The Michaela Bancroft Mysteries 1-3 (38 page)

She spotted Hugh as she got out of her truck,
seated with another man on the first-floor balcony. Her initial plan had not
been to see him, but maybe this was a good thing. She could find out if Josh
was on the property, and maybe she'd ask Hugh a few questions about Audrey. It had
been her impression when they'd run into him at the races that they were still
quite close—more than simply a business relationship. Kathleen had obviously
failed to come between the friendship that Hugh and Audrey shared.

Hugh waved to her. "Come on up. The front
door is open. Go to your right and then out through the doors in the
kitchen."

Entering the place, she decided the kitchen area
could have filled the first floor of her home. Boy, the Venetian in Vegas had
nothing on this place. Once she did find her way outside, Hugh ushered her
over. "Good morning. I'm pleased you decided to come by today. I wasn't
sure you'd make it, considering last night."

"Me either—" Michaela stopped short. The
man with Hugh was Hudson Drake, looking as spectacular as she remembered. She
quickly chastised herself for being so shallow, but dammit, the man was
handsome and the human side of her told her that it was okay to think that. The
friend of Audrey and Jude's—uh, sort of more than a friend—told her that it
definitely was
not
okay. Being human right now was not an option.

Hudson extended a hand. "Nice to see you
again, Michaela."

"You've met?" Hugh asked.

She nodded.

"Yesterday, as a matter of fact, at the
races. We bumped into each other at the bar and discovered we have quite a bit
in common," Hudson said.

"Actually, we realized that we both knew
you."

"Oh," Hugh replied. "Good.
Good."

"I came by, actually," Hudson said,
"to talk with Hugh about Bob." He looked at the other man. "I
had already told Michaela what I just told you about Bob. It came up in our
conversation and we felt it was appropriate for Michaela to tell Audrey that
Bob hadn't shown up for work, considering that she knew his sister, and I didn't.
It is kind of…sensitive."

"No, no, I agree. Of course." Hugh sat
back down in one of the wicker chairs and motioned for them to do the same.
"Hudson was telling me that he's quite concerned Bob has not shown up at
work, and now with Audrey…" He shook his head. "I don't know what to
think. And, take a look at this." Hugh handed her the newspaper off the
table.

It wasn't a front-page story but close enough. The
headline read "Police Focus on Brother's Disappearance in Murder."
The story went on to say that a source from the Orange County Sheriff 's
Department believed that Bob Pratt might be responsible for his sister's
murder.

Michaela shifted uneasily in the chair.

"Would you like coffee, juice, water,
anything?" Hugh asked.

"No thank you. I don't believe this. They're
saying that they think Bob might have killed Audrey and skipped town? But you
told me that you haven't seen Bob since Tuesday."

"I told the police that, too," Hudson
replied. "The detective—Merrill—seemed to think that Bob not showing up
for work since Tuesday was only a guise, possibly to make the police think that
he'd been gone since then."

"They're thinking he planned this out, went
into hiding, killed his sister, and then took off?" Michaela couldn't
believe it. That didn't sound like the Bob Pratt she'd met or heard Audrey talk
about.

"It's hard to say what the police
think," Hugh said.

"What do you think? Michaela asked.

"I have my suspicions," Hugh said.
"But I don't believe that Bob murdered Audrey."

"Hugh was thinking along the same vein as we were
yesterday," Hudson added.

"That he's fallen off the wagon and hiding
under a rock somewhere?" Michaela asked.

"It is a possibility," Hudson said.

"There's another one," Michaela replied.
"What if Audrey's murder is connected to Bob's disappearance? Not that Bob
killed Audrey, but…"

"You mean, whoever killed Audrey could have
taken Bob?
Abducted
him?" Hugh finished her sentence.

"Yes. It does seem strange that Bob
disappears, then his sister is murdered. I can understand why the police might
target him, but I can't believe he would kill Audrey. What for? Why would he do
it?"

Hudson sighed and crossed his arms, leaning back
in the chair. "I hate to even think that the cops are right with their
speculation, but what if they are? Maybe Bob did kill her for some reason, or
had someone else do it."

