What We Found (25 page)

My stomach hurt.

Before I faced Jay directly, I wanted to know what I was dealing with. Eslinda had promised to protect me if Jay’s father tried to fire me. And Nascha had offered her help. I didn’t have to face this alone. I could gather my posse.

Twenty minutes later we sat in Eslinda’s office. Nascha reported what she’d learned on a quick reconnaissance. “Jay is saying you found Bethany Moore’s car.”

“That’s right. With my mother and brother’s help.”

Nascha hesitated. “He’s saying you knew where it was all along. That it proves you were involved in her death.”

Leave it to Jay to latch onto that. I tried to keep my voice steady. “The police suggested something like that.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Eslinda said.

“I certainly think so.”

Nascha leaned forward. “Here’s the thing. I read in this morning’s paper that the car had been found. But it didn’t say anything about who found it. So how did Jay know it was you?”

How indeed? I remembered the dark sedan driving with its lights off while the police were interviewing us. “What kind of car does Jay drive?”

Nascha said, “You mean you haven’t seen the flashy red sports car he always parks across two spaces so no one will park too close? He couldn’t afford something like that on a groundskeeper’s salary, so I assume it was a gift from Daddy.”

“And Lewis drives a silver BMW,” Eslinda said.

So much for that idea. I still had a feeling someone was keeping an eye on me. I remembered what I’d been doing with Kyle, and my stomach churned at the thought of someone witnessing our private moment, but we’d been in the middle of nowhere, without a single car or person around.

I had to focus. The first problem was Jay and this rumor. “Maybe he has friends at the police station.”

“Maybe,” Nascha admitted.

“Does Jay have a grudge against you for some reason?” Eslinda asked. “Other than the fact that you reported the body when he didn’t want to, that is.”

“I would’ve said he barely knew who I was until a week ago. We didn’t run in the same circles.” I rubbed my hands over my face. “Back in high school, he was such a sports hotshot. He was going to play college basketball, maybe go all the way to the NBA. But he didn’t even go to college, did he? What happened?”

Nascha and I looked to Eslinda for the answer. She tapped her pen on her desk and squinted as if peering into her memories. “I seem to recall Lewis saying that Jay had gotten a scholarship, but they turned it down because it wasn’t good enough, or wasn’t a big enough school. They were holding out for something better. I guess it never came.”

That was kind of sad. I might have felt sorry for him if it was someone else.

Eslinda sighed. “That boy is spoiled and sneaky, but I can’t believe he’s involved in a murder.”

I considered the idea, as I had before, and once again put it aside with some regret. “I have to agree. And not only because it makes me sick to think I might’ve been out there in the woods alone with a murderer and his victim. It doesn’t make sense. Why would he take me out there to discover the body and then refuse to report it? Why would he keep harassing me?”

Nascha frowned. “Maybe he’s trying to set you up for the murder.”

I gripped the arms of my chair as the world blurred for a moment. Nascha added, “But why you? You’re about the least likely person. Why not pick on one of Bethany’s friends or boyfriends or let the police focus on that other guy, Thomas Bain?”

“I don’t know, but this is ridiculous. I have enough to deal with without fighting off rumors.” I was glad I’d told Kyle about finding the car, so he didn’t hear Jay’s version first, even though I didn’t think Kyle would be swayed by gossip. What about Nancy and Daniel? I didn’t want to put it to the test when they barely knew me. And as for Bethany and Kyle’s parents, and the people at work, and the rest of town—

“This has to stop.” I stood. “I need to know how Jay is involved in all this, if he is. If he had anything to do with Bethany’s murder, he needs to go to jail. If he didn’t, I need to figure out what else is going on and stop it.”

Eslinda blinked up at me. “Are you sure that’s wise? Rumors can’t really hurt you, and if you ignore them people will get interested in something else. The police will catch the murderer.”

“The police are taking too long.” I wanted to do my job without my coworkers wondering if I was a dangerous criminal. I didn’t want to make Eslinda and Nascha choose sides in defending me. I wanted to be part of Kyle’s life and to be welcomed in his home with no questions or suspicions.

“I’ve got a life and I’m ready to get on with it,” I said. “I’m going after Jay.”

“How?” Nascha asked.

