Shattered Dreams (36 page)

Later, once the raging fire had abated, reducing her house to rubble, Jason held her close. “Come on. You’re in no condition to be on your own.”

Claire nodded. She didn’t know what she would have done if he hadn’t been there.

Jason looked at Crystal expectantly. “Can you deal with the authorities?”

“Sure.” Crystal nodded.

Numb, Claire let him guide her to his car and help her climb inside. Disengaged, like gazing from a void, her gaze stayed glued to his progress as he slid behind the wheel.

He headed north, toward his house. “You can stay with me until this is over.”

“I can’t do that,” she whispered. “You have kids to think about.”

“Platonically. You can stay in the guest room.”

“No. I can’t.” She wasn’t sure he heard her because he didn’t say anything for several miles.

Finally, he said, “I have no intention of taking anything from you, and I’ll give you anything you need to help you determine what you want. Right now, you need a friend. Let me be that friend. I mean what I say, Claire. No matter what happens, I’ll always be your friend.”

“I appreciate your help, but I should stay with Crystal.”

“I wouldn’t advise that.”

“You forget. I fired you.” Forcing a smile, she blinked back tears.

The look Jason shot her told her didn’t find her wan attempt at humor funny. “The fireman I talked to indicated a few suspicious circumstances surrounding the fire. It’s being investigated as arson. I want you with me where I can keep an eye on you.”

When he glanced over, his gaze said it all. He
was
worried. Someone had set her house on fire. Deliberately? To kill her? He clearly believed it.

At least the numbness was wearing off, because at that moment pain ripped through her.

“You said your smoke detector didn’t go off. Why?” Jason gripped the steering wheel harder. “If I hadn’t turned around and come back, God only knows what would’ve happened.”

“Why did you come back?” Claire asked, not wanting to think about someone trying to kill her.

“It doesn’t matter why. The point is, I did. The fire wasn’t accidental, and I’m not about to let something else happen.”

Jason’s rationalization mirrored her thoughts, making the decision for her. She felt safe with him, so she’d stay with him.

Chapter 51

Sunday afternoon, Claire pulled up bits of linoleum from Jason’s kitchen floor. Both his girls were busy at the task, as were Crystal and Jimbo.

How had Jason gotten everyone’s full cooperation?

She had to laugh at the answer. The man was obviously a clever manipulator. Crystal was here for her, and Jimbo was here for Crystal. The girls most likely were trying to impress Claire.

Yep, very clever.

She ripped at a large piece and tossed it in the trash. Staying at Jason’s had its ups and downs. While he made tearing up his kitchen floor a party—a significant up—the exertion negated the effect. Hard work was definitely a down. Still, working kept her busy, another up. It also gave her time to think about her situation, another down.

And that was exactly how she felt right then. Up one minute and down the next. Ready to cry one moment, and laughing at something Chloe or Amelia did the next.

Would her life ever settle into a flat line? Moisture filled her eyes, and she hurriedly wiped it away. That was exactly what her life had been before she met Jason. One flat line.

“Lunch is served,” Jason said, entering the room with a big brown bag.

“Easy for you to act so cheerful,” Jimbo said as he rose to his feet. He grabbed the bag and headed for the cupboards, placing their lunch on the counter before pulling out plates. “You haven’t been slaving for the past hour.”

“I bought lunch.”

“And it better be good.” Jimbo divvied up the deli sandwiches and chips. “At least this stuff is a level above that—” He hesitated and looked at the girls. “That fast food you always eat.” Then he grinned at Jason, who was giving him a dirty look.

Smiling behind a stretch, Claire was used to the two men’s banter. “I’m ready for food.” She got up and reached for a sandwich. “I’m starving.”

They were always at it, one-upping each other. In fact, Claire was becoming quite used to everything in this household after only twenty-four hours here.

Crystal came up behind her, making Claire realize how lucky she was to have both of them. Crystal made up for everything Jason lacked, making sure Claire had the basic necessities that had burned in the fire.

She grabbed a drink and moved to sit at the kitchen table, another ugly but functional piece of furniture. Chloe sat on her right and Amelia on her left.

