For the Sake of Their Baby (18 page)

He was barely aware of Liz dialing 9-1-1.

A
S
L
IZ DRESSED
for the mall staff Christmas party, she heard Alex on the phone with the hospital, trying to get additional news on Harry’s condition. Judging from his end of the conversation, he wasn’t meeting with much success.

She’d bought her dress over the Internet and until this moment, had never actually tried it on. Looking in the mirror, she found that it fit all right, but that the midnight-blue color was much darker than it had appeared on the computer monitor. In addition, she thought as she tugged at the long sleeves, the velvet material was heavy and cloying. She pulled up on the neckline, rather startled by the new swelling fullness of her breasts.

Alex and she had spent the night before in the same bed, but once again, he’d not undressed or gotten under the covers. She felt safe with him so close—safe and frustrated. The day-to-day tension between them was lessening, but at night, lying in the dark and hearing him breathe, feeling the weight of his body on the blankets next to her, being so close and yet so far away, the tension built to the point where she found sleeping damn near impossible. She wanted him to go back to the futon mattress and stop taunting her with what she knew she shouldn’t have; on the other hand, she didn’t want him to move an inch farther away.

He gave her room to dress in privacy, he barely touched her, yet he was kind and attentive. Was it finding poor Harry on death’s doorstep that had distracted him or was it something deeper and more terrible? Had they really grown so far apart? When and if they finally figured out what was going on, would they have a marriage to salvage?

She applied lipstick and turned as Alex entered the room. Somehow he’d managed to put more color on his face in a few days of foggy, rainy freedom than she had during the entire week of their tropical honeymoon. The dashing tuxedo she’d bought him last Christmas and which fit him now better than ever, didn’t hurt his swashbuckling dark good looks, either.

He looked like James Bond.

She looked like Miss Moneypenny’s washed-out kid sister. Correction, pregnant kid sister.

“You look stunning,” Alex said as he stroked her hand. She waited for him to pull her into his arms, but he didn’t. “I’ve always heard that pregnant women glow but I never believed it before tonight. Your face is radiant.”

As always, he managed to infuse his voice with sincerity. The man was amazing. Or nearsighted.

She said, “What did the hospital say about Harry?”

“Not much,” he told her. He moved to his bureau and snapped on his watch. “Same as this morning,” he added. “Harry’s in a drug-induced coma, except now they report that his daughter is at the hospital with him.”

“I’m glad his daughter came.”

“So am I. She can keep an eye on Harry.”

“What do you mean, keep an eye on Harry?”

He moved back beside her. “I mean that maybe Harry had a little help taking those pills.”

“I looked for a suicide note last night.”

“So did I, after the paramedics came and took over. But the sheriff’s car was there this morning. There’s little chance now that there’ll be any proof left to find.”

Liz frowned. “Why would the sheriff—”

“Because maybe Sheriff Roger Kapp is the figure Harry swore he saw. Maybe he was still in the shadows
and heard Harry tell you and Ron Boxer all about it. Maybe Kapp was afraid Harry would recall more as time went by.” He ran a hand through his hair and added, “I guess I’m going to have to bite the bullet and talk to the sheriff.”

“Do you want me to—”

“No way. I’ll go see him.”

“If there’s any question that Harry didn’t swallow those pills on his own, the sheriff will find a way to blame you whether or not he’s the one who did it. You know that, don’t you?”

“And he’ll have Ron Boxer to testify that I was mad enough to do it, too.”

“But you never left my side,” Liz said as she tried to fasten a small diamond solitaire.

Alex took the chain from her. As he secured it, his hands grazed the back of her neck and their eyes met in the reflection of the mirror.

There’s love between us,
she found herself thinking.
Deep, abiding love. The only question is whether or not it will be enough.

He seemed to read her mind, for he lowered his head and kissed the nape of her neck and she closed her eyes.

“Let’s go,” he whispered, his breath tickling her skin, sending shivers, causing all sorts of trouble within her.

She opened her eyes and nodded.

A
N HOUR LATER
, they pulled up under the awning in front of the Egret Inn. Built to overlook the bay, the structure was as glistening white and as ethereal-looking as its namesake, many of whom nested in the tall trees nearby.

