Shattered Dreams (33 page)

“That is odd,” Jimbo said as he looked up from the note he was writing. “Did he offer any reason why?”

When she shook her head, the PI asked, “Do you know offhand if he was seeing anyone else?”

“I kept him pretty occupied, so no. I never suspected another woman.” She snorted. “Of course, I heard all about what that conniving bitch did.”

“Conniving bitch?”

“Crystal Grayson.” Elise spoke the name as if it were decomposing flesh.

“She does play a little rough. Probably why she’s such an effective divorce attorney.” Jimbo waited a heartbeat. “And you never suspected another woman?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

He continued writing in his notebook, ignoring her.

When it was clear Jimbo had no more questions, Jason asked, “What did you do after the phone call?”

“Played a board game with the girls. We all went to bed around ten. I read for a couple of hours.”

“Okay. What about Friday?”

“He wasn’t in the room when I got there, so I left.”

“Why didn’t you contact the police?”

Her shoulder lifted carelessly. “I assumed he went back to his wife, and figured I’d hear from him sooner than later.”

“That didn’t bother you?” It could easily be her motive, Jason reasoned.

Her shrill laugh hurt his ears.

“He was a skilled lover, but no longer had the earning potential I require in a husband. Just so you know, he did offer.”

So much for motive. “Why didn’t you go to the police when you heard about his death in the news?”

“And do what? Give them a reason to suspect me? I’m not that stupid. There’s no proof I was ever there.”

The hard line of Jason’s mouth softened into a curl as his eyebrow quirked. “Now there’s where you’re wrong. I have proof, and soon, so will Deputy Snyder, the investigator in charge.”

Jason asked a few more questions, ignoring her posture of bristling outrage over his statement. He stood when it was obvious they’d get no more useful information.

“I guess that does it. Thanks for coming,” he said, and as she walked out, one thought remained.

How had he ever stayed married to her for so long?

• • •

Jason turned to Jimbo once the sound of the front door closing filled the silence. “This whole thing keeps getting more interesting.”

“Too bad the guy’s dead. He and Elise seem like a perfect couple.”

“They do, don’t they? Maybe she killed him. She had opportunity. Once the girls went to sleep.”

“Where’s her motive?”

“Good point.” Jason sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I suppose we’d better run this information by Snyder. He’s not going to like the fact that we kept it from him for so long. Could charge us with obstruction.”

“How? My files are confidential. Elise was seen leaving the hotel room on the day of the murder. We investigated, just like he’s doing. Can’t help it if we dug a little deeper, learned they were having an affair.”

Jason nodded. “I’ll call him to give him a heads-up.” He reached for his cell phone.

Jimbo walked up behind him just as he hung up from leaving a message for the deputy.

“He’s off duty until tomorrow morning.” Jason started for his fridge. “Want a beer?” When his friend nodded, he pulled one out. “I’m calling for pizza too. You going to stick around and help me paint?” He handed the beer to Jimbo before opening a bottle of wine and pouring a glass.

“I’d much rather see Crystal than spend the evening working next to your sorry ass.”

“You read my mind.”

Jason wasn’t offended. He’d much rather see Claire. Remembering the way she’d left his car earlier, he sighed and took a lengthy swallow of wine. He had some serious groveling to do. Might as well get to it.

“Let’s give them a call and see if we can scare up some company.”

Jimbo frowned and shook his head. “They’re not gonna want to come over here.”

“Sure they will.” When Jimbo’s expressions said
no way
, he asked, “Why not?”

“How’d you leave things with Claire? Did you give her that cold, distant look you used to give Elise?”

The noise coming from the back of his throat could only be called a disbelieving snort. “I don’t have a cold, distant look.”

“Wanna bet? You can be a son of a bitch when that moral outrage of yours gets going.”

“Let’s drop it. Your Dr. Phil impersonation’s getting old.”

Jimbo grunted. “Consider it payback for the free labor.”

Refusing to rise to his verbal bait, Jason ignored the comment. “Just to prove you wrong, I’m calling her.” He grabbed the phone and punched in Claire’s number.

After the second ring, a woman’s voice answered with, “Hello?”

“Claire?”

“No. She’s busy. Jason? That you?”

“Hello, Crystal.” He smiled into the phone. “Where’s Claire.”

