Promise Her (23 page)

Mike laughed as he made his way through the crowd.

It was impossible to find a quiet spot. Lisa yanked on Douglas’ coat to get his attention. “Are we going to headquarters to see what’s up with Harold?”

“First we talk to Darin.”

“Can’t do it here,” Ev said, looking around at the milling crowd.

“Follow me.”

Lisa took Douglas’ hand, ignored the want that followed. Just a touch and her insides were shaky. Ignoring the feeling, she headed to the exit sign. As they stepped outside, quiet engulfed them. “Make the call. I want to know what’s going on. Is Harold under arrest? Or is he just being questioned?”

Douglas punched his brother’s number.

“I think it’s time to tell Detective Ryan we’ve seen Tempest’s twin. Let’s see if they can get their hands on her,” Lisa said.

“She’s slicker than greased owl poop,” Evan said.

Lisa doubled over with laughter.

Douglas glared at her, then at Ev.

She laughed so hard, tears streamed down her face.

It wasn’t that funny. The stress of trying to find a killer combined with the stress of her love life, if that’s what you wanted to call it, was too much.

"Come on. Let's go."

Taking Ev’s arm, she headed for Douglas’ SUV. They couldn’t stay. She wanted the information out there, and she wanted it now.

Chapter Twenty-Three

The conversation with Darin didn’t take long. He told Douglas he was on his way to headquarters and would get back to them as soon as he found out about Harold.

“We’ll meet you there,” Douglas said.

They climbed into the SUV, Lisa in the backseat again.

She shouldn’t touch him, shouldn’t take his hand. A touch, a look and her bones melted. Her defenses against Douglas had never been strong. After his earth-shattering kiss—after her declaration she’d get over him and move on with her life, it was as if those feelings were stronger than ever.

Willing herself not to look at his profile and start dreaming again, she turned to her computer. It was a believable cover. She sent another e-mail to Bernie asking him to see what he could find on Storm, using the name Jolie, no known last name. With so little information it would be next to impossible. But she had to try.

“I can’t wait to see Ryan’s face when I tell him we found Storm,” Lisa said into the silence from the front seat.

“We’ll be there in a minute.”

“Two trips here in the same day,” she said. “I don’t like it.”

“Neither do I,” Ev said.

Douglas pulled into a parking space and they raced inside.

Detective Ryan had Harold in an interrogation room. They caught the detective before he went in.

“What? I’m busy.”

“We have information,” Lisa said.

“Make it fast.”

She took a deep breath. “We found Storm. She goes by the name of Jolie. I don’t know her last name. She’s at the rodeo every night. I just talked to her. There’s no doubt she’s Tempest’s twin.”

Ryan waved one of the detectives in the hall over. “Put out an APB on the woman these people describe. Then get to the rodeo and find her.”

“We saw you take Harold into custody. Can you tell us anything?” Douglas asked.

“On my way to interrogate him now.”

“Can we watch and listen?” Lisa said. “I’ll know if he’s lying.”

Darin came down the hall toward them.

“Guess you want to watch, too?” Ryan glared. “Won’t happen. You’re still a suspect,” he told Lisa. “But Callahan can watch. I’ll talk to the rest of you later.” He opened the door and went in with his partner.

Lisa’s temper was about to explode. If anyone should be in there watching it was her. It was her life on the line.

A detective jotted down the information on Storm and left.

Darin went into the room and shut the door. Lisa had to hear what Harold said. If he lied, she’d know it. Would the cops? “I have to get in there,” she told Douglas.

“Just a minute.” He looked up and down the hall. No one was around. Opening the door where Darin had disappeared, he ushered her inside.

“Keep this quiet, Darin.”

Darin glared at them. “They’ll have my hide if they find out.”

“Thanks, Douglas. I was about to blow.”

From behind the two-way mirror, they could see and hear everything. Harold was read his rights. Lisa watched and listened closely. Steeled her nerves to settle down. This was it. If they could get him to admit he’d killed his wife, she could get her life back.

The man with Harold had to be his attorney.

“I didn’t kill my wife,” Wheatley exclaimed before they asked the first question.

“Liar!” Lisa exclaimed.

“Quiet,” Douglas whispered. “We’re not supposed to be here.”

