NAILED (12 page)

“No problem. Just make sure you return the favor. Anyway, whatever Sam said to the guy was most likely completely justified and everyone knew it. So why get her in trouble?”

“The police questioned everyone and maybe it was just said without any malice intended.”

“Whatever was said was obviously strong enough for your husband to come to your office and drag your sister out like a common criminal.” Mary-Beth’s round doe-shaped eyes grew wide. “Did he use handcuffs?”

My blood started to boil at the memory. “No, he didn’t or else we wouldn’t be here tonight. He’d be fish food at the bottom of Long Island Sound and I’d be on my way to Mexico. Besides, it doesn’t matter now because my poor sister was caught on the bank camera spying on her husband while Victor Sanjari was getting nailed. Yuk. Who does that?”

“All I’m saying is whoever ratted your sister out may very well have been trying to hide their own wrong doing. It’s just a thought, but wouldn’t hurt to find out who this person is. I assume even with Sam off the hook, you’re not going to let this go?” Mary-Beth cut her eyes at me.

“You’re right. I’m not. I have Michael to worry about and I want to know if Victor killed his wife.”

“You may never have definitive proof of that, you know.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’ll settle for being almost positive.”

We both looked toward the pier at the same time as John and Jeff came back to the table.

We ate our wonderful meal in animated conversation and topped it off with a warm chocolate pudding cake covered in rich vanilla ice cream.

After having a nightcap at Mary-Beth and Jeff’s home, John and I headed back to Indian Cove. John left the turnpike at some point and drove along the coast. I opened the window. The moon was almost full and stars twinkled in the sky out over the water. I let the scent of the ocean wash over me and I had to wonder. Who told the police about Sam’s argument with Victor Sanjari and why?

After breakfast, I checked my email. Shirley had written to say she was still searching for connections between Gary Hachmeister and Victor, and would get back to me later in the day. John had already left, so after I did a load of laundry and a few chores around the house, I headed over to my sister’s house. Sam had plans to help a friend with a fund raiser event that would be held later in the summer, and I would take the kids out for a bit of shopping and lunch.

“How’s Mary-Beth?” my sister asked while we sat at the table waiting for my niece and nephew to get ready.

“She’s fine. Good. Listen,” I began, leaning forward on the table and keeping my voice low. “Do you have any idea who would have been John’s witness, you know when he came and took you to the police station?”

“He didn’t tell me, but I’ll bet my life it was Mary McCarthy.”

“Why’s that? Doesn’t she like you? I’ve never heard you mention her before.”

“Who could not like me? I’m just so wonderful. But seriously, she’s divorced, relatively new in town, and on the prowl for a new man. Doesn’t much like anyone she considers to be competition, which means she’s suspicious of every female.”

“And you think she’d try to get you in trouble?”

Sam shrugged. “Who knows?”

My sister seemed distracted.

“Where’s Michael?”

“You tell me. He left right before you got here. Gave me a big hug and a kiss. Walked out of here like he was the happiest man on earth. If he was having an affair, would he really be so cruel as to let me know how happy he was to be off meeting his lover? I have no idea what he’s doing, but it seems to make him happy, so you know what? I’m not asking. I’m tired of asking and tired of worrying. Maybe he’s taking secret dance lessons like Richard Gere did in that movie with Jennifer Lopez. His wife thought he was cheating, too, and all he was doing was learning ballroom dancing.”

Sam put on a bright smile and got up and walked over to the counter to pour herself another cup of coffee. She wasn’t fooling me, and I wasn’t about to be the one to tell her that her husband was seen with another woman and they weren’t dancing, and that my husband was looking at Michael for murder. My sister sat back down and I decided to change the subject. Sort of.

“Did you know that Jenna was having an affair?”

“Noooo! Who told you that?”

“Well, actually, Jenna told me.” I explained about Maddi finding the diary. “I was pretty sure it was Gary Hachmeister, the owner of
Connecticut Custom Homes
. His office manager said he was in love with Jenna, but after speaking with him yesterday, I’m not so sure.”

“Interesting. You find this lover and maybe you find a killer. Who’s on your list of suspects?”

