Between a Book and a Hard Place (13 page)

“Nope.” Chief Kincaid hollowed his cheeks, then blew out a breath. “Yvette said that Benedict was a history buff and loved to hear her talk about Shadow Bend's past. Then one day he announced that they were coming here so he could access the library archives.”

“I bet she was thrilled.” I didn't bother to hide the sarcasm in my voice.

The chief smiled, then asked, “If you haven't recalled anything more, why did you want to see me?”

“It's probably nothing.” I faltered before I took a breath and blurted out, “But I overheard a conversation this morning that I thought might interest you.” I told him about the country clubbers' opposition to the library, adding, “I know it's not much of a motive, but it does show that there were people who had a grudge against Jett and who wished he was out of the picture.”

“Interesting.” Chief Kincaid dipped his head. “I hadn't heard that. Anything else?”

“Uh.” I paused, realizing Jake and I hadn't discussed whether to share Nadine's comment with the chief. Hurrying, before Chief Kincaid realized I was holding something back, I added, “The funding for the library still hasn't come through.”

“No one has mentioned that, either.” The chief made a note. “I'll have to check on it with the city council.”

While he was in a grateful mood, I asked, “Did the medical examiner determine the time of death yet?”

“The victim suffered an extensive cranial hemorrhage sometime between twelve thirty and one.”
The chief fingered his shiny brass nameplate, then raised his head and said, “Which was pretty close to when you and your mother must have arrived. Are you sure you didn't see anyone on the street or near the building?”

“Not that I noticed.” I shrugged. “I wasn't paying attention.” Of course, in truth, I had arrived later. Had Mom or Dad seen anyone?

“Too bad.” Using his handkerchief, the chief rubbed off the mark his thumb had made on his nameplate, then looked up at me and asked, “Anything else you overheard or want to share with me?”

“Uh.” Should I mention Nadine? No. Jake and I should talk to her first.

“Dev?” Chief Kincaid adjusted the leather blotter so that it lined up more perfectly with the edge of his desk. “Did you remember something?”

“No.” I shook my head. “But I'll keep thinking.” Maybe tomorrow, when he came to the store to interview my father, I'd tell him about Nadine's comment.

Seeming reluctant to let me go, the chief said, “That trace of glittery dust I pointed out to you at the crime scene was a magnesium alloy. Any idea why your stepfather would have that in his possession?”

“Something about his health?” I guessed. “Don't people take magnesium for lots of medical reasons?”

“Not this form.”

“Then I have no idea.” I wondered what else contained magnesium. Maybe it had something to do with preserving rare books.

After several more minutes of idle chitchat, I stood up and edged toward the door. Saying
good-bye and promising to keep him in the loop, I made my escape.

I found Jake and the sexpot at the dispatch desk, laughing together. When she spotted me, she narrowed her heavily made-up eyes, heaved a dramatic sigh, and said, “Looks like your warden is back.”

Jake ignored her comment and said, “Thanks for your help, darlin'.”

“Anytime.” She licked her overly glossed lips and said, “Now, don't be a stranger.”

She glared as I took Jake's hand and tugged him down the stairs and into the street.

Swallowing my jealousy, I pasted a smile on my face and said to Jake, “How did it go?”

“The police don't have any witnesses, but the dispatcher did tell me that the fragment of paper in the vic's fingers wasn't from this century.”

“Oh?” I raised my brows.

“It was a hundred and fifty years old.”

“It must have been from the archives Jett had been researching.” I stopped and stared at Jake. “What in the world did he find?”

“More importantly.” Jake raised his brows. “Was he killed for it?”

J
ake had parked his truck in front of my store, and as we approached it, I said, “I think we should go see Mom before tackling Nadine.”

“Why is that?” Jake opened the pickup's passenger door and helped me inside.

“For one, I promised my father I'd check on her.” I fastened my seat belt and dug through my purse, looking for my cell.

