Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set (49 page)

Chapter 13

Max was quiet on the ride home. I knew there was something on his mind.

“
What’s your impression of Emily and this whole situation?” I asked, giving him an opportunity to air his concerns.

“
I don’t know. It’s a messed up situation. It doesn’t seem fair that a woman in her condition should have to worry about her husband causing her more harm.”

“
Yeah, it definitely makes me sad.”

“
By the way, have you discussed getting paid with Emily?”

“
Not yet. I haven’t dared to bring it up. She seems worried about money. The company she worked for didn’t give her much when she left. Her hospital bills have wiped out most of her investments. Paul’s income isn’t cutting it. They might lose their house.”

Max gave me that look. “You have a big heart, Sarah. I love that about you, but how do you expect to pay your own bills?”

“
I know. Carter warned me about that, too. But this is different. I want to help her either way. And I’ll pay you for your time if that’s what you’re getting at.”

Max twisted his mouth in offense. “You’re my girlfriend. Emily is basically a stranger to you.”

“
I know, but I’m worried about her safety. And there’s something else.”

“
What?”

“
Maybe it’s nothing, but I asked Emily about that landscaper. His name is Hector. She told me they have a barter arrangement.”

“
Yeah, so?”

“
Well, I have an accountant. Costs me a hundred bucks to get my taxes done.”

“
Okay, so what’s your theory?”

“
I don’t have one. Not yet, anyway.”

* * *

During dinner, Max set his laptop on the kitchen table so we could keep an eye on Emily’s kitchen.

Paul came home from the gym at 6:45 p.m., still wearing his workout attire.  He paused in the kitchen, downed a glass of water, then left the room. I assumed he was going to check in with Emily or take a shower.

“
It’s like watching a silent horror film. The suspense is killing me,” I said. Probably a poor choice of words considering what was at stake.

Max topped off my glass of wine. “Try to relax. We could be here for hours. What time does he usually make her tea?”

“
She wasn’t specific.”

He pushed my plate a few inches closer to me. “You should eat something.”

“
I’m too nervous.”

Twenty minutes later, Paul returned to the kitchen wearing a long robe. He turned on the stove, filled the kettle with water, placed it on the burner, and then pulled a cup and saucer from the cabinet. He took a tea bag from the box, and placed it in the cup, then made a sandwich.

I held my breath as we watched the moment unfold. Max and I must have looked like two kids engrossed in a video, our eyes wide, anticipating what would come next.

The next minute seemed to drag on for hours.

Paul placed his dirty plate in the dishwasher and returned to the stove. He poured the water into the mug and stirred.

We had a clear shot of him from two different angles, one of his right side, and one facing him straight on. The look on his face was placid as he continued to stir the tea. A few seconds later, he set the spoon in the sink, cradled the mug in both hands, and walked off.

I let out a breath. “I didn’t see him put anything into the tea, did you?”

“
No.”

I turned to face Max. “So, what do you think?”

He leaned back in the chair. “Maybe he puts the stuff in her morning tea. Speaking of morning, I’d better hit the sack. I’ve got a meeting first thing. Are you getting tired?”

“
Not really.”

“
Yeah, me neither, but let’s hit the sack anyway.” Max smiled and took my hand.

How could I object to an offer like that.

Chapter 14

After monitoring the morning surveillance, there was still no sign Paul had tampered with Emily’s food or drinks. And Martha, the tracking device system on his car, proved he hadn’t gone anywhere other than work, the gym, and a grocery store.

It appeared as though he was nothing more than a devoted husband.

At ten o’clock, I was about to go for a quick run when my cell rang.

It was Linda.

“
Sarah, I have the best news,” she said. “I think I found him.”

“
Found who?”

“
Who do you think? Emily’s brother.”

I shut my eyes and tried to sound enthused. “Wow. How did you manage that?”

“
I can’t believe how many Internet sites cater to people looking for long lost relatives. Anyway, there’s a Benjamin Andrew Bradshaw that works at a restaurant in Cambridge.”

“
Where?”

“
A place called
Francine’s
. I checked out the website. Looks like a nice French restaurant.”

“
Did you call the place?”

“
Yes. He’s a waiter, and the hostess said he’s working tonight. I made reservations and requested him.”

“
Tonight?”

“
Sooner the better, right?”

If I didn’t go along with it, Linda would certainly know something was wrong. I had to pretend I was delighted at the opportunity. “Wow, Linda. You’re good. And apparently a better sleuth than me.”

“
Nonsense. I just got lucky.”

“
It might not be Emily’s brother, though.”

“
It’s worth investigating,” she said.

“
Even if it is him, we have to assume he won’t want to talk to Emily.”

“
His sister is dying,” she said. “He’d have to be a cold-hearted son of a bitch to snub her now. Whatever happened in the past, it’s over. He can put aside his pride and do the right thing.”

