Horlick House was a fifteen-minute drive from my cottage. I arrived a little after eleven o’clock—plenty of time to check out the area and find a place to hide when Donna and her lover arrived. I parked at the far end of the parking lot and walked over to the house. It was made of stone and appeared to be well preserved. It would be a lovely place to visit with Dylan one day.
I noticed a small wooden structure, covered but open to the elements, and figured that had information regarding the acres of land behind the house. Sure enough, along with the listing of rules and regulations for how to behave in the park there was a large map showing the various trails.
A car pulled up, startling me, but I relaxed when I saw a man and a boy of about ten get out of the car and start down one of the trails. The father waved to me as they passed.
“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” he said.
“Sure is,” I agreed.
I decided to wait for Donna and Mr. X behind a group of trees. I hadn’t gotten there a moment too soon, when a man Dylan’s age pulled into the lot in a Camry. He got out of his car, looked around, then reached for his cell phone. He looked familiar, though I couldn’t remember his name or where I’d seen him—most likely in the library. He paced nervously as he spoke on his phone.
A few minutes later, Donna drove up in her Mercedes. Her lover ran over to her. I watched them hug, look around to see if anyone was in the vicinity, then embrace and kiss passionately.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he said.
“I missed you too,” Donna said, not as fervently. “Shall we walk?”
I noticed she was wearing sneakers and a loose T-shirt over bicycle shorts while Mr. X was dressed for the office. He nodded and fell into step beside her
I had no choice but to follow them. The path they had chosen had woods on both sides. I couldn’t trail behind them. They’d spot me immediately. I glanced to my left and noticed the start of a very narrow path. If I remained silent, I could walk on this parallel path and hopefully hear what they had to say to each other.
I grinned as Donna picked up the pace and Mr. X began to trail behind. Was she here for a romantic rendezvous or out for some exercise? Or was she intent on making a point?
“Hey, slow down,” he complained. “I want to be with you, not race you.”
“You need to get into shape. I told you to join a gym.”
After they continued in this manner for what seemed to be two blocks, Donna took pity on him and pointed to a bench. “Let’s sit down.”
I was as happy as Mr. X to hear this. I crept closer in order to make out their words.
Donna let him draw her into his arms for another passionate kiss. When she pulled away, he appeared puzzled. “Hey, what gives? Are you mad at me?”
“Of course not. Why would I be mad at you?”
“You seem so different from before. So—distant. When you need me now more than ever.”
“I need you?” Donna laughed. “What makes you think I need you now … more than ever?”
“Because now you’re alone. Your husband died.”
“Yes, Aiden is dead. Someone murdered him.” Donna narrowed her eyes. “Did you do it?”
“Me?” The guy looked shocked. “Why would I murder Aiden?”
“So you could have me to yourself.”
I stared at Donna. Did she think this man had poisoned Aiden? Had she told John about this person in her life? Somehow I didn’t think so, since John had never so much as hinted that they were looking at another suspect. Donna had managed to keep her affair under wraps. I felt a pang of guilt for not telling John about Donna’s lover last night.
Or was Donna simply a wonderful actress and actually the person who had poisoned her husband? Once again, I remembered there was good reason why the spouse was always the first suspect in a homicide case. She had motive and opportunity, and thallium wasn’t difficult to get hold of.
Donna’s lover rallied, proving he wasn’t the pushover I’d originally taken him for. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not the murdering kind,” he scoffed.
“No? I seem to remember you swearing you would do anything to have me.”
The sidelong glance he threw Donna was close to a sneer. “Please. That was in the heat of the moment.”
I wanted to cheer him on. Until I heard Donna’s next words.
“Come on, Brad. You left your wife for me, remember?”
Shocked, I bit my lip to keep from yelling at the lowlife. No wonder he looked familiar. I’d seen his photo on Michelle Forbes’s Facebook page. This was Bradley Forbes, her errant husband!
Brad nodded. “I admit it. I left her because I was crazy about you. Have been since the day we met.”
“That was so odd, running into you at Aiden’s office, since I hardly ever went there. But there you were, Vera’s nephew. New to the neighborhood.”
Vera’s nephew? All these revelations were making my head spin.
Donna suddenly turned nervous. “Vera doesn’t know about us, does she?”
“Are you kidding? I love my aunt, but she’s the biggest blabbermouth. I like to keep my life private.”
“Good,” Donna said. “It’s better that way,” she murmured.
“I fell for you on the spot.” Brad looked at her beseechingly. “From the way you acted, I thought you felt the same way.”
“I enjoyed our time together, but things are different now that Aiden’s gone.”
Brad stroked her arm. “We can have a great life together, Donna. We’ll get married. I’ll even adopt your children.”
Donna leaned back and shook her beautiful mane of hair. “I don’t want to get married again, at least not for a long time. I’ll have enough money from Aiden’s life insurance policy and the practice. I’ll be fine on my own.” She gave a little laugh. “And if I need more to keep up the house, I’ll get a job.”
“If it’s money you’re worried about, I’m doing fine.” Brad smirked. “Especially with that little sideline I have going at the insurance company where Aunt Vera got me the job.”
Donna’s head jerked up. “What sideline?”
Brad studied her face for a minute then smiled. “Just business. Nothing for you to bother your pretty head about.”
Donna shrugged, losing interest. “Whatever.”
They were silent for a minute while I pondered what I’d just learned. Vera must have gotten Brad a job at one of the insurance companies she dealt with, where he was in a position to approve the medical office’s bloated expenses.
Donna seemed not to know or care to know what Brad was talking about. How fortuitous it was that she hadn’t answered her phone when Angela called to tell her what was on Aiden’s flash drive. I was pretty sure she knew nothing about the medical fraud.
She reached out to take Brad’s hand. “I wanted us to meet today because I owe it to you to say what I have to say in person. You’ve been so sweet.” Donna stroked his face. “I couldn’t have gotten through the last few months if I didn’t have our meetings to look forward to.”
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Brad’s voice rose with every word. “You’re dumping me, just like that?”
The smile she gave him was bittersweet. “It was fun while it lasted, but my life has changed drastically. I have other priorities now.”
“Priorities? What other priorities?” he demanded.
But Donna didn’t hear him. She’d already set off jogging down the path.
I drove slowly back to my cottage, trying to wrap my head around everything I’d just learned. Donna. Brad. Vera. Michelle. All these connections. Not that it pointed a finger at any one suspect.
And it’s not my job. For once, I was glad it was John’s job to take it from here. John. I drew a deep breath and exhaled loudly as I called him on my cell phone. It went to voice mail. I said it was important, and he called back just as I’d turned onto the Avery private road.
“I have something to tell you,” I said, “but I need your word that you won’t lecture me when I’m done.”
“All right. Spill it.”
I slowed down as I approached my cottage. “It seems Donna Harrington has a lover. I mean had a lover. She broke it off a short while ago.”
John was good as his word, literally, if not in spirit. I ignored his snorts as I told him about the call I’d overheard last night and today’s meeting I’d witnessed.
“The guy’s name is Bradley Forbes. He’s Vera Ghent’s nephew. She got him a job at an insurance company, and it sounds like he’s involved in the medical fraud scheme.”
“Anything else you care to share?” John barked.
“Hey, easy there,” I said. “You said you wouldn’t lecture me.”
“I am not lecturing you. You’ll know when I lecture you about doing stupid things that can land you in the morgue!”
“That’s all I have for you,” I said quickly and disconnected.
John was pissed, but he’d get over it.