Sarah Woods Mystery Series (1-6) Boxed Set (67 page)

“
What was your meeting about this evening at the rest stop?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head, clearly not eager to talk.

“
Do you know that his wife is missing?” the detective asked.

 
“
Look, I just got out last week. I borrowed my friend’s car, drove up last Friday, and called Kenneth. I wanted to see our son. I haven’t talked to Ethan in over a year.”

Detective James crossed his arms over his chest. “And …”

“
Kenneth told me not to come. He told me Ethan wants nothing to do with me.” She swallowed hard. “Kenneth asked me to stay out of their lives. Can you believe that? As if I would.”

“
Keep going.”

“
I told Kenneth to go to hell. I wasn’t about to abandon my only son.” She paused to take a deep breath. “Kenneth offered me a hundred grand to stay away.”

“
To stay out of Ethan’s life?”

“
Asshole actually thought I’d take the deal.”

“
But you eventually did?”

She closed her eyes again and shook her head. “It’s not what you think.”

The detective led her over to the table and sat her down. “I want to hear everything.”

She grabbed her pack of cigarettes, tapped one out, and lit up. Two puffs later, she seemed more relaxed. “I never used to smoke,” she said. “But everyone smokes in prison.”

The detective pulled his seat closer. “Ms. Waters?”

She looked up and nodded. “Right. Sorry. After I talked to Kenneth Friday morning, I was upset. He wouldn’t give me Ethan’s phone number. I decided to stay in town and try to locate my son. I figured he was probably in college, but had no idea where. I’d read a little about Mari on the Internet and found out that she and Kenneth were hosting some kind of fancy charity shindig, so I showed up.” Katrina took a few more drags before finally extinguishing the cigarette in a Coke can. “I used to be beautiful at one time, just like his new wife. I know it’s probably hard to believe. Beauty fades, just like Kenneth’s love for me after I took the fall. It had only been two weeks. Two weeks, when he came to visit me the first time in prison. When he told me he wanted a divorce, I thought I’d kill myself. Hope is a funny thing. I’d come to realize that five years isn’t that long and that I could tough it out. Then I heard about his engagement. At that point, the only thing that kept me going were Ethan’s letters, but those came less and less.”

“
So you wanted to get revenge?”

“
Of course I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt Kenneth worse than he’d hurt me. I went to
prison
for him.”

Detective James leaned closer. “What do you mean?”

“
I was Kenneth’s accountant. We met twenty years ago when he hired me. He seemed so smart and decent. I didn’t know he was fixing the books, but I’m the one who ultimately signed off on them. Kenneth convinced me that if I didn’t take personal responsibility for the fraud, we’d lose the business and everything else we’d worked for. The bastard let me take the fall, then divorced me two weeks after my incarceration.”

 
“
So,” he prompted. “Did you get revenge?”

Katrina smiled as she fondled the half empty pack of cigarettes. “In a way.”

“
What happened?”

She tossed the cigarette pack across the room as if she’d decided right at that point to quit. It bounced off the bed and onto the floor. Her expression softened in apparent resignation. “Like I said, I showed up at their party wearing a ridiculous outfit I bought at the Party Store. The mask was perfect, too. Even Kenneth didn’t recognize me at first. I’ll
never forget the look on his face when he realized it was his ex-wife. He grabbed my arm, led me to his office, and told me he could have me arrested if I didn’t leave right away. I laughed in his face and told him I had every intention of telling his beautiful wife the kind of man he really was. He threatened to kill me. He didn’t know I’d been recording the whole conversation.”

“
So it was you who asked Mari to meet at the warehouse the next morning?” the detective asked.

“
Before I left the party, I lost Kenneth in the crowd and approached Mari. I told her exactly who I was. At first, she seemed alarmed, as if I might try to embarrass her. But I assured Mari that I only wanted to give her one thing: a recording of the conversation I’d just had with Kenneth. If she wanted to know more, I’d tell her everything. I told her I’d be waiting at the old Gristmill warehouse the next morning at eight a.m.”

“
What did she say?”

“
She looked at me like I was crazy, but took the recorder anyway.”

“
Were you surprised when she showed up the next morning?” the detective asked.

“
Yes and no. Come to find out, she
had
listened to the recording and decided not to mention anything to her husband until she heard my side. So I told her everything.”

“
How did she respond?”

“
Disbelief at first. Then the tears came. I got the sense she’d known about Kenneth’s dark side for a while.”

