked, “I understand that you knew Dr. Addison personally.”

“My boyfriend and I belong to the same club he and his wife did, and we played bridge with their group.”

“But weren’t you and he especially close?” The newspaperwoman arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

“What?” It took Skye a minute to figure out what the woman had just insinuated. “Dr. Addison and me? No! Not at all. What would give you that idea? As I said, my
boyfriend
and I traveled in the same social circles with him and his wife. That’s the extent of our relationship.”

Before Kathy could ask another question, Bunny sauntered into the room. Skye was actually glad to see her until she opened her mouth.