“Why? Are your ears burning? We’ve been man bashing.”

“Ouch.” Jason cringed. “We’re doing pizza. Got the girls. We could make it a party. I need to make amends.”

“You got that right.” She broke off and Jason held his breath, not sure his peace offering would be accepted. He relaxed his shoulders when she said, “I’m game. Might be good for Claire to get out of the house. The press is outside, so we’re kind of stuck.”

“Jimbo’s here. He can drive my car into Claire’s garage, and you guys hide in it when he leaves.” He gave his friend a smug look. “That is, if you don’t mind seeing him. He thinks you’re avoiding him.”

“Total BS. Jimbo knows avoidance isn’t my style.”

“Good, I’m sure he’ll be relieved. He’s leaving now, so be ready to open the garage. He’ll call as he’s driving up.” Jason hung up and glanced over at Jimbo, grinning. “What?” he asked when the investigator gave him a dirty look.

“I’m picking them up?”

Jason laughed.

“And if I don’t want to?”

“Won’t cut it. You’re dying to, so just go. Bring ’em back. Take my car to throw off the reporters. I’ll order while you’re gone.” As he headed for the staircase, Jason threw him the keys. “I gotta check on the girls. What do you want on your pizza?”

“Surprise me,” Jimbo shouted on his way out the front door.

Chapter 45

Claire narrowed her gaze on her twin as Crystal laughed and said, “The cavalry’s on its way,” as she hung up the phone.

“What do you mean? What cavalry?”

“R & O.” When her eyebrows rose higher, Crystal added, “Roberts and O’Malley. They’re coming to our rescue.”

“Here? They’re coming here? With all those reporters camped out?” Alarmed, Claire shot back, “Jason’s the last person I want to see right now.”

“Chill, will you? Jason invited us for pizza. You’ll get to meet his girls.”

If Crystal thought that would convince her, it did the opposite. Meeting Jason’s girls now wouldn’t be wise. What if she liked them? Oh God. She had a pretty good idea she would, so it would mean one more thing to get over. Getting over Jason was hard enough.

“You go. I’ll stay here.”

“And do what? Wallow? I don’t think so.”

Noting the determination in her twin’s eye, Claire groaned.

Crystal grabbed her hand and practically dragged her toward the bedroom. At the closet, she halted and flipped through garments. After yanking an outfit off the hanger, she threw it at her.

“That’ll do.”

“I’m not going.” Holding the new green silk pants and halter top she’d bought with the original idea of enticing Jason, Claire stomped her foot. “And I’m not wearing this. Not tonight when Jason’s kids are there.”

“Yes, you are. Now, change.” Crystal entered her bathroom and started rifling through her cosmetics. “He’s your lawyer, and you need to confront him sooner or later. Trust me, sooner’s better. This way I can be there to give moral support.”

“I can’t,” Claire whispered, still clutching the green silk. “I’d feel funny wearing this.”

“You want a little revenge for the way he treated you this afternoon or not?” Crystal went searching for another outfit.

“I’m not that gutsy. I can’t be like you.”

“Yes, you can.” Crystal handed her some skinny jeans and another green silk blouse, this one a more modest short-sleeved version. “It’s all in your attitude.” She patted the bench in front of the vanity. “I’ll help. We’ll make him rue the day he ever doubted you. Leave him wanting.”

“You really think I can?” Claire complied because some little part deep inside her wasn’t averse to the idea. She smiled when she caught Crystal’s devilish expression in the mirror.

Grinning back, her twin winked. “Trust me.”

Famous last words. She hoped Crystal knew what she was doing.

• • •

Just as Crystal was finishing Claire’s makeup, Claire’s cell phone rang.

“Hit the garage door,” she heard in Jimbo’s smooth voice. “I’m driving up now.”

Claire did as he asked, then stood at the inner door to the garage and waited until the silver Mercedes pulled in. When it did, she quickly hit the button to shut out the nosy reporters.

“They think I’m your lawyer,” he said, once out of the car. “Hopefully, they won’t pay too much attention when I leave.”

Claire sensed Crystal’s presence and watched Jimbo’s gaze go beyond her shoulder. Interesting that he zeroed right in on Crystal, even though Claire was dressed to subtly maim the opposite sex, including makeup and shoes. Few had ever been able to tell them apart, especially when she looked more like Crystal than Crystal did at this moment.