“
What happened next?”

“
I told her I was afraid for her safety. She said she needed time to think. She probably didn’t know if she could trust me or not. I asked her if she’d tell me which college Ethan was attending. She said she would call and tell me as soon as she had everything figured out. I didn’t want to force her. And then … well, I left her in the parking lot. She was sitting in her car crying when I drove off.”

“
Wait a minute.” The detective waved a hand as if to back up. “Are you telling me that you didn’t hurt Mari Parker?”

“
Why would I do that?”

“
Revenge?”

She sputtered a contemptuous laugh. “It’s not her fault she fell for a conniving asshole. Besides, I wanted her to expose him. She’s a highly respected woman. People would believe her, not an ex-con.”

“
Then why did you meet with Kenneth this evening?”

Katrina sunk down in her chair like a small child being admonished. “Look, I was desperate. I’d contacted all of my old friends and nobody would tell me where Ethan was going to college. I’ve been living in this dumpy room for almost a week. Finally, this afternoon, Kenneth called me with an offer. If I agreed to stop making calls, and left town immediately, he’d give me
two
hundred thousand dollars.”

“
And you had no idea that Mari had been missing since Saturday morning?”

“
Not until I saw the front page of the local paper today. I didn’t read the details. I just assumed she’d decided to run away from Kenneth. I thought maybe she went back to Europe.”

“
Had she mentioned she might do that?”

“
No. She didn’t seem to know what she would do.”

“
But her car was found abandoned at the warehouse three days later. Purse and cell phone still inside. What time did you leave her that morning?”

“
Around eight-thirty,” she said.

“
Now think; did you notice any other cars around? Could someone else have been there?”

Katrina chewed her lip as she considered the question. “There was a dark SUV parked across the street when I pulled onto the main road, but no one was inside. I figured, maybe someone ran out of gas. Honestly, I didn’t care because all I could think about was trying to get in touch with my son.”

“
Was the SUV a BMW?” the detective asked.

“
I don’t remember,” she said. “Could have been. Why?”

“
Your ex-husband drives a BMW.”

“
What are you saying? You think Kenneth killed her?”

“
If Kenneth followed his wife to the warehouse and realized that you’d gotten to her, they may have gotten into an argument and things got out of control.”

She gasped. “My ex might be a bastard, but he’s no killer.”

“
Even if she threatened to leave or expose him?”

Katrina let out a long breath and her hands were shaking. Her expression suggested guilt mixed with anger. “This is all too much.” She rubbed her eyes. “So what happens next?”

“
I need you to stick around town. You may need to testify to everything you told me tonight.”

“
Do I have to give the money back?”

Detective James appeared to think it over, then said, “What money?”

Katrina’s lips curved into a smile. “Thank you.”

“
I’ll need you to come to the station tonight and sign an official statement.”

“
If Kenneth really did hurt his wife, I’m more than willing to do so.”

Chapter 16

The next morning I lingered in the shower with thoughts of last night’s revelations. Katrina Waters had provided damning testimony against her ex-husband, painting Kenneth as a ruthless and violent miscreant who likely offed his wife. Detective James currently had him in custody for questioning, but Kenneth refused to talk until his lawyer arrived.

There was nothing left for Carter and I to do but wait.

I donned my running gear and opened the front door, craving some exercise even though the air was frigid. It was then I noticed a package just outside my door. Too early for regular mail delivery, I surmised the brown box had been hand delivered. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was from my favorite bakery down the street. I surveyed the neighborhood. No one around.

Max must have dropped it off on his way to work. He knew how much I loved the raspberry scones from
Beach Peddler Bakery
. 

I opened the top flap and gazed in disbelief. Two giant white frosted cupcakes, each with a cherry on top, looked like a pair of breasts staring back at me.

There was a note:

Roses are red, violets are blue, cupcakes are sweet, and so are you.

Max could be such a romantic. Abandoning all thoughts of running, I took a bite of the cream-filled goodness, my taste buds tingling with the mixture of buttery vanilla, coconut, and hint of lemon. The frosting was so thick it stuck like paste to the side of my mouth.

I went back inside and called Max to thank him.

“
Hey, honey,” I said, when he answered. “You are
so
thoughtful.”

“
I am?”

“
I must have been in the shower when you came over.”

“
Um, what are you talking about?” He sounded congested.

I laughed. “Hello? The cupcakes you left for me. They’re delicious, by the way. And the poem? You crack me up, you know that?”