I stared at her and let out a weak laugh. “You would have to ask that. Here I am ready for battle, and you have to mess it up with sensible questions?”

She smiled. “I’m not trying to discourage you. Jay has to go down, and I’ll hold him while you kick him if that’s what it takes. I just want to know what you have in mind.”

I sank back into my chair. “I have no idea. Snoop, I guess.” I frowned over that. “What am I looking for? What could help?”

“I doubt he keeps a journal about his crimes and plans,” Eslinda said.

“No, but maybe there’s other evidence?” I thought over everything that had happened. “The knife that punctured my tires—maybe it would still have rubber on it? A tool to cut brake lines?”

“He might keep a tool kit in his car, but it has an alarm system,” Nascha said. “I’ve heard it go off. But he might carry a knife with him, or leave it in his office—come to think of it, he probably has all kinds of tools in the greenhouse. Knives, clippers and things for working with the plants. Maybe even the murder weapon!”

I shivered and rubbed my forearms. I couldn’t tell them what I knew about the murder weapon, but a gun could certainly be evidence. I’d have no way of knowing if it was the right gun, but if I found one, I could tip off the police. That seemed like wishful thinking, though. “I wouldn’t recognize evidence unless it’s pretty obvious. It’s not like we have access to a forensics lab.” I wasn’t even sure the local police did.

“You don’t want to mess with evidence anyway,” Eslinda said. “That would ruin it for the police.”

I groaned. “This is hopeless!” I remembered Jay saying I didn’t know what was going on. He was all too right. I straightened. “I don’t care. I have to do something. If I look, maybe I’ll find something, even if I don’t know what I’m looking for yet. Maybe there’s something to connect him to Bethany—e-mails or phone messages. She’s a few years older, but not that much. Jay smokes pot and Bethany did drugs. They could be connected. If I can get on Jay’s computer, look around his office….” I shrugged. “Or am I crazy to even think about this?”

“A little crazy,” Eslinda confirmed. “But desperate times, desperate measures and all that. I’m not saying I approve, but I don’t have a better idea.”

“When will you try?” Nascha asked.

“Some time when Jay isn’t in the greenhouse. Or that other guy, Rodrigo. Can’t forget about him. I suppose they lock it at night. I’m not quite up for breaking and entering.”

“I can call a meeting.” Eslinda peered at her calendar. “It will have to be at four o’clock. Let’s see, we don’t need any greenery for the big game hunt, but maybe … the Martinez fiftieth anniversary. I’ll say they’re looking for something unusual and different, with some live plants.” She looked across at me. “I’ll insist they both come. I can buy you half an hour. Maybe longer, but no guarantees. And I know
nothing
about this.”

“You’re the best.”

“I’ll go with you,” Nascha said. “I might be able to help with the computer. In fact, give me five minutes alone with Marty the computer guy, and I bet I can get Jay’s password.”

I grinned. “You’re both the best!”

Eslinda put her hands over her ears. “I didn’t hear any of that. I hope you two realize what you’re getting into. At least I’m retiring soon, so if this all blows up they can’t fire me.” She brightened. “Or if they did, I could collect unemployment for a while. Ha! Now let’s get back to work. This conversation never happened.”

I struggled to concentrate with all the stuff going through my head—my new relationship with Kyle, the nerve-racking plan to stop Jay, my discomfort at being the center of gossip. I hid in my office until four o’clock and waited for the e-mail from Eslinda letting me know that Jay and Rodrigo were safely trapped in her office. When the message came, I slipped down the hall and picked up Nascha.

As we passed the entryway to the lobby, something caught my eye. I paused and took a closer look.

Ricky.

“Hang on.” I detoured into the lobby, but as soon as Ricky saw me he got up and walked toward the front doors. I almost called out, but the receptionist was watching me and I didn’t need the extra attention.

I blinked in the bright sun outside and glanced around. No Ricky.

“Hey,” he hissed, and I spotted him pressed against the wall. He waved me toward the corner of the building.

Nascha came out behind me. I glanced at her, shrugged, and followed Ricky.

