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Monday morning, I was in the process of going over an offer I’d received for Mrs. Andrews’ house when there was a tap on my office door. Jacques stuck his head in. “Hello, dear. What’s the good word?”
I waved the contract in the air. “Guess what this is?”
A smiled formed at the corners of his mouth. “No way. An offer for 22 Timber Drive already?”
“Yep.” I was pleased with myself. “And they offered full price. Even Mrs. Andrews can’t refuse that.”
“Congratulations.” Jacques placed my favorite Starbucks drink, a caramel macchiato, in front of me. “I had a feeling when you texted that there was good news. I’m so glad I stopped to pick this up for you.”
“Thanks. How was your weekend away in Lake Placid?”
Jacques sat down in the chair in front of my desk and crossed his left leg over his right knee. “Fabulous. Bolin tried water-skiing for the first time. The water was cold, but he insisted upon it. Let me tell you, Cin, that kid was born to live on water. Ed and I played golf with friends we haven’t seen in two years, and we all went on a nature hike. And the cuisine at the resort was amazing. It was just what we all needed.”
“That’s great. I’m so glad you guys finally had a chance to get away.”
“Tell me about it,” Jacques sighed. “Ed’s been working such crazy hours at the Silver Platter that I hardly ever see him anymore. Did I mention he’s been offered an opportunity to become an owner? Roger is looking to retire.”
“Wow. Very impressive.” Ed had been the manager at an upscale restaurant in the Albany area for several years. It was one of mine and Greg’s favorite places to dine on the rare occasions when we went out to dinner.
Jacques sighed. “Impressive, yes, but that probably means I’ll see even less of him. Still, it’s a fantastic opportunity, and I know he’s wanted it for a long time.”
“You two were meant for each other. Born workaholics,” I teased.
“Hmm.” Jacques studied my face closely. “Speaking of workaholics, you look like you could use a vacation as well. When’s the last time that you and Greg had a weekend away?”
“That’s easy. The week Grace was born.” My tone was teasing. “The amenities were amazing. We had the finest suite that the hospital could provide.”
He laughed out loud. “Well, we’ll have to remedy that soon. Ed and I could take the twins and Grace for a weekend. Just let me know.”
“Sounds good.” I leaned back in my chair. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
His eyebrows rose. “Oh no. Please don’t say that the Fitzgerald deal fell through?”
“No, it’s still a go. The seller is giving the Fitzgerald’s a credit for the furnace, and the bank emailed me this morning. The closing is scheduled for Friday.”
Jacques let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. So, what’s the problem?”
I tried to brace myself for his reaction. “Mac Tremont was shot to death Friday night.”
“What?” Jacques’ eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. “Oh, dear lord. Where? How did it happen?”
I quickly provided him with the details. Jacques shook his head. “I can’t believe it. Cin, forgive me for saying this, but why is it someone always gets killed when they associate with you?”
“Gee, thanks a lot.” Sadly, I’d been thinking the same thing myself.
Jacques looked apologetic. “Sorry, that came out wrong. You should have called me over the weekend. Do the police have any leads?”
“None that I know of.” I absently stirred my drink with a straw. “And I didn’t want to ruin your weekend. What could you have done?”
Jacques exhaled sharply. “This is horrible.”
“Tell me about it.” I hesitated. “I hate myself for thinking this, but I’m worried Annette may have had something to do with it.”
His jaw almost hit the floor. “What are you saying?”
“Think about it. This was Annette’s first night in Mac’s house. What’s the chance of something like that happening? Crime is low in that area, except for an occasional robbery. I don’t think this was a coincidence. What if someone meant to harm Annette instead of Mac?”
“Like who?” Jacques wanted to know.
Good question. “No idea. I’m grasping at straws here.” With a start, I put down the one I’d been stirring with. This was no time for puns. “I think Annette’s hiding something. This whole ‘I’m back because I missed my family’ spiel is a load of bull. I’m not buying it but guess who is.”
Jacques made a face. “Gregory.”
