Chapter Twenty-Two

“Holy crap, Meredith, you must be the luckiest woman alive!” Sara gaped at me, shaking her head in astonishment.

We were crowded in my living room, now mostly bare since all my things were packed and stacked in several boxes ready to move. On top of them was a furniture catalogue, along with a promise from Sara to go sofa shopping with me. I had a couple of weeks left before the move into my temporary apartment and I couldn't be more excited.

“Maybe she's really a cat. She might actually have nine lives,” said Tess.

“Do you think her luck is contagious?” asked Karen, poking me with one finger, her expression so serious I tried not to laugh. “Should I buy a lottery ticket?”

“I don't know about lucky but I'm definitely not a cat,” I said, laughing. I looked around the house filled with gorgeous bouquets, several boxes of chocolate, a basket of muffins from Candice on the coffee table, fruit picked by Tess's daughters at a local farm, and I sighed. My assistant, Sacha, dropped off several bouquets earlier from my patrons and I was overwhelmed by all the cards and thoughtful notes. Jerry even pitched the idea of writing a memoir when he dropped off a casserole. He apparently fancied himself a ghostwriter. Even The Calendar Times' headline was highly complimentary: Former supermodel fights off attacker in high-speed chase!

Not that I knew we were being followed! I only discovered that when Sam pulled me out of the wreck, cradling me in his arms until the ambulance came. He remained with me, his face pale and worried, while the paramedics fastened me to a gurney before fitting an oxygen mask over my mouth and nose. He couldn’t ride with me to the hospital, because he had to manage the scene, but he did not fail to call Sara who, in turn, called everyone else. For two days, my visiting hours were full, minus Sam, and every inquiry I made only received a confused shrug in reply. Then Sam arrived, looking just as pale as he was when he pulled me out of the wreck, except now, he also had dark rings under his eyes. When he saw I was unscathed, his whole demeanor levitated and he hugged me long and hard until I begged for the chance to breathe. Now, two weeks later, I’d barely seen him.

“There's hardly a scratch on you,” said Karen. “I read the car flipped over twice!”

“Thankfully, the truck hit David squarely on so he bore the brunt of it... it's all muddled after that. I heard the truck driver was uninjured.”

“Serves David right too,” said Tess. “I wish he broke both of his legs, not just one!”

“He gave me a bad feeling,” said Karen. “I should have insisted on coming inside with you. Where in heck did he get a gun?”

“I wish I knew,” I said. “I suppose you can buy anything if you’re willing to pay for it.”

“And it was all about money?” asked Sara. “That's so sad. You initially even considered giving it to him anyway. What a fool!”

“Me? Or him?” I asked, feigning shock.

“Him, silly,” she said, smacking my leg playfully.

“I hope they throw the book at him in court!” said Karen.

“I'm sure they will. Sam called earlier and said they found the pepper grinder I hit David with inside a trash can a few streets away. They also have several doorbell cameras with footage of him running away. The police pieced it together to create a fairly damning timeline,” I told them. “I'm definitely installing one of those cameras in my new place.”

“That's one crime David can't get away with!” said Karen, punching the air. “And now I know exactly what to buy you for a housewarming gift. A pepper grinder!”

I laughed at Karen, always looking on the bright side, but she was right. I definitely wanted a new pepper grinder. “He won't get away with Brad's murder either. David was in a lot of trouble. He suspected Brad knew about what he was up to and that Brad was going to offload the business and cut ties with him. Brad sent him on a business errand to another city, but I think it was a ploy to get David out of the way while he looked for me and also to keep his nose out of the business. I think David knew Brad was coming here to find me, although I can't confirm that, and he quite possibly took a detour here and followed him. David was the man Brad was seen arguing with near my shop.

“When David saw me, he already knew Brad hadn't changed his will and must’ve realized I was yet another person who potentially prevented him from successfully hiding his crimes. Sam told me they found two witnesses who overheard him confronting Brad on Main Street. Brad told him he came here to reconciliate. That was when David realized the perfect opportunity to get rid of his brother, keep his company, and lay all the blame on me.”

“Like that would have stuck!” snorted Sara.

“He was desperate, and Brad was delusional,” I added.

“Was David behind the vandalism too?” asked Karen.

“I'm not sure we'll ever know who did that, or if he fooled around unpacking my stock like I suspected, but he was definitely behind the burglary in my shop. Sam sent officers to search it again and the second time, they found the bloody knife. It was wrapped up in a rag and shoved inside an air vent. I suppose it was David's insurance plan if I refused to sign the paperwork.”

“Wow.”

Knocking sounded at my door and Tess, who was closest to it, asked. “Do you want me to get it, or just ignore it? I can say that you're resting to whoever it is.”

