Love Inspired Suspense June 2015 #1 (17 page)

“Two years ago in June, did you go to one?”

“I'm sure I did. I usually went with Carly once or twice a month back then.”

“Were you there when an argument broke out between two men outside by the pool?”

Her forehead knitted. “Yeah, I heard one huge fight. I even went to the balcony and peeked out. Tabitha and Becky were watching. I really wouldn't call it an argument so much as Saul Rather screaming at some man. I'd never seen Saul go off like that.”

“What did the other man do?”

“He was totally uncomfortable. He kept looking around as though searching for a way to escape.”

“Did that man say anything to Rather? Shout back?”

“He just said he wasn't the one, then tried to calm Saul down.”

“Did the man look angry?”

Adele closed her eyes for a few seconds. “I don't think so and certainly not like Rather.”

“Who else was at the get-together that day?”

“I can't remember specifically except Tabitha, Becky and Carly. Sometimes different people came and went. In fact, a couple of times before Saul was killed, he went to Tabitha's get-togethers but not that day.”

“How did the argument end?”

“Saul finally just stormed off.” Adele relaxed against the chair and crossed her legs.

“When you went back inside, did you all discuss the incident?”

“Yes. We often ended up talking about the latest gossip. Carly was surprised at Saul's anger, too, so he became the object of our conversation that day.”

Nicholas rose and handed her a business card. “If you remember anything else about that day, please contact me.”

She pushed to her feet. “Saul's murderer was caught and convicted. Why the interest now?”

“I can't comment on an ongoing investigation.”

Adele snapped her fingers. “You don't think the building janitor killed Saul.”

“I didn't say that.”

“You don't have to,” Adele said, a satisfied expression on her face as she exited the living room.

When they entered the den, the senator finished up with his chief of staff. “So the security will be upgraded by Saturday?”

Carly nodded. “They've been working all week. I'll go out Friday and check it over with the supervisor of the project.”

The senator looked at Nicholas. “Do you need to talk with Carly?”

“No, sir. I got what I needed from Ms. Carpenter.”

Frowning, Carly glanced between her boss and Nicholas. “What did you need?”

“Some information about a fight between Saul Rather and Greg Littleton by the pool the night before Rather's murder. Ms. Carpenter told me she was the third person on the balcony watching the exchange.” Nicholas observed Carly intently.

“Oh, I remember hearing about that fight. Adele told me Saul laid into the other man.” Carly stood and turned toward her boss. “If that is all, Senator Eagleton, we need to return to the office.”

Nicholas escorted both women to the door then locked it after they left. When he looked toward the den, Selena emerged and came toward him.

“Did she give you anything to help the case?” Selena asked.

“Possibly. She confirmed that Littleton wasn't really angry but uncomfortable by the scene Rather created. I'm beginning to see why Michael was interested in the case. Something doesn't feel right here.”

“But you don't know what?”

“No, but if we can prove someone else had a better motive, that'll be a start. I'd like to go back and talk to Littleton, but I don't want to leave you.”

She stepped closer, her scent wafting to him. “I'll be fine. This place is secure. You can even leave Max to protect me and Uncle Preston. Remember, I'm capable of taking care of myself. I brought my gun with me.”

“I should have frisked you for weapons,” he said with a chuckle. “I'll go to the prison on Friday and then check the security at the estate.”

“You don't trust Carly's assessment?”

“You know I don't trust easily. I want to see it with my own eyes.”

She pressed against him, smiling up at him. “But you trust me? Remember before you answer, I have my gun upstairs.”

Laughing, he gave her a light kiss on the forehead. “I think you know the answer. You're at the heart of my investigation. Usually my only partner is Max.”

She moved back. “I'll take that as a compliment.”

* * *

On Friday, Selena met Carly in the hallway at her uncle's town house. Uncle Preston had asked Selena to let his chief of staff know he was on the back porch. After Selena did, she asked, “Had Nicholas arrived at the estate before you left?”

