Suspicions with Murder (A Rilynne Evans Mystery, Book Four) (17 page)

“Well, now we have everyone’s motives; let’s look at the evidence. You have an approximate time of death. Does anyone have an alibi?” he asked.

“Not that I’ve found. It’s not like I can outright ask them, though. It was before the workday was over, so everyone would have been spread out doing their own things,” she said. “Mrs. Lewis has everything on a strict schedule, so it’s the same from week to week. I know that no one was supposed to be in that area of the house, but what people are supposed to do and what they actually do are two different things.”

“Aren’t there security camera on the property?” he asked curiously. “With everything I’ve heard around town about the Lewis’, I kind of pictured cameras set up all around the house with some big viewing room that Jared Lewis can sit in and just watch everyone.”

“I think you’ve seen too many movies,” she chuckled. “I haven’t seen any cameras in the house, but I can honestly say that I wouldn’t put it past Jared Lewis to have hidden ones placed around that no one knows about. I know there are some at the front gate, though. The only problem is, there was no one seen coming or going the night of the murder.”

They sat in silence for a few moments. Rilynne knew the car had been used, but it would have been impossible to get it out of the gate without being seen.

“Is there any other way off of the property?” Ben asked. “Are you sure there wasn’t a hidden panel in the tunnels? Or maybe a secret passage out of the garage?”

“No,” she replied. “I checked the tunnel very carefully, and I’m sure we would have found a tunnel big enough to drive a car into when the garage was being searched. There is another way out, though. Danny showed me where there’s a hole in the exterior wall that surrounds the property. He didn’t say whether anyone else knows about it, but I’m sure someone else probably does. Had we not already discovered that the car was used, it would have definitively been a possible way to get the body out.”

“Well, what if she wasn’t removed from the property that night?” he asked. “What if they left her in the trunk then drove her out early the following morning?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but quickly closed it again without responding. The medical examiner had speculated she’d been placed in the lake near the time of death, but he wasn’t able to give a precise time. It was very possible the killer could have placed her in the car trunk then taken her to the lake the following morning. The only problem she could see with that was it would have been much riskier. Rilynne herself went out jogging around that lake in the early mornings. She almost always passed several other people from town on the trails. It would have been difficult to pull off without being seen, but not impossible.

“That definitely is a possibility. Steele and Tylers collected the tapes from the security camera. Have them check the tapes for the following day and see if the car left. It’s not a car that’s usually used, so if it was taken out, chances are it was for the body dump,” she said.

“Well, it’s not a clear answer, but it’s a place to start,” he said optimistically. “Hopefully the evidence we collected will tell us who’s responsible and you’ll be able to put this whole thing behind you. You could even be back to rooting through the cold cases by Monday morning.”

Rilynne laughed and let out a long, tired sigh. “I think I’ve had enough of hunting for cases for a little while,” she stated. “I’ll just sit back and wait patiently for one to find me. Hopefully when that happens it won’t have anything to do with pretending to be a maid.”

“If it does, you won’t hear me complaining,” he stated boldly. “You happen to make a very cute maid.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that,” she said. “For now, I think I’m going to call it a night. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”

After hanging up, Rilynne had to force herself up to turn off the light. As soon as her body dropped back into bed, everything around her vanished and she was instantly in a deep sleep.

The darkness of her room was suddenly interrupted by the bright light shining through the bedroom door as it swung open. She shot up in bed to see who was there, but no one stepped through. After several heart pounding moments, she slid off the bed and walked cautiously toward the open door.

When she stepped through it, she found herself once again on the familiar beach. Rilynne was torn. She knew if she walked to the right, she would find the large rocks that stood high above the crackling waves. All she needed to do was climb up on them and she would be able to relax and enjoy the scene around her with nothing more than speculating the shapes of the clouds to occupy her thoughts.

If she went left, however, she could hope to find answers. Answers to what, she didn’t know. The storm clouds were circling above the towering trees at the end of the beach. If she went looking for answers, she knew it wouldn’t be an easy task.

“What do I do?” she said aloud to the water as it slowly moved toward her. “I’m so tired, but I still have so many questions.”

“You already know the answers,” she heard suddenly from just beside her ear. She spun around to find Ben standing about ten feet in front of her. “It’s right there in front of you, it always has been. You just need to know where to look.”

