Nick sat beside Rebecca’s hospital bed. Wilma, wearing a bandage on her head, sat in a chair at its foot. Erica leaned on the ledge under the window.
Bernie and Justine had been by to say hello but hadn’t stayed. Bernie needed to take care of things at the office for Nick. Justine planned to put in a full night’s work on the new business plan Rebecca had given her.
Rebecca looked at Nick. “Do you have all the pieces of the puzzle together now?”
“Yes.”
“You knew it was Vernon from the start didn’t you?”
“I knew he was guilty of something. I just had a gut feeling.”
She looked at Wilma. “I’m glad to see you. Vernon wouldn’t tell me if he’d killed you or not.”
“He just locked me in my room, Ms. Rebecca. I’m sorry it took me so long to call the police, but he knocked me out.”
“I didn’t think the phone was turned on in there.”
“It wasn’t. I kept the cell phone Mr. Nick gave me in my room just like he told me to. He wanted me to have it so I could call if I needed him during the night.”
“I didn’t know he’d given you a phone.”
“He gave it to me the day you disappeared, and I called the police.”
Rebecca remembered Nick going out of her room to talk with Wilma. He must have given it to her then.
He smiled. “I didn’t want you to know how concerned I was. We decided not to tell you.”
Rebecca returned his smile. “I’m glad you had it, Wilma. You deserve a raise.”
“You pay me too much now.”
“Vernon told me about each murder and why he killed each person.” Tears came to her eyes. “He even said he’d taken away my father’s medicine and substituted sugar pills and arsenic so he wouldn’t get well. I can’t believe I married such a diabolical man. How could I have loved someone like that?”
“Because he loved you in the beginning, Rebecca,” Erica said.
“He said he only married me because he knew Mindy would never marry him. He said he’d always loved her, not me, but marrying me was the only way he could get the company.”
“I found the box of evidence you collected in your closet.” Erica met her eyes. “It proves that Vernon was deeply involved in the sex ring. He often wore the purple mask you found. You were right about the shapes. They were used as signals. Mindy would put a certain shape on her little bag to signal all the members about what was going on.”
“And I thought she carried the bag out of sentiment. I didn’t know my sister at all, did I?”
“I don’t think any of us knew Mindy very well.” Erica smiled.
“I have a gas receipt in the pocket of my sundress,” Rebecca said, changing the subject. “It shows where he bought gas the night he took Mindy to South Port.”
“We also have those sunglasses to connect him to South Port. The lab found his fingerprint on them.” Nick took a deep breath. “Did he tell you why he killed Gordon Jones?”
“Yes. He said Gordon helped him sell the DVDs, and he had to kill him because he was afraid you’d be able to get the truth out of him.”
“I wonder if Gordon knew Vernon killed Mindy.”
“I don’t think so. He said no one knew. He was afraid I’d believe Aunt Millicent, and that’s why he killed her. Bless her. She only died because she had hit on the truth.”
“What about the sex ring, Nick?” Erica asked.
“I’m sure it will dissolve on its own. Mindy and Vernon were the leaders. Max Garvey and Tess Carter assisted him. You know where Max is, and Mrs. Carter has moved out of her condo. Nobody seems to know where she went. The DVD sales will die because the orders have been confiscated. They’ve all been stamped, No Longer in Business, and have been returned to sender.”
“I’m glad it’s finally over. Of course, we still have the press to deal with.”
“That will die down soon. With only Brookmeyer to prosecute, they’ll lose interest.”
Erica stood. “Well, Wilma. I think I should get you home. I’ve decided that as Rebecca’s assistant, I should go into the office in the morning. It’ll keep the people there confused because I’m going to look like I know what I’m doing.”
“Erica, you can wait until I get there.”
“No. Justine and I decided that a delay would give too many people time to get rid of things they think we shouldn’t see. We’re going to be there before anyone arrives to go over the files. That place will be in great running order in no time.”
“Thanks, my friend.”
“I should do one thing right away, that is, if it’s all right with you, Rebecca.”
“What’s that?”
“Justine and I both think we should let Robyn Garvey go immediately.”
“I agree. I’d like both of you to stay with her as she packs up. I should be the one to do that type of thing, though.”
“We can handle it. Besides, you’ll be at work in no time.”
“Thank you, Erica. You’re a good friend.”
“I’m just glad you’re still here to thank me. See you.”
“Goodnight, Ms. Rebecca. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Wilma said.
“Goodnight to both of you.”
Nick stood. “I’d better leave, too, and let you some rest.”
“Do you have to go?”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“Yes.”
Nick sat and took her hand.
Thirty minutes later, Rebecca drifted off to sleep and Nick let go of her fingers. He stood, leaned over the bed, and kissed her gently before leaving the room.
* * * *
The next day, Nick brought Rebecca home from the hospital. Her wounds were healing and she would be well again soon.
Wilma, still wearing the bandage on her head as if it were a badge of honor, fixed them a special lunch.
Erica and Justine came by and gave Rebecca a brief report on what had happened at Davidson Industries. They had been discreet enough not to stay long. A uniformed policeman posted near the front door kept the press away.
At almost three o’clock, Nick and Rebecca were alone in the sunroom. They sat on the wicker sofa and he locked his arms around her, but was careful not to touch her wound. She leaned against his chest and rested her head under his chin.
“I’ve made a decision,” Nick informed her.
“What decision?”
“I’ve decided we’re going to change the master suite of this house to the other side.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I don’t fancy sleeping in the same room you shared with Vernon. I figure the construction will take a few months, and that’ll give you enough time to get settled at the business and give us just the right amount of time to really get to know each other.”
She twisted her head so she could see his face. “What makes you think we’ll get to know each other and that you’ll be sleeping where I sleep?”
“Oh, I’ve got to.”
“You’ve got to? May I ask why?”
“Because I’ve seen you naked.”
She laughed. “So, seeing me naked means you have to sleep where I do?”
“That’s right.”
“What about Bernie? He saw me naked, too. Does that mean he has to sleep where I do?”
“Nope. That means he gets to be our best man.”
“So you get to sleep with... What did you say? Does that mean you’re asking—”
He pulled her tighter against him. “Yes. It means I’m asking if sometime in the not too distant future, when our bedroom is done, if you, the beautiful business owner and socialite, will consider marrying this run-of-the-mill, beer drinking private detective?”
“I would love to be your wife, but there’s one problem.” She grew solemn. “I can’t have children, Nick. I’d never know the joy of having your child.”
“I already have two children I hardly know. Maybe with the help of a woman like you, I can get to know them.”
“And you’d marry me, knowing I would never be a mother?”
“Do you want to be a mother, Rebecca?”
“Of course.”
“That’s fine with me. If you want children, we can adopt. A lot of kids out there need parents. I’m not sure how the adoption agency will take to a guy like me, but we’ll take as many kids as they’ll give us.”
She sat up and looked directly into his eyes. “You mean that, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t say it, if I didn’t mean it.”
“I love you, Nick Quimbley. I’ll marry you anytime you want. Maybe we can find carpenters who work fast.”
“We will, even if I have to pick up a hammer myself.”
Rebecca didn’t have a chance to answer because Nick took her in his arms and kissed her passionately.