Alex had to more or less pull her from her car and as Liz let him grab hold of her arm and yank, she realized
the low-riding sports car would have to go. It was one thing for her to need the jaws of life to get out of the thing; it wouldn’t be long before she’d need a vehicle with a back seat big enough to hold a baby car seat and a trunk large enough to carry a stroller and heaven knew what else.

The valet parking attendant whizzed away in her car as Alex opened the tall etched glass door and ushered her inside. He took her coat and gave it to an attendant. Squeezing her hand, he said, “I’ll take care of everything, honey, you just do your normal stuff and I’ll skulk around in the shadows asking probing questions, okay?”

She knew he intended to lighten the mood with playful talk, but there were edges of truth in what he said that made her too nervous to appreciate his efforts. She usually enjoyed these parties, but this was the first time since her uncle died that she’d attended one and never before as the host.

“Try not to worry,” he said.

“That’s a tall order to fill, Alex. Everything seems to be falling apart around us. If Harry tried to kill himself, does that mean he regretted trying to hurt me or killing my uncle or was he just depressed because the winter TV schedule is so lousy?”

“We don’t know for sure what happened to Harry. Maybe he got drunk and took the last couple of sleeping pills without realizing what he was doing. Without access to his toxicology reports, we’re in the dark.”

“So what do we do?”

“I’ll go to the hospital and talk to the sheriff or maybe Harry’s daughter, but for tonight, we proceed as planned.”

“Which means while you’re trying to find motive and opportunity to prove one of my employees murdered my
uncle, I’m supposed to hand out Christmas bonuses.” She realized she was whining as she added, “I hate doing this in such a public way. I think they should be sent via the mail or given out at work.”

“So why do it this way?” Alex asked.

Liz frowned for a second. “It’s always been done this way.”

“Because your uncle liked lording his power over everyone else. You don’t feel comfortable with that.”

She smiled. “You’re right, I don’t. Okay, next year if I’m still in charge, I’ll do it my way.”

“Good enough.”

They entered the designated room which momentarily brought a sense of peace to Liz’s overburdened mind and heart. The golden paneling highlighted the centerpiece, three large trees of staggered heights, each decked out with pure yellow lights and white birds, the snowy-looking ground around their trunks twinkling with glittering pine cones. Several round tables circled the trees and the white china, gold tableware and crystal goblets shimmered and sparkled.

“It looks beautiful,” Liz said.

“Very classy,” Alex agreed, then frowned and whispered, “Head’s up, three o’clock.”

Liz smiled at the use of their old code for approaching disaster, and turned to the three o’clock position in time to see Emily headed their way.

“Be nice,” she whispered out the side of her mouth.

Alex leaned down and nuzzled her ear. “I’m always nice,” he said with a nibble.

A
LEX TOOK
one last deep breath of Liz’s heavenly scent, and raised his head. Surprise, surprise, Emily scowled at him.

Liz put a little distance between herself and him which annoyed the hell out of him. She was acting a little odd tonight which he thought perfectly understandable given the circumstances—Harry’s condition and the fact that they’d found him, the uncomfortable position of “boss lady” she’d had to assume—but he was determined to stick to their agenda and question the people around him. People who had worked closely with Devon Hiller, people who might have grown to resent and hate him enough to kill him.

His resolve was strengthened by his desire to avoid talking to Emily. Alex didn’t know for sure why Emily was so protective of Liz but he suspected it was for one of two reasons. The first was relatively easy to take: Emily wasn’t convinced that Alex wasn’t a murderer pulling a fast con on his guileless wife. Hence, she felt protective and would back down once she accepted the fact he was innocent.

The second was harder: Emily wanted Liz as a sister-in-law. If he didn’t figure out this mess and save his own skin, it seemed possible that sooner or later, Emily would get her wish. Not right away, but someday. How could he blame his beautiful wife for wanting someone with whom to share her life? She knew Ron, she liked him. How could he deny her a contented and happy future?

How could he stand living if it ever happened? How could he bear another man, any other man, making love to
his
wife, fathering
his
child? He’d rather be dead.

Liz and Emily hugged and Emily spared him a quick smile with all the brilliance of a thoroughly doused fire. Turning to Liz, her voice scolding, she said, “I can’t believe you went down those beach stairs. That’s so dangerous. You must be more careful. Promise me if you
need anything, anything at all, you’ll call Ron and not strike out on your own. You can depend on him.”

