Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 01 - Murder of the Month (21 page)

Maybe Gil was still hiding somewhere in the house. He might even mistake the noise I was making for that of the earlier intruder. I raised my voice in a tentative question. “Gil?” No answer. “Whoever vandalized your house is gone now.” Nuts. I’d have to go through the house room by room to make sure he wasn’t here. As long as I was at it, I’d search again for Bianca as well, even though we’d found no trace of her presence yesterday.

I took two steps back toward the bedroom wing and gasped. I wouldn’t have to search for the house’s owner after all. He lay sprawled motionless on his side behind the couch, a gag in his mouth.

My hands fumbled at the knot holding the gag, a brightly patterned scarf, while my mind registered the fact that I had seen this material before. When the gag finally came loose, it didn’t help. This man wasn’t going to talk to me, or to anyone else, ever again. Taking a deep breath, I grasped his shoulder and rolled him onto his back. His arm flopped without resistance and his sightless eyes stared at the ceiling. The coffee spilled in the middle of the straw-colored carpet had already left a dark brown stain. The blood oozing from his chest now added a rusty pool. Even though the colors went well together, it had been an all-around bad day for that rug.

I retched at the sickly sweet odor of blood. With the aid of the couch, I stood up and backed away, still clutching the gag, and held it up, trying to make sense of its presence here. My daughter had been wearing it as a belt the last time I saw her. The bright fabric had provided a startling splash of color against her white shorts.

I couldn’t even begin to make sense of my discovery, and I didn’t try as I jammed the scarf into my pocket and made my unsteady way to the back door. No matter who waited outside, I had to get out of here. With the hem of my sweater, I rubbed my fingerprints from the back door lock and prepared to twist the knob. Just in time, I remembered that I had also touched the lock on the front door, so I raced to the living room to repeat the process there.

Another peek out the front window revealed the same quiet scene. I fled back through the house. The only sounds were CNN’s continued commentary and my own ragged breathing. I pounded across the patio and into the field, stumbling and almost falling when I risked a glance behind me.

No one followed me. Still, I didn’t slacken my pace until I flung myself into the front seat and reached for the ignition switch. No keys. Where had I put them? I patted my pants pocket and felt only the softness of the scarf I had removed from around Gil’s head. Keys, keys. Oh, yes. Out of the car again to fumble under the front seat. Stupid place to leave them. Should have left them in the ignition.

I was still outside the car when the two patrol cars screeched to a stop in a confusion of noise and dust around me. Instinctively, I drew the scarf from my pocket and crammed it down behind the driver’s seat.

“Stay right where you are,” commanded a familiar voice. Deputy Weems again, the person I least wanted to see. Why didn’t they put Brady Newman out on patrol? “Don’t move! Russell County Sheriff’s Department. Okay, now raise your hands very slowly and put them on top of the car.”

I did as instructed, thankful I no longer held the scarf.

“What’s the matter?” I asked as innocently as possible.

“What are you doing here, Ms. Serrano?”

“Last time I looked, this was a public road,” I answered. A good offense was supposed to be the best defense.

“Last time I looked, you were breaking into Gil’s Fortune’s house yesterday,” he answered. “Maybe you should find yourself another hobby.”

“And maybe you should watch your manner, Deputy,” I replied. Where had that come from? Tony wouldn’t even recognize the cheeky scofflaw I had become.

“Sorry, Ma’am,” he answered, sounding not the least bit sincere. “Could you please tell us what you’re doing here?”

“I don’t believe I am required to answer you.” I hoped I was right about that because I certainly needed some time to prepare a plausible answer.

“We had a report of a crime at Mr. Fortune’s house. So far, you’re the only one we see on the premises.”

“I’m not on the premises.”

“Near enough.”

“After what happened yesterday, do you think I’d be stupid enough to go back?”

“Could be. Have you been inside that house today? That’s the question.”

“That’s insulting.” I hoped he wouldn’t realize that I hadn’t answered his question.

He seemed willing to let my answer go unchallenged. “I think we’ll just wait here until we see what Brady turns up inside.”

The blood was pounding in my head. I didn’t want that scarf found. Putting as much annoyance into my voice as possible, I said, “Well, I need to open Thornton’s in exactly ten minutes. Since you know who I am and where I’m going, I suggest you just contact me if you need anything further.” I swung into the driver’s seat and attempted to close the door.

Weems’ meaty hand closed over the top of the door and stopped it from moving. “No. You’ll wait here. Thornton’s will manage without you.”

“But I’m the only one working there today. Laurence Thornton is still in the hospital and he depends—”

“You’re staying put, Ms. Serrano, until we figure out what’s going on. If and when Gil gives Brady the all-clear, there’ll be time enough for you to get to work.”

I knew Gil wouldn’t be giving anyone the all-clear, but I didn’t want to annoy the deputy further, so I subsided. I did not want to give the police any extra incentive to search my car.

“Don’t go anywhere,” Deputy Weems warned me. “We’re not done here yet.”

“Fine,” I answered. I tried for a look of bored resignation, rather than the panic I felt. He sauntered back to his patrol car, presumably to polish his holster or something. If I had to choose someone to pass the time of day with, it wouldn’t have been Weems. He didn’t appear eager for my company either.

Sitting in the driver’s seat of the Volvo and ostentatiously looking at my watch periodically, I considered Bianca’s scarf. Was it less likely to be discovered in its hiding place behind the front seat or should I try to drop it out the car door, hoping no one would notice? On the other hand, what could be more natural than to have my daughter’s scarf in my car? I decided to leave it where it was.

The police radio crackled to life at the same time I saw uniformed figures coming our way from around both ends of Gil’s house. I didn’t need Weems’ report to tell me that Gil’s body had been found. I prepared to be shocked.

