Murder.Com (30 page)

     
So, you paid a sympathy call on Mrs. Conners.
 
She's in financial straits and Ryan's old Buick is on its last legs.
 
With two babies, she needs a reliable car.
 
"A new car," she said.
 
He slammed his fist against the wall.
 
"I know this won't stop," he yelled.
 
"She'll bleed me dry.
 
What will she want next?
 
A designer wardrobe, which she damn well needs?
 
Or better yet, the house next door to me."

     
He flopped into a chair and dropped his head into his hands.
 
Then he gradually raised his head, a sly grin curling the corner of his lips.
 
If she's in such financial straits, how'd she hire a lawyer?
 
Maybe that original letter is right there in that damn filthy house.
 
He jumped up and paced the floor.
 
Think, Ken, think.
 
A woman like that.
 
Where would she hide a letter that she didn't want anyone to find?
 
He'd sleep on it and think about it in the morning with a clear mind.

*****

     
Angie's spirits rose when she arrived at the hospital and found Sandy bright-eyed, dressed and waiting.

     
"I hope you feel as good as you look."

     
"The doctor tells me I'm not out of the woods and must control my stress.
 
Fortunately, I didn't completely break down, but almost."

     
Angie followed the nurse pushing Sandy in the wheelchair toward the exit, when suddenly she stopped in her tracks.
 
Coming from the opposite hallway was another chair being pushed by a volunteer.
 
The first thing Angie noticed were those green eyes staring from beneath the bandaged head.
 
Her arm in a sling, Melinda frowned when she spotted Angie.
 
She motioned for the woman to turn the chair around and they headed back the way they'd come.

     
Angie hurried forward and got Sandy into the car.
 
She wondered who would be picking Melinda up.
 
She saw no signs of Marty.
 
The only one in the waiting room was a man in shorts and a tank top, with a long braid..
 
More than likely Melinda's boyfriend.

     
In the car, she remained silent for a few moments, gnawing on her lower lip.

     
"What's on your mind, Angie?"

     
She smiled. "I forget you can read me like a book.
 
I did something this morning and hope you'll approve."

     
"Oh, what's that?"

     
"I called the twins."

     
Sandy stiffened, then relaxed against the seat.
 
"You did the right thing.
 
I've thought about the girls all morning.
 
Thinking how I should let them know what's going on.
 
After all, this is part of their lives."

     
"I didn't tell them any of the problems associated with Ken.
 
I just told them you'd been under a lot of stress and were in the hospital overnight, but that you were fine and coming back to my place today."

     
"How did they respond?"

     
"They want to talk to you."

     
Sandy nodded.
 
"I'll call them."

     
"You know they're welcome to come stay here if you want them with you."

     
"Thanks Angie.
 
But I really think it best for the girls to stay with mother until this thing blows over."

     
Once at the house, Angie excused herself so Sandy could talk with the twins in private.
 
"I'm going over to see Marty.
 
I told her to take off until tomorrow morning.
 
I think she needs to know I haven't deserted her."

     
"You're thoughtful and kind.
 
No wonder everyone loves you."

     
Angie felt her face flush as she went out the kitchen door.
 
She crossed the driveway and knocked on the cottage door.
 
Marty greeted her with open arms.
 
"Oh, Mrs. Nevers, I'm so glad to see you."

     
"Hello, Marty.
 
I wanted to check on how things were going.
 
Did the lawyer contact you?"

     
"Yes.
 
But I'm scared.
 
I don't want to go to prison."

     
"I'm sure you won't," Angie said, waving a hand.
 
"What did he say?"

     
"He thinks I might have a good chance of getting no more than probation since Melinda hit me.
 
They took a picture at the jail and my lip showed up real puffy.
 
I told him that wasn't the only time she'd done that.
 
He's going to play it up with how many older people get abused by their children."

     
"Has he spoken to Melinda yet?"

     
"She wants the whole thing dropped.
 
Doesn't like the idea of being dragged through the court system."
 
Marty shook her head and grimaced.
 
"I called her at the hospital, but she said she had nothing to say to me and hung up."

     
Angie sat down on the couch and clasped her hands in front of her.
 
"It might be just as well, Marty.
 
I know this sounds cruel, but she's going to be nothing but trouble and heartache for you if she doesn't settle down."

     
"I know.
 
But she's my daughter."

     
"Yes, that's true.
 
But she's also an adult, no longer an innocent child that you can control.
 
Unfortunately, she didn't have you with her all the time and got raised by strangers.
 
And that was Bud's mistake.
 
