Secrets in the Shadows (23 page)

“No,” Chase said. “She came up here from Florida. I’d never met her before.”

“Did you handle all her legal affairs?” Ethan asked.

“No, only her business affairs. She had a different attorney for her personal affairs. Sam Davis, over in New Salem.” He woke his computer up and copied the other attorney’s address and phone number down. Tearing the paper off, he handed it to Stacy. “I’ve never talked to him, but from the way Charity spoke of him, she thought highly of the man.”

Stacy glanced at the information he’d written down. “Was that unusual, her having separate attorneys for her professional and private concerns?”

Chase waggled his hand in a ‘more or less’ motion. “Maybe a little. She was a unique client in a lot of ways. I’d like to say that I’m surprised about her death, but I’m not really. I mean, there’s the shock of hearing someone you know has been murdered, but the way she set up her estate, it was almost like she expected this someday.”

Ethan leaned forward, looking intrigued. “How do you mean?”

“Well, she left written instructions from day one that if anything ever happened to her, whether it be death from natural causes or otherwise, if the police asked about her estate, then she wanted me to answer any and all questions. So, following those instructions, what all do you want to know?”

Stacy tapped her pen on her leg. “How about what specifically you handled for her? Let’s start there.” As he went over the details of his business with Charity, Stacy and Ethan asked follow-up questions. For several minutes they discussed her various financial interests. When she felt all their concerns had been addressed, she stood.

“Thanks for seeing us on such short notice.”

Chase waved the words away. “I’m sorry we had to meet to discuss this. Charity was a nice person. She was down-to-earth, for all her polish.” He escorted them to the door, and they said their goodbyes. As they crossed the street to the courthouse, Stacy’s stomach grumbled.

“You never did eat anything,” Ethan scolded.

She looked at him. “Uh, neither did you. Do you want to order something in for us while I try to get hold of this attorney in New Salem?”

“Sure. Sandwiches okay?” When her stomach gurgled again, he laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes. You aren’t going to try to drive over to New Salem tonight, are you?”

They were buzzed into the sheriff’s department and she held the door for him. “No, we need to get started on the tapes and journals. I’ll try to get in with him tomorrow.” Once they’d reached the bullpen, she moved to her desk and sat, pulling the paper Chase had written the numbers on out of her notebook.

“I’ll check on Jason, see if he’s hungry before I order. Then I guess we’ll see you in the conference room.”

When he left, she crossed her arms on her desk and laid her head down, closing her eyes. Her head was pounding, the kind of headache she got from being hungry. After a very short rest, she sat up and pulled her desk phone close. Glancing at the numbers, she decided to try the office number first, even though it was closing in on five o’clock.

While the phone rang on the other end, she opened a desk drawer, rummaging for something to eat that would tide her over. She came up with a very battered candy bar. Shrugging, she peeled the wrapper away from the half-melted chocolate as she listened to the voice mail recording. When it beeped, she left a message and hung up. She dialed the second number, and was beginning to think she had struck out again when a man answered.

“Mr. Sam Davis?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in whatever it is you’re selling.” Speaking quickly to stop him from hanging up, she rushed to explain the purpose of her call.

“I’m not a telemarketer, Mr. Davis. My name is Stacy Kirchner, and I’m a detective with the Olman County Sheriff’s Department. I’m calling regarding a client of yours, Charity Vaughn?”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the line. “Charity? What’s wrong? Is she in trouble?”

She closed her eyes. Death notifications were her least favorite part of the job. She’d rather dig trenches than be the bearer of bad news. “Mr. Davis, I’m sorry to have to tell you this over the phone, but we believe Ms. Vaughn is deceased.”

For a long moment, there was no sound on the other end. “I see,” he finally responded, his voice heavy. “I’m afraid you’ve surprised me, Detective. I need a moment.”

The sounds coming through the phone grew muffled, and she waited while the man dealt with his emotions.

He came back on the line. “Could you tell me what happened? Was she in an accident?”

“I’m afraid not. Apparently, she was the victim of a homicide.”

“I see,” he repeated. “Oh, Lord. She knew this would happen. I saw her just yesterday. I can’t believe she’s gone.” He paused, the empty sound full of emotion. “What do you need from me, Detective? Just tell me what I can do to help.”

Stacy was relieved to hear those words. “If it wouldn’t be too inconvenient, I’d like to meet with you. Early tomorrow, if possible.”

“Of course. Will you come here, or do I need to come to Leroy?”

“I can come to you. How does nine o’clock work for you?”

“That’s fine. I’ll see you then.”

She ended the call and opened her desk drawer again, this time to grab a bottle of ibuprofen. Downing two tablets with the rest of the bottle of water, she stood and stretched, then headed down the hall to the conference room. It was time to start learning who Charity Vaughn was.

Lauren stood at her mother’s sink, looking outside, her hip against the counter, as she talked to Beth on the phone. It had been a very long day. Her parents and Ava were in the backyard, and as she spoke, she saw Charlie walk over to Molly. They watched Winston pilot the new RC plane Molly’d given him for his birthday, and it took all Lauren’s concentration to pull her eyes away from her study of Charlie’s backside.

“Oh, my God. I’m in such trouble,” she said, feeling a flush cover her body from head to toe. She actually started tingling in places she had thought were dead. Especially not just from looking at a man.

Beth paused. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said, have you? And why are you in trouble?”

Forcing herself to turn away from the distracting view, she apologized. “Because I’m in lust. In serious lust, maybe for the first time in my life. And no, I’m sorry. I completely missed what you were saying.”