“Is it still your story that you didn’t enter that house today?” he asked.

“My story?” I repeated. “That’s an odd way to phrase it. Look, Deputy Weems, I’ve humored you long enough. I have a job to do. Now, may I please get to work?”

“Just answer the question.”

“I don’t care for your tone at all, so I don’t think I will.”

“Then we’re going back to the department.”

“Don’t you have anything better to do than harass me?”

“So you don’t know anything about …” He trailed off, obviously remembering some page in the manual that governed the questioning of suspects. His hunger to get me to say something incriminating was in conflict with his desire to avoid a blunder at this exciting moment in his budding career. He was probably already visualizing tomorrow’s headlines and interviews. So was I, even before he escorted me into the all-too-familiar back seat of his patrol car. As I climbed in, I glanced back at my car in time to see distinctive yellow tape being staked around it. So much for my hope of drawing attention away from Bianca’s scarf.

Lying has never been my best skill. Other than this situation, when I was trying to protect my daughter, I didn’t have much use for it. The next two hours were excruciating, to say the least, especially when Deputies Weems and Quigley were joined by Sheriff Kraft himself to interrogate me.

When I decided I needed an attorney, I had to think hard about whom to call. The only time I’d needed one before today was during the settling of Tony’s estate. That had been handled by old Cecil Kellogg, who had since retired to Flagstaff.

Finally, I called Nick Constantine, the only other attorney I could think of in my agitated state. He picked up the receiver, sounding out of breath.

“Nick, thank goodness you’re back.”

“Jane? Well, hello to you, too. You caught me coming in the door, and have I got fish! How about dinner tonight? Bring almonds, if you—”

“You’re licensed to practice law in Oregon, right?”

“What?”

“Nick, please. I don’t need dinner. I need a lawyer. Can you help?”

My questions stopped him in mid-menu. “This is about your daughter? They aren’t going to charge her for mouthing off, Jane.”

“No, no, that’s not it. You’re licensed in Oregon?” I could hear my voice rising and knew that he could hear it, too. At least I had his full attention.

“Yes, but—”

“Will you represent me? It’s not Bianca they’re charging. It’s me. I’m afraid they’re going to charge me.”

“With what? Defending your daughter’s right to make a fool of herself?”

“No. With murder. Gil Fortune’s been shot, and the only other lawyer I know lives in Arizona.” I had a belated thought. “You do know about criminal stuff?”

He sounded amused. “Yes, I know about criminal ‘stuff’ as you put it, but—”

“And you’ll represent me?”

“Yes, of course, but slow down. Why are you involved?”

“Well, first, they caught me yesterday breaking into Gil’s house, and today they found me there again right after he was shot.”

He whistled. “Breaking into his house?”

“I didn’t kill him, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“It wasn’t.” He sounded reassuringly calm. “But I do wonder just what the hell you were thinking?”

“Can I explain in person? I’m at the Russell County Sheriff’s Department, north of town.”

“I can hardly wait. Be there as soon as I grab a quick shower.”

“Please don’t wait for that. Just come now!”

“I smell like fish.”

“Please?”

“Okay, Jane. I’ll be right there. Meanwhile, don’t say anything to anyone.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Ten minutes later, I was still mentally sifting through the shocking events of the morning when Deputy Kincaid arrived at the interrogation room where I’d been told to wait. “You can go,” he said, looking somewhere over my head as he spoke.

“Now?” I asked, surprised. I hadn’t seen Nick yet. “Did my attorney come?”

Kincaid looked as though he wanted to cry and I didn’t think it was because of sadness at my departure. “Sheriff Kraft just told me you could leave. We’ll be talking to you again, so don’t leave town. Your car stays here.”

“But I need it.” More to the point, I needed to retrieve that scarf.

“You can get it tomorrow.”

I didn’t want to call attention to the car by further protest, so I merely asked, “How do you expect me to get to work?”

“Oh, I don’t think that’ll be a problem. Those
friends
of yours are outside.” From his tone, I knew which friends he meant.

“How did they know I was here?”

“Ask them yourself.”

Without another word he led me through the maze of corridors that opened at last into the lobby. Once he had safely delivered me to the public area, he turned and disappeared down another hallway, surprising me again with his abruptness. He must have an appointment to chew nails or something.

“Jane, you’re free!” Minnie’s glad voice echoed through the lobby. “Praise the Lord! We were just about to raise another ruckus.”

Another ruckus? No wonder Deputy Kincaid had beaten a hasty retreat.

“Are you okay?” asked Alix in a low voice. Behind her, Tyler grinned, but said nothing.

“Yes, I’m fine,” I said. “What are you doing here?”

“Did you think we’d let you rot in this hole?” Minnie asked.

This brand new complex of buildings could hardly be described as a hole, but that detail didn’t seem to trouble Minnie. She was ready to do battle.

“How did you know I was here?” Things were moving too fast. I had barely adjusted to the prospect of being locked up and charged with obstructing justice, or worse, when I was tossed back onto the street.

Alix steered me toward the door. “Let’s talk about this outside, okay?”

“Okay.” My escorts propelled me out the door so fast that we nearly ran into Nick coming in. He still wore his stained and dirty clothes, so a fishy smell preceded him.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked.

“They let me go,” I told him. “This wasn’t your doing?” To the others I explained, “Nick’s my attorney. He just got back from fishing.”

“Cool,” breathed Tyler.

“No, I haven’t talked to anyone yet,” Nick said.

“They told me to go and I wasn’t about to argue.”

“That’s strange,” he said. “I’ll go see what I can find out.”

“I think maybe it was because of us,” Minnie announced proudly. “We threatened to stage a sit-in. We’d have done it, too, and they knew it.”