I thought about this for a minute. “Gary Hachmeister, for one. Something was going on with the two of them. I have Shirley looking into it. Maybe the mother.”

“Ruth? Really?”

“Victor left her high and dry and was planning on dumping her off on the sister. Mr. Annunzio rents his apartment upstairs from the bike shop to Victor’s sister, and he said he overheard them fighting because Victor wanted Delilah to take Ruth back in.”

“Well, then you better add Delilah to your list of suspects. I’d kill if I had to have Ruth live with me. Who else?”

“I’m thinking whoever Jenna’s lover was, and I have Maddi on my list as well.”

“Alex, not Maddi. She loves Moshi. She and her husband are good people. Their girls are smart and well behaved.”

“Yeah, but she’s positive Victor killed Jenna. I’m thinking her grief finally got the better of her.”

“We’re ready!” Henry said as he came running into the kitchen. Henry’s motto was
Why walk when you can run
.

He was quickly followed by Kendall, who looked so grown up in a pair of white shorts and a blue and white checked blouse. She had on a pair of white sandals showing off her pale pink toenail polish. I was used to seeing her in sneakers. Kendall had her light hair pulled back in a ponytail the same way Sam was wearing hers.

“Hey, before I go I want to see the sunroom.”

I followed Sam into the mud room and then through a door.

“Oh my! This is gorgeous. Are you allowed to be in here before it passes inspection?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care. Another guy is coming by next week and I bet he finds nothing wrong with it whatsoever. It is gorgeous, isn’t it? Kate did such a good job with the design. I would have never thought of the little atrium area for an indoor garden.”

The room was stunning. I asked Sam to give me Kate’s name and address as Shirley was interested in adding a room onto the back of her house. Heck, after seeing this room, I was seriously thinking about doing something at my house. I followed Sam back into the kitchen.

“Here you go,” my sister said as she handed me a brochure. “She left a few for me to give out. Kate Cavanaugh. Expensive, but worth it.”

The kids came back into the kitchen. I watched my niece and nephew while they kissed their mother good-bye. Kendall, light skinned and blue eyed, and Henry, already tanned from the summer sun and a head of thick dark hair and dark eyes. Meme’s Italian genes certainly seemed to thrive in Henry.

“Be good for Auntie Alex,” Sam called as the kids ran out the front door and got into the back seat of my car. “Where are you guys going?” she asked, looking at me.

“I don’t know. I was thinking of heading out to Branford.”

What I thought I would find out in Branford, especially with Henry and Kendall with me, was anyone’s guess, but after Shirley told me about seeing Michael, I wanted to check out the restaurant where he met the mysterious woman.

We took I-95 and in no time arrived in Branford. Main Street was in full swing. Parking was difficult as I expected for a summer Saturday, and I finally settled on a public lot. I knew there was a used bookstore on Main Street and we headed there first. Kendall had recently developed a love of
Nancy Drew
books, and I wanted to get her the next book in the series.

“Auntie, it smells funny in here,” Henry said the minute we stepped into the shop.

“That’s because they sell used books and some of them are very old and dusty. You can look around and if you find something you like, come and get me.”

Kendall and I headed to the information counter and asked if they had any copies of
The Mystery At Lilac Inn
.

“That’s the fourth in the series,” an obviously very knowledgeable young woman said to us. “I think we have several copies. Some in better condition than others.”

We followed her to the children’s section, where I found Henry sitting on the floor playing with a small dog.

“I found something I like. Can you buy him for me?”

“Sorry, but he’s not for sale. He’s mine and he loves to come to the shop with me. He looks forward to visits from our young guests.” The clerk smiled at Henry. “His name is Capriccio and I call him Cappy.”

Henry played with the dog while Kendall picked out three books. I paid for them and then we moved on down the street to a newsstand. I picked up some gossip magazines from the UK. I had gotten hooked on them while in Europe and treated myself to a copy whenever I could find them.

“Are you guys hungry?”

We decided on takeout hamburgers from the restaurant Michael had been at. I left the kids sitting on a bench just inside the restaurant door while I placed our orders to go.

“Were you by any chance working on Thursday, late morning?” I asked the waitress, a woman in her thirties.

