Murder Uncorked (25 page)
Authors: Michele Scott
Nikki then looked at the inside of the book again, and read “B of A”—Bank of America. Next to it was a six-numbered password. Nikki decided to use the same user ID to get online with the bank. It worked, too. Once again, nothing of consequence. Minnie had automatic payroll deposits and an automatic bill pay service. Her debit charges were within reason. So, how in the hell was she buying La Perla et al? Unless as Nikki assumed, they were gifts from her lover.
Nothing else was written on the inside flap, but that nagging feeling that urged her to come to Minnie’s house still remained. She started thumbing through the book, and found what she hoped was an answer on page seventy-seven. On the side of the page, in Minnie’s handwriting, was the word “y.hoo,” then “Chiantigirl,” then “Gabriel.” Nikki went to Yahoo’s site and hit mail, then typed in “Chiantigirl” for the user and “Gabriel” for the password. She got lucky, because there was e-mail after e-mail from Gabriel denying his love for anyone else and Minnie’s responses of jealousy, anger, and hurt. Poor woman. If only Dr. Phil could’ve gotten a hold of her. It was the last two e-mails between them that she read over a few times: Minnie telling Gabriel that she had the money to purchase the tickets to Tuscany and start the vineyard they both wanted so badly. Gabriel kept asking her how she’d gotten the money, and she told him that it didn’t matter, that they could go whenever they wanted and start their life in Italy. Gabriel told her they needed to talk, that he had to know where she got the money. They’d agreed to meet the day that Gabriel was murdered. That meeting apparently never took place.
How was Minnie getting the cash? Obviously the woman had an obsession for Gabriel and Tuscany and she liked the finer things in life. Nikki knew she made decent money working for Derek, but not the kind that could get her a vineyard in Tuscany.
Nikki sighed, stood up, and stretched. Sleuthing was hard and tiring and she knew she had to be getting back. She felt like she’d found some answers but not all of them. She put Frances Mayes’ book back in the case and picked out the DVD again. There was Diane Lane with that satisfied look on her face. Yeah, satisfied all the way to the bank. Nikki shook her head. There was no time for resentment. Fact was, Diane Lane was a kick-ass actress and Nikki was, well, simply not meant to act. Life seemed to be leading her in other directions.
Since she was a couple of years over her hissy fit of not wanting to watch someone else play a role that she coveted, out of curiosity Nikki popped the DVD into Minnie’s player. She wouldn’t have time to watch the movie, and she figured she should get out of there, but she also didn’t want to take it. She’d committed enough crimes as of late. She thought she’d just check out the interview that Diane Lane did for the DVD. After a few minutes nothing came on the screen. So she took it to Minnie’s computer. Maybe the DVD player didn’t work, but the computer should play it. Looking closer at the DVD, it appeared that it could have been pirated or burned—she could see that the title of the movie was simply written in neat handwriting. Maybe she should look into getting glasses. She should have noticed that the first time she opened the case. She slid the movie into the computer pocket and hit open, soon discovering why it hadn’t worked in the player. It wasn’t a movie after all, but a spreadsheet. And what a spreadsheet it was.
It told a tale of exactly who, how, what, and when the bistro cash was being skimmed, and crazily enough, it had nothing to do with Meredith Malveaux, but everything to do with Minnie, as far as Nikki could see. Pleased with herself for taking a computer course last year, Nikki did some more searching. The profits were coming from the Wine of the Month Club, and a lot of profit it was. The books Nikki had seen in the offices showed that the club brought in fifteen thousand dollars a month, and a second entry showed a check in that amount had been sent to the Leukemia Foundation. The reality, from what Nikki was seeing on the screen in front of her now, was that the Wine of the Month Club was bringing in thirty thousand dollars a month. Minnie then, was taking the other fifteen thousand and depositing it monthly into a Grand Cayman account. And Derek was none the wiser.
Minnie then padded the pricing on the dishware from Remick, to make it look like it was Meredith doing all the stealing. Now, all that had to be done was to prove it. Derek hired Nikki to help Minnie prove Meredith was the one stealing from him and, thus, the charity. Minnie had been the
real
thief. She was smart enough to know how to glide under the radar and stash away $180,000 in a year’s time.
real
thief. She was smart enough to know how to glide under the radar and stash away $180,000 in a year’s time.
Nikki quickly went back to the Internet and browsed through a couple of Tuscan real estate sites. Yes. One hundred eighty thousand would be a decent down payment for a plot in the countryside. Not a big plot, but still one where grapes could be grown. Minnie’s obsession with Gabriel and her need to make her dream to be with him come true had caused her to steal from her own boss. Nikki couldn’t help but feel sick to her stomach. Love, lust, whatever one called it could make even nice people desperate, as it had with Minnie.
“But who and why did someone murder them?” Nikki asked out loud, as she indicated “print” on the computer screen and turned on Minnie’s printer. Someone else had to be involved. She took the printed copies and tucked them into her notebook. She only theorized that Minnie had set up Meredith with the Remick dinnerware.
Nikki thought about calling Jeanine Wiley.
And say what? I broke into Minnie Lark’s house, and this is what I found out?
She didn’t like keeping this information to herself one bit, but it proved nothing, other than that Minnie was a thief. Nikki did not want to be the one to tell anyone about this. She thought about Derek, and the saying about being the bearer of bad news. What a mess.
And say what? I broke into Minnie Lark’s house, and this is what I found out?
She didn’t like keeping this information to herself one bit, but it proved nothing, other than that Minnie was a thief. Nikki did not want to be the one to tell anyone about this. She thought about Derek, and the saying about being the bearer of bad news. What a mess.
