Giving Up the Ghost (26 page)

Gabbie made no reply as she sat down in the chair opposite the manicurist. She could be
as snippy as the next one. Still, she had no idea why Tessa, who had called only a few days ago to
find out how she was doing, was now freezing her out.

She paid scant attention as Marie soaked and filed and painted her fingernails, all the
while carrying on a conversation with another patron about how awful it was that a young boy in
the high school was shot to death. But when Marie wondered--her voice lowered to almost a
whisper--why on earth a policeman would come to the salon to question Tessa's husband about the
murder, Gabbie listened.

Ah, So that's it. She sat quietly, letting her nails dry, until Tessa stopped beside her
chair.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you before."

"We're all on edge." Gabbie considered telling Tessa about Sonia's confession, but then
decided it was police business and not public knowledge--at least not yet. "Nobody can relax with a
murderer or two loose around town."

"Well, my Don didn't kill anyone."

Gabbie raised her eyebrows. "I didn't realize he was a suspect."

Tessa threw her a look of disbelief. "I bet! Interesting how things got all fired up after
you moved into the Leeds' cottage."

Gabbie felt her cheeks blaze with indignation. "Someone in this town killed Cam, and
Barrett caused trouble long before I came here."

Her protest did nothing to soften Tessa's attitude. "Your boyfriend hassled Don twice
last week. He sent a county homicide detective after him today."

Gabbie decided to let the boyfriend comment pass. "Why? Did Don have a run in with
Barrett Connelly?"

Tessa hesitated, and then said, "There was an incident last summer. Connelly slashed
the tires of our brand new Mercedes. Don was livid. He went to the kid's father and demanded that
he pay for new tires. The man laughed. Said he'd pay if Don had proof it was his son who did the
slashing."

Mercedes? Where had Tessa and Don gotten the money for a Mercedes? "Did Don see
him vandalize the car?"

Exasperated, Tessa exhaled loudly. "No, but someone saw him running like crazy a block
from here. That same evening three other cars had their tires slashed. All three were parked behind
the shops."

"Weren't the owners of the other cars angry as well?" Gabbie said.

"Of course they were angry. They called Darren, and he questioned Connelly." Tessa
grimaced. "With the usual lame results. But the damage wasn't as extensive and their cars were
mostly old wrecks."

And they weren't as incensed, Gabbie decided. Still, Don had every right to be furious at
a kid who had deliberately vandalized his new car. But why wait several months to take
revenge?

She had opened her mouth to ask if Barrett had done anything recently to anger Don,
when a stunning redhead, who looked at though she'd been poured into her black leather jumpsuit,
burst through the door. She pranced around on high-heeled boots, fluttering her right hand like a
banner.

"Come see what he gave me! A two-carat sapphire with diamond baguettes on each
side!"

Everyone but Gabbie stopped what they were doing to mob the woman and admire the
sparkling ring.

Tessa got there first. She held the woman's hand this way and that to catch the stones'
facets in the light. "Kim, it's absolutely exquisite."

Kim threw her arms around Tessa. "It's all thanks to you. I followed your instructions
and they worked like a charm!"

"Of course." Tessa winked. "Listen to Mama Tessa if you want a 'make up' ring."

Intrigued, Gabbie said, "What's a 'make up' ring?"

Marie cut her a sidelong glance. "When a husband misbehaves and wants to get back in
his wife's good graces, he buys her a 'make-up' ring."

"I see. But what does Tessa have to do with it?"

Marie laughed. "She wrangled one out of Don years ago. Now she tells her good
costumers exactly what to do if they want one, too. Funny thing is, it works every time."

"Hmm. I'll have to keep that in mind."

Marie winked. "First you have to get married."

"Oh."

"Sometimes it takes years before it works. Jane Walters got a ring recently. Adele
McMahon did, too. An antique beauty with pavé diamonds."

Interesting that both Reese and Jack had sprung for expensive rings. She'd have to tell
Darren so he could call on local jewelers and, hopefully, find out if either of them had paid in cash. "I
wonder what bad deed their husbands committed," she mused aloud.