Claire bit into her sandwich and looked around at their efforts while chewing. More than half done, the wood underneath already gave a good indication of what the room would look like, even with the hideous appliances. Somehow the wood took away a bit of the harshness in their unsightly colors.

“I can’t believe someone covered up that hardwood,” she said once everyone was seated. “Will it take much to refinish?”

“It’s a job. Made easier with the right tools,” Jason said. “I won’t start on it till the new appliances are in and I install the new countertops.”

“I hope you picked a decent color,” Crystal said with much derision in her voice.

“I’m going with black granite. It works with the stainless appliances.” He turned to Claire. “That is, if you approve?”

“Black’s a great color,” she said evasively, unsure why he was asking her.

Although she’d only been here a day, the man had been a perfect gentleman, never wavering on his promise. Still, there was something in the way he asked the question that made her slightly uncomfortable. As if her opinion mattered.

“And when does all this take place?” Claire’s attention refocused on her sister as she added, “Anything’s an improvement on your antiques.”

Jason’s face lit with a smile. “At the end of the week. If you’re interested, I’ll sell them to you.”

Crystal scrunched up her nose. “You couldn’t give them away.”

“Now, there’s where you’re wrong. Goodwill is picking them up. They’ll go to a good home. Someone who can appreciate their uniqueness.”

“You mean someone who’s desperate.”

• • •

“You want a beer?” Jason asked Jimbo as he grabbed a bottle of wine off the counter and poured.

Claire and Crystal were upstairs watching a video with the girls. They’d worked for their reprieve, he thought as he surveyed their results. A grin took over his face. Definitely a good day. The floor would be ready to refinish in no time. And the task kept Claire’s mind off her troubles.

“Yeah. I’ve earned it.” Jimbo pulled one from the fridge, popped the tab, and took a long drink. “I should change professions. I’d make more money if I charged you for manual labor.”

“You do all right. Besides, today gave you a chance to be with Crystal.”

“For all the good it’s done me.”

“I thought you two were an item again.” Jason leaned against the counter. He covered his amusement in the act of sipping red wine.

“A night of lovemaking doesn’t erase difficulties.” Jimbo sighed and brought the can up to his lips. He guzzled, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and snorted. “She’s not responding. And God knows I’ve tried.”

“You need to work on your Texas charm.”

“Humph,” was all he said. “I heard from the fire inspector. Claire’s fire was definitely no accident.”

“Oh?” Jason’s smile died and his back straightened. His full attention moved to Jimbo’s face.

“Yeah.” He took another chug of beer before adding, “An incendiary device triggered by a transmitter set off an accelerant to maximize the fire spreading. Whoever did it was close by. Within a mile. Also, the smoke detector was disabled. No batteries.”

Jason’s gaze shifted to his wineglass as he absorbed this information.

“Talked to Snyder too. He’s been busy with his idea that your ex is involved. Seems there’s quite a bit of circumstantial evidence pointing to her.”

“When he comes up with something more substantial, I’ll believe it. Too much about this case seems to be what someone else wants us to think.”

Elise had no motivation to kill Claire, so Jason couldn’t accept her as a suspect. Plus, Crystal had never been fully exonerated. Had she left Key Largo early to set off the device? Interesting how she was right behind Jason when he arrived at Claire’s house.

“Elise isn’t involved in Claire’s house fire. It’s someone close.” Instead of voicing his suspicions about Crystal, he said, “But check it out. And while I’m thinking about it, have you checked out the alibis of those closest to Claire?”

“Snyder’s thorough, I’ll give him that. So far, they all check out. Just have to talk to Gwen Anderson’s jerky guy and one other of Denton’s dinner partners, a Bill Perry. I’ll do that tomorrow.”

Jason nodded and brought the glass to his lips. While Jimbo was checking into those alibis, he’d check out Crystal’s.

Chapter 52

After a long lunch with Jason on Monday, Jimbo strode into his office and picked up the phone.

“Yeah?” a voice answered on the third ring.

“John Myers?”

“Last time I checked.”

“Mr. Myers, this is Jim O’Malley,” he said, rolling his eyes. “I’m investigating a murder. I’d like to talk to you about it.”

“You’re talking to me now, aren’t you?”

“Not over the phone. You got a few minutes to spare this afternoon?”