“Yes. I don’t understand. He acts like she can do no wrong. She’s staying at our house, and he caters to her every whim.” My voice began to shake. “It’s as if he’s completely blind to her true colors.”
“This has to be rough on you, darling,” Jacques said sympathetically. “But remember, it’s rough for him too. I’m sure Gregory realizes you don’t want her there, and the knowledge hurts him.”
“Is it that obvious?” I asked.
Jacques mustered a smile. “He knows you better than anyone, even me. The man is walking a thin line between two women that he loves. Greg doesn’t want to lose his sister again.”
Frustrated, I shut my eyes. Jacques had a point. “I realize that, and hate myself for saying this, but I don’t want her in my house. All she does is stir up trouble. To make matters worse, Darcy dislikes her. Annette broke up her friend’s parents’ marriage.”
“Ouch.” Jacques made a face. “You do have your hands full this time, dear. Let’s see. What about inviting the mother-in-law from hell over for dinner? If things go well, maybe Annette will go home with her.”
It was worth a try but having both Annette and Helen at my dinner table was an invitation for disaster. “Well, what do I have to lose? Besides my sanity. In the worst-case scenario, she should be able to move back into Mac’s house before long.”
Jacques frowned. “I hope so, for your sake, darling. Mac has a couple of grown children, and I’m guessing he’s left the house to them. Maybe they’ll let her continue to rent. Unless they have other plans for the place.”
“God, I hope not.”
Jacques took off his eyeglasses and polished them with a handkerchief. “Do you know when the services are being held for Mac?”
I finished my macchiato and tossed the cup into the trash can underneath my desk. “The wake’s at two o’clock this afternoon. It’s being held at the Pearly Gates Funeral Home.”
“I’ll go, of course,” Jacques said. “Do you want to come with me? We can take my car.”
“Yes, but I should probably ask Annette if she wants to come along.” I picked up my cell. “If I know my sister-in-law, she won’t want to go alone.”
Jacques rose from the chair. “That’s fine. Listen, I have a few calls to make. Can you be ready to leave by one thirty? We’ll stop and pick up Annette on the way.”
“Sounds good.”
I sent Greg a text and asked if he would invite his mother for dinner. She would be more likely to accept the invite if it came from him instead of me. Next, I called Annette. The phone rang four times before she picked up, sounding groggy and disoriented. “Cindy?”
“Did I wake you?” I asked.
She yawned noisily. “Oh, that’s all right. I need coffee anyway. Can you bring me a cup?”
I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. “Uh, Annette, I’m at the office. You’re perfectly welcome to go out to the kitchen and fix yourself a cup from the Keurig.”
“Gee, there’s no reason to be snippy,” she said sourly. “I’ve had an awful weekend, remember. And I’m not fully recovered yet.”
Good grief. She wasn’t the only one. Poor Mac Tremont would never recover. “Actually, that’s what I’m calling about. Mac’s wake is this afternoon. I thought you would want to go. Jacques and I will pick you up about one forty-five, if that works?”
“Jacques,” she murmured. “Is he the gay guy my mother told me about?”
“Yes,” I said, trying not to sound as irritated as I felt. “Is that a problem?”
There was a pause on the other end. “No, not for me. Um, I’ve got an errand that I need to run first. Maybe I could meet you guys at the funeral home?”
“Sure, that’s fine.” I gave her the address. “Have you heard anything from the police about when you might be able to get back into the house?”
“No, but I hope it’s soon. Your study is a little too small for my taste.”
My entire house had seemed to shrink since Annette moved in. “Oh, and one more thing. Your mother is coming over for dinner tonight.”
“What? Why did you invite her?” Annette sounded puzzled. “She’s never even liked you very much.”
I struggled to temper my reply. “Because I thought the two of you might be able to work on your relationship more easily if you actually saw each other.”
“Are you kicking me out of your house?” Annette asked in a suspicious tone. “I don’t think Greg would be very happy to hear that.”