Alex had the urge to punch Emily in the mouth. Honestly, his desire to pummel everyone he met was getting out of hand. He met Liz’s gaze and recognized a pleading look that asked him to be tolerant, so he tried a different approach.

“That’s a stunning necklace you’re wearing, Emily.” What woman didn’t like a compliment? It was the truth, too. From a thick gold chain hung an enameled gold pendant of a prancing horse with pearls dangling from hoofs, tail and jeweled saddle. It looked museum quality and truly striking against Emily’s green dress. With a sideways glance at Liz, Emily tucked it beneath her neckline.

So much for conciliation.

Liz said, “I was at the mall yesterday, Em. You weren’t in your store.”

“I went out to do some shopping,” Emily said, more or less turning her back on Alex. Her rudeness brought out a stubborn streak in Alex and he resolved to stay by Liz’s side until Emily wandered away.

Liz turned so that Alex was once again included in the group. She said, “Were you buying your dress? It looks new. It’s lovely.”

“Do you like it? Green is my favorite color, but this shade is never easy to find. I had to go to Myers Junction to that little boutique.”

“Which one?”

Emily bit her bottom lip and shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“It’s very becoming but I thought I saw something like it in a window close to your own store,” Liz added, frowning.

“Oh, yeah.” Emily lowered her voice but Alex caught her next words. “I don’t much care for Alicia O’Donnell. She’s a snob. I don’t like to shop in her store.”

Liz nodded and Alex realized he wasn’t the only person Emily didn’t approve of.

Meanwhile, Liz seemed determined to sleuth. “I saw Marie Poe and Doris Landers when I went into their store to buy a machine that purees baby food. I won’t need it for several months, but I thought I’d like to have it on hand. Anyway, Marie told me that she saw you at my uncle’s party. She said that you were in his den, by the curio case. I didn’t know you had attended.”

Emily rolled her eyes and said, “I didn’t. I hadn’t even moved to town yet. What would I be doing at your uncle’s party?”

“I thought maybe you came with Ron.”

“Marie told me this same story when we met for the first time at a store manager’s meeting. I told her then she was mistaken, but Marie is a space cadet, if you know what I mean. It’s a good thing she teamed up with Doris. I can’t imagine Marie is capable of running anything but her mouth.”

Liz didn’t say a word. If this was typical Emily, Alex thought to himself, she couldn’t have many friends. She seemed to be a bitter woman with a nasty streak and a third reason for her distrust of him came to mind—she was jealous of Liz’s shifting alliance from Emily back to himself. Liz was the kindest woman Alex had ever known—it was her most outstanding trait as far as he was concerned. No doubt she had put up with Emily’s snide comments out of compassion and now Emily was terrified to lose her one friend in this town.

Could Emily have orchestrated the events at their
house to sway Liz away from him? Might the incidents that occurred after he came home be unrelated to Devon Hiller’s murder? Did Emily hate him enough to somehow rig the stairs so that he would fall and then be appalled to discover that it was Liz who had come close to dying and not him?

He eyed her with this in mind and thought it possible. The woman was young and healthy and though she didn’t look particularly athletic, she didn’t look weak and incapable, either. It was a little bit of a stretch to imagine her using Sinbad as bait, but no more so than imagining Harry Idle concocting a plot of evildoing that required actual exertion or Sheriff Kapp framing Liz for murder.

So many unknowns.

As the mall maintenance superintendent sidled up to Liz, and Emily turned her attention to another couple, Alex started making his rounds. It was awkward, to say the least, as everyone there knew exactly who he was and of what he’d been accused. Okay, and to what he’d confessed. He persevered but discovered only that Devon Hiller had had few wholehearted admirers and that Liz was well liked. Neither revelation came as much of a surprise.

During a splendid sit-down seafood dinner, he asked still more questions of the man and woman on either side of him. She was someone new on the staff, excited about her job in advertising. Her husband worked out of town and wasn’t much of a talker. Neither of them had a single interesting insight when it came to the death of Devon Hiller. Giving up on sleuthing, he cast longing looks at his gorgeous wife who sat at another table, surrounded by people who seemed to hang on her every word. It suddenly dawned on Alex that Liz would soon
become a very wealthy and powerful woman, attracting people impressed by such things.