Janet Evanovich - Full Bloom

"An employee from the morgue left for the Medical University in Charleston last night with the remains, and, well, to make a long story short, the vehicle was carjacked."

"What?" she shrieked.

"You're not serious," Wes said. "How could something like that have happened?"

"A passing motorist found the driver unconscious on the side of the highway. He'd been robbed and hit over the head. The van was gone."

Annie gave an enormous sigh. "Do you have any idea what this is going to do to Charles's mother?"

"I plan to go over there and break the news to her once I leave here. I know it's a lot to ask under the circumstances, but I was sort of hoping you'd go with me."

"Forget it," Annie said. "She blames me for Charles's disappearance and refuses to speak to me, especially after I told her he left me for another woman. I seriously doubt she'd even let me in the door."

"Do you know who he was seeing?"

Annie shook her head.

"Hold it, Lamar," Wes said. "I don't think this is a good time to question Annie, but if you insist, then I'm going to advise her not to answer without an attorney present."

"I am not afraid to answer questions," Annie said, "and the sooner we get it over with the better." She looked at Lamar. "What do you want to know?"

Lamar glanced from Wes to her. "Would you mind describing your relationship with your husband?"

"I was planning to file for a divorce, if that tells you anything."

"Did Charles know?"

"We hadn't discussed it, but I don't think he would have been surprised. Our marriage had been deteriorating for months because I refused to sell this house. Charles obviously thought I'd change my mind if someone offered enough money, so he began looking for a buyer behind my back. He found one willing to offer top dollar for it, but I refused to budge. The marriage pretty much went to hell after that. It wasn't long before I learned he was seeing somebody."

"How did you find out?"

Annie was not going to drag Danny into it. "I just knew."

"And you can't think of anyone it could have been? A friend or co-worker maybe?" Lamar added hopefully.

"Annie has already answered that question," Wes said. "I think she's been through enough for one day. Besides, you and your officers have a missing corpse to find."

As Lamar closed his notebook and stood, he avoided looking at Wes. "I'm sorry to have been the bearer of bad news, Annie, and I appreciate your answering my questions. I'll call the minute we find, uh, you know. I'll just see myself out."

Theenie entered the room a few minutes later with Danny right behind. "Is everything okay?"

Annie stood and forced a smile she didn't feel. "He just wanted to touch base with me, let me know how the investigation is going." She wasn't ready to discuss all she'd learned.

"Are you sure that's all it was?" Danny asked, his gaze going to Wes.

Annie was amazed that Danny could read her so well. "I wish you'd stop worrying," she said.

Danny slung one arm over Annie's shoulder as they walked toward the kitchen. "Good news. I plan to finish the floors today," he said. "But you know how I hate to work on an empty stomach, and I just happened to notice you were getting ready to make your famous blueberry waffles."

* * * * *

Wes arrived at Eve Fortenberry's house later that morning. She still wore her bathrobe, and her eyes were red and swollen. "I thought I'd stop by and see how you're doing," he said.

She shrugged and stepped back so he could enter. "I've been better," she said, "but that shouldn't come as a surprise." She motioned for him to sit as she sank into a lumpy chair. "Chief Tevis came by earlier."

"I figured he would." Wes paused. "You didn't mention our arrangement to him?"

"Of course not. I'm counting on you to do the job he's incapable of." She shook her head. "I have never seen such incompetence. How am I supposed to give my son a proper burial if there are no remains?" She reached for a cigarette. Her hands trembled so badly she could barely get it to her mouth to light it. "You can bet I told Lamar exactly what I thought of him." She shook her head and smoked in silence. Every once in a while she swiped at a tear. "I think I'm still in shock."

"Is there someone I can call to come stay with you?"

"No. I'm better off dealing with it in my own way." She looked at him. "Does Annie know?"

"Yeah. She was as mad as hell, but she insisted on answering any questions Lamar had, because she's as eager to get to the bottom of this as you are." It was clear Eve didn't believe him. "You know Annie has always been convinced Charles was seeing another woman."

Eve hitched her chin high. "If he was, then Annie has no one to blame but herself. She broke her word. She promised to get rid of that monstrosity of a house, and then changed her mind after Charles went to the trouble of finding a buyer."

"Are you sure that's the way it was?"

"Charles sat right there in that chair and told me the whole thing. I've never known him to lie to me."

"Annie claimed she never agreed to it," Wes said.

"And you believe her?"

"The only thing I know for certain is that Annie Fortenberry is incapable of murder."

The woman made a sound of disgust. "I should have known she'd get to you. Annie has a way with men. Believe me, I tried to warn Charles, but he wouldn't listen." She studied Wes. "You're falling for her."

"Eve, think for a minute. As much as you dislike Annie, she may be telling the truth about another woman being in the picture. What if it's true? What if that woman had something to do with your son's death? Wouldn't you want to know?"

"The only thing I know for sure is that you've lost your objectivity, which means you're not going to do me any good. But let me warn you, you're going to look foolish when Annie gets tired of you. The only thing she cares about is that house. It's all she has now that her grandmother is gone. Her own parents didn't want her."

Wes's eyes became flat and emotionless. "I only have one goal," he said after a moment, "and that is learning the truth."

Eve's grief turned to anger. "I don't need your services anymore. You're fired. You need to go back to Columbia where you belong."

Wes shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere. I intend to stay as long as it takes to find the real murderer." He stood, reached into his pocket, and handed her an envelope that had been carefully folded in half. "You'll find my note of resignation inside," he said, "as well as a full refund of everything you've paid me. I'm really sorry about your son."

He let himself out the door without another word.

* * * * *

Annie was throwing on her clothes when she heard Wes leave on his motorcycle the next morning. She had slept fitfully, tossing and turning, finally dozing off as dawn approached, only to awaken after 7:00 a.m., two hours behind schedule. She was still buttoning her shirt as she hurried down the hall toward the stairs. She had the mother of all headaches, and she could feel the tension in her neck building, the muscles so tight they felt as though they'd snap.

Theenie was up and about when Annie rushed into the kitchen. The woman had already made a pan of homemade biscuits, scrambled a bowl of eggs, and was in the process of slicing the ham they'd had for dinner the night before.

"Goodness," Annie said. "You've already done everything."

"I figured you could use a little help, what with all that's going on. Now, sit," Theenie ordered, pointing to Annie's usual chair. "I'll get your coffee. From the looks of it, you could use some."

Annie was only too happy to oblige. Theenie poured a cup and carried it to the table. "Lovelle and I had a talk last night," the woman said. "From now on we're going to start pitching in more."