There was shocked silence on the other end of the call. “Um, okay. Well, if you were anyone else, I’d probably be offended, but since I know you and how seriously you avoid men, I’ll let it go. This time. And I want details, so don’t think I’m forgetting about this. But what I was saying was, they found Charity Vaughn dead today in her apartment.”

Lauren felt guilty about her distraction when Beth’s words registered. “What? You’re kidding me! What happened?”

“Apparently she was murdered. I didn’t get the call, but from what Julius says, it was pretty bad.”

“Oh, my God. That poor woman. When did it happen, do you know?”

“Some time last night, I guess.”

Lauren felt chills run down her spine. Gooseflesh stood out on her arms, effectively quelling the warm flush she had gotten from looking at Charlie. “You don’t think her death is connected to the vandalism, do you?”

Beth hmmm’d a little before she answered. “Well, it’s an awfully big coincidence, don’t you think? I mean, we have practically no crime downtown, and then in the space of a few days, your shop is virtually destroyed and another business owner is murdered. My gut tells me there’s something connecting the two, I’m sorry to say.”

“Damn. Your gut’s usually right. Charity Vaughn—I hate to hear that, Beth.”

“I know. So do I. A lot of women here in town didn’t like her because she was, well, popular with the men, let’s say? But she was always nice to me, and I know my neighbor, Raven, adored her.” She sighed. “Anyhow, I won’t keep you much longer—even though I’m tempted to ferret out who you’re in lust with—but what are you doing tomorrow night? Do you have plans?”

“No, not really. My hands are pretty well tied until Friday when the contractors start, and I’m actually caught up on paperwork. Why, what do you have in mind?”

“Annie and I would like to kidnap you tomorrow evening for a girls’ night out. You could use a break, and so could we.”

She nervously tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced back outside. “I don’t know, Beth. It’s the middle of the week, and what about Ava?”

“Let your parents take her for the night. She’ll be fine, and they’ll love it. And yeah, it’s the middle of the week, but it isn’t like you have to get up at the crack of dawn on Wednesday, now, is it?”

“I guess not,” Lauren replied. “I’ll talk to Mom. That’s all I’m promising.”

Beth laughed. “Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Smiling at her friend’s optimism, she hung up and went outside to join the others. Charlie watched her walk up, and held a hand out to her. She grasped it and squeezed, and he pulled her forward so that she was standing beside him. His arm brushed against her breast, and just like that, the heat was back.

“You look tired,” he said.

“Gee, thanks. That’s just what a girl loves to hear at the end of the day.” He opened his mouth to protest and she laughed. “I’m teasing.”

Winston shot her a happy grin. “Lauren, don’t torture the poor boy. He’s been on pins and needles waiting for you to get out here.”

Charlie’s flush deepened. “Yeah, well…” He shrugged. “Didn’t somebody mention ice cream?”

Ava jumped up and down with enthusiasm. “Yes! Grandma and Grandpa want to go to the Widow’s Walk,” she said, referring to the ice cream stand housed in a Victorian-era house on the river. She leaned against Lauren’s leg and looking up at her with wide eyes. “Doesn’t that sound yummy?”

“It does, Ava-bear. But I think I’ll stay here and let you all go without me, if it’s all the same.” She directed the statement at her mother, who was watching her closely.

“Are you okay, honey?”

She smiled. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

“But, Mommy, don’t you want any ice cream?”

“They have fresh, homemade strawberry this time of year,” her father reminded her as he brought his new plane in and packed it up.

“I’ll keep your mom company while you all go, Ava,” Charlie told her with a gentle tug on the little girl’s ponytail. “You can always bring us back something.”

With a look entirely too calculating for a seven-year-old, she pondered his words, looking back and forth between him and her mother. “Okay, Charlie.” She turned to her grandmother. “I’m ready to go.”

Molly laughed, picking her up for a hug. “Just like that, huh?”

“Yep, just like that.”

“I know what flavor Lauren wants, but what about you, Charlie? And how much?” Molly asked.

He grinned. “I could go for a little chocolate ice cream, I suppose. Maybe three scoops?”

Winston tsked them. “Chocolate and strawberry. You people are Puritans. What’s wrong with double chocolate macadamia with caramel? Toffee and cream?”

“Not a thing, Daddy.” Lauren shook her head. “Sometimes less is more, though.”

“And sometimes more is more.”

“Great comeback, honey.” Molly rolled her eyes at Winston as they headed into the house. “We’ll probably eat ours down there. Is that okay?” she asked over her shoulder.

Lauren couldn’t look at Charlie. “That’s fine.”

Her mother’s look was filled with mischief. “I figured it might be.”

When they disappeared into the house, Charlie laughed. “She doesn’t miss a thing, does she?”

“No. And believe me, my brother found that out the hard way when we were growing up. So, what’s the plan here?”

“I thought we might make use of that comfortable-looking swing in the backyard. Does that sound okay?”

“Sounds good. Lead on.” They walked across the grass to the arbor. As Lauren sat, she tucked her feet up under the skirt of her long sundress. The swing had a spectacular view of the city below, and the river that wound around the bluffs. Feeling some of the stress of the day start to fade, she rested her arms on her knees, and leaned against him slightly. He tucked his arm around her shoulders.

“How are you?”

“I’m okay, I guess. I didn’t want to say anything in front of Ava, but I talked to Beth a few minutes ago. She told me that Charity Vaughn has been murdered.”

He frowned, trying to place the name. “The lady who owns the gallery? What happened?”

“Apparently they found her body this afternoon, up in her apartment above the gallery. Did you know her?”

Charlie moved his shoulders, clearly uncomfortable. “Not really.”

She studied him in the fading light. “What? Something’s bothering you.”