“
Sarah, seriously, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m still in bed. I think I have the flu.”

“
You mean you didn’t bring me cupcakes this morning?”

“
I’m sorry. I wish I had.”

I felt a gagging sensation in my throat. Maybe it was the thick frosting. I began to cough.

“
Sarah, are you okay?”

“
Yeah, I’m just … I have no idea who these are from. The note was pretty personal. I thought for sure it was you.” When it finally dawned on me, I cringed. “Oh shit, I bet they were for my neighbor upstairs. Jackie has a new boyfriend, and … Oh God, I feel so stupid.”

Max chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you figured that one out, Sherlock.”

“
So, anyway, are you okay? You sound awful.”

“
Nah,” he said, sniffling. “I just need to get some rest. Maybe I’ll feel better tonight.”

“
Why don’t I make something and bring it over for dinner. Chicken soup sound good?”

“
You’re a peach.”

* * *

A few minutes later I was knocking on Jackie’s door with the box of cupcakes. She was still in her pajamas. Her dog Chester jumped on me, almost knocking the box out of my hands.

“
Sarah,” she said, ushering me inside. “What you got there?”

“
These were sitting outside my door. I thought they were from Max, but I believe they’re yours.”

With a bewildered look, she opened the box and peered inside. Two cupcakes: one perfect, the other a complete mess with a chunk missing. She giggled when she read the note. “These can’t be for me. Tom and I broke up a few days ago.”

“
Well, maybe these are a consolation gift.”

“
Believe me,” she said, “that guy would never do something this nice.”

“
But you seemed excited about him.”

“
He loves sushi. You
know
how I feel about sushi. That’s all he ever eats. Everyone knows a real man eats meat.”

“
I’m sorry.”

“
Don’t be,” she said, waving the comment away. “Anyway, I’m back on the Internet dating sites and I have a few prospects.”

“
Well, you might as well help me eat these,” I said, giving her the box.

“
Sure.” She seized the untouched cupcake, peeled back the paper, and shoved half of it into her mouth. She made a moaning sound, as if she were having an orgasm. “Oh my. Delicious. I really shouldn’t be eating this.”

Jackie, on a perpetual diet, never seemed to lose a pound. “Do you have any idea who these could be from?”

“
I think it must have been some kind of mistake.”

“
Well, I’m glad you decided to share.”

“
You enjoy them. I’m heading out for a run.”

“
Are you working on a new case these days?” she asked, licking her fingers.

“
Yeah.”

“
Does it have to do with that missing woman I saw on the news?”

“
I can’t discuss it.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“
Sorry. I’m not allowed to say anything.”

“
I know. Hey, you should come over tonight and have a glass of wine. I can’t wait to tell you about this guy I went out with last night. He has a freakishly small penis, but thankfully, he knows how to use it.”

I held up a hand and backed out of her door. “Sorry. Max is sick. I think I’m bringing dinner to his house tonight. Maybe tomorrow you can bend my ear about the new stud-muffin.”

* * *

Around noon, I decided to stop in to the police station on my way to lunch. Detective James looked worn out, his wrinkled clothing and stale coffee-breath an indication he’d been working straight through the night.

“
Kenneth still hasn’t said anything?” I asked him.

He chuckled. “Oh, he’s said plenty. He’s threatening to sue the whole Bridgeport Police Department. His lawyer should be here any minute.”

“
Where’s Katrina? Back at her motel room?”

“
Yeah. We have her testimony on video just in case she decides to bolt, but I have a feeling she’ll stick around to witness the demise of her ex-husband.”

“
Of course,” I said. “She’ll want a front row seat. Do you think you’ll have enough to convict him?”

The detective raked a hand through his hair and smiled wearily. “That’s the tricky part. We don’t have much evidence. No body and no weapon. And our witness is an ex-con. But we have a pretty strong motive. I’m hoping if I put enough pressure on him, he’ll confess to something.”

“
He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who will give in that easily.”

“
It’s funny,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the guys with all the ego that give in the quickest. You never know what someone will do when faced with life in prison. By the way, thanks again for your help. If you and Carter hadn’t followed him to the rest stop, we’d still be chasing our tails.”

“
My pleasure. I wonder if I should stop by Alice Rossini’s place and give her an update.”

“
I’d wait until we’ve officially arrested Mr. Parker. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“
Okay. Look, I’m gonna grab some lunch. Can I pick something up for you?”