“
Let’s hope so.” I didn’t mention the fact that Emily was the one who held the grudge and declared never to speak to her brother again.

“
Our reservation is for six-thirty. I’ll pick you up at five?”

“
Okay, I guess I’ll have to find something to wear.”

* * *

“
You look scrumptious in that dress,” Max said as he watched me apply my make-up. It was five minutes till five, and I was running behind schedule.

“
I’d rather not be going at all,” I said, rummaging through the make-up bag for the right color lipstick. “This could be a highly awkward situation. I spent all afternoon trying to think of an excuse to back out.”

Max came up behind me and kissed my neck. His soft lips made my skin tingle. “You could have told Linda to stay out of it.”

“
What could I say? She’s Emily’s best friend. Of course she wants to help. She thinks Benjamin is Emily’s only chance of survival.”

“
What will you say if it’s him?”

“
I’ll tell him his sister is dying and she needs him.”

“
Don’t you think he already knows about her condition? He must have heard it from their parents at some point.”

“
This whole thing is going to blow up in my face, isn’t it?”

Max spun me around and caressed my neck. “Think of it this way. If you get a chance to meet him, maybe he’ll tell you the real reason he pissed all over the wedding cake. I’m sure that will make for some entertaining conversation.”

“
I love how you always see the glass half-full, but I really should stay here and watch the surveillance. Paul is the one I need to be focused on, not the brother.”

“
I’ll keep an eye on Paul.”

I hugged his chest. “Did I ever tell you you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time?”

He smiled and kissed the top of my head. “Maybe a few times, but it never gets old.”

Chapter 15

Francine’s
was like walking into a Parisian bistro.

Linda took it all in with wide eyes. “Fancy-shmancy,” she said softly, nudging my arm.

A female hostess smiled at us from behind her podium, her blonde bangs almost covering her eyes. “Welcome,” she said. “Name on the reservation?”

“
Barrett.”

“
Right this way,” she said, leading us to a table for two near the back.

She handed us menus. “Benjamin will be with you in a moment.”

Miss Bangs drifted back toward her post as Linda leaned in. “This is so exciting.”

A few moments later a handsome thirty-something African-American set a basket of bread on our table. “Good evening, ladies. I’m Benjamin, your waiter for this evening. Can I start you off with something from the bar?”

Linda looked at me, her eyes bulging. She looked back at our waiter and smiled. “Oh, you’re Benjamin?”

He nodded. “Is … there a problem?”

“
No. Of course not. Everything is perfect. Sarah, what do you think? Should we order some wine?”

“
Yes, is there a house wine you might suggest?” I asked Benjamin.

He suggested a French wine that neither of us had heard of. We ordered two glasses and he headed toward the bar.

“
Okay,” Linda said, shoulders slumped. “Unless one of Emily’s parents is black, that is definitely not her brother.”

“
Well, since we’re here, we might as well enjoy ourselves,” I said.

“
I feel so guilty. Emily is sick and here we are dining like movie stars. It’s not fair.”

“
We’re here because we want to help her. Let’s not lose sight of that fact.”

Her features softened. “You’re right.”

Benjamin returned with our wine, took our dinner order, and said he’d return with our salads.

I got right to work with the bread. “By the way, did Emily ever tell you her brother was gay?”

“
She didn’t have to. It was obvious at the wedding. Benjamin was very theatrical. Why is that important?”

“
It’s not, I guess. Speaking of the wedding, how did Emily and Paul meet?”

Linda tried the wine, made a sour face, and set it down. “The story is very entertaining from Emily’s point of view. She belonged to an Internet dating site, and was supposed to meet a guy for lunch. She had only seen the guy’s photo on the website. So she walked into the restaurant and saw this guy sitting alone. He sort of resembled the picture. She walked up and introduced herself. Wrong guy. She apologized, waited another ten minutes, but her date never showed. She was about to leave the restaurant when the single guy she thought was her date approached her. They ended up having a conversation, and next thing she knew, she got a date for dinner that night.”

“
So, I take it the date went well?”

“
It was horrible. The guy ended up being a complete jerk. He was rude to the waiter, kept texting on his cell phone throughout dinner, and then suggested they go Dutch when the bill came. Emily paid her half then headed home, crying her eyes out. To top it all off, she got a flat tire on the highway and had to pull over. The battery in her cell phone had died, so she couldn’t call for help. Then, like an angel from heaven, someone pulled over and offered to change the tire for her.”

“
Please tell me it was Paul.”

“
You bet it was. But, the most amazing thing of all, he’d never changed a tire before.”

“
Never?”

“
At first Emily thought he was crazy. He was wearing a crisp white button down shirt with a purple tie and fancy shoes that looked like they’d just been polished. But wouldn’t you know, he managed to change that damn tire. And Emily fell in love that night.”

“
Paul seems like quite a guy.”

Linda narrowed her eyes at me. “Why do you say it like that?”

