Double Down (10 page)

Delgado had stuffed the notebook and pen back in his pocket, grabbed my hand, and was dragging me out the door to the car.

He looked angry again. “I don’t believe you. A guy practically admits to killing someone and threatens you, and you’re just now telling me.” He opened the passenger door and practically pushed me in before slamming it shut. He climbed in his side and started the engine. Before I could say anything, he was on the phone asking Detective Long to join him in security.

I put my hand on his arm. “Wait. There were no witnesses. He’ll just deny he said it.”

“
Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

“
He’s probably still working. Do you want me to point him out to you?”

“
Absolutely not,” he growled. He drove into the hotel-parking garage, screeching to a stop next to my car. “What I want is for you to go back to the Larsen’s and stay there until I call you. I mean it, Val. Do not go home, do not collect your cleaning, no detours of any kind. Promise me.”

He grabbed my arm as I tried to open the door.

“
Fine. I promise.” He got out and stood there until I got into my car, started it, and drove off. I could see him running for the elevator in my rear view mirror. He may not have realized it, but that was the first time he said my name. He had a deep sexy voice, and when he said my name, my heart did a little flip. Once he was no longer in sight, I was able to think of other things. I might have promised to go straight to Charlene’s house, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t at least try to save my job on the way there. I dug my Blue Tooth out of my purse at the first stop light and called the hotel. Thankfully, Tony was in his office. I gave him a heads up on the interview that was about to take place with Arnie, and filled him in on Monica. As I expected he was not happy that the investigation centered on the hotel, but he didn’t seem upset with me. Angie and Linda had left, but the hotel operator rang their homes so I was able to speak to both of them. They were not happy either. I’d be lucky if anyone was still speaking to me on Monday. Once Alan found out that I told Delgado about Arnie before I told him, I could probably cross him off my Christmas list as well. Lastly, I called Charlene to let her know I was on my way.

***

A waft of heavenly aroma hit me the minute Charlene opened the door. “What’s that smell?”

“
I’m baking cookies. Come on back.” A large apron hung from her neck to her knees, wrapped around her, and tied in the front. It completely covered the tan slacks and a green top she’d been wearing that morning. I followed her back to the kitchen where cookies lay cooling on every surface.

“
Are you having a bake sale?” I said as I slid on to one of the counter stools.

“
No. I was just in the mood to bake. Trust me. These probably won’t last out the week. What would you like? I have chocolate chip, peanut butter, or oatmeal raisin.

“
Peanut butter.”

She took out a plate and loaded it with four cookies. “Milk?”

“
Why not?”

She took out two short glasses, poured milk in both, and then came and sat beside me. “Okay, now tell me everything.”

So, I told her about Arnie’s threat. “Delgado and his partner are interviewing him now.”

She put down the cookie she’d been munching and wiped her hands. “I figured Delgado would show up there. He called here to check on you and seemed very unhappy when I told him you were alone at the office.”

I dipped the warm cookie into the milk. “He thought I was being irresponsible, until he realized I didn’t know they couldn’t find Monica’s keys. By the way, remind me to call and have the locksmiths change all the locks.”

She nodded and then because she was very perceptive she asked, “What else happened?”

I stalled, eating another cookie. She waited. The look in her eye told me she knew there was more and she wouldn’t let up until I told her. “We were yelling at one another and then suddenly he kissed me.”

She clapped her hands. “I knew he was interested, and you wouldn’t believe me. How was it? Tell me everything. Don’t leave out any details. How did it feel? Come on I have no love life. I have to live vicariously through you.” She leaned forward eagerly.

“
What do you mean you have no love life? You’re married to a great man who adores you.”

She snorted. “And I feel like a nun in a convent.”

“
Why? Is there something wrong with Evan? Is he sick? You don’t think he’s running around on you, do you?”

“
It’s nothing like that. Evan is fine, well . . . not really fine, if anything he’s even more desperate than I am. I’m pretty sure he’s not running around . . . yet.” The oven timer rang. She walked over and pulled out another pan of cookies.

“
Let me get this straight. You’re married and living together in the same house, but you’re still not getting any? What’s the problem?”

She cleared a space and then carefully lifted each cookie from the pan with a spatula and set it on a paper towel to cool. “You’ve obviously never lived in a house with teenagers.”

“
So . . .?

Dumping the pan in the sink, she sighed. “When they were little, they went to bed early, and then we had time for ourselves. Sometimes on the weekends when they’d take a nap, we take a nap. Then they got older and they didn’t go to bed as early. By the time they were asleep, so were we. Still sometimes on the weekends, when they were watching cartoons or playing, we’d go upstairs and take a nap. Until one day, when Patty was about twelve, we announced we were going to take a nap and she said, ‘You’re not taking a nap.’

“
I said ‘What do you think we’re doing?’ She rolled her eyes and said, ‘You know.’ We haven’t
you knowed
in the afternoon since. There’s just something about having your kids aware that puts a damper on things.”

“
But they’re teenagers now. They must spend a lot of time out of the house.”

“
You’d think, wouldn’t you? Somehow, they’re never out of the house at the same time. It’s as if they’ve agreed that someone always needs to be home with us. I swear they coordinate.”

I laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

She shook her head. “I wish. Even if they say they’ll be gone all evening, you can’t count on it. The other night, Lincoln had a date and Patty was supposed to be spending the night at a friend’s house. Evan and I heated up the Jacuzzi and poured a couple of glasses of wine. No kids around. No need for bathing suits. Then Patty tromps in with three of her friends in tow saying they decided to move the party to our house so they could use the Jacuzzi.”

I tried to stifle a laugh, but I couldn’t.

