DeLeina, Maya - Veil of Seduction [Ambrose Heights Vampires 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (8 page)

“We always had a strained relationship. We were supposed to be so in sync with each other, but we were complete opposites. But after our parents died, we really made an effort.” Anya paused, feeling a faint smile develop. “Ryan was the dynamic that really changed everything. He had lost his parents, just like us, and understood our pain. Once he was in the picture, he made our interactions…better. It was easier to have her around. It made our communication stronger. Most importantly, he made Anise and I laugh again.”

Detective Doyle and Alex exchanged a quick glance.

“But, again, she was back to the same old Anise and expectant of our handouts. This was the longest stretch that I had gone without hearing from her. In fact, I had no way of making contact with her. I had no current phone number or address. The last I heard, she’d moved to New York. I had no idea she was still in Colorado.”

“Do you have any other family to call on for support at this time? Anyone that you want to be here with you?” asked the detective.

“No.”

“Friends?”

“Michelle. I called her right after you phoned. She’ll be staying with me this evening. She offered to come here with me, but I didn’t want her to close the shop. I’ll be okay.”

“Mrs. Evans, are you sure? You’ve been through a lot.”

Anya reached for her red jasper stone and clutched it. “I’m okay.”

“The next set of questions, they will be more…intense.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Detective Doyle looked at Alex for reassurance before continuing with her line of questioning.

“Do you have any reason to believe that your husband’s recent actions had anything to do with Anise?”

“Absolutely not!” Anya barked, not realizing the intense part of questioning was going to involve Ryan.

The detective showed no emotion as she made notes of the conversation. She flipped through printouts from an internet page.

“Your husband, Ryan, is the owner and hedge fund manager of RPE Investment Advisors. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“And what does his firm do?”

“Commodity futures, they specialize in trading energy products.”

“And you?”

“I’m a music teacher.”

“Anise?”

“Last job she had, she was a waitress at one of the restaurants at the resort.”

Alex shot a curious look at the detective as she jotted down Anya’s responses.

Detective Doyle continued, “Any recent financial issues that you know of?”

“Well, what aspect are you talking? Personal or business finances?”

“Whatever you know.”

“Well, since Ryan left, of course there are financial issues! I’m broke. He’s left me with next to nothing, and bills that I cannot pay for are still coming in while he’s somewhere out there wining and dining the woman he left me for!” Anya stood and started to pace the office. “I don’t understand how this has anything to do with what happened to Anise. Why aren’t you looking into her finances to see if there is something to uncover there? Maybe she pissed off the wrong person. Took advantage of the wrong person, I don’t know…”

“Mrs. Evans, that’s exactly what we did. Your sister had recently completed a living will and purchased a lavish residence up in Ambrose Heights. Do you know anything about this?”

“Ambrose Heights? Yeah right! She couldn’t even make rent in a rundown apartment! That’s why Ryan and I had no choice but to take her in for awhile. I couldn’t let her live where she could afford.”

Anya shook her head, looking at both the detective and the sergeant who sat still with somber gazes.

“Ambrose Heights? How? With whom? That’s where we should start looking!”

“Yes, we are still looking into it,” Detective Doyle said with a tinge of disappointment. “We hoped you could shed some light on the recent purchase.”

“I have no idea! Why would I have any knowledge of this? Ambrose Heights? Are you sure about this?”

“Yes,” said the detective as she motioned with her hand at someone peering through the glass in her door.

The door opened, and an older gentleman in an expensive suit walked into the office.

“Mrs. Evans, this is the executor of Anise’s will. Alex made contact with him after we collected Anise’s belonging as evidence. We found his firm’s card and appointment dates in her…”

Alex’s phone went off and interrupted the detective in midsentence. He looked down at the phone. “I have to take this.” Alex excused himself as he scurried out of the room.

Detective Doyle continued, “I am sorry, where were we? Yes, when Alex made contact with Mr. White, it was discovered he was trying to locate you and we informed him you would be in the office this afternoon.”

Anya turned to the man in the suit who now sat next to her.

“I’m Mr. White. Mr. Alan White.” He held his hand to her. “Mrs. Evans, I am truly sorry for your loss. My office helped Anise with her living will, and she named my firm as the executor. I’m responsible for the administration of your sister’s estate until final distribution of her assets is made to the beneficiary. Her estate includes a residence, bank accounts, and investments. Mrs. Evans, your sister named you as the sole beneficiary to her estate.”

Mr. White opened his briefcase and handed Anya a copy of Anise’s will.

“The will does contain funeral instructions and explicit instructions to do a consultation with you prior to any arrangement decisions.”

“When? When did she do all of this? I don’t understand. It doesn’t sound like something she would do. It’s not something that would cross her mind. She had nothing!”

“Your sister started working with our office…” Mr. White looked down at notes he had written down on a legal pad in search for the answer. “…just about a month ago, according to the file.” Mr. White reached back into his briefcase and retrieved stacks of paperwork.

