Casey Mayes - A Killer Column

“Hey, I was just asking,” she said.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be so crabby about it. I’m sure we’ll talk about it at some point, but I’m guessing not before we’ve untangled this mess.” I glanced again at her suit. “Are you going into work today?”

She nodded. “I thought I might be able to work the phones and see if there’s anything going on with the investigation. Sometimes the courthouse is the best place to pick up on what’s happening.”

“I don’t want you going out on any limbs for me,” I said.

“What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?” she asked as she rinsed her cup and put it in the sink. “I’m late. See you later?”

“Count on it,” I said.

After she was gone, I took a shower and changed. Where was Zach? If he was just going running, he should have been back at least an hour ago. I knew his heart was healthy enough for most things, but if he got into some kind of macho contest with Shawn Murphy, he might not fare so well.

I was about to call his cell phone when he walked in the door. He was sweaty from his run, but there was a broad smile on his face.

“Hello, sunshine,” he said as he leaned forward to kiss me.

“You are a mess,” I said as I limited it to a quick peck.

“Give me five minutes and I’ll be good as new.” He took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the purifier on Jenny’s tap. After taking a long swallow, he said, “I guess you heard where I was.”

“Out with Shawn Murphy, unless your plans changed. Did you have a good run?”

“He tried to kill me,” Zach said with a smile, “but I managed to keep up most of the way.”

“I’m glad you didn’t fall over dead,” I said with a straight face.

“That makes two of us. I got some good information out of him as we jogged.”

“He actually told you something?”

Zach nodded. “I’ll tell you right after I get out of the shower.”

“You’ll tell me now,” I said, blocking his way.

“I can pick you up and move you, and we both know it,” Zach said, “but that’s going to get you sweaty, too.”

“Go,” I said as I moved out of his way. “And don’t take too long.”

“You could always join me,” he said with a wry grin.

“I could, but who knows if your heart can take it. If you can wait, then I can, too.”

Five minutes later he came back, well groomed and smelling a world better than he had before. “Wow, you clean up nicely.”

He bowed at the waist. “Thank you, ma’am.”

As Zach took a seat beside me, he asked, “Is there a chance I can get something to eat? I hate to ask, but I’m starving.”

“I’m sure I can whip up something for you,” I said. “What would you like, eggs or an omelet?”

“Scrambled eggs will be fine, with some toast and some orange juice.”

“Let me see what I can do,” I said as I started rooting around in Jenny’s kitchen. She had everything Zach had requested.

“You’re in luck. Now talk.”

“But I’m still hungry,” he protested.

“If you don’t tell me everything you know, and I mean right now, I’m not even going to boil water for you.”

“Fine, I’ll cooperate.”

As I put his toast in the toaster and started scrambling his eggs, Zach said, “Murphy was pretty happy we taped Charlie on the porch. By the time they got to the station, Jenny’s neighbor was claiming that his confession had been coerced. Shawn watched the tape, and then showed it to Charlie. We caught him doing it, so there’s no denying it now.”

“I can’t believe Jenny has to live with that man right beside her.”

Zach grinned. “That’s one of the good parts. This morning, he was evicted from his rental, but not his jail cell. The owner’s going to move him out while he’s still in police custody, so Jenny won’t ever have to see him again.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said as I plated his eggs and added the toast. After I poured him a tall glass of orange juice, I asked, “Will there be anything else, sir?”

He surveyed it all with a smile. “No, this looks great.”

As he started to eat, I said, “We can wait with the questions and answers until after you’ve eaten.”

“No, I don’t mind talking while I eat,” he said, and then promptly took another bite.

“Did Murphy tell you anything about the case?”

Zach nodded, finished chewing a bite, and then took a sip of juice. “It turns out we can cross Sylvia off our list.”

“For the attempt on Kelsey,” I said.

“For both of them. Sylvia was in her room, on the house phone, talking to her interior decorator in Charlotte the entire time. The police confirmed it through phone records and a personal interview with the decorator.”

“Okay, then that’s good. Sylvia’s name gets crossed off. Did you find anything else out from him?”

Zach took one last bite, and then pushed his empty plate away. “That was great, Savannah. I was starving.”

“Running can do that to you,” I said. “What else did Murphy tell you about the case, Zach?”

My husband smiled softly. “It’s more of a hunch than a fact, but he’s got good instincts, so I’m willing to bet he’s on the money with it.”

“Don’t sit there grinning like a fool,” I said. “What did he tell you?”

“The police believe that the reason Mindi Mills moved to the Brunswick was so Cary Duncan could keep a closer eye on her. It’s odd that the widow’s paying the mistress’s way, isn’t it? Shawn is under the impression that Mindi thinks the relocation was her idea. He believes that Mindi is blackmailing Cary into paying her bill, and that’s just for starters. She knows something, he’s pretty sure of that. Nobody knows exactly what it is yet, but they’re digging into it, and Shawn has faith they’ll find out what it is, and fairly soon.”

“Could she have witnessed Cary killing her husband?” I asked.

“I suppose that’s one possibility.” He got up and rinsed his plate and glass, and then put them in the sink beside the mugs Jenny and I used. “It could be a secret Derrick told Mindi before he died, something that Cary doesn’t want to get out. Who knows?”

“Cary and Mindi do, at this point.”

“And we’ll know ourselves soon enough.”

“Then we can’t exactly strike their names off our list, can we?”

He shook his head. “No; besides Cary and Mindi, we’ve still got Kelsey and Brady.” Zach smiled at me and tapped me lightly on the cheek. “We’ve narrowed it down from six to four, though. I’d say that’s something, wouldn’t you?”

“If the police are focusing on Cary and Mindi, should we spend some time on Brady and Kelsey?”

He laughed, and I asked, “What’s so funny?”

“Sometimes it’s like you can read my mind,” Zach said as he wrapped me into his arms and kissed me.

Chapter 22

LUCKILY, WE FOUND KELSEY AND BRADY IN THE HOTEL restaurant and didn’t have to go upstairs to one of their rooms, or worse yet, chase them all over Raleigh.

“Mind if we join you?” I asked as I pulled out a chair at their table.

Zach took the last free seat. “That breakfast buffet looks great.”

I’d just fed him, but I knew my sweet husband was willing to take one for the team, especially if it meant he got to squeeze in an extra meal or two.

“Actually—” Kelsey started to say, when I interrupted her.

“It’s so sweet of you to make room for us. There’s a great deal we need to talk about, and this is the perfect time.”

Kelsey deferred to Brady, who nodded slightly. As soon as she had his approval, she smiled at me. “Of course you’re welcome to join us. What exactly do we need to discuss, though?”