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Authors: Barbara Colley

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BOOK: Polished Off
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Just like the first time, almost the second Charlotte switched on the cell phone, it rang.
“How’s Davy?” Nadia asked immediately, her voice anxious and tearful.
Charlotte settled on the sofa. “He seems to have adjusted okay, but he still asks about you and Daniel.”
“Is he in bed yet? I—I’d really like to talk to him. I really
need
to talk to him, Charlotte. I miss him.”
Charlotte wanted to point out that Nadia should have thought about that in the first place. But she didn’t. What purpose would it serve except to alienate Nadia? And in spite of her initial feelings of anger, pity welled up within Charlotte.
“I know he’d love to talk to you too, hon, but he’s not here tonight,” Charlotte told her. “Judith called earlier today and said she was going to pick him up from day-care. The two of them were going to spend the night at Madeline’s.”
When long moments passed without Nadia saying anything, Charlotte grew afraid that she might hang up. “Nadia, I’m pretty sure it was Daniel’s idea for Davy to stay with Madeline. They need to get used to each other. But there’s something else I want to talk to you about, so please don’t hang up.”
There was more silence, then Charlotte heard what sounded suspiciously like soft sobbing. “I’m sorry, Charlotte,” Nadia finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you’re right. And Daniel’s right. And it’s not fair for me to expect you or anyone to take care of Davy, but it’s just that—that I know you better than I know Daniel’s mother, and I miss my little boy so much.” After another long pause, she finally continued. “So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“I’ve been nosing around,” Charlotte told her. “And I’ve found out some stuff about Patsy Dufour. Now, I want you to think, and think hard. Did Patsy know Ricco? Had they ever met or come in contact with each other?”
“No, I don’t think so. But why do you want to know? The only way she knew anything about him was through me.”
“I’ll get to the whys in a minute,” Charlotte said. “But right now, can you remember what you said to her about him?”
“Well ... yes. I confided in her once right after Ricco had had one of his—his tirades. Just before he was arrested for the cemetery-theft thing, he’d had a fight with Mark over some money that Mark owed him. I figure it must have been a lot of money because afterward, Ricco got drunk. And by the time he came home, he was in a real mean mood and ... well, I—anyway, I ended up with some bruises I couldn’t hide with makeup.”
Charlotte shuddered and empathy welled within her. It still amazed her how a woman could stay with a man who beat up on her.
“I had to work the next day,” Nadia went on. “And of course Patsy noticed the bruises and asked me what had happened. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that at first I tried to make excuses, but one thing led to another, and I ended up telling her all about Ricco, then blabbed about his fight with Mark.
“Lord knows, I didn’t mean to, but I was so upset and she seemed so sympathetic. Why, I even told her about Ricco and Mark’s time together in that Florida juvenile detention center.”
“Why didn’t you say something about this before now?”
Nadia cleared her throat. “I-I told you. I was ashamed ... and embarrassed.”
“No, not about that. I’m talking about the fight between Ricco and Mark. Don’t you see? If Ricco and Mark had a fight, then Mark could have had a motive to kill Ricco. Something like that would take the heat off you and Daniel.”
“I did think about that, Charlotte, but it’s only my word against his. Only hearsay,” she emphasized. “And just who do you think the cops are going to believe? Me or the great Lowell Webster’s son?”
“Hmm ...” Charlotte frowned and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Guess you have a point there,” she finally said. “But even so, I think it bears looking into. Maybe Judith could put a bug in the right person’s ear.”
“Oh, Charlotte, I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I don’t want anyone else I love to get into trouble.”
“Listen, hon, don’t underestimate your sister-in-law I’m here to tell you she’s one tough cookie. She’s been a cop long enough to—”
“Charlotte, I hate to interrupt, but I’ve got to go.”
“Nadia—”
“Someone’s coming. Got to go now. I’ll call again.”
“Nadia, wait—” But it was already too late. Nadia had already hung up the phone.
Someone’s coming.
So who could have been coming? Charlotte wondered. Who could have spooked Nadia into cutting off the call? But even more puzzling, where was Nadia? Where had she been calling from?
“Probably just saw a patrolman or something,” Charlotte muttered, recalling that in their other conversation Nadia had told her she moved around while on the cell phone.
Charlotte turned her own phone off and shoved it into her purse. She eyed the phone on the desk for a moment, then had second thoughts about using it. If, as Nadia had suggested, her phone was tapped, then maybe she should use her cell phone to call Judith about this particular matter.
Digging the cell phone out of her purse again, Charlotte glanced up at the cuckoo to check the time. Telling herself that nine o’clock was not too late to be calling her niece, especially about something so important, she turned the phone back on and punched in the numbers of her sister’s phone.
The phone was answered on the second ring, and Charlotte sighed with relief when she recognized Judith’s voice.
“Hi, hon, it’s Aunt Charlotte.”
“Oh, hi, Auntie. What are you doing calling this time of night? As if I didn’t know,” she added, a smirk in her voice.
Charlotte grinned. “Well, Miss Smarty Pants, since you know so much, how is the little rascal?”
“He’s doing just fine. I put him to bed about an hour ago, so he’s all tucked in and fast asleep.”
“And your mother?”
“She’s just fine, too. In fact, I think she actually enjoyed having a little one around for a change. She keeps making references to when Daniel was a little boy, and how much Davy reminds her of Daniel.”
“Well, that’s certainly a good sign. I’m glad that things seem to be working out. But listen, Judith, I have something I think you should know. Something that just might help Nadia and Daniel.”