“No, was he supposed to? I thought he was staying here all the time.”

“Usually, but he had to interview someone and decided to go look over the security on the way back.”

“I'm surprised he didn't have the person he's interviewing meet him here like Adele and me.”

“He couldn't in this case.” Selena removed her cell phone from a pocket and headed down the hall. “I'll just call him and see where he is.”

Selena went into the living room before punching in the numbers. With the sheers pulled closed, she stood at the window, a security guard with a dog making his rounds. When Nicholas answered, she asked, “What did Greg say? Anything new that might help us.”

“Actually, yes. He remembers hearing the sound of a motorcycle when he walked toward the parking garage right before he found Saul's body. He didn't think too much about it because he figured the motorcycle was on the street. No one at the apartment complex had a bike.”

“So a motorcycle shows up again, this time at the crime scene. Interesting. How's Fiona coming with the list of people at the White House who've ridden a bike?”

“Slowly, but she's diligently working on it. If the information is out there to find, she'll find it.”

“How's Greg? Holding up?”

“He says he's okay, but I don't think so. I should be back soon. I'm finishing up at the estate. Everything seems all right, but I wish the senator would postpone this fund-raiser until the case is solved.”

“Which one? Michael's or Saul's?”

“Both. See you in a little while.”

As she disconnected with Nicholas, she thought she heard a sound in the foyer and turned. When she walked to the entrance into the living room and checked the entry hall, she didn't see anyone. Maybe it was Max or her imagination?

She hurried to the porch since her uncle had wanted her to be present as he and Carly were discussing tomorrow night's party.

“Oh, good. We can start now,” her uncle said as she took a seat. “I was telling Carly that you'll be my hostess. Erin usually is, but...” His voice trailed off into silence as he looked away.

Surprised by the statement, Selena thought she might have heard wrong. “Hostess?”

He returned his gaze to her. “With all that's been happening, I've forgotten to ask. I hope you will.”

“Well, sure. What do I need to do?”

“After we greet everyone who has shown up, I usually move around the room. When it's for the Eagleton Foundation, I actively solicit donations, but in this case there will be others doing it for the Wounded Heroes Organization, so we won't be the only ones.”

“Good, because if I had to depend on working as a saleswoman, I'd probably starve,” Selena said.

“Me, too,” Carly added.

For the next hour they discussed the different aspects of the fund-raiser, from the food to the A-listers attending. When they had finished, Nicholas showed up in the doorway to the porch, Max beside him.

“Did I miss anything?” he said with a smile, his gaze finding Selena's.

“I'm playing hostess tomorrow,” Selena said, a part of her uncomfortable taking Erin's place next to her father. “I'm going to be helping to get donations for Wounded Heroes. I'll need to read up on the charity so I can answer questions.”

Nicholas winked at her. “I'll help. I'm a big supporter of the organization.”

“Oh, great. You can be my first donor. Bring your checkbook tomorrow night.”

Carly rose. “How did the security look at the estate?”

“Good. It will be hard for someone to get inside without being invited.”

“I'm glad. That's what I thought.” Carly turned to Selena's uncle. “I'll be waiting for you at the estate. See you all tomorrow afternoon.”

As Nicholas escorted Carly to the front door, her uncle uncrossed his legs and sat forward. “You looked worried about something. I should have asked you to be my hostess in private. That way, you could have declined. I don't want you to do anything that'll make you uncomfortable.”

“I'm fine. I'm used to big receptions. No, I was just thinking Erin should be here doing it.”

A look of sadness captured her uncle's expression. “So do I.”

Feeling as though she'd intruded on her uncle's grief, Selena peered away and caught sight of Nicholas returning. He believed in Greg's innocence. It wouldn't be long before she would convince him Erin was innocent, too. Selena sent him a smile. For all her independence, what would she have done without his help?