He should never have taken Melinda away from you and put her into boarding schools."

     
"But he gave her all the things I couldn't give her."

     
"That's true, but they were materialistic.
 
I'm sure he thought he did the right thing.
 
But that's neither here nor there now and we can't change it.
 
You and I have to get on with our lives.
 
I'm not taking your cottage away, you may stay with me as long as you wish.
 
However, it still stands that Melinda is not to come on the premises."

     
Marty lowered her head.
 
"Thank you, Mrs. Nevers.
 
I'll be forever grateful."

     
Angie stood and patted her shoulder.
 
"We'll get through this, I promise."

     
She went back to the house where she found Sandy at the kitchen bar blowing her nose.
 
Several wadded tissues surrounded the phone.
 
"Are you all right?"

     
"Yes.
 
Just mother-daughter tears.
 
I feel so much better after talking to them.
 
And I told them everything.
 
I realize now that my girls are pretty mature."

     
Angie put an arm around Sandy's shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
 
"They've been through a lot this past year.
 
Life's experiences make a person grow."

     
"I also talked with Mother about keeping them a while longer.
 
She and Dad agreed it would be best."

*****

     
A week had passed since Cliff sent in the sports coat for testing.
 
He stopped by Tom's office.

     
"You busy?"

     
"No more than usual.
 
Come on in."

     
"Any new leads on the Nevers-Conners case?"

     
Tom closed the folder on his desk.
 
"Not on this end.
 
How about you?"

     
"I know Ken has made several visits to Mrs. Conners' household, but most of the meetings took place in the yard."
 
Cliff tilted his head and raised a brow.
 
"Which seems odd."

     
"Maybe she's scared to invite him in."

     
"Well, that's possible, or Weber chooses not to go inside."

     
Tom couldn't restrain a slight smile.
 
"I can also understand that."

     
Cliff slapped his hand on the desk.
 
"I think that woman's blackmailing him."

     
Tom blinked.
 
"What makes you think that?"

     
"A new BMW showed up in her garage."

     
Tom straightened in his chair.
 
"You're kidding."

     
"No."

     
"Where the hell is she getting the money?
 
Conners certainly didn't leave enough for an expensive car, even after the insurance paid off."

     
Cliff leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
 
"There's something fishy going on, and I think we need to find out what."

     
"You know it won't do us a damn bit of good to question Ken.
 
He won't tell us a thing."

     
"And the Conners woman is anti-police.
 
She isn't even concerned about who killed her husband.
 
In fact, would you believe she never called the mortuary once while they had the body under examination?
 
They had to call her."

     
Tom rubbed his chin.
 
"Doesn't sound like much love lost, does it?"

     
The phone rang.
 
Tom picked it up, then handed it to Cliff.
 
"For you."

     
"Detective Maxhimer here."

     
Tom watched Cliff's expression turn sour.
 
When he hung up, Tom asked.
 
"What's up?"

     
Cliff hit the desk with his fist.
 
"Damn.
 
I thought for sure we had him."
 
He looked deflated.
 
"The fibers don't match.
 
We're back to square one."

     
After Cliff left the office, Tom opened the Conners file, which he'd been studying when the detective came in.
 
He reread the part about what had been found under Ryan Conners' fingernails.
 
That inner sense kept nagging him.
 
He scratched his head and read the report again.
 
Nothing, but he knew there had to be something he'd missed.
 
He felt it... but what?
 
He flipped the file closed then opened it at the beginning and reread the whole thing again.
 
No way did that woman have enough money to buy even the cheapest car on the market.
 
Even on time.
 
Her credit cards were maxed and many of her bills left unpaid.
 
In her financial shape, she couldn't get a loan to buy anything, much less a car.

     
He pulled the phone directory out of the drawer and turned to car sales.
 
Starting with the local BMW dealerships, he began dialing.
 
It didn't take long for him to locate the one that had sold the car to Ken Weber.
 
They had been instructed to deliver it to a Mrs. Autumn Conners.
 
A sympathy gift from the Nevers Computer Technology Company.

     
"How the hell did he get away with that?"
 
Tom muttered, hanging up.
 
"I guess you can do anything if you're the lone head of a company.
 
Cliff's right.
 
Something fishy is going on here."

     
Leaving the Conners file on his desk, he shrugged into his jacket and decided it wouldn't hurt to talk to that woman again.
 
He stopped by Cliff's office.
 
"Want to accompany me out to the Conners' place?"

     
Cliff shook his head.
 
"Try it alone this time.
 
She doesn't like me."