Hugh shook his head. "No way. Bob and Audrey
were close. They loved each other dearly. I can't believe that. Not for a
minute. Sure, they had their problems when they were younger, but they'd worked
them out, and Audrey always supported Bob. Hell, she came to me about helping
him get the job with Eq Tech."

Hudson nodded. "I know. I interviewed Bob.
He's great. He really is and I really don't believe that he would do something
like that, but it is still difficult to ever really know people, and maybe
there were underlying issues that none of us were aware of. It's only a theory
and I doubt it's even close to the truth, but we all know that the cops may
consider it because of Bob's past addictions."

Hugh fidgeted with one of the buttons on his
shirt. "Addictions can destroy you."

Michaela agreed, thinking of her dad, who'd nearly
lost his family and himself to his gambling addiction more than once over the
years. She also thought she detected something in Hugh's voice that made her
wonder if he might have also dealt firsthand with the issue of addiction, or if
he'd had a loved one with a problem. She couldn't put her finger on it; maybe
it was the tone of his voice or his distant gaze when he'd made the comment.
For a second Michaela thought of Olivia and her strange behavior and frazzled
appearance that morning. Could Hugh's daughter have a problem with drugs or
alcohol?

"Look, the police will be working on locating
Bob, in connection with his sister's murder," Hudson said. "It
doesn't look good. But we need to find him, to help him out and make sure that
he really is all right. I'm planning on hiring a private investigator."

"I know someone. He's good, too,"
Michaela interjected. Both men looked at her. Hmm, maybe she shouldn't have
said anything. Joe Pellegrino was not a PI…not technically, anyway. He just had
all those cousins who seemed to have numerous ways of finding out information.

"I actually have someone in mind,"
Hudson said.

"Oh. Well, okay. I just thought that I could
help in some way."

"Why don't you talk to your guy, then? I'll
talk with this other man I've worked with in the past, and maybe we can come up
with something between the two of them."

Hugh nodded. "How can I help?"

Hudson stood and clapped him on the shoulder.
"I think you're doing all that you can. We just have to find him."

"Right."

"Didn't you say to Audrey yesterday that you
saw him only a few days ago?" Michaela asked Hugh.

He nodded. "I did. He came by and did a vet
check on a few of my horses. I talked with him for a few minutes. That was Monday.
He didn't act strange or anything. Friendly as always. Pleasant. I only had a
few minutes with him, though. I had a meeting to get to. Josh helped him with
the horses."

"It makes no sense at all," Michaela
said. The men agreed.

"I hate to run, but it's Sunday morning and I
typically try and make it to mass. I'll be praying about this," Hudson
said.

Michaela smiled. She liked the fact that Hudson
had faith. She didn't attend church regularly herself, but her mother was a
devout Catholic and she'd been raised Catholic, so her roots remained in the
church.

"Michaela, I'll see you Saturday night,"
Hudson said. "I have to get to my office. I'm sorry about your loss. I
know your friend meant a lot to you."

"Thank you."

"And Hugh, thank you." Hudson held up a check
and waved it. "This will help us to keep up with the growth the company is
experiencing."

"I believe in the product," Hugh
replied.

Michaela started to bring up Saturday night and
how it wasn't going to work out, but Hugh stood and walked Hudson to the door.
The timing to bring up Saturday right now was awkward anyway. She'd have to
call him about it. She'd also have to give Joe a call and see if he would help
her find out what might have happened to Bob Pratt. She didn't like this one
bit. She'd been sucked into what had happened to Bob and Audrey, and now a
compulsion drove her to want to find out who had done this horrid thing to
Audrey, and thus find justice for her friend.

WHEN HUGH RETURNED, MICHAELA DECIDED TO ask him
some more questions. At this point she had nothing to lose. "I know it
might be awkward, but I wanted to talk to you about Audrey and take a look at
the horses we discussed. I know that she would have wanted me to do that
anyway, and honestly I'm not sure it's sunk in for me yet that…she's really
gone."

He nodded. "Nor me. Come on down to the barn.
I've got to deliver these supplements that Hudson dropped off." He picked
up a bucket of Eq Tech's all-around athlete vitamins and minerals. "Good
stuff. I'm telling you; since putting my horses on it, I've seen a difference
in their performances. I know I sound like a salesman, and sure, I've got
plenty of cash tied up in that company, but I really do believe in the product.
You using it?"