Video and audio were rolling. Harold was doing his best to convince Ryan of his innocence.

Detective Ryan frowned. “Evidence tells us you did.”

“A couple of days ago, you said Lisa Kane killed her. I agree.”

“Bastard!”

Douglas gave her a look.

“Things have changed,” Ryan said.

Wheatley’s attorney cautioned his client to keep quiet. Harold was too upset to listen. He leaned over the table, got into the detective’s face. “I don’t care what you have. I had nothing to do with my wife’s death.”

“Then tell me why we found the poison used to kill her had been ordered from your computer?”

Harold sat back, a stunned look on his face.

“Don’t answer,” his attorney advised.

“But I didn’t,” he insisted. “Someone must have used my computer without my knowledge.”

“That would leave out Ms. Kane, wouldn’t it?” the detective asked.

Harold wiped his face with the palm of his hand. “She wouldn’t have access.”

“If you didn’t place the order, who did? Who had access to your computer? Who else would want your wife dead?”

Harold turned as white as the handkerchief he pulled out of his pocket. “I don’t have a clue. I just know it wasn’t me.”

“What can you tell me about your friend, Jolie?”

Lisa held her breath.

When Detective Ryan shot the question at him, everyone watching awaited Harold’s reaction. They weren’t disappointed. Wheatley visibly paled. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“You know this how?”

“I’m not telling you again you don’t have to answer these questions,” his attorney warned.

“I have nothing to hide,” Harold yelled. “I want to get to the bottom of this and get the hell out of here. I have a job. A good one. And I’m about to lose it. This is a big distraction.” He turned to the detective. “I didn’t meet Jolie until after my wife died. She couldn’t have anything to do with this.”

“Where do you keep your computer? It’s a laptop isn’t it? Do you take it with you? Do you bring it from home to the office?”

Harold nodded. “I do. Come to think of it, anyone could have seen it on my desk and used it without my knowledge.” He paused a minute. “Even Lisa Kane.”

Lisa was ready to fight. Harold was determined to tie her to Tempest’s death.

“Calm down, Lisa, or we’ll have to leave,” Douglas warned, putting his arm around her shoulder and squeezing.

She fought the urge to lean into him, and instead shrugged him off. “Listen,” she hissed.

“Did you cut Lisa Kane’s cinch so she would fall?”

“Don’t be absurd. She did it to make herself look less guilty.”

“Creep!” Lisa barked.

“I’m taking you out of here, Lisa,” Douglas said. “I’ve warned you enough and you’re not listening.”

She looked at him as if he had horns. “You’ve got to be kidding! You couldn’t get me out of here if you roped and tied me.”

“Last warning,” he said, and turned back to the window.

“How about your wife’s twin, Storm? Could she have used your computer?”

Harold’s expression turned from anger to shock. “My wife didn’t have a twin. She was an only child.”

“You’re wrong. There is a twin.”

Harold shook his head. “Not so. She would have told me.”

“Storm had been estranged from the family for years, so it may not have occurred to your wife to mention her.”

“But,” he looked around the room, as if unable to believe what the detective said. “She would have told me. She told me everything.” He rubbed his forehead. “Maybe she did say something. A long time ago, right after we were married.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me about her parents dying. I asked if she had any other family. She got real quiet. Then she said, ‘It’s possible.’ But that’s all. She never explained and I didn’t ask.”

“Will the twin claim the trust?”

“Of course she will,” Harold growled. He looked at Detective Ryan. “So where is she? When do I meet her?”

“I think you’ve already met,” Ryan said, watching Wheatley closely.

From behind the window, Lisa held her breath. This could clear her.

“Her name is Jolie. She’s been seen with you on numerous occasions.”

Wheatley’s reaction was instantaneous. If he was putting on an act he was darned good at it. For a moment, Lisa thought he was going to pass out. Ryan shoved a glass of water at him.

“I take it you didn’t know.”

“You must be mistaken.”

“Didn’t you see the similarities?”

Harold had his hands over his eyes, his elbows on the table. If he wasn’t propped up, he might have fallen over. Ryan pushed. “Same build. Facial features similar. You didn’t see it?”