There was a lot more Nikki wanted to do, but she wouldn’t have any more time today. According to her watch, it was almost six o’clock. She was supposed to meet Derek at his place in an hour. She took her cell phone from her purse and saw that the battery was dead. She had no choice but to call the cab company from Minnie’s home phone. She waited for almost an hour before the taxi arrived.
The driver dropped her at the front of the main house, where some of the mourners were still at the get-together following the memorial. She went in the house, looked around for Derek, but didn’t find him. It appeared that instead of mourners remaining, they were mostly caterers cleaning up.
“Hey you.”
Nikki turned around to see Cal Sumner behind her. “Oh, hi. You startled me. I was looking for Derek. Have you seen him?”
Cal pulled a note from inside his coat pocket. “Sorry I frightened you. Actually, I did see Derek, and he wanted me to give you this.”
Nikki took the note and read:
I have to cancel tonight. I’m exhausted. It’s been a trying day. I hope you understand. Also, if you want to go back to the cottage in the morning, we can arrange that. I tried to call you on your cell, but it went to voice mail. I’d like to have dinner tomorrow, but I’m supposed to have dinner with Cal. I’m thinking about selling off my premier grapes to him. I’m expecting fallout and some very bad publicity from all of this. We’ll talk about it tomorrow. I missed you today. Where did you go? I needed a friend. Derek.
She cringed reading his note. He’d needed her. Well, anyway, he’d needed a friend, and she hadn’t been there for him. Instead, she was off playing amateur sleuth and making further discoveries about people Derek genuinely cared for—people who’d stabbed him in the back.
She hadn’t even thought about where she was to stay tonight. It was getting late, so she figured she would have to settle into the nuthouse again. Who knew? Maybe her sleuthing for the evening wasn’t over after all. She looked up from the note and noticed Cal studying her.
“He had to cancel on you tonight, huh?”
She nodded. “He told you?”
“Yeah. He was pretty shook up today. It’s been a long one. He thought of Gabriel like a brother.”
“Yeah, one who steals,” Nikki muttered.
“What?” Cal asked.
“Nothing, never mind.”
“Since your date canceled, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
It was a nice thought, and if she were truly a savvy woman she could juggle two men at once, especially one who looked like Johnny Depp, and one who looked like a young Robert Redford. It was time to face it, Nikki was far from savvy, and there was no way she could juggle more than one man at a time, no matter how gorgeous they were. It did matter, however, that her heart raced faster each time Derek Malveaux spoke to her, looked at her, and especially when he touched her. “That’s a lovely invitation, but I’m pretty tired myself. However, I have an idea. It says in the note that you two are scheduled to have dinner tomorrow night.”
“True, true.”
“Why don’t I make dinner? I miss cooking, and I’m decent at it. It might be nice.”
“I’d say it would be very nice.”
“Great. We’ll do it at the guest cottage. I’m here for another night, but then I’ll be moving back there tomorrow. Derek doesn’t seem to think I’m in danger anymore.”
“Do you?”
“Think I’m in danger? No, not really. But I don’t think Manuel Sanchez is a murderer.”
“Then you should read the evening newspaper. You might change your mind. You sure you won’t have dinner with me?” The twinkle in his eyes and the dimples on his cheeks when he smiled almost made her reconsider.
“I’m sure. But, can I ask you something real quick?”
“Of course.”
“I know you said that there was an ongoing joke between you and Derek about trying to get Gabriel to come to work for you at Sumner.”
“Not that again. Why the curiosity?” He put his arm around her.
“Well, I know you said that it was all folly, but do you know anything about Patrice or Meredith talking to Gabriel about going to work for you?”
He removed his arm from around her shoulders. His face contorted into confusion. “No. I don’t know anything about that. Though I might understand why Meredith would do such a thing. She’s been trying to get me to deepen my commitment to her, so maybe if she did speak to Gabriel about switching wineries, then my guess would be so she could get on my good side. But for the record, I wouldn’t have taken Gabriel from Derek. He belonged here. Patrice doing something like that makes absolutely no sense at all. I can’t see any reasoning in that. She may not own the winery outright, but her portion alone makes more than my winery, and Gabriel played a large part in producing the profits. Where did you hear something like this anyway?”
“You know, it might have been Simon or Marco, or maybe even Tara Beckenroe. I’ve met so many people who appear to live for spreading gossip and rumors.” She hoped she’d covered her bases.
“Right. Don’t believe everything you hear.”
“Of course not.” She smiled at him.
Cal kissed her good-bye on the cheek, and she went in search of the newspaper.
Chapter 19
The news story was shocking, and the evidence reported to have been levied against Manuel pretty compelling.
A tip from an anonymous source led police to search the home of Manuel Sanchez early Monday morning, where they later made an arrest. They found evidence suggesting that Mr. Sanchez is the Wine Lovers’ Killer, including the other half of the grapevine that was used to murder Gabriel Asanti.
Mr. Sanchez was also seen at the charity event given by Derek Malveaux on Saturday evening. A source reports he was seen walking up the back steps leading to an outside veranda, outside the room Minnie Lark was killed in. Mr. Sanchez claims he was at the event helping the caterers load and unload food items, and that he went up the back stairs to set up some decorative lights. No one has confirmed this statement.
It
has
been confirmed that Manuel Sanchez did kill an American man in Mexico, in what he claims was an act of self-defense in 1997. He and his wife left Mexico shortly after that incident, whereupon they came to the United States, where he found work at the Malveaux Estate. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
has
been confirmed that Manuel Sanchez did kill an American man in Mexico, in what he claims was an act of self-defense in 1997. He and his wife left Mexico shortly after that incident, whereupon they came to the United States, where he found work at the Malveaux Estate. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen.
Another source has said that disturbing pencil drawings Mr. Sanchez sketched depict violent slayings of both men and women. In the background there is always a bushel of grapes.
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