"I've no idea. It could be anything from screwing around to going fishing for a week
instead of taking his wife on a vacation."

Gabbie handed her a tip before walking to the desk to pay for her manicure.

"Come back soon," the receptionist called as she left.

"I will." Gabbie realized that coming to the salon had done her some good. She'd calmed
down and her nails looked nice. Best of all, she'd learned that Don, Reese, and Jack had all bought
expensive items since Cam's death.

Life marches on despite murder and other tragedies, she mused as she yanked a cart
free at the supermarket. People work, prepare meals, get together. She found the thought
reassuring, as though there really was order in the universe.

* * * *

Darren called to say he and Roland would be coming together. They arrived at the
cottage close to eight o'clock. Gabbie decided it best to leave the brothers' reunion until after
dinner. Darren and Roland seemed to enjoy her meatballs and pasta, since they both took seconds.
It was almost as though they'd agreed to hold off discussing Cam's murder while they ate, because
the subject never arose.They talked about Chrissom Harbor, Gabbie's teaching, and Roland's
work.

After coffee and cake, Gabbie sent Darren a knowing look. "You guys relax in the den
while I stack the dishwasher."

She grinned when, a minute later, she heard Roland's exclamations. By the time she
joined the men in the den, they were deep in conversation. Roland seemed to have adjusted pretty
quickly to seeing his brother in ghostly form. Perhaps it was the nature of his work. Digging up
artifacts to study the history of mankind must have given him a broader perspective on life.

They were rehashing the ME's findings and Sonia's confession. "I can't understand why
she'd do such a thing," Cam was saying, his voice filled with self-pity.

Gabbie rolled her eyes at Darren and Roland. To Cam she said, "We've explained it, and
you still don't get it. You don't want to get it."

"One last time," Cam pleaded. "Please."

Gabbie sighed. After listening to Darren's report of Sonia's lengthy confession, her anger
toward the woman was tempered by a feeling of profound sadness.

"Sonia actually believed you meant it when you jokingly told her she was the one for
you, that the two of you would eventually marry. She was willing to wait. She was content to see
you when you ran into each other in town."

"That's the part I have trouble with," Cam said.

"I know." Gabbie drew in breath and continued. "Because of her brutal father and the
rape, Sonia hates and fears men. She's probably unaware that she does, because she's had a crush
on you ever since you and Darren beat up the boys who attacked her. It suited her that you made no
demands."

"In other words, I was safe."

"Exactly," Gabbie said. "God only knows what romantic fantasies she wove in her head,
fantasies unsullied by reality and sex, and kept alive by your promises."

Darren leaned forward. "Sonia got angry when she caught you kissing Jill one afternoon.
She took to spying on the two of you and saw it happen repeatedly, but since you continued to tell
her she was your girl, she convinced herself your relationship with Jill was a cheap affair. You were
sowing your wild oats, as she put it.

"What really set her off was hearing you planned to leave town. She was willing to put
up with anything but your abandoning her. So she got out the old revolver and drove to the cottage
to find out for herself. She came here that afternoon, and guess what she saw?"

"Jill's car leaving the cottage," Gabbie said, "and suitcases in the hall."

Roland grimaced. "She assumed the two of you planned to go away together. It's a good
thing she never went after Jill."

Gabbie said thoughtfully, "Jill knew Sonia was angry at her, but she never knew
why."

"She went after me instead," Cam mused. "She couldn't bring herself to shoot me, so as
soon as Jill left, she brained me with the butt of the gun."

"She thought she could trust you," Darren explained. "But you deceived her, just like
those boys."

Cam thrust out his long arms in supplication. "Hey, let's not go overboard feeling sorry
for her. Besides, how can you be certain she didn't kill me?"

Darren looked at Cam. "Because the ME said a powerful second blow with an object
wider than the butt of a gun caused the fatality. Probably the Roman statuette, since they found
traces of blood and a hair, oddly enough, on the back of it. They're checking now to see if they're
yours."

Cam pursed his lips. "I used to love that little statuette. Any fingerprints? They would
prove that Sonia killed me."