"Some," Michaela replied. "It's
pretty expensive though. I've got a few of my horses on it."

"I'm sure Hudson would cut you a deal on
it." He winked at her. "Did I notice a bit of an interest
there?"

Michaela knew she was blushing. "No. As he
said, we met yesterday and started talking, that kind of thing. Nice man.
Really…nice."

Hugh raised his brows. "Uh-huh. Is that why
you're going to see him on Saturday night? I imagine he's asked you to the Eq
Tech charity event and auction. That's great. He's a good man, and I'll be
there, too. I'm offering up two weeks at my vacation home in Capri for the
auction. I'm certain we'll be seated at the same table. Josh and Olivia will be
there…and word is, so will my ex-wife." His face darkened.

"Oh, that. No. Well, yes, he did ask me.
Actually, agreeing was a rash decision on my part, and now the timing couldn't
be worse. I won't be going. Speaking of Josh, is he around?" She wanted to
change the subject.

"No. He's out right now. But we don't need
him to show the horses. Back to Saturday night. I disagree with you. I think the
timing is what we all need."

"What?"

"I know what Audrey would have told you. She
would have wanted you to go out and live your life. Live it up."

"I'm sure that's what she'd say, too, but I
don't feel right about it."

"Bull. I say think about it. Losing Audrey
makes me realize a lot about the way I've been living my life, and I plan to
make changes. Big changes."

Michaela thought she heard a catch in his throat.
She wanted to ask him what he meant but didn't feel all that comfortable prying.

They started to walk out the massive front door,
only to run into Bridgette, Hugh's wife, sauntering down the stairs and into
the entryway dressed to the nines. She froze when she spotted Michaela.
"Hello," she said curtly.

"Good morning," Michaela replied and
decided it best to bury the hatchet with her, even though she didn't trust the
woman as far as she could throw her. "I want to apologize for yesterday.
It was an awful situation and I was pretty emotional."

"I understand and accept your apology." She
looked at Hugh. "Honey, I have to go into L.A. for a lunch appointment,
and I thought maybe I'd do some shopping on Rodeo Drive first." She ran
her hands over her tight black pencil skirt—as if it needed any
straightening—then fiddled with the waist of her white crepe low-cut blouse,
which exposed cleavage and a very large diamond necklace matching the stones in
her ears. She fluffed up her long brunette hair and smiled. "I shouldn't
be too late."

"Considering what's happened, I'm not sure
that going to Beverly Hills makes sense," he said.

"What? Why?"

He looked at her incredulously. "Bridgette,
you found a friend of ours murdered yesterday. I would think that might affect
you."

She nodded and frowned. "It was horrible. I
liked Audrey."

Michaela watched her face. She was lying again.
She had
not
liked Audrey. And Michaela did not like Bridgette Bowen any
better today. She could even hear the lie in the woman's voice. But why lie?
And why did she dislike Audrey? Because Audrey didn't care for her, or because
of Audrey's relationship with Kathleen and Olivia? Or…was there another reason?

"I can't cancel my luncheon," Bridgette
said. "It's for the charity event I'm doing with my Cedars-Sinai hospital
group. We're trying to raise money for heart disease research. It's important
and it will keep my mind off of yesterday's horrible events."

"I don't think it's a good idea. It feels insensitive
to me," Hugh said.

"Honey, I am on the board and I can't bring
Audrey back. I might as well raise money to help others."

"Fine. You go do what you need to do."

"Thank you." She nodded at Michaela.
"Nice to see you again."

Oh, she was good with the lies. Actually she kind
of sucked at them, but she sure dispensed plenty of them. "Nice to see
you, too." Two could play that game.

"Ciao, honey. I'll be home in time for
dinner. I've asked Lucita to make your favorite pork loin recipe. And her
delicious crème brûlée. I thought a good meal would lift the gloom a bit."

Hugh opened the front door for Michaela.
"Let's go see the horses." She followed him out and around the
corner, where he climbed into a golf cart. "This driveway is a bitch to
get around, and the older I get the less I want to make that trek down to the
barn and back. Come on, hop in. Wanna drive it?"