“It'll be Sam. He said he was coming by because further evidence has been uncovered and he wanted to tell me about it in person.” I hoped I hid the disappointment in my voice. Yes, I wanted to know everything, but Sam made no indication of wanting to see me at all since my release from the hospital. Did I misread his intentions? I was disappointed, but if he still wanted to be friends... well, I could never have too many of those.

“This I have to hear!” said Tess, instantly up on her feet and jogging to the door. “Detective Logan, so nice to see you. We're dying to hear what you know.”

“If it's okay with you, Meredith?” he said, entering and scrutinizing our small gathering. He was dressed in jeans and a blue-shirt, unbuttoned at the neck, and his badge and gun were snugly at his waist, reminding me he had a job to do.

“It will save me repeating it,” I said, nodding.

“Plus, we can't wait for it to get into the newspapers,” said Sara. “We need to know everything, now!”

“I'm sure you already know most of everything,” said Sam. He perched on the arm of my chair and smiled down at me.

“We know David was desperate to get his company back,” said Karen. “And he fully intended to frame Meredith for his crimes.”

“But you don't know the whole reason.” Sam grinned. He rested one arm on his thigh, apparently relishing the chance to have all eyes on him. “Turns out that little flashdrive David so desperately wanted contained a whole lot of damning evidence. My forensic accountant just finished examining it and filing the report. Brad sold the company as a very profitable one, and he was right. VdB Tech was making money. But I think he discovered David was embezzling a fair share of it. Not a fortune, maybe a quarter of a million dollars over the period of a couple of years.”

Karen whistled. “I call that a fortune!”

“Not for David and Brad,” I said.

“You move in different worlds to the rest of us,” said Karen.

“This one is much nicer,” I told her. “So, David was stealing from the company? Why? He always seemed to have plenty, being a partner. I can't believe Brad didn't notice until he tried to sell it.”

“David made a couple of wonky deals outside the business. He also bought land that couldn't be developed or resold without a significant loss. He acquired some half-baked investments that also went bust. He was struggling very hard to keep up appearances,” said Sam.

“So why not ask his brother for a loan?” inquired Sara.

“I think he probably did. Brad signed a couple of large payments to him already that came from his personal accounts, not the company’s. From the texts, Brad cut David off and refused to give him anymore. So David grew more desperate than ever to recoup his costs and reinvest. He lacked the business acumen that Brad had. I think that was when Brad suspected his brother was embezzling and he started his own investigation. Some of the PIs were on a mission to locate you, Meredith, but others were investigating David.”

“Wow, Brad really was suspicious,” I said, raising my eyebrows.

“Brad felt stuck with David as partner and owner of VdB Tech. A bigger firm courted Brad to buy the business and he saw an opportunity to avoid dealing with David any longer. The accounts were audited in preparation of the sale and the flashdrive contained both the correct accounts and the ones David filed. He'd been siphoning off money to accounts that appeared to be legitimate suppliers but in reality, they didn't exist. David was well beyond desperate. The embezzlement might not have been formally detected until it was too late without that audit. I think the only way Brad could protect the company was to swindle it from under his brother’s nose.”

“So one brother is an embezzler, and the other one’s a thief?” Tess raised her eyebrows. “What a happy family!”

“Brad knew it would be harder to sell the company with an embezzler at the helm, so he came clean to the purchaser. I spoke with the president of the company earlier today and confirmed it. The technology and intelligence behind it were unaffected by the crime but the new company didn't want David. The sale could only go through if David was fully bought out and no longer associated with it. The losses would be thusly written off. If David no longer had a stake, they could get rid of him easily. Quietly too, by threatening prison time for the embezzlement, and that was exactly what they dangled over him. Brad already had other business ventures to pursue,” said Detective Logan. “Some of the start-ups he planned to invest in are brilliant ideas.”

“Brad was always the big picture guy,” I said. “He made an excellent businessman. He really had the Midas touch. David just sort of rode on his wake, doing the grunt work while Brad got all the praise and recognition.”

“David must’ve been sick of that too. At some point, I think David hacked his brother's emails. That's how he learned about the sale, about the evidence Brad had secreted out of the office, and also about you. If Brad died before the sale happened, everything went to you, Meredith. And if you were convicted of the crime, you couldn't profit from the will, leaving only David as the heir. But when you didn't sign the paperwork and mentioned finding a flashdrive, David panicked. He thought it better to have you die too. A clause in Brad's will ensured any inheritance you might receive from the company reverted back to David in case of your death. That way, the family money stayed in the family.”

“Typical Brad,” I said. “He always had a catch. What I don't understand is how Brad outmaneuvered David.”