She grinned. “Oh sure, it’s funny now. Fortunately, we didn’t have the lights on, and I had towels sitting out. Still, there’s nothing like having your daughter look at you and say ‘Eww, gross,’ to make you feel old. It’s a real mood killer.” She leaned over the counter. “So come on, give. I’m desperate here. Is he a good kisser? What was it like?”

I grinned. “Fabulous, probably the best kiss I’ve ever had.” I closed my eyes reliving it.

“
Then what happened?”

I knew she wanted every detail, but I couldn‘t share those feelings, so I just summarized. “Then he said that we needed to go somewhere public and took me for a hamburger. When I finally got around to telling him that Arnie threatened me, he drove like a maniac back to the hotel. He made me leave and promise to come directly here. I had to promise to stay here until he calls. I hope that’s all right. You don’t have other plans, do you?” Now I felt guilty intruding on a night when it looked like both kids were gone.

She waved her hand. “Trust me, one of them will be home any minute.” She shook her head, a big grin on her face. “Wow. He was so afraid he couldn’t keep his hands off you that he had to take you someplace public.” Trust Charlene to put the best possible spin on it. I had to admit I liked that scenario. She turned around and pulled a box of plastic bags from a drawer, and then began stuffing each bag with cookies. “Do you really think Arnie killed her?”

I thought about it. I didn‘t like Arnie. He was the type that would have hated having a woman in control of anything—but murder? “I don’t know. It wasn’t premeditated. That’s the problem. Almost anyone could have killed her in a fit of anger. It’s possible she was blackmailing him.” I told her about Gary Dillon’s claim that Arnie was sexually harassing Doris and my theory that Monica had met with Arnie. “Delgado said Monica’s bank statements showed several cash deposits. If she was into blackmail, it could expand the list of suspects considerably.” As I thought about Delgado, I checked my cell phone once more, wondering why he hadn’t called.

“
It could also explain why someone searched your house. Maybe she kept some kind of incriminating evidence.”

“
It doesn’t explain why they think I might have it, or why she was in my office when she was killed, or even how she got into my office.” I stood and started pacing.

Charlene shrugged. “As I told the detectives, getting a key to your office wouldn’t have been all that difficult. I keep the keys in my desk drawer during the day. Everyone knows that yours are on your key ring, which you leave on the top of your desk when you’re in. She could have made a wax impression of either of them in seconds, and then had a key made. The real question is why? There’s nothing in your office to steal. I doubt she was after information on the other HR employees. About the only information in there that she could use in some way was advance information on the union negotiations.”

I stopped pacing. “You may be right. She met with Jerry McCrea three days before the end of negotiations. Maybe she offered to find out what our final offer would be. That way he could make sure he held out for the most he could get. Except I never keep any notes on that kind of thing.” I couldn’t wait to find out if Delgado had interviewed Jerry yet. Why didn’t he call?

Charlene was on a roll now. “Maybe Jerry killed her because she didn’t come through. He waited until negotiations were over, because he didn‘t have time before. She could have been in your office trying to prove to him that the notes didn‘t exist.” Hands on her hips, she grinned as if she had single handedly solved the whole case.

While it fit the facts, as we knew them, it didn’t seem like sufficient reason for murder.

I heard the back door slam. Lincoln and a friend walked in. They were both dressed in faded jeans hanging off their butts, four inches of underwear showing. He looked at me and said, “Yo.”

I said, “Yo.” It seemed like the appropriate response.

“
Wow. Cookies.” He grabbed a bag off the counter. “Are these chocolate chip?”

“
Of course. Not until after dinner.” Charlene tried to grab the bag out of his hand, but being a foot taller, he held it out of her reach.

“
Big Dog and I grabbed some burgers on the way home.” He tossed the bag to his friend, and snagged a half gallon of milk from the refrigerator on his way out.

Charlene called after him. “Where’s Patty, I thought you were going to pick her up?”

He yelled from the other room. “I did. I dropped her off at Lana’s. She said to tell you she’s eating dinner with them, and then they’re planning on coming back here to watch a movie.”

Charlene gave me a look that said, “See I told you.”

When Charlene’s phone rang, I jumped up, hoping it was Delgado.

Charlene answered and then held her hand over the receiver. “Evan,” she said to me. “Lincoln just came in. Patty’s at Lana’s. No such luck. She’s bringing Lana back here to watch a movie. She should be here about the time you get home. See, I told you they coordinate. By the way, Valerie’s here.” She looked at me. “He wants to know if we want to go out to dinner, or whether he should stop and get something on his way home.”

I shrugged. “I promised not to leave until Delgado called.”

We agreed on Chinese takeout. Charlene phoned in the order for Evan to pick up.

Lincoln strolled in, tossing the now empty plastic milk container and cookie bag in the trash. “Big Dog and I are going to the game.” He put his arm around his mother and kissed her on the cheek. “Thanks for the cookies, Mom. They were great.”

She rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”

“
I could use some gas money.”

“
Did you clean the pool?”

“
Tomorrow, I promise.”

She smiled sweetly. “Now, or you’ll be walking.”

“
Aw Mom, if I do it now, we’ll be late.”

She simply looked at him with the Mom stare. Even Big Dog must have recognized the futility of arguing with the stare, as he simply opened the back door to the pool and waited for Lincoln to join him. Thirty minutes later they came back in, collected the cash, and left.

I had to laugh when Patty and her girlfriend arrived just as Evan pulled into the driveway.

Evan plopped two white bags down in front of me and kissed me on the cheek. “Food for my Goddess.”

Hands on her hips, Charlene said, “Hey, what about me?”

He waggled his eyebrows at her. “You and I, my sexy siren, will feast on love.” He swooped in and dipped her back, kissing her with a loud smack.

Patty walked in. “Oh yuck. Old people kissing. My eyes. My eyes.”