Harold shook his head slowly from side to side. “You’re wrong. Jolie can’t be Tempest’s twin. I would know.”

“Did the two of you plan your wife’s death? Are you in this together?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Where does she live? What last name is she using? It sure isn’t her real one.”

Harold’s head was still going from side to side. When he dropped his hands, his face was one of anguish.

“Collins. Her last name is Collins. She told me she lives in an apartment in the Memorial area.”

Ryan nodded, a signal for his partner to check it out.

Lisa watched him go. But she’d bet anything they wouldn’t find a thing. Storm was too smart.

“I take it you’ve never been there.”

“No. She was always around.”

“Did you date?”

Harold looked at the officer, his eyes full of pain. “I guess you could call it that. She came to my place a few times. We had dinner, sex.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what you call dating these days.”

“Did you talk of the future?”

“Never.” Harold swallowed. “I guess you know by now that I played around, even when I was married to Tempest. I’m not proud of it, but it’s fact. I was just playing around with Jolie.”

“Did she know that? Or did she think the two of you would get serious?”

“I don’t know,” he yelled again, clearly agitated by the questions and by the information he’d just learned.

“If you liked playing around so much, why did you marry Tempest?”

“Don’t. And I mean, don’t answer that,” his attorney warned.

“What difference does it make?” Wheatley asked, clearly unhappy. “I liked her. She was fun, she was beautiful and she was rich. What more could a guy ask?”

“What a jerk!” Lisa said, turning from the mirror. “What kind of guy does such a thing?”

Douglas jerked a thumb toward the interrogation room. “That kind.”

“You’re a real jewel,” Ryan said, rising from his chair.

“Are we through here?” the attorney asked.

Harold sat there, a faraway look in his eyes, as if he didn’t care what happened next.

“I’m through,” Ryan said. “Your client, however, is under arrest for the murder of his wife.”

Harold never stirred or acknowledged the statement.

“You’re out of your mind. My client is innocent.”

“Prove it in court.”

An officer came into the room, nudged Harold to his feet, handcuffed him and led him away.

Lisa felt the room sway around her. “Is it over?” she managed to ask.

Douglas had a big grin. “It is.”

She couldn’t wrap her head around it. After all this time she was free. The worry over being arrested for something she didn’t do would go away. Limp with relief, she leaned against the wall, tried to still her racing heart.

“Are you all right?” Douglas asked.

She managed a nod. She was better than all right. Pulling herself away from the wall, she went to the door. “Let’s go home.”

Darin looked up and down the hall, motioned them to leave.

“Then I guess I’m out of a job,” Ev said a minute later.

“You are,” Douglas agreed.

Darin gave Lisa a high-five. “Knew they’d come to their senses at some point.”

“It’s not completely over. They still have to find Storm,” Lisa reminded them.

“You’re safe now. That’s what’s important.” Douglas beamed.

She smiled at him. Then at Ev. “I am safe, aren’t I?” She took a deep breath. “It feels great.”

“Let’s celebrate,” Ev said. “I’m starving.”

Lisa chuckled. “When are you not?”

“I’ll take you out to eat,” Douglas offered. “Even order a bottle of champagne.”

“Now you’re talking.” Ev grinned.

“Later,” Lisa said. “When we find Storm and this is really over. Besides, I’m too wound up to enjoy a celebration.” Seeing the look on the guys’ faces, she relented. “We can order something in. That’ll work, won’t it?”

“Sounds good to me,” Ev said.

“Let’s go then.”

They met Ryan in the hall and shook hands.

“I suppose Callahan clued you in,” he said when he saw their smiles. “Thanks for your help.”

“Find Storm,” Lisa said. “She took Tempest’s money and somehow is involved in this.”

“We’ll do our best,” Ryan said before he turned to leave.

“I’m headed to the house,” Darin said. “Long day.”

Lisa went to him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for your help, Darin.”

He waved her thanks away.

They went outside and piled back into Douglas’ SUV.

“Hope that’s the last of this place,” Lisa muttered.

She opened her laptop, ordered Chinese and told them she’d pick it up in ten minutes.

Looking out the window, she saw Douglas was about to turn toward his house. “We’re going to my apartment, Douglas.”

His mouth tightened in that familiar stubborn way of his and made the right turn.