“You could just call her.” Jake swung into the driver's seat and backed the F250 out onto the street. “What's the real reason?”

“Chief Kincaid reinterviewed her, and I want to find out exactly what she told him.” I tapped the messaging icon on my phone, then looked up from the screen to give Jake Mom's address. “Do you know where that is?”

“Sure. One of Tony's pals lives in that same complex.”

“Great.” I turned my attention back to my cell, selected Noah's number, and typed,
JAKE AND I ARE GOING TO TALK TO YOUR MOM RE AN OVERHEARD
COMMENT SHE MADE ABOUT JETT. HOPE YOUR PATIENT IS OK. LUNCH TOMORROW?

I looked up just as Jake glanced at me. He evidently assumed I was texting Noah, because he frowned.

Tucking the phone into my purse, I asked, “Find out anything else from your new girlfriend?”

“Jealous?” He grinned, then said, “Bambi mostly told me everything the police don't know. For instance, there were no usable fingerprints and no weapon was found.”

“Time of death is between twelve thirty and one thirty, and the glittery stuff they found at the scene is a magnesium alloy.” I tilted my head. “Any ideas about that?”

“One type of alloy is used in engine parts, rockets, and missiles.” Jake twitched his shoulders. “But there are lots of different kinds of magnesium.”

“Crap! I should have asked for more specifics.” I shrugged. “But I doubt the chief would have told me. He wasn't too impressed with the info I had about the country clubbers opposing the library.”

“Hard to pin something like that down.” Jake turned the truck into the condo's parking lot. “It's too nebulous to be very useful.”

“Yeah. He did perk up about the delay in the library funding.” I waited for Jake to give me a hand down from the pickup. Then, as we headed inside, I added, “I didn't mention Nadine.”

“Probably best.” Jake cupped my elbow as we walked down the hallway to Mom's unit. “We'll get more information from her if she hasn't already been questioned by the police. Plus it gives you another piece of info to trade.”

“Good point.” I pressed the doorbell, and Mom answered wearing a short black-and-white Diane von Fürstenberg wrap dress and strappy white sandals. Her hair was carefully arranged around her shoulders, and her makeup was flawless. If this was how she dressed for a causal evening lounging around the house alone, I'd hate to see what she put on to go out on the town.

Yvette stepped back, put her hand to her chest, and said, “Dev, I thought you were . . . uh . . . the take-out guy.” Her eyes flickered from my face to Jake's, and she said, “This must be Tony Del Vecchio's nephew.”

I made the introductions, and she invited us inside. An ultramodern white modular sofa, matching chair, and metal-and-glass occasional tables occupied the living room. The condo was furnished like an upscale hotel. Beautiful, but about as welcoming as a hospital room.

Once we were seated, I explained, “Dad asked me to make sure you were okay. Did you get a new cell yet?”

“Jett always had a couple extras.” Yvette picked up a notepad and pen from the coffee table and scribbled something across the page. Handing me the paper, she said, “Here. Give the number to your dad.”

“That's not a good idea. As I told you yesterday, it's best if you and he aren't seen together until Jett's murderer is found. We don't want to give Chief Kincaid a reason to be any more suspicious of you two.”

“I wasn't suggesting Kern come over here just to give me a call. I'm not stupid.” Yvette made herself comfortable on the chaise, adjusting the flap of her skirt as she scooted back. “Eldridge has never been
one of my biggest fans. He'd love to throw me in jail.”

“Glad to know you realize the consequences of your actions.” I bit my tongue to keep from pointing out that in the past she hadn't always been so cautious. “We don't want you
or
Dad behind bars.”

“I suppose your boyfriend knows all about our little deception?” She glanced at Jake and narrowed her eyes. “Is that wise?”

“Jake is a retired U.S. Marshal and is helping me look for Jett's killer.”
Shit!
I hadn't decided whether to reveal Dad's presence at the crime scene to Jake, but I could tell by his expression that now I would have to come clean. “He'll be cool.” At least I hoped he would, since now there was no way to keep it from him.