“Is this about Gwen Anderson?”

“Yes.”

“I told the deputy everything I know.”

“I have a few more questions.”

“There’s not much to add. Look, I’m rather busy. Check with the deputy. I spent the evening with Gwen and left her place around eleven. That’s all I have to say.”

The final click hit his ears and Jimbo sighed. “Okay,” he muttered. “Guess I’ll go with that.”

He spent an hour flipping through the information Jason had copied. Then he made note of the restaurant Amy Denton and her friends had frequented that night, as well as where Gwen Anderson had spent the evening. After looking online for addresses, he grabbed his car keys and headed out.

Twenty minutes later, he strode inside a trendy restaurant along the Intracoastal Waterway. The waiter he wanted to talk to was on break, so Jimbo sat at a table in his section and waited. When the kid eventually came out, Jimbo showed him the picture of Amy Denton, asking about the night and what he remembered.

The kid was a wealth of information. He remembered the group and recalled that the one in the picture left early because she wasn’t feeling well after she got a phone call.

“But she paid for the meal?” That was what Snyder’s file read.

The kid shrugged. “It was a valid card that worked. I never checked IDs.”

“Did you tell this to the deputy?”

“He never asked. Just asked if they were here, and I said yes.”

Guess that was good enough for Snyder. So much for being thorough. Jimbo thanked him, tipped him a twenty, and moved on to his next destination, Checkers Bar and Grille. Once inside the dark, cool room, he strode up to the bar.

“What’ll you have?” a clean-cut bartender asked. He wore a striped shirt that sported several buttons with all kinds of crazy sayings.

“Beer. Whatever’s on draft is fine.”

The bartender nodded, quickly grabbed a glass, and flipped the lever. The glass filled with beer and foam.

“Thanks,” Jimbo said when the bartender placed a full beer in front of him. He took a swig, which tasted good going down. He nursed his drink, watching the guy wipe down the bar and wait on another customer at the other end. Business was slow right now, between lunch and happy hour.

“You want another?” The bartender stopped in front of him and began washing a few glasses.

“No, I’m fine.” Jimbo kept his gaze on him while he worked. “Not a busy time of day, is it?”

“Never is, unless it’s the weekend.”

“You work here long?”

“About a year. Working my way through grad school.”

They chatted about random things for a few minutes.

“Maybe you can help me?” Jimbo said after the conversation died.

When the bartender glanced at him with a question in his eyes, Jimbo flashed a lazy smile. “I’m on a fact-finding mission, looking for information.” He pulled out two pictures, one of Gwen Anderson and one of John Myers. “Ever see these two in here?”

The guy wiped his hands on a towel before taking the pictures and scanning them thoroughly.

“He looks familiar.” He broke off and his gaze went back to the photos for a moment. “Yeah. He’s a regular. But I don’t remember seeing her. Sorry.”

“Regular meaning he comes in a lot?” Jimbo took the pictures from him.

He nodded. “Decent tipper. He’s usually here before happy hour ends and usually alone. Since my shift’s over at seven, I don’t know how late he stays.”

“You remember seeing him three weeks ago? Wednesday, June twenty-third, to be exact.”

“I was out that week. Vacation with my parents.” He shrugged as if to say,
I know it’s not cool.
Then he grinned. “They spring for some great trips, so it’s worth tagging along.”

“Is there someone I can talk to? Someone who was here that night?”

“You might check with Richards. He usually works Wednesday nights.”

“Richards. He got a first name?”

“Doug.”

“Know when this Doug Richards will be working again?”

“I can check the schedule.” He went to the back room and came out a moment later. “His next shift is Wednesday at four.”

“Thanks.” Jimbo pulled out a twenty and dropped it on the bar before he walked out.

• • •

Half an hour later, Jimbo pulled up to the guardhouse at Elise’s gated development.

“Jim O’Malley to see Elise Roberts,” he said to the guard. “We have an appointment.”

“Go ahead. You’re on the list.” The traffic control arm lifted and the guard waved him through.

Once he got to Elise’s front door, Jimbo rang the bell. After no response, he knocked and waited. When she still hadn’t answered minutes later, he glanced at his watch.