The detective rubbed his stomach. “Thanks anyway. I just had a granola bar from the vending machine. I’m not feeling so well.”

* * *

Kari was bartending for the lunch crowd. Dressed in her usual form fitting attire, she grinned ear to ear when she saw me. “Sarah, I was hoping you’d stop by.”

I claimed a stool and leaned forward, palms on the bar. “Oh really? Why me?”

She leaned over the bar and spoke in a discreet tone. “One of the regulars mentioned he was looking for a private eye. He didn’t give me the details, but he’s very interested in talking to you.”

“
I’ll give you Carter’s number. I’m kind of working for him until I get my license.” I wrote the number down on a napkin and slid it across the bar. “You met him when he came in here last week.”

“
That’s right. The guy with the black leather jacket.” Kari tilted her head and shot me dubious eyes. “You guys aren’t doing it, are you?”

“
Doing what?”

“
You know …  nooky-nooky.”

“
First of all,” I said, wagging a finger at her nose “who the hell says nooky anymore? And secondly, we are
not
sleeping together. He’s my mentor.”

“
He’s kind of hot for an older guy.”

“
Fifties is not that old.”

“
See? You’re even sticking up for him. I mean, you talk about this Carter guy a lot more than Max.”

“
No I don’t.”

She admonished me with her glare. “Whatever, girl. So, are you here to drink or just grabbing some lunch?”

“
Just lunch. The usual.”

Kari punched my order in on the computer pad, then got busy making drinks for other customers. I sipped on my water with lemon, enjoying the faint mariachi music playing in the background.

“
Hey, Sarah. Mind if I sit here?”

I turned to find Joshua Limp smiling at me. His hair seemed different. It wasn’t as greasy as before. Maybe he’d washed it. “Hi Joshua. It’s a public place. You can sit wherever you’d like.”

“
Thanks,” he said, obviously taking it as an invitation. He made himself comfortable. “I wanted to see if you liked the gift I left outside your door this morning?”

I spun my head around to face him. “Joshua,” I said, lowering my voice, “how did you find out where I live?”

He giggled like a little boy who had slipped a dead mouse into his sister’s bed. “I followed you home yesterday.”

I sighed heavily. “Look, Joshua, that is not cool.”

“
But you love cupcakes. And I love cupcakes. We have so much in common.”

Kari came back and refilled my water while giving Joshua a scowl. “Well, well, look who’s stalking.”

Joshua gave her a feeble smile. “I’ll have what she’s having.”

Kari rolled her eyes. “Dude, what is up? Are you harassing my friend? Let her have some lunch in peace, will ya?”

Joshua’s smile turned into a quivering pout. His eyes glazed over with tears. He stood up, and without saying another word, walked out of the bar.

I turned to Kari. “That was a little insensitive. He’s not a bad guy.”

She set a plate of food in front of me. “He’s a creep, Sarah. A leech.”

“
He’s … troubled, that’s all. Look, can I take the burrito to go?”

“
Why? Are you in a hurry or something?”

“
Yeah.” I lied.

Kari dumped the food into a Styrofoam container. “Okay. If you say so.”

“
Thanks,” I said, handing her a ten-dollar bill. “I’ll see you later.”

* * *

I looked around outside, but couldn’t find Joshua in the parking lot. I hung a left toward the alley. The dumpsters smelled like week-old guacamole and rotten shrimp. I spotted Joshua sitting on a crate; head hung low, his chin practically touching his chest. I ambled toward him.

“
Leave me alone,” he said like a petulant child. “Go away.”

A young Mexican boy was standing in the alley smoking a cigarette. He must have sensed an argument coming on and he moved to the other side of the building. I approached Joshua and handed him my take-out container. “Here, have this. Bet you’re hungry.”

He refused to look up. “No, thanks.”

“
Come on. Don’t be that way. Kari means well. She’s just protective.”

Joshua looked up and eyed the container in my hand. “I guess I am kind of hungry.”

“
It’s all yours,” I said.

He got to his feet. “I have another gift for you, but I don’t suppose you want it now.”

I sighed. “Look, I appreciate the kind gestures, but I have a boyfriend.”

“
You don’t even know what the gift is? Come on, let me show you.”

Joshua led the way down the alley where his dark blue KIA SUV was parked. The dent Kenneth had put in the door was still there. “You should get that fixed,” I said. “It’ll get rusty.”