Janet Evanovich - Full Bloom

"Don't." Wes handed her a spare helmet, then put his on. "You're not afraid, are you?"

The look in his eyes challenged her. "Of course not."

"Let me help you with the strap." He tilted her head back and fastened the strap beneath her jaw. "Okay, Red, you're all set." He swung one leg over the bike and sat on the leather seat. "Your turn. Grab my, shoulders and hop on."

Annie hesitated. She should have known it would require bodily contact. She did as he said, climbing on.

Wes showed her where to put her feet and started the engine. "Which way?"

* * * * *

The Schaefer residence was a two-story colonial with long porches and a perfectly manicured lawn. Wes parked his bike, shut off the engine, and waited for Annie to climb off.

She looked at the house as she stood and unfastened her helmet. "Let's get this over with."

Wes rang the doorbell. A moment later a striking brunette opened it, holding in her arms what appeared to be a newborn baby. She took one look at Annie, and her mouth formed a large O.

"Hello, Donna."

"Why, Annie Fortenberry, you are the absolute last person in the world I expected to see."

Annie smiled tightly. Donna looked considerably older, her facial bones prominent, deep creases embedded between perfectly formed eyebrows. She had lost weight and appeared as fragile as a china teacup. "I'm sorry to bother you this early," Annie said, "but it's important."

The woman's smile faded as she caught sight of Wes, but she quickly disguised it. She hesitated, as if uncertain whether to invite them in. Finally, she stepped back so they could enter.

The oversize foyer held an antique pedestal table that shone like a new penny, on top a crystal vase with fresh flowers and beside it the mail that had been precisely stacked, larger envelopes on the bottom, the smaller ones on top.

"Gosh, how long has it been?" Donna asked, but didn't wait for an answer. "You look great."

"I see you have a new addition to the family," Annie replied. "I didn't know you'd recently had a baby or that you were even pregnant."

Donna's eyes clouded. "We haven't kept in touch like we should have," she said. She held the baby up for inspection. "This is Kevin. He's six weeks old today," she added proudly.

Annie stepped closer to get a better look at the infant, so close, in fact, that she thought she smelled alcohol on Donna's breath. "Congratulations. He's adorable."

Donna stood there a moment as if wondering what to do or say next. "Why don't we go into the den?" she suggested. "I was just about to put Kevin down for a little nap."

Annie and Wes followed the woman to the back of the house and into a large, picture-perfect room. Annie knew that a professional had decorated the room. The French doors looked out onto a covered patio where several tables and chairs sat among lush plants. Annie and Charles had attended a number of cookouts at the Schaefers'.

"Please make yourselves comfortable," Donna said. "I'll be right back."

Annie and Wes sat on the sofa. "I think she's been drinking," Annie whispered.

He looked at her. "I thought her mouthwash smelled funny."

Donna returned a few minutes later. "May I offer you refreshments?"

"No thank you," Annie said. "We can't stay long." She thought she saw relief in the woman's eyes.

Donna smoothed her wool slacks and sat in a chair directly across from them, her back ramrod straight. "Annie, Norm and I read about poor Charles in the newspaper. We were just sick over it and everything else that has occurred since. Please accept our sincere condolences. If there's anything we can do—"

"I'm fine," Annie interrupted, thinking either Donna was a damn good actress or Wes had his information wrong. Annie glanced at Wes, who seemed to be studying the woman closely. "Donna, I need to ask you something," Annie said, "and I thought it would be best if we came by while you were alone."

The woman plucked a piece of lint from her slacks. "It sounds serious."

Annie shifted on the sofa, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute. "There is talk that you and Charles were romantically involved."

Donna looked incredulous. "Who would say such a thing?"

"I have proof," Wes said.

Donna tossed a dark look his way. "I don't believe you," she said stiffly.

He nodded and stood, as did Annie. "We'll be back," he said. "With pictures."

The color drained from the woman's face. She clutched the arms of the chair. "Wait!" she said. When they faced her once more, she looked sadly resigned, and her voice was strained when she spoke. "Please." She motioned to the sofa. "Don't leave. Not yet."

They both sat.

Donna looked directly at Annie. "Why are you doing this?" she asked. "Charles has been gone for more than three years. What do you hope to accomplish by coming here now?"

"Someone murdered my husband," Annie said simply.

"And you think that person might be me?"

"Somebody who knew about the affair could have killed him," Wes said.

"If you're insinuating that my husband killed Charles, you're wrong. He didn't know about …" She turned sad eyes to Annie. "The affair," she added.

"So it's true," Annie said simply. She sighed heavily, trying to take it all in.

Donna began to fidget with her hands. "Charles told me the two of you were divorcing. Norm and I were having serious problems as well. Things just sort of happened, and before I knew it, Charles asked me to leave with him."

"How could Norm not have suspected?" Annie asked, and then realized what a dumb question it was, since she hadn't either.

Donna shrugged. "Who knows? Perhaps Norm was having an affair as well. He was out of town the night Charles and I were supposed to leave together. As planned, Charles and I each spent the day getting things ready, tying up loose ends. Supposedly, he had a late-afternoon appointment for an oil change. We'd planned to drive to Atlanta, spend the night, and fly out early the next morning—"

"To Jamaica," Annie said.

"Yes," Donna said, so softly it was barely audible. She took a deep breath. "I was packed and ready at the designated time, only he never showed up."

"What time was that?" Wes asked.

"Seven p.m." Annie had left for her mother's that morning.

"What did you do?" Wes asked. "When he didn't show up?"

"What could I do? I just assumed I'd been duped." Her shoulders sagged; she seemed to sink within herself. "I should have known something was up. We'd planned the trip well in advance, but Charles stopped calling as often as he had before. Even when I knew it was safe to call his cell, he didn't always answer. When he did answer, he acted rushed." She gave a rueful smile. "I knew there'd been other women …" She paused as tears sprang to her eyes. "But you know how it is: you keep thinking you're different from the others."

"No, Donna," Annie said coolly. "I don't know how it is."

More tears. Donna swallowed. "I was desperate." It took her a moment to pull herself together. "Anyway, Norm and I managed to get our marriage back on track, and a couple of years later I became pregnant with Kevin. Things are going well for us, Annie." Her eyes seemed to plead for understanding, even as tears ran down her cheeks.

"I'm happy for you both," Annie said, "but the fact remains, my husband was planning to leave. He'd packed his bags. Only he never made it because somebody murdered him."

Donna shook her head. "I don't know anything about it other than what I read in the newspaper like everyone else. And, of course, heard on CNN."

Annie closed her eyes. Just her luck that her husband's mistress had seen her in that damn bathrobe.

"You say your husband was out of town at the time," Wes said. "Where was he?"

"I don't remember. We own a couple of other real estate companies outside of Beaumont, one in Hilton Head and the other in Savannah, so he could have been at a sales meeting or assisting one of the brokers."