* * *

After changing into a royal blue cocktail dress and matching high heels she was wearing to the fund-raiser, Selena descended the stairs to the first floor at her uncle's mansion fifteen minutes before the guests were to arrive. Although Carly had probably already checked on the food, as the hostess, Selena felt it was her duty to make sure it was what her uncle wanted.

Handsome in a tuxedo, Nicholas stepped into the large foyer and stared at her as she came downstairs. She gripped the wooden banister to keep from falling because his intense gaze made her self-conscious. Her knees weakened. Dressed as he was, she realized how well he fit into this wealthy environment, whereas she'd had to overcome her nerves and keep repeating that she was good at her job.

With her gaze glued on him, Selena knew she had to put some distance between them. She was becoming too dependent on Nicholas. She looked forward to seeing him, to what he said. And when he wasn't around, she missed him.
I am not my mother
.
I don't need a man to complete me.

At the bottom of the steps, Nicholas came up to her, letting his attention move down her length slowly before returning to her face. “You look beautiful.”

Memories of her mother and various men paraded across her mind. She forced a smile and pushed the thoughts away, but she couldn't totally dismiss them. “Thank you. I needed that. I'm getting nervous. As the White House tour director, I'm usually behind the scenes and very comfortable with that.”

“It's your turn to shine and believe me, you will.”

Maybe she could request someone different than Nicholas to guard her and her uncle. Brooke wouldn't threaten her piece of mind. Scare her like Nicholas did. She started to say something, when his cell phone rang.

“It's Fiona. I've got to take this.”

“That's fine. I'll be in the dining room.”

Did she have any good news for them? Earlier, Fiona had made her way through almost three-fourths of the list that Nicholas had given her and, other than Vincent Geary, she couldn't find anyone who rode a motorcycle. She knew Vincent had an alibi for the evening she was attacked in the parking garage. How about the day her uncle was shot? She knew that Nicholas would check out his alibi for each occasion where a bike was used. But that didn't mean someone couldn't have hired a person to do the job. Vincent was on the top of Nicholas's list for breaking into the general's office, which made him a prime suspect in her eyes. And the most damaging piece of evidence against him was that he had lied to Nicholas about being able to ride a motorcycle.

She walked around the buffet layout in the dining room, stopping to make sure there was a serving spoon for the artichoke dip. After the party tonight, she could talk with Nicholas about someone else guarding her. Or better yet, she could persuade her uncle to request Brooke. Chicken. That wasn't like her, and that scared her even more.

She spied Nicholas coming toward her, his features set in grim lines. “What did Fiona find out?”

“Tabitha Miller used to ride a motorcycle in high school and even race off-road. I called Isaac to bring her in to headquarters and interview her.”

“What about her alibi for Sunday when my uncle was shot?”

“What if someone else was in her car or she and Vincent Geary worked together. They both work for Congressman Jeffries. They could have known what Michael was working on.” Nicholas glanced at his watch. “I'll have to worry about this later. Isaac will handle Tabitha. We need to get through this evening without any problems. It's showtime. Ready?”

“Yes, Uncle Preston is in the living room. I think the downstairs of my house is smaller than his living room.”

“Perfect for these kinds of large parties but harder to keep an eye on the whole room at once.” Nicholas offered her his arm and escorted her to her uncle, who stood next to Carly in the foyer just outside the living room.

Her uncle grinned at her. “Our first guests have arrived. I appreciate your being here.”

“Good. Just remember that when I insist on you leaving the party before you wear yourself out.”

Her uncle harrumphed.

“I owe it to Erin to take care of you.”

Before he could say anything else, the first guests came into the foyer. For the next hour Selena met hundreds of people, some she knew from her job. Names swirled around in her mind, and she tried to keep everyone straight. Many of them knew Nicholas, and he ended up greeting people while he stood beside her.

As Carly left, her uncle turned toward her. “Now the fun part starts, persuading these guests to fork over money to a good cause.”

“I don't think it will be too hard. They came to the fund-raiser.”