She turned back around to face the waves as they started to tickle her feet. “I’ve been looking,” she said impatiently. “I’ve looked at everyone in that house. Anyone of them could have done it. I feel like I’m no closer to solving it today than I was when I first received the assignment.”

“That’s because you aren’t,” he said. “It’s right there in front of you, though. You just need to put it all together. If anyone can, it’s you.”

“Instead of a pep talk, why don’t you just tell me what I’m not seeing,” she said, turning around to face him. “Tell me what happened.”

He looked at her with a warm smile that made her forget for a brief moment just how frustrated she was. It quickly returned, though, when she received his response. “You can’t believe what’s said,” he stated firmly. His eyes seemed to burn through her. “It’s not the truth.”

“Pertaining to what?” she asked abruptly. “Am I supposed to ignore everything that I’ve been told during my investigation because it could all be a lie? Everyone lies. It’s my job to sort through the lies and find the truth. So why can’t you just tell me what truth it is that I’m not seeing?”

“You really are one of the most stubborn girls I’ve ever met,” he said as an amused grin flashed across his face.

Everything she was feeling seemed to vanish as she took in his statement. “You aren’t the first person to tell me that,” she stated, unsure of anything else to say.

His grin faltered for a moment before he started walking toward her. “You won’t give up until you find the answer,” he said smoothly. “You never do. You just need to open your eyes and see it. You’ve been blinded by your assumptions and the assumptions of others. Don’t listen to what you are told.”

“Told by who?” she interrupted. He was now just a foot from her. She could feel his breath sweeping over cheeks as he spoke. The sweet smell of peaches was intoxicating as it floated down around her like a curtain. The sound of laughter filled the air around them as she reached out and rested her hand against his chest. “Who isn’t being honest?”

His head dipped down toward her and she felt his heart pounding against her palm. She rose up to meet him. He was just inches away as she felt her own chest growing tighter. He looked down longingly at her and whispered, “Open your eyes.”

When Rilynne’s eyes shot open, she found herself back in bed with the sun’s rays reaching through the window and settling on her face. She could think of nothing to do but pull her pillow over her face and let out a low, frustrated groan.

“
S
o did you see your man last night?” Rilynne asked, struggling to keep the grin off of her face as Nancy walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

Nancy dropped down across from Danny. “No,” she said. “He probably got stuck at work. He
is
the head of the crime scene unit, after all. He inevitably is going to have to pull some late nights from time to time. I wasn’t able to get him my number in front of that officer, so he didn’t have any way of letting me know he wasn’t going to make it.”

“Detective,” Rilynne stated without thinking. Nancy looked up and gave her a quizzical look. “Detective’s investigate murders. Officers are the guys who wear the uniform and pull you over when you’re speeding.”

“Like it matters,” Nancy replied. “They’re all the same, really.”

Rilynne fought off the urge to correct her again. To her surprise, Danny quickly spoke up. “You go tell him he’s no different than an officer,” he said abruptly. “Make sure I’m there, though, because I would love to see you put in your place. That’s like saying you’re no different than a high school janitor.”

He appeared to have finally had enough of her drama. She looked both shocked and furious by his tone. She just sat and stared at him, apparently unsure about which emotion to express, before standing up without a word and walking out of the room.

Rilynne didn’t quite know how to react, unlike Cole who stood up and started clapping before offering Danny a low bow. “Inspired,” he said. “I’ve wanted to do that for years. I wish you had given me some warning, though. I’d have given anything to get that on video.” He just stared at Danny, wide-eyed and impressed.

Rilynne glanced over to Lisa, who had remained very quiet during the entire event. Though she appeared to be oblivious to everything that happened, Rilynne could just make out the small grin creeping up on her face.

As the guys carried on, Rilynne couldn’t help but wonder how things were going to change around the kitchen table. For the first time since her arrival, she was almost wishing she would be able to stay for another day.

After everyone finished eating, they walked together toward the foyer for the weekly staff meeting. Sydney and Nancy were already standing in the middle of the room, waiting for the meeting to begin. When they walked in, Nancy shot Danny a quick look of pure hatred before turning back toward Cyndi Lewis. Danny just smiled. Rilynne had a feeling Danny was pleased by the prospect that Nancy’s obvious infatuation seemed to have come to an end.

Mrs. Lewis had just opened her mouth to speak when a loud rapping echoed through the room. Cole stepped forward to open the door, as the rest of the staff steered toward a wall. Rilynne had the distinct impression that Mrs. Lewis had ordered them all to remain as unseen as possible when visitors arrived.