Darren shot him a look of disbelief. "Are you kidding? After eight months' time and all
the traffic in this room? Besides, it doesn't make sense that Sonia would strike you with two
different objects. And she says she didn't take your money."

Cam stared at him incredulously. "And you believe her?"

"Why shouldn't he?" Roland said. "Sonia confessed to a murder she thought she'd
committed. She was offended when Darren asked if she'd taken your money."

"Yep. Told me she was no thief," Darren said. "But she'd noticed the drawer full of cash.
Which means your second visitor most likely killed you for the money."

Cam buried his face in his hands. "So we're back to square one. No clues. No evidence.
This murderer, whoever he is, must be damn clever."

"Or damn lucky," Roland said. "No doubt the person stopped by, saw you lying on the
ground--dead for all he--"

"Or she," interjected Darren.

"Or she knew. Saw the money and started shoveling it into some kind of sack."

"Probably a pillow case," Gabbie offered.

"Right," Roland continued. "You probably moved or moaned, indicating you were very
much alive. At which point, he or she reached for the statuette and hit you again. And this time,
finished you off."

Cam shuddered. "Sounds awful."

"It is awful," Darren agreed, "but I think that's what happened." He hesitated, and then
said haltingly, "There is one other thing."

"What is it" Roland asked.

"This is official police business, but it's pertinent and I trust you won't say a word to
anyone about what I'm about to tell you."

"And whom would I tell?" Cam demanded.

"Sorry. Reese called me late this afternoon to say he had to get something off his chest. I
told him to come over to the station and he did."

"And?" Roland prompted.

"He said he'd stopped by the cottage just after five that afternoon. To say good-bye to
Cam."

Cam laughed. "He came to collect his money. The old coot is still lying."

"No point in my pressing that issue," Darren said calmly. "He said he entered the
cottage, saw the suitcases but no sign of Cam, so he left."

Gabbie felt a surge of excitement. "Did he happen to notice the drawer full of
money?"

"Afraid not. He noticed the bottom drawer stood wide open and empty. Reese figured
Cam had gone to take care of some last minute business. He said he couldn't wait, so he went on his
way."

"Oh." Her enthusiasm dissipated as quickly as it had risen. "That's not much help
then."

"It narrows down the window of time in which the murder was committed," Darren
said. "Now we know it occurred some time between Sonia's attack and Reese's visit."

"Could be Reese is the guilty party," Cam said.

"Could be," Darren agreed, "and I have to factor that possibility in as well. I'll question
everyone again and again, until someone gives up another piece of information." He sent Gabbie a
half smile. "Persistence and detail work solve crimes."

"Do you think the two murders are connected?" The idea that they might be had been
preying on Gabbie's mind all evening.

Darren scratched his chin as he considered her question. "It's too early to say, but if they
are, we've lost an eye witness to Cam's murder."

"Unless Todd saw the murderer kill Barrett," she said, "and is hiding out, afraid to
surface until you've caught him."

He frowned. "Exactly what I've been thinking. Which is why I'm leaving now to join the
search party."

"I'll come too," Roland said.

She walked them to the door. Darren gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Talk to you
tomorrow. Keep the doors and windows locked, and don't let anyone in."

"Hah! As if I would."

Darren and Roland left, and Gabbie double-locked herself in. She checked the sliding
doors in the den to make sure they were locked as well. Even Cam had disappeared to wherever he
went when he wasn't at the cottage, which suited her just fine. She yawned as she climbed the stairs
to her bedroom. She was tired and longed for the luxury of a good night's sleep.

But once she got into bed and turned off her lamp, it was as if she'd switched on her
think button. So far, clues and witnesses to both murders were nonexistent. The police were almost
certain the statuette and Sonia's gun were the murder weapons, but they lacked evidence pointing
to the identity of the murderer or murderers. Gabbie had no doubt that Darren would coax more
information from the various suspects when he questioned them again. Unfortunately, that would
take time. Meanwhile, someone else might die. She shivered.

She considered Darren's list of suspects: Fred, Reese, Jack, Terry, and Don. Any one of
them might have killed Cam. They all had reason to hate him, some more than others. Still, none of
the five men, including Fred, struck her as a murderer.