Old Flames Never Die (Valentine Mystery) (19 page)

Daniel shrugged as if he didn't care one
way or another. “We're done here…for now.”

Tess took Daniel's cue and stood.

“But keep your lawyer on hand,” Daniel
said as he stood. “I may have more questions.”

~~~~

“I hate to admit it, but I get a little
enjoyment out of making people squirm,” Daniel said when they were back in the
car.

“I don't think Wilson appreciated it.”

“Yeah, well Wilson should know better
than to lie to the police.”

“What's your impression?”

Daniel shook his head. “I don't know. He
doesn't seem smart enough to pull off a murder like Danforth's.”

“What about my accident?”

“Maybe. I don't think he could plan a
murder, but I think he could kill as an impulse. If he knew you were
investigating him and happened to see you on the road, he might try to kill
you.”

“Do you think there could be a
connection between Liv and Wilson?” Tess asked.

“She's definitely smart enough and he
can probably follow directions,” Daniel said. He cast a quick glance to Tess. “Not
quite ready to let Liv off the hook?”

“I'll concede that maybe she isn't
involved, but the new information about Wilson doesn't eliminate her either.
What about you? You ready to absolve her?”

He shrugged. “I can't let go of that
feeling she's involved, but I can't admit my feelings into evidence in court.”

Tess knew he was right. Maybe it was
time to admit that Liv couldn't have been the killer. She had a rock solid
alibi and no good reason to want him dead. If her main goal in life was to live
in luxury, it was better for her to stay married to Charles. Tess wondered if
she conceded that Liv couldn't have been the killer, if things would improve
with Jack.

Daniel turned his car up Elm Street. “Did
you forget something at your place?” Tess asked as they neared his home.

“I was thinking you needed a car, so I
was going to let you borrow mine since I have a police vehicle.”

Tess hadn't thought about a car and was
touched that Daniel had. But that was Daniel. He looked out for her, even when
she didn't always deserve it.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“You need a car, right?”

“Yes, but you can take me to a rental
place. I think my insurance covers a rental.”

He waved away her comment. “This is
easier.”

He pulled into his driveway and parked.
He wrangled the car key off his key ring and handed it to her. She took it,
grateful for his help.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded. “I'll admit, I could use a
little rest, but I'm fine.”

“I don't just mean about the accident,”
he said. “It's strange that you haven't talked to Jack and told him about your
accident.”

Tess looked out the window, not sure
what to say. Daniel was her friend. But he'd also vied for her love at one
time, which had pitted him against Jack.

“Hey.” Daniel took her hand, drawing
Tess' attention back to him. “I just want to help, if I can.”

She managed a smile. “I know and I
appreciate it. Things with Jack are…complicated.”

Daniel studied her for a moment. “Love
usually is.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “If you need a friend to talk to
or a shoulder to cry on, let me know.”

Tess' first thought was to thank him and
then head back to her hotel. But for some reason she couldn't help but blurt, “Do
you think I'm jealous? That the history Liv has with Jack is clouding my
judgment?”

Daniel cocked his head. Apparently he
thought she would thank him and leave too.  “Maybe. But I don't care about
their history and I still think something's not right about her story.” He was
silent for a moment and then asked, “Want some dinner and then we can talk? Mom
left me some casserole.”

“You'll never learn to cook if she keeps
bringing you food.”

He grinned. “I can't help if she likes
to feed me. And I'm not about to refuse good southern cooking. So what do you
say?”

Tess nodded. “Okay.”

~~~~

Tess sat at the kitchen table as Daniel
put his mother's casserole in the oven. “Want a soda or water? Wine is out
because I know you're on medication.”

“Soda. Diet if you have it.”

“You know, no one could blame you for
being jealous. Liv calls Jack like a damsel in distress, she's kiss—”

Tess' head jerked up to look at him.
Daniel winced and turned away.

“You weren't going to tell me about Liv
kissing him?”

“I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid
you'd think I was just trying to make things bad for you and Jack. It sounds
like you knew.” Daniel handed her a can of soda and took a seat across from
her.

Tess let out a short laugh. “He thought
you had called me that night.”

“Her intention seems clear, on that I'd
have to agree with Shelby.” He shook his head. “Don't ever tell anyone that I
just agreed with Shelby.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” Tess
said. “That's not the only time Liv has kissed Jack. I caught her trying to
lock lips with him in his office yesterday.”

Daniel's brows drew together. “How does
he allow that twice?”

Tess shrugged. “I think he thinks when
he says he's not interested, she'll get a clue.”

“She's a woman on a mission and not you,
not even Jack will keep her from it.”

Tess was beginning to think he and
Shelby were right.

“Your feelings of jealousy may not be
about her trying to steal Jack. Maybe you're jealous that he sides with her.”

“He feels he owes her.”

“And what about you? What does he owe
you? Weren't you the one who solved Asa Worthington's murder right when the
police were getting ready to arrest him?”

Good point
, Tess thought.
Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe she was feeling defensive because Jack's loyalty
was with Liv. “When you say it like that, it does bother me that he
automatically assumes she's telling the truth.”

“So he thinks you're lying?”

“I think he thinks I'm jealous and
trying to make her look bad in his eyes.”

“Are you?”

“No.” She looked at Daniel in the eyes. “I
really feel she's guilty. I have no proof. In fact, the evidence indicates I'm
wrong, but Daniel, there is something… something that we're missing.”