Chapter Eighteen
E
arly Friday morning the phone rang just as Charlotte was leaving. Tempted to let the answering machine catch the call, Charlotte hesitated at the door. Then, with a resigned sigh, she executed an about-face and trudged back inside. Whether it was her superstitious nature or simply her innate sense of duty and responsibility, she wasn’t quite sure, but whichever it was, she’d always found ignoring a ringing phone almost an impossibility.
“I almost made it,” she told Sweety Boy as she passed his cage. The little parakeet did little more than flutter his wings in response. With a shrug, Charlotte picked up the receiver. “Maid-for-a-Day. This is Charlotte.”
“Hey, Aunt Charley, I’m glad I caught you before you left.”
“I was on my way out the door,” Charlotte told her niece.
“worry about that,” Judith apologized, “but I thought I’d better let you know that Mother wants to keep Davy again tonight. In fact”—Judith lowered her voice to just above a whisper
—
“she’s acting really weird. She’s even called in sick so she can spend the whole day with him. Says—and I quote—‘the poor little guy needs special attention right now.’ She’s planning on the zoo this morning, McDonald’s for lunch, then a movie this afternoon. And Auntie, she’s even going around humming kiddy songs”
Charlotte widened her eyes. “Humming?”
“Totally weird, huh?”
Charlotte was at a loss for words.
“Anyway,” Judith went on, “Whatever the reason for her sudden change, I only wish she could have had an attack of it when Daniel and I were growing up.”
At that, Charlotte grinned. “I suspect that all grown-up children wish the same thing,” she said. “I also suspect that what’s happening to your mother is what’s referred to as the joys of becoming a grandmother.”
Charlotte was certainly glad and relieved to hear about Madeline’s supposed change of heart, and she truly hoped it was genuine, for Davy’s sake. Yet a perverse part of her couldn’t help wondering if, in some odd way, her sister saw herself as some sort of competitor vying for Davy’s affections. Madeline had made it no secret that though she appreciated Charlotte’s help in the early years in raising her children, and she recognized the influence Charlotte had on Judith and Daniel’s upbringing, she also resented it.
“Well, whatever it’s called,” Judith said, “the important thing is that Davy is getting some good positive attention from her. One last thing, Auntie, then I’ve got to run. I’m going to look into that matter we talked about last night, first thing this morning. I think you’re on to something and it bears further investigation.”
“I’m so glad you think so, and I’d give anything to be a fly on the wall when you tell Will Richeaux about that fight between Ricco and Mark Webster. You will let me know what he says, won’t you?”
“Yes ma’am. But I wouldn’t get my hopes up too much if I were you, Auntie. Given my past relationship with Will and considering my personal interest in this case, he isn’t going to be too inclined to listen to much of anything I have to say.”
“Good or bad, I still want to know, so call me immediately—either on my cell phone or at home.”
“Be glad to.” Then Judith laughed. “Just one thing, though. In order for me to call you on your cell phone, you have to turn it on and leave it turned on.”
“J-u-d-i-t-h!”
“Okay, okay. Just kidding you a bit. Anyway, I’ll either call or leave a message if I learn something good. Otherwise, how about I drop by your place later this afternoon—that is, unless you have plans for the evening.”
“No, no plans, and coming here would be even better. I could order us a pizza for dinner and fix a nice salad to go with it?”
“Sounds great! Bye now.”
“Good luck, hon.”
Within minutes of hanging up the phone, Charlotte once again headed out the door to go to work. As she was backing out of the driveway, she noted that Louis’s blue Taurus was missing.
Charlotte frowned. Come to think of it, she didn’t remember hearing him leave earlier, not since she’d been up, which meant he must have left before she got up.
But not even thoughts about Louis could quell the excitement that hummed through her veins. If Judith could steer the investigation in another direction, if she could give the powers that be another suspect besides Nadia and Daniel, maybe, just maybe, the D.A. would reconsider the charges against them. It was even possible that Daniel could be free by that very afternoon.
“Yeah, right,” Charlotte muttered as she turned onto Prytania. From what she’d heard about the wheels of justice, they never turned that fast, not without a million complications to slow them down. Even so, ever the optimist, she still couldn’t help hoping and dreaming a bit. Maybe by that very afternoon, there would be cause for celebration. Maybe they could even have a pizza party for the whole family....
Charlotte’s Friday client, Marian Hebert, owned her own real estate company. Marian had scheduled an early luncheon date with a potential client so had left the house around eleven.
Outside the sun was shining, and, for a change, the humidity level was bearable. It was such a beautiful day that when Charlotte’s noon hmchtime rolled around, she decided it would be a nice break to sit out on the Hebert’s front porch while she ate.
Hoping that the fresh air and sunshine would sooth her strained nerves, Charlotte tried to relax as she unpacked the small insulated bag that held her lunch. She’d already checked her cell phone half a dozen times that morning just to make sure it was working, but surely one more time wouldn’t hurt, she decided.
Had Judith been able to talk to Will Richeaux yet? she wondered as she tapped out her home phone number as a test call, then hit the SEND button. And if Judith had talked to Will, what had been his reaction? Positive or negative?
The buzz in her ear told her that the cell phone was working, and Charlotte quickly punched the END button before her answering machine at home picked up the call.
The thought crossed her mind that Judith could have decided to leave a message on her answering machine. Even now there could be a message waiting at home.
Charlotte glared at the cell phone. She knew that there was a way to check for messages on the answering machine by phone. According to the instruction booklet, all she had to do was punch in a number code. Too bad she could never remember her code.
With a shrug, she put away the cell phone. “Patience is a virtue,” she muttered. She’d just have to have patience. But meantime, she still had bathrooms to clean and a load of clothes that needed folding and putting away.
Spurred on by the thought that the sooner she finished, the sooner she could leave, she gobbled down the chicken salad that she’d brought with her.
BOOK: Polished Off
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