“
What did I say?”

“
There was something in your tone,” she said, setting her bread on the plate. “You don’t like Paul, do you?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Linda rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. “Sarah, something is going on. What are you not telling me?”

I looked away, my cheeks getting hot. Linda knew me too well, even after all these years. “Shit.”

“
What does that mean?” she asked.

“
Emily asked me not to say anything to you. She didn’t want you to worry.”

Linda looked at me as if I’d just shot her in the leg. “Is Emily in trouble?”

“
Maybe. But if I tell you, you have to promise me you won’t say anything to Paul.”

“
Fine, I won’t say anything.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “She thinks Paul is putting something in her tea.”

It took a few seconds. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“
What do you think I’m saying?”

She leaned in and lowered voice. “That he’s trying to kill her faster?”

I nodded. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

Linda covered her face with trembling hands. “Oh, no. I think I’m gonna be sick.”

I caught Benjamin’s attention from across the room and signaled for our check.

He returned a minute later to find Linda’s face still buried in her hands. I handed him a credit card. “My friend isn’t feeling well. Can we take our entrée’s to go, please.”

He bowed as if he understood and walked away.

Linda wiped her eyes and composed herself. “I refuse to believe it. Paul would never do that. He loves Emily more than anything in the world.”

“
I know it’s hard to believe.”

“
Why would he do such a thing?”

“
Money. He’ll get two million in life insurance when she’s gone. Did you know they’ve been struggling financially?”

“
I thought Emily got a huge severance package when she left work.”

“
It’s gone. They’re in jeopardy of losing their house.”

“
They never said a word to me about any of this. But even so, Paul wouldn’t do it. Do you have any proof he’s trying to hurt her?”

“
Not yet. But Emily told me there’s eight hundred dollars missing from their joint bank account.”

“
I just can’t believe Emily hired you to spy on her husband. She suspects him of poisoning her, which, by the way, doesn’t make any sense. Poison her with what?”

I explained the acetaminophen situation, but Linda dismissed the idea.

“
Look,” I said. “I know this must come as a shock, but you have to look at it from Emily’s point of view.”

Linda closed her eyes. “If Paul had any idea what you guys were up to, it would crush him.” When she opened her eyes, they were red and teary. “Even if I could, I wouldn’t have the heart to tell him.”

I let out a breath of relief. “Thank you.”

“
No wonder you kept asking questions about Paul the other night. I knew something was up, but could never have guessed it was this bad.”

“
I asked those questions because Paul was your patient. I was looking for some insight.”

“
I’m bound by an oath. My livelihood depends on it.”

“
What about the life of a dear friend? Is it worth that?”

Linda’s eyes narrowed. “If I really thought Paul was capable of hurting someone, I’d tell you. But since I believe in his innocence, I refuse to break that pledge.”

“
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten you involved by asking questions.”

“
So Benjamin was just a big lie to throw me off track?”

“
Like I said, Emily didn’t want you to worry. Please don’t be upset with her. She’s probably going to fire me when she finds out I told you.”

“
I feel like a complete fool. No wonder you hadn’t found her brother … it was because you were never looking for him to begin with. And here I thought I was helping.”

“
Emily hates her brother. I’m not exactly sure why, but she’d rather die than see his face. I was kind of curious to meet him tonight.”

“
But this sucks. How will Emily get better? Benjamin was her last chance.”

“
She’s still on the donor list. You can’t give up hope.”

A few minutes later, Benjamin returned with the receipt. “Thank you, ladies. Please come again.”

Linda barely said a word on the ride home. When we got to my apartment, she pulled up to the curb, but didn’t look at me when I opened the door. “Linda, I’m so sorry.”

Her expression was solemn. “I just need time to process this. I’m not mad at you, Sarah.”

I gave her a hug. “I just want to do the right thing for Emily.”

“
I hope you can prove Paul is innocent.”

There wasn’t much else to say. I exited the vehicle and watched her drive off.

When I got home, Max was on the couch with the laptop in front of him. He glanced at his watch, then back at me. “You’re home earlier than I expected. By that look on your face, things didn’t go so well.”

I kicked off my shoes and joined him. “Benjamin wasn’t the brother. Long story short, Linda knew something was up so I told her the truth.”

“
What did she say?”

“
She thinks the idea of Paul hurting Emily is complete bullshit.”

“
According to our surveillance, I tend to agree with her. I’ve been going over the footage, watching every move he makes, and I’m positive he’s not adding anything to her tea or water. Granted, he could have tampered with the tea bags weeks ago. He could have cut the top of the pouch, inserted the acetaminophen powder, and sealed it back up.”

I pondered that for a moment. “If that’s the case, we’re wasting our time with the surveillance.”

“
Yep.”

“
I’ll call Emily first thing in the morning and arrange to go over there and inspect the tea. If we open one up and find some white powder in there, we’ll have our proof.”