We clustered around the corner. “Nascha, my brother Ricky,” I said. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you to get off work.” At my look, he added, “And poking around.” Eying Nascha, he held up a notebook. “I wanted to get a map of the place and figure out when all the workers would be here. I was pretending to be a guest. I thought you were going to give me away in front of everyone! What are you doing?”

I closed my eyes for a moment. If I told Ricky what we had planned, he’d want to help, and I didn’t want to drag him deeper into this. But I didn’t want Ricky snooping around on his own either. And we only had half an hour to get to the greenhouse, conduct our search, and get out of sight again. It might take that long to persuade Ricky to leave. Better to keep him close.

I sighed and gestured them to come with me to the greenhouse. I explained during the two-minute walk around to the back of the main resort.

“You can be a lookout,” I said. “Stay outside the door and knock if you see anyone coming.” That would keep him out of the worst of it, and it would be a help. Eslinda was supposed to call us when the guys left her office, but it would only take them a couple of minutes to get out of the building, and I liked the security of an extra warning. So far as I knew, Jay wouldn’t recognize Ricky.

“Okay.” Ricky kept glancing at Nascha, seeming more interested in her than in my instructions.

I paused at the greenhouse door and put a hand on his shoulder to get him to look at me. “Ricky, pay attention.”

“I got it, I’m not a baby!”

I opened my mouth and shut it again. I would not point out that he
was
a child. I would not become my mother.

I looked around to make sure no one was watching. Other than a few distant golfers, I didn’t see anyone. Nascha pushed open the greenhouse door, scanned the room, and motioned me through. We left Ricky leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

I paused to let my eyes adjust to the dimmer green light. The scent of earth and growing things enveloped me. The sweetness of blooming flowers drifted on the heavy air. It was hard to believe that someone who spent his life growing things could be such a jerk, and maybe a murderer.

We passed between rows of plants. The door to Jay’s office was closed. I tried to turn the handle. “Locked,” I murmured. “We should’ve expected that.”

Before I could turn away, Nascha had a set of keys in her hand. One went into the lock, and a moment later the door opened.

“Where did you get those?”

“I have the master keys, for inventory. But I doubt Jay knows that.” She gave me a quick smile. “And don’t worry, it’s not even breaking and entering. I’m allowed to go anywhere on resort property.”

She led the way into the office and sat at Jay’s desk, flexing her fingers. “All right, Mr. Former Basketball Star Who Thinks He’s Still a Hotshot. Let’s see if we can uncover your secrets.”

While she tapped away, I looked around the office. A set of golf clubs leaned against the wall, reminding me of the near miss with the golf ball. It didn’t prove anything; a lot of resort employees kept golf clubs handy so they could play nine holes after work. But given the timing of the “accident”—I had just left Jay angry in the greenhouse—Jay was at the top of my suspect list.

I turned to the file cabinet, putting my shirt over my hand to pull out the drawer so I wouldn’t leave fingerprints. Probably pointless, but Ricky would approve. Nothing was locked, so it seemed unlikely Jay would hide anything in the drawers, but at least looking made me feel somewhat useful. Everything seemed legitimate—one drawer of purchase orders, one full of notes on plant health, and one with catalogs for gardening companies. Jay seemed to know his job.

I checked the time. It was already 4:20. I glanced around the cluttered office. Jay could have something hidden in one of the boxes stacked against the wall, but we didn’t have time to shift things around. I started glancing in the boxes on top. “Anything yet?” I asked Nascha.

“I searched his e-mail for Bethany or Moore and didn’t find anything. I’m looking through some of his files. He keeps excellent records. The guy isn’t an idiot. Nothing suspicious so far, though this is a little peculiar. He has a huge folder of documents tracking tomato growth. I know he grows some of the food for the restaurant, but nothing else gets that much attention.”

“Odd, but not really relevant. I’ll go search the main room, maybe look at his tools.” I didn’t really expect to be able to tell if one of them had been used to damage my car. But if we didn’t learn something fast, I’d have to put up with Jay’s harassment. Even if we uncovered a minor infraction of resort rules, I’d have something to hold over him in return for his silence. So far his only shortcoming seemed a tendency to clutter.

I stepped out into the greenhouse. A head popped up from between the rows.

I yelped and stumbled back against the office doorframe. “Ricky! You’re supposed to be waiting outside.”