“Like what?” She could see he was moving
from friend to cop mode and was glad for it. She needed to get her mind on the
case.

“She still hasn't said she didn't do it.
Don't you find that odd?” Tess asked.

“Yes, but it doesn't make her guilty.
You know that.”

“I know. I need to go over everything
again.”

Daniel shook his head. “Tenacity.”

She grinned. “My middle name.”

~~~~

Tess and Daniel ate dinner as the old
friends they were and she was grateful for it. It helped to sort out her
feelings. And it took her mind off the fact that Jack still hadn't called.

After dinner, she stopped by her house
to check the progress. Building contractors often got a bad rap, but Tess' crew
seemed to be the exception. They weren't always on site when she was there, but
their work was evident. Another week or two and the house would be finished.
That was a good thing, because with Jack AWOL, it appeared she would need a
place to live.

She headed back to her hotel room and
contemplated calling Jack again. She couldn't decide if she was worried or
irritated that he hadn't called her back. Ultimately she decided he'd call when
he was ready.

She wanted to go over the case notes,
but first she needed to go over her finances. She had at least six months’
worth of savings if she lived frugally. If absolutely necessary, she could tap
into her trust. She shivered at the thought. She had no intention of using the
money. It would be a sign of defeat that she was sure her father would lord
over her.

Still, the last few months of not
working had been relaxing. With Jack she'd had a long vacation and it was easy
to want to live like that forever. And she knew she could. But then she thought
of Kevin, and knew she couldn't live her life like that. It was one of the
reasons she moved out of Jack's home. She couldn't go through life playing.

On the other hand, she had learned
something about living from Jack. He worked when the challenge interested him.
When he didn't work, he played, but always with purpose and usually to the
benefit of someone else, like the children's soccer league he supported.
Perhaps she could take the trust and do the same.

Tess began to list things she might like
to do if she didn't work, but could only come up with buying a chocolate
factory or investing in couture lingerie companies.
You're pathetic, Tess.

Giving up on planning her life, she
decided to go over her case notes. But even that wasn't going very well. She
focused on Charles' medical reports thinking maybe there had been an accident
or illness that could be suspicious. But Charles Danforth was as healthy as his
horses. Except for the vasectomy he got just prior to marrying Liv and the
appendectomy three years ago, there was nothing unusual on his records.

She remembered Wilson telling her about
a near-miss when hunting and wondered if Wilson had set that up or if it really
was a negligent hunter. Or maybe someone else. Ultimately, she couldn't see the
“smoking gun” in her notes. She wasn't sure she'd see it even if there were
neon-colored arrows pointing to it. She was exhausted and her medication was
wearing off, if the dull pain on her head and shoulder were any indication.

She set her notes aside, changed into
her sweat pants, took more medication, and lay down on the bed, hoping for a
dreamless, peaceful sleep.

Jack focused on the road ahead and tried
to figure out what he was going to say to Tess. He knew it was wrong for him to
leave town without telling her. He knew that she was aware that he'd left town,
thanks to Brad. And he could hear the stress in her voice in her last message.
He should have called her sooner, but Cora hid his phone, wanting nothing to
disrupt their day together. Not that he couldn't have gotten it back. He was
twice as tall, a hundred pounds heavier, and nearly fifty years younger than
her. He was sure he could have wrangled it from her. But she deserved his
attention, so he turned off all thoughts of the drama in Jefferson Tavern and
enjoyed the day.

But now as he neared the exit that would
take him to Tess' hotel, he knew he'd been wrong not to call and wondered just
how much damage he'd done. It was hard to tell with Tess sometimes. Her move to
the hotel had been an unexpected and huge blow. He'd been sure she'd gotten
over her insecurities about love and relationships. He'd been wrong. His
silence over the last day certainly hadn't helped.

Parking the car in the hotel's garage,
he made his way up to her room, his mind in a whirl. He knew how to apologize,
but he didn't know how to tell her all the other things going on in his head
that he was sure she wouldn't like.

In hindsight, he should have stayed away
from Liv. But how could he when she'd been such a support to him when his
mother died? Tess couldn't know how difficult the loss had been. It was like
the foundation had been ripped out from under him. He probably should have gone
to counseling, but the bottle and woman were easier. Finding Liv had been just
as wrong as all the drinking, worse actually, since she was married. But she'd
somehow grounded him. And he could see that his needing her had given her
something she needed as well. He hadn't loved her, but at the time he needed
and cared for her. It was more than she'd gotten from her husband.

But even in a loveless marriage, Liv
wouldn't have killed her husband. She'd have her affairs, yes. But cheating was
a long way from murder. If she'd wanted out or needed help, she could have come
to him just as she did after her husband's death.

Jack took a deep breath, and knocked on
Tess' door.  When she opened the door and smiled, tentative as it was, Jack's
brained emptied of everything except wanting to touch her. He started to reach
for her, until he noticed the bandage on her temple.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
Her voice was wary, which scared him. He wanted her to be mad because it would
indicate she was still invested in their relationship.

“Tess.” He reached out, brushing his
fingers over the bandage.

She sighed and moved to let him in. “I
had an accident.”

“How? Where?”

“In Bucks County.”

Jack's concern morphed into annoyance. “Bucks
County? You took what I told you about the Senator's interest in Liv's property
and used it against her?”