“Good.” Yvette didn't look entirely convinced. “Anything else?” She glanced at the clock above the mantel, then at the front door.

“I heard the chief talked to you again.” I wondered why she was so nervous. Maybe takeout wasn't all she was expecting. I was fairly certain Mom hadn't been in love with Jett, but it surprised me that she didn't even try to pretend she was mourning her husband's death. “How did it go?”

“He sent an officer to pick me up in the middle of my yoga class.” Yvette frowned. “I think Eldridge did that deliberately to rattle me.”

“Did it?” I knew she would hate being seen in public all sweaty.

“No.” Yvette pressed her lips together. “I just kept repeating what we rehearsed. And I denied knowing anything else.”

“Is that the truth?” I asked, fairly sure my mother
would want to know where the money was coming from and how much there was to be spent.

“Pretty much.” Yvette's smile was self-satisfied. “Jett's family is in the oil business. He had plenty of cash, and he kept me in the manner I had grown accustomed to, which is all that mattered to me. Whenever he had a business meeting, he sent me shopping.”

“Of course that kept you happy,” I muttered. It sounded as if my stepfather had kept his wife and his wheelings and dealings far, far apart. Was it because she had no interest in how he earned a living, or was it because he had something to hide?

“Hey. I know you think I marry my husbands for their money, but that's not true.” Yvette lifted a slim shoulder and giggled. “Money is why I divorce them.”

When I didn't respond, my mother continued. “If there's one thing I've learned, it's that regardless of how sizzling a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place. And for me that something else is cash.” She shot a look at Jake, then added, “Something you should consider when choosing between Mr. Hot and Steamy here and Noah's kind of security.”

I ignored her advice and asked, “Have you been in touch with Jett's family?” I was ashamed to admit that I hadn't even thought about them. “Did he have children?”

“No.” Yvette shook her head. “He's the last of the Benedict line.”

“So you inherit it all?” I asked. Had she killed her husband?

“I don't know.” Yvette wrinkled her nose. “Jett would never let me see his will.”

Evidently, my stepfather hadn't completely trusted his wife. Wise man.

Changing the subject, I said, “You told the chief that Jett encouraged you to talk about Shadow Bend's past and was interested in the town's history. And that's why he funded the library.” When she nodded, I asked, “So what exactly was he researching?”

“I haven't a clue.” Yvette shrugged. “I usually stopped listening when he started talking about boring stuff like that. Why does it matter?”

Up until this point, Jake had been allowing me to steer the conversation, but now he leaned forward and said, “It's hard to know what's important in a murder investigation. Do you have any idea the time period that your late husband was the most interested in?”

“The Civil War.” Yvette rolled her eyes. “Why he cared about some stupid stuff that happened a hundred and fifty years ago is beyond me. But lots of people around here are the same way.”

I refrained from reminding Mom of her own interest in the Confederate Daughters of Missouri because I knew that her wanting me to join the organization had been a purely social move.

Jake asked a few more questions, but it was clear that Yvette didn't know anything more and was anxious for us to leave.

When she hustled us into the foyer, I said, “You do recall that Chief Kincaid has an officer watching this building?”

“Your point?” Yvette smoothed her hands over her slim hips.

“Any gentleman callers will look bad.” I raised an eyebrow, daring her to protest her innocence.

“Eldridge may have a cop on the entrance, but I doubt he can spare two officers, which means the back door isn't under surveillance.”

“I imagine it's kept locked,” Jake said.

“It was, but it isn't now.” Yvette's smile was coy.

“What if the chief does have someone in the rear, too?” I couldn't believe my mother was being so rash.

“Look.” Yvette nearly pushed us across the threshold. “There are twenty condos in this building. Who's to say which resident anyone is visiting?”

With that I gave up, said good-bye to my mother, and headed toward the parking lot. As much as I wanted to stick around and see whom she was expecting, I realized that the policeman watching her condo would surely notice if we sat in the truck for very long.