“Yeah, I work Thursdays. Why?”

I looked over my shoulder to make sure the kids couldn’t hear me. “Do you remember a man and woman?” I asked and then I described Michael and the woman from what Shirley had told me.

“Did she get here first?”

“Yes! That’s right. You remember them?”

“Kind of. I only remember her because she was waiting for someone and he was late. She had a coffee and asked for the check, but then he showed up and I brought them both coffee and Danish.”

“Do you know who the woman was?”

“Kind of. I mean she’s come in here a couple of times, but I don’t know her name. I think she has her own business.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She always has a briefcase with her and talks on her phone a lot. I’ll put your order in.”

She left then and I went to sit next to Henry and Kendall. When our lunch was ready we took it across the street and ate while sitting on a bench in the town green. Dark clouds were gathering and a slight breeze was picking up.

“Looks like rain,” I said.

“Can we go play on the beach when we’re done?” Henry asked.

“I don’t see why not.”

Henry picked up his burger and went off to share it with some pigeons.

“Auntie Alex, what’s going to happen to Moshi?” Kendall asked.

“She’s going to live with her aunt and uncle and cousins.”

“If anything happened to Mom and Dad, where would Henry and I live?”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” I said gently.

“But if it did happen?”

“If it did, you could come live with Uncle John and me. Or Grandma and Grandpa, or your other grandparents.”

“I think we’d like to live with you and Uncle John and spend lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa.”

I picked up my burger with one hand while I wrapped my other arm around Kendall, making a mental note to make sure my sister had plans in place in case, God forbid, something happened. We sat there munching our burger and fries while Henry attracted more birds and a stray dog.

“Did Mr. Sanjari get killed because of what his wife did?”

I turned to look at Kendall. “You mean Jenna, Mrs. Sanjari?”

Kendall nodded.

“What did she do?”

“I saw her kissing Mr. Jankowski.”

“Mr. Jankowski?” I asked.

“Yes, Mr. Jankowski. Our principal.”

As soon as Henry and his four-legged friend finished their hamburger, we got the car and headed to Stony Creek Beach. Off the coast of Branford are the Thimble Islands. They’re privately owned, but a couple of cruise companies offer tours past the islands. We didn’t have reservations and the line looked too long, so instead I got an old blanket I keep in the trunk, and spread it out on the sand. The kids took the two pails and shovels I bought at the drugstore on Main Street, and started to dig while I thought about what Kendall had told me.

Mr. Big. Mr. Jankowski was certainly a tall man. But was he Mr. Big? He had to be. How many men could Jenna have been having an affair with? Kendall said that after drama class one afternoon back in February she had gone back into the main building to pick up one of her books and had seen Jenna kissing Mr. Jankowski. She said it was one of those long, mushy kisses like in the movies. She never told anyone. Not even her mother, but with Victor’s death, the secret had obviously weighed heavily on her.

I had seen the principal many times at various school events I attended for Kendall and Henry. As far as I knew he wasn’t married. He was around Jenna’s age, smart, nice looking. I could certainly understand how she could be attracted to him especially with the way Victor treated her. Maddi said Jenna and Victor had been separated for a time, so perhaps the affair started then and continued once she and Victor decided to give things another go. But why would she want to get back with Victor in the first place unless it was for Moshi’s sake. I thought about this for a few minutes. Maybe Maddi would have some answers. And what about Mr. Jankowski? Could he have killed Victor because he, like Maddi, also suspected that Victor had killed Jenna? It was as good a theory as any I had come up with so far.

I then turned my thoughts to the mystery woman at the restaurant. She had been just about to leave according to the waitress, and then Michael showed up. And she had a briefcase. Was she meeting him on her lunch hour? Or was their interest in each other professional and not personal? The waitress said that she had never seen Michael before. I had wanted to ask if she thought they looked romantic, but that may have been going too far. I certainly didn’t want her to mention our talk to Mystery Woman if she showed up again. So far it seemed that whatever Michael was up to, it was innocent, but then why not tell his wife? I wondered if John had spoken with him yet about his whereabouts at the time Victor Sanjari was murdered.