When the door swung open, she was shocked to see Tylers and Steele standing on the other side. She turned her gaze quickly to Cyndi Lewis, who not only shared the same look of shock, but also had a glint of panic in her eye.

Steele stepped into the room, passing Cole like he was nothing more than a decoration. “Cyndi Lewis, you’re under arrest for the murder of Brittney Price. We’re going to need you to come with us.”

A resounding gasp came from all sides as Rilynne took in the look of surprise on everyone’s faces. That is, everyone except Jared Lewis, who was standing on the landing above them. He didn’t look surprised at all; instead he seemed more serious than she had ever seen him. He watched carefully as Steele and Tylers walked toward his wife, but didn’t say a word. Instead, his gaze quietly shifted to Rilynne.

She looked away quickly, but she could still feel his eyes on her. It wasn’t until he began walking down the stairs that he finally looked away.

“Jared, do something!” Cyndi pleaded as Steele slapped the handcuffs around her petite wrist.

“I intend to,” he said when he reached the bottom step. “Miss Finley, go get these heroic members of our police department something to drink. I think I saw a pitcher of your delightful homemade lemonade in the refrigerator.”

Cyndi’s jaw dropped as a fury flashed in her eyes. “You idiot! They’re placing me under arrest and you’re offering them beverages! I’m a saint for putting up with your ridiculous nonsense. Now you get the attorney on the phone right now and have him meet me at the police station.”

“Whatever you say, dear,” he said. Rilynne couldn’t help but notice the unmistakably delighted look on his face.

“We’re going to need statements from the members of the household staff who were employed at the time of the murder,” Tylers announced.

“Of course,” Jared Lewis said, turning his attention to the staff still lingering by the wall, aside from Lisa who had already headed back toward the kitchen. “You will assist these men with anything they need and answer any questions they may ask. Is that understood?”

Everyone seemed completely shocked by the situation unfolding in front of them. They each nodded as Tylers approached. “If everyone can please follow me.”

Rilynne leaned against the wall and watched as they followed Tylers outside. Before Jared Lewis walked out, his eyes shot back to Rilynne. He raised his eyebrow at her in a satisfied way and grinned. Something about it struck her as odd, but she just shook it off. He was always doing things she couldn’t begin to understand, so she wasn’t going to waste time trying to figure it out now.

She waited until everyone was out before approaching Matthews, who was standing just inside the doorway. “Why didn’t you call and let me know you’d be making your move today?” she asked, annoyed she had been caught unawares.

“Wilcome told me not to,” he said quietly. “He wanted you to be as shocked as everyone else when we arrived, so as not to risk your cover being blown. It’s unlikely that Cyndi Lewis worked alone, and we don’t know as of yet if she’ll give up her accomplice. Personally I didn’t agree, but it wasn’t my call to make. We’re going to take the statements here, then transport Mrs. Lewis back to the station. Stay here and maintain your cover until we have the name of the person she was working with. Hopefully she’ll cooperate and we can pull you out in a few hours.”

“What was the evidence?” she asked before he could walk out the door. “Ben wouldn’t tell me what had been found.”

“An earring covered in the victim’s blood was found in the well with the spare tire,” he stated. “It appears that it fell out when Brittney Price was being put into the trunk, and somehow fell down below the panel. Ben was able to retrieve a DNA sample that was a match to Cyndi Lewis.”

Still bothered by Wilcome’s decision, she just nodded and stepped out of the door. Just behind her came Lisa with the pitcher of lemonade and a stack of glasses. She just grinned as she watched her hand them out.

They had the members of the staff, as well as Mr. Lewis himself, spread out along the driveway. She glanced quickly across the crowd and saw that every member of the homicide office was present, including Lori. Rilynne sat on the top step and watched while they interviewed each member of the staff separately. She didn’t like having to sit on the sidelines. After a few frustrating minutes, she pushed herself up and walked through the empty house back to her room.

“Can you believe that?” Danny said when he appeared in her doorway ten minutes later.

“No,” she replied sincerely, though for very different reasons.

“She’s been high strung lately, but I never would have thought she was capable of actually killing someone,” he stated. “She always seemed to like Brittney. Well, as much as she could like anyone who was working for her, at least. If she were going to kill someone, I’d have thought it would have been Nancy after she broke the items in the trophy room. I’ve never seen her as angry in all the time I’ve worked here.”