This was all I needed. As soon as Greg got home, Annette would cry on his shoulder about the injustices of the world and how I was trying to force her out of our home. Was she devious enough to purposefully try and drive a wedge between us? “I’m only inviting Helen for dinner, okay? There’s no motive behind it.” The lie tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Look, I have to call a client. I’ll see you at the wake.”
“Cindy.” Annette’s tone was anxious. “Have you talked to the police?”
Her question confused me. “I just asked if you’d spoken to them. Why would I say that if I’d already talked to them?”
Annette’s response was slow in coming. “Oh, I figured they might have called. Mom said that you’ve helped solve some murder cases.”
Bewildered, I stared at the phone. “Why would they ask for my help? I’m no detective. I was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Okay, it had happened multiple times, but who was counting?
She gave an exaggerated snicker on the other end. “Mom told me that you killed someone.”
My stomach twisted like a pretzel. “It was in self-defense.” It angered me that Helen had told Annette my deepest, darkest secret. Why in God’s name had she done so? She barely spoke to her daughter, and Greg and I had made it clear to Helen how we felt about this subject. For someone who didn’t converse with her daughter often, they sure spent a lot of time talking about me.
On that awful day, I’d had no choice but to fire the gun. Jacques and I both would have been killed if I hadn’t fired first. The person I’d killed had been responsible for the cold-blooded murder of my client. Although the police had praised me for my quick thinking afterwards, I felt no joy from the incident. I would live with the regret of what I’d done for the rest of my life.
“Hey, I’m not blaming you. You did what you had to do.” Annette’s voice was remarkably cheerful and bubbly. It made me want to reach through the phone and smack her. “Well, I guess I’ll see you at dinner tonight. By the way, what are we having?”
I ignored her question. “The wake. I’ll see you at the funeral home first. What time do you think you’ll be there?”
“Oh right. That’s what I meant. Yeah, I’ll try to be there by two fifteen. Bye, Cindy.” Annette clicked off, leaving me listening to dead air. I sensed disaster looming. Annette was up to something, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.
***
When Jacques and I arrived at the Pearly Gates Funeral Home, it was exactly two o’clock. About twenty people were seated in the viewing room, either browsing the various collages of photos or in line at the casket. A man and woman in their thirties dressed in black made up the receiving line and were busy talking to mourners.
I nudged Jacques. “Are those Mac’s kids?”
Jacques pushed his eyeglasses up his nose. “I never met them, but I’d assume so. They’re about the right age, and he told me he had no other family.” He guided me towards the kneeler in front of the casket as the man who occupied it moved to shake hands with Mac’s kids. “Come on, dear. Let’s get this over with.”
The deep creases that had been prevalent in Mac’s face the other day had been smoothed out, and he looked peaceful and calm. Mac was dressed in a brown suit and tie which had a gold clip attached to it with World’s Greatest Grandpa on it. A crystal picture frame inside of the casket held a black and white photo of a bride and a groom holding hands and smiling into each other’s eyes. I assumed this was from Mac’s wedding day. My heart broke for the poor man and his family. I hoped that he had been reunited with the love of his life.
As I stared down in Mac’s face one final time, I thought about how unfair life could be. Mac had clearly been in the wrong place and time, like myself, but I’d always managed to escape unscathed. Greg often said that I was like a cat with nine lives. I couldn’t help but wonder how many I’d managed to use up already.
We moved over to speak with the man and woman in line. Jacques went first, extending his hand to the man. He was tall and thin, with dark brown hair and a matching goatee. “Hello, Jacques Forte. I’m terribly sorry for your loss. Are you Mac’s son?”
The man nodded. “Yes, Bruce Tremont. Thank you for coming.” He gestured at the blonde woman standing to his right. “This is my sister, Lana.”
Lana’s eyes were bloodshot and her face devoid of color. She pushed back her long, blonde hair and shook my hand. Her thin fingers were as cold as an ice cube. “Thank you for being here.”
“My name’s Cindy York. I’m so sorry for your loss.”
“How did you know Dad?” Bruce asked.
“I sold him his house a few years ago,” Jacques explained. He gestured at me. “Cindy found him his renter a few days ago.”