“Red,” he murmured, flashing her twin a lazy smile.

How could Crystal dismiss him so easily? He was sexy in a rugged kind of way, Claire thought, watching her sister give him a wary nod.

Then his amused gaze moved to Claire’s and his smile broadened, giving her the full effect of his easy charm.

“You look like you’re ready for battle,” he said.

Her back stiffened. If her twin could resist him, then maybe she could resist Jason.

“She is, and she’s taking no prisoners.” Crystal wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Dressed like that, she could even seduce you, cowboy.”

Jimbo chuckled and put up his hands. “I surrender. I’m yours for the takin’, sweetheart.”

“The battle between us is over,” Crystal told him. “Just so we understand each other, there were no prisoners on either side.”

“You’re a hard woman.”

“Damn straight, I am. We’ll both be better off if you don’t forget it.” She pushed past him and opened the front passenger side door while Claire entered the backseat.

“Careful you don’t mess up your getup.” Jimbo climbed in and grabbed the wheel after accepting the garage door opener Claire handed him. “Can’t wait to see his reaction.”

Claire closed her eyes. She’d surely lost her mind. Both she and Crystal were bent over, hidden from view. She felt ridiculous. Ridiculous but beautiful. The effects of the time Crystal spent on her makeup, along with the skinny jeans she seldom wore, made her think someone else had taken over her body.

A few moments later, Jimbo said, “You can both sit up now. Coast is clear. No one’s following us.” When Claire sat up and caught his amused glint in the rearview mirror, he added, “They’ll probably give up watching your house once the timer turns out your lights.”

If felt like no time before they reached Jason’s house. Memories of the last time she’d been here flickered in Claire’s consciousness while walking toward the entrance. She stopped short, swallowed hard, and studied the house.

Fear must have shown on her face because Jimbo offered her an encouraging smile.

“Don’t stop now. We’re just getting to the good part.” When her gaze turned questioning, his grin widened. “Jason needs to be thrown off-balance a bit. I’m thinkin’ if anyone can trip him, it’d be you.”

Nodding, she inhaled a deep, calming breath to quell the millions of fluttering butterflies that had suddenly emerged from their cocoons in her stomach.

Jason had just rounded the corner as she stepped into the living room. He halted abruptly.

Jimbo reached out to close Jason’s dropped jaw. “Down, boy. Guess which one is yours.”

“Down yourself, cowboy.” Crystal shoved past them after grabbing Claire’s hand. “Claire and I don’t belong to either of you. Don’t read anything into this visit other than what it is. Avoiding reporters. Plus, Jason’s daughters are here, and he’s got pizza.”

Jimbo grinned and winked at Jason. “She’s softening toward me. I can tell.”

“Sure.” Jason trailed the three into the kitchen. “Whatever you say.”

“I thought you told me you were remodeling.” Crystal shook her head, clucking her tongue with disapproval as she took in the room. “Don’t you know most remodels start in the kitchen?”

“You don’t like it?” Jason’s gaze followed hers and he grinned. “I’ll have you know I spent good money on those appliances, and they work.”

“He’s got some weird idea they’re antiques,” Claire interjected, feeling a little braver now that she’d made it past the initial meeting.

Though the pinpricks of sensation on her neck told her Jason’s intense gaze was boring into her back, she ignored him. She could do this. He’d never know how much her heartbeat sped up at being this close, especially after noticing his unrestrained reaction only a moment ago.

“He’s obviously living under some misguided perception,” she added after taking another deep breath.

Jason opened the pizza boxes just as two girls, who could only be Amelia and Chloe, charged into the room.

The girls rushed over to their father. Claire took in the easy way they interacted with each other, impressed with their obvious expressions of love. They looked as if they belonged together. A pang of regret pierced her heart that she wasn’t part of it, and probably never would be.

“Girls, you know Ms. Grayson and Uncle Jimbo.” Jason nodded to the group. He indicated Claire. “And that’s Ms. Carter. I’m her lawyer. Claire, meet Chloe and Amelia.”

Claire smiled and put out her hand. Immediately, the older of the two children took it.

“I’m Amelia,” the girl said in a voice that seemed much more adult than her ten years allowed. “What’s my dad defending you for?”

“Amelia,” Jason said in a chiding voice. “Mind your manners.”