Besides, I was pretty damn sure Chief Kincaid wasn't dumb enough to have surveillance only on the front. Maybe he'd be willing to tell me who had used the back door. I just had to figure out how to ask him without admitting that that person was visiting my mother.

As we drove out of the parking lot, my stomach growled, and Jake sent me an amused smile. I shrugged. Hey, my lunch had been a day-old pastry that I had scarfed down in between customers.

“Maybe we should eat dinner before we stop by Nadine's,” Jake suggested.

“I
am
hungry.” That Danish had been a whole lot
of empty calories, but I'd forgotten my yogurt. “Still, I think we should tackle Nadine first. It's already six thirty, and if she's like a lot of the women around here, she'll be glued to the TV tonight.”

“Why?” Jake kept his eyes on the road. We were on the stretch between town and the country club subdivision, a spot where deer were notorious for darting across the asphalt. “What's so fascinating on TV?”

“The
Dancing with the Stars
reunion episode is tonight, followed by a sneak peek of the next
Bachelor
.” I watched his baffled expression as I answered. Obviously, his uncle Tony was not among those shows' devotees.

“You're kidding me.” Jake's brows disappeared into his hairline. “They do know all those reality programs are faked, right?”

“I wouldn't mention that to Gran if I were you.” I smirked. “Those would be fighting words to her. She gets so involved that she actually flings things at the TV screen when her favorites go home.”

“Then I guess we better go to Nadine's now.” Jake shook his head. “If Birdie gets that violent, I'd hate to see what Underwood's mother is like watching those shows.”

After giving Jake directions and promising to explain my mother's remark about her and Dad's “little deception” over dinner, I grabbed the few minutes it took us to get there to check for missed messages. There wasn't anything from Noah. Was he still at the hospital? It had been several hours since our canceled lunch. What else would keep him too busy to look at his cell phone?

There was a text from my dad asking how Yvette was, so I sent him a short reply reassuring him that
she was fine. It saddened me that he still cared so much when I suspected she was already sinking her hooks into another rich guy and only amusing herself with my father.

Nadine's place was more of a manor house than a home, and when we arrived, the outside was lit up like a movie set. Lights outlined the driveway, emphasizing the meticulously trimmed shrubs, sweeping steps, and massive double doors intending to impress and intimidate. The Underwoods were old money who sneered at the nouveau riche who had moved to town and built their shiny new McMansions around the country club.

Enormous white columns and a wide porch made for quite the curb appeal, and as we exited the truck, I could see that Jake's shoulders were stiff. I wondered if the setting reminded him of his parents' property.

He didn't like to talk about his folks, but I had managed to wheedle a little information from him. His father was a plastic surgeon who had grown rich promising vain men and women eternal youth, and his mother was a trust-fund baby who had inherited a fortune.

Both images were hard to reconcile with what I knew of Jake, and I wondered what Yvette's attitude would be if she realized that he stood to inherit just as much as Noah. Maybe more if you threw in his uncle's ranch.

We rang the bell, and as the seconds ticked by, I realized that Nadine might decide not to come to the door. Noah had mentioned that his mother's longtime housekeeper had recently retired and that she hadn't been able to find anyone else she found
suitable. If it was her health aide's night off, she might ignore the doorbell.

After another couple punches of the bell, the queen of Shadow Bend swung open the huge oak portals. Shockingly, she didn't seem pleased to see me and didn't extend her sympathy for the loss of my stepfather.

“Devereaux, Mr. Del Vecchio, what a surprise.” She wore tailored khaki slacks and a blue oxford shirt with a tan cardigan flung over her shoulders. “I certainly wasn't expecting you.”

Pasting a neutral smile on my lips, I said, “Sorry to just drop in on you, Nadine. But we have something to discuss with you that is better said privately.” Knowing that she loved to gossip but not be the subject of the rumor mill, I emphasized the last word.