Lana stared at me with new interest. “Oh, right, I knew your name sounded familiar. Dad mentioned on Friday that he’d found someone to rent the bottom floor. Did she come with you? I’d like to meet her.” She sniffed. “I understand she was the last person to see him alive.”
“Annette should be here soon.” I knew I should say something on my sister-in-law’s behalf. “She’s very upset about your dad’s death.”
Bruce frowned. “Yeah, well, I guess Dad was fixing her window blind when he was shot. The police asked us if Dad had any enemies, but everyone loved him.”
Lana’s eyes filled with tears. “Daddy didn’t have an enemy in the entire world. He was the kindest, most loving father ever. I don’t understand why someone did this to him.” A sob broke from her lips, and Bruce placed an arm around her shoulders. “Sorry. I’m trying to hold it together, especially for my kids, but this isn’t easy.”
“Please, don’t apologize,” I said. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”
“Mr. Forte, is there any chance that I could talk to you in private?” Bruce turned to his sister. “Lana, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”
She nodded as the two men walked off together. Another couple was waiting in line behind me to speak to Lana. I clasped her hand again. “If there’s anything I can do, please let me know. Again, I’m so sorry for your loss.”
A tear rolled down Lana’s cheek as she nodded. “Thank you.”
I walked over to check out the collage of pictures while waiting for Jacques. It had been tempting to ask Lana if she knew when Annette could move back in, but that would have been a tactless thing to do. The woman was grieving the loss of her father. I stared out into the front receiving area. An elderly woman with short, white hair was signing the registry. There was still no sign of Annette. Where the heck was she?
The collage held various photos of Mac at different times of his life. There was a black and white photo from his birth, and a few from his childhood. There was a picture of Mac as a teenager, standing proudly next to a blue Mustang convertible. I spotted several photos of him with what I guessed were his grandchildren. This was truly a tragedy for everyone who knew him.
I glanced at my watch. Two thirty and still no sign of Annette. Jacques reappeared and joined me in front of the collage. “What was that all about?” I asked.
Jacques motioned me to follow him out to the entrance, and we stood near the registry. “There’s good news, and there’s bad news. The good news is that the police phoned Bruce this morning and said they’ve completed their investigation.”
“That’s great,” I said in relief. “Maybe it explains why Annette isn’t here yet. But I figured she would have at least called to tell me she was back in the house.”
“You didn’t let me finish,” Jacques remarked. “Annette can go back in the house to get the rest of her things, but after that, she can keep on walking. Bruce wanted to know if I would list the house for sale immediately.”
“What?” I gasped. “So, this means Annette is out?”
His face was grim. “I’m sorry, darling, but that’s exactly what it means. Mac added Bruce and Lana’s names to the deed a few months ago. Both kids are hurting and want the place sold as soon as possible. They’re planning to start clearing things out tonight, and they want me to stop by to take pictures first thing tomorrow morning.”
I didn’t know what shocked me more—Mac’s kids being in such a hurry to unload the house or the fact that Annette would need to look for another place to live. I’d never get her to leave my house now. “What about the money Annette gave Mac? She paid him in cash. I haven’t called Trish yet.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Jacques assured me. “I’ll call Trish if you like. She’ll refund the full amount immediately. Bruce said they feel bad about asking Annette to leave so soon but they expect the house will sell quickly. And, assuming what they’re willing to settle for, I agree with him.”
I exhaled sharply. “Well, I’m glad you’re getting something out of this at least.” All I was getting was more aggravation.
Jacques glanced at his watch. “I hate to rush you, dear, but are you almost ready to go? I’ve got someone who wants to see a listing of mine at three, and that gives me just enough time to drop you back at the office first.”
“No problem. It will give me time to make an extra special dinner for my delightful mother-in-law and sister-in-law.” I was having difficulty keeping the sarcasm out of my tone. “Do me a favor and say a prayer that Annette ends up going home with Helen tonight.”
“Oh shoot. I almost forgot she was meeting us here. Do you want to stay and wait for her?” Jacques asked.
“There’s no need,” I assured him. “She never planned on coming.”