“Or her husband,” Rilynne stated. Danny laughed and nodded. “I don’t think going off on him in front of the police really helped her case. If anything, it made her look like she has a short fuse. I wonder why she did it?”

Danny shrugged and leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded in front of him. “I really couldn’t even begin to speculate. I’m intrigued now, though, so I hope they release her motive when they find out.”

“I’m sure they will,” she replied. “As long as she gives a reason. Some people don’t.”

He was just about to speak again when Rilynne heard Mr. Lewis calling down the hall for him. After giving her a quick little smile, he started off toward him. Rilynne pulled herself up and walked to the door. After making sure no one else was on the way to see her, she shut the door and retreated to the chair in the corner.

“Don’t listen to what you’re told,” she said aloud to herself. “Open your eyes and see it.” She closed her eyes and thought hard about the words, and what they could mean.

“See it,” she said again, and she did.

Brittney was standing at the top of the stairs, wiping the banister with the rag in her left hand. She looked over her shoulder and laughed. She was talking to someone behind her, but Rilynne couldn’t see who else was in the room. She appeared to be speaking loudly, but no sound could be heard.

Brittney turned back to the work in front of her, still laughing. She took a step down and had just reached out toward the railing when a sharp pain spread through her back.

Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell forward down the stairs. The pain spread through her body with every tumble she took. She could feel the bones breaking as her body slammed against the hard steps.

She let out a painful moan as she neared the bottom of the steps. The pain was too much to handle. She felt herself drifting away as the blackness closed in around her. When her body finally came to a rest on the floor below, she was met with a hopeful sight.

Just before the blackness overcame her, she saw Cyndi Lewis rushing into the room toward her. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy to see anyone.

Rilynne opened her eyes and reached for her phone, but hesitated. She could just call in the situation and let them know what she had discovered, but she knew that wouldn’t be enough. She wouldn’t be able to put it all together unless she could speak to Cyndi Lewis herself. If she called it into the station first, she knew she would be ordered to stay put.

She didn’t even bother changing out of her uniform before rushing toward her door. Rilynne glanced up and down the hall to make sure no one was around before sneaking out the backdoor. She looked around the corner and saw two of the security guards standing under a large shade tree, deep in conversation. When she was sure they weren’t looking, she rushed toward the tree line. She was on the opposite side of the house from the path that Danny had taken her down, but she knew it would be easier to stay hidden if she walked through the trees. She kept the house in view, so she knew when she had
made it to the right spot. When she had, she turned and stepped deeper into the woods. After close to fifteen minutes, she arrived at the base of the stone wall.

The hole was right where she remembered it. She slipped through easily, and began running down the hill. She only made it a few feet before the woods vanished around her.

The passenger door of the black car opened and Cyndi Lewis stepped out. After looking up and down the dark alleyway they had pulled into, she reached in the back seat and pulled something out.

Just visible as she held it out under the flickering light, she could see it was a baseball bat. She checked up and down the alley again before tossing the bat into the dumpster and quickly climbing back into the car.

The scene changed around her again and it was suddenly light outside. A young boy, no older than sixteen or seventeen, walked out of the back door a few feet from the dumpster. He sat the three large bags of garbage he was carrying down and pushed open the lid. The dumpster was filled to the top, with almost no room for the bags he had. He leaned forward toward the dumpster as something appeared to have caught his eye. He reached in and when he pulled his hand back, it held the bat. He tossed the bags into the dumpster and used the bat to push them down. Before walking back in, he propped the bat up against the wall. Just before he stepped back into the door, she saw it. The logo on his dark green apron read ‘Market Café’.

The woods cleared in front of her just in time for her to see the tree she was about to run into. She held her hands out to help her stop, and reached for her phone.

“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you just yet,” Ben said when he answered. “Aren’t you supposed to be maintaining your cover?”

“I need you to do something for me,” she said with a huff as she pushed off the tree and started again down the hill.

“What are you doing?” he interrupted. “Are you running?”

“A bit,” she replied. “I just sneaked through the hole in the exterior wall, and I’m making my way back to the station. It was the only way
I could get out undetected.”

She could hear the amusement in his voice as he said, “Do you need me to come pick you up?”

“No, I need you to do something much more important,” she replied as she began moving faster through the trees. “I need you to stop by Market Café and look in and around the dumpster for a baseball bat. I know the trash has already been picked up since the murder, but I’m hoping it’s still there.”