“And, was there anyone else with her, a friend or boyfriend maybe, advising her to do this or something?” Anya questioned.

“Not that I recall.” Mr. White stopped shifting through the stack of legal documents now strewn across the table. “I apologize, Mrs. Evans, for not looking very prepared in such a delicate matter as this. The truth is that when I received the call from Sergeant Stemper, I had to research everything from your sister’s file. Now, I admit I never remember every detail of every client, but I normally have some recollection of a conversation or discussion we had, especially on a fairly new client like your sister. But I’m at a complete loss here. The office staff cannot place her as well. Rest assured, however, we have documentation that clearly expressed Anise’s wishes. And now that I have located you as the sole beneficiary, we can begin the administration of the estate.”

Anya glanced at the detective. Her face was riddled with skepticism. It was clear in Anya’s mind that the detective had orchestrated the meeting with Anise’s executor to evaluate the situation. More specifically, to assess Anya’s reaction to the news, making notes on every emotion, every gesture, every fluctuation in her voice.

“Anise had no mortgage on the property and no outstanding bills, so this process should go smoothly,” stated Alan.

“Wait. What are you saying exactly?” Anya shot glances back and forth between the detective and Alan. “Are you saying I’m inheriting a property in Ambrose Heights free and clear?”

“Well, here’s the process. I will be applying for a grant of probate to administer the estate. I will file all the necessary legal documents at the registrar of probate along with Anise’s will, death certificate, and a statement of all assets and liabilities. Barring any unforeseen setbacks from the courts, probate should be granted. So, to answer your question, yes. You will inherit the property in Ambrose Heights. Free and clear. Now, we would need to discuss capital gains tax liability as a result…”

Alan continued his explanation, but it fell on deaf ears. Anya was frozen in shock, her mind in a stupor, her body unresponsive to her surroundings. She was about to inherit a piece of property in the most coveted neighborhood in the town of Manitou Springs.

Anya’s eyes traveled to the illustrated map of the city that sat pinned to the detective’s wall. The pastel-colored map was detailed, clearly depicting points of interest and changes in elevation in the towns that sat along the mountain range. Her heart raced as her eyes traced the illustration, searching for it, hunting it out.

There it was. Ambrose Heights.

Mysterious.

That is what the locals would say about the neighborhood, but even this didn’t fully amount to what Anya was feeling of about the property now.

Ambrose Heights just became
mystifying
.

The next hour was filled with further discussion and signing of legal documents with the attorney. After he left the office, the detective wrapped up the meeting with a few more lines of questioning. Anya tucked away the business cards she’d collected in her wallet and gathered the stacks of papers. She made her way out of the office and followed the detective’s escort down the hall and back through maze of offices and doors.

“Anya, we’ll update you on the case progress and share what we can. In the meantime, if you think of anything that might have a bearing to Anise or the case, please contact me.” The detective handed her card to Anya. “And please, call me Madeline.”

“Thank you,” Anya whispered.

She turned and made her way slowly out of the glass doors.

* * * *

Alex emerged from a darkened corner of his hall, his fangs receded, tucking behind their protective membrane as he wiped his mouth in pure satisfaction. He swiftly made his way to Madeline and settled in next to her as she remained fixed on Anya, watching intently as she exited the building.

“She has no clue about Anise and Ryan,” Alex said.

“No, she absolutely doesn’t,” she responded. She turned to look at Alex and suddenly pulled him into her by the arm.

“You’re a bit of a mess, Alex, clean it up!” Madeline angrily whispered in his ear as she casually pointed to the corner of her mouth to signal Alex.

Alex angled his tongue to the crease of his mouth and licked up a drop of blood that had been carelessly overlooked.

“I only erased the feed, nothing else. Alan will remember everything. I didn’t interrupt anything that was already fated. He just won’t remember anything between leaving your office and getting in his car,” Alex said in response to the Madeline’s scornful stare.

“What? I couldn’t help it. I was craving something…spicy,” Alex admitted.

“I hope you know that feeding from an attorney gives you heartburn.”

“Oh, a little heartburn couldn’t kill a vampire. I think I’ll survive.”

Madeline sighed and turned around to make her way down the hall. Alex followed by her side.

“And what of the preliminary results on the other body found in the well, Ryan Evans, or one of ours?”

“Ours,” Alex stated confidently. “Definitely not human. But, he was too far into the depletion process to make a definite ID.”

She stopped in her tracks.

“Depletion? My god!” She shook her head with the thought of the pain the depletion process would have on a vampire. “It’s been some time since we dealt with a case involving depletion.” Madeline began walking once again. “And you checked all the usual sources, Ryan has not been seen or heard from?”

Alex reached for the office door. “No one has seen him for several weeks now. Basically checks out with his wife’s story.” Alex closed the door behind him and leaned against the door. “So I finally got to touch a piece of Anise’s remains.”