“That was easy. He hired an outside law firm to handle the sale of David's share in the business. He offered him a reasonable price, drew up the documents and said the loans Brad already made to him were not a debt but a deposit against the final payment. All the paperwork is legitimate. He probably slipped the paperwork into a stack and simply waited for David to sign everything. If David actually bothered to read the documents, he wouldn't have been so easy to swindle. His sheer laziness was his worst enemy.”

“But he still would have been rich,” said Tess.

Sam shrugged. “Yes, flush with cash when he got the payout but what would happen when he made the next investment? And don't forget: the lion’s share of the money from the sale of VdB Tech went to Brad. What David got was mere chickenfeed and it wouldn’t last forever.”

“No wonder he wanted me to sign those documents so fast,” I said.

“What are you doing with the company now?” asked Tess. “It has to be a big mess, what with one owner dead, and the other facing a long jail sentence.”

“Nothing,” I said. “It's already sold so I wash my hands of it.”

“Wow. You don't mess around!” said Sara.

“Actually, I didn't have to do anything. The deal went through the same day Brad arrived here. It didn't matter what David did or tried to do. He was simply too late. He killed Brad for nothing.”

“But if he killed you, he would have gotten it all,” said Karen.

“That was his back-up plan after I didn’t sign the documents and since framing me didn’t work out,” I said. “Sam hasn't confirmed it yet but I'm sure he made up all those stories about me to make me look unhinged.”

“He called the newspaper to plant that story about you. Officer Ortiz found a burner phone in the hotel trash along with a cheap voice change gadget and we matched the fingerprints on both to David’s,” said Sam.

“What about Martha Murray?” asked Tess.

“An unhappy coincidence,” I said and Sam nodded.

“She had nothing to do with anything,” said Sam. “Just a woman who was told a lot of garbage by a compulsive liar. I doubt Brad had any intention of seeing her again after the company was sold, especially since he thought you’d return with him. He might have thought all that cash would lure you home.”

Silence filled the room and they all absorbed the latest information. I knew it was a lot to take in. I was glad to find some time alone in the hospital to think through what I did know. I would probably be pondering it for a long time, especially before I hired lawyers and realtors to deal with everything. It would take some time before I could put Brad finally behind me, but eventually, I knew I would.

“Wow,” said Sara finally.

“Money really does bad things to some people,” said Tess and she and Karen exchanged a knowing look. “We should get going now. Lunch break is almost over and we have to get back to the museum. Work started on the new wing today and I'm so excited to document the progress.”

“She's also excited to see Ethan every day,” said Karen, giggling, “but that's another story!”

“I have to go too,” said Sara, standing up when they did, “but I want to see you back in the shop next week. I need a new dress and I only trust your eye.”

“My new assistant is there already,” I reminded her. Sylvie and Sacha worked together wonderfully. I practically threw Sylvie into the deep end when she started, but she excelled in managing the shop. Thanks to her, the rear door was promptly fixed and Nate also installed another camera there. She called me every day with a full report and I knew the boutique was in good hands. Regardless, I looked forward to going back to work.

“And Sylvie is great but I prefer you,” said Sara. “Oh, we're all going to lunch on the weekend. Just us girls. I want to hear all about what my fabulous supermodel friend plans to do next.”

“Ex-model,” I said, rolling my eyes. My new celebrity would take some getting used to. I was glad I gave my story to Alyssa, who managed to get it out to the nationals. Once journalists knew I wasn't interested in talking, they gave up. Unfortunately, a few simply started asking other people. Kate DeWitt was more than thrilled to give an interview, practically implying we were as close as sisters.

“I'll see them out,” said Sam, following them to the door. Instead of leaving with them, he closed the door after them and returned, sitting on the sofa adjacent to me.

“I'm not an invalid, you know,” I said as he settled on the couch.

“I can see that.”

“I know this won't be over for a long time but I'm made of sterner stuff. There will be a trial and a lot of media. Journalists will, no doubt, come back. I’m sure David will still try to blame me. Brad gave him plenty of ammunition against me with all the lies he spread although I can easily discredit anything negative.”

“Let him try. The DA is thrilled about getting the case and it'll be watertight by the time we make it to court. With the charges of murder and attempted murder, he won't get off.”

“You know, you never told me how you arrived at the crime scene so fast,” I said. “How did you manage to pull me out of the car?”

“Martha Murray mentioned the business was up for sale but I didn't think much of it until I started looking deeper into it.”

“Several things Martha said are making sense now,” I said. “I think she assumed I knew about the sale and how much I stood to inherit.”

“That was only as long as you remained in that world. Earlier that day, I was checking up on what she told me and I read an article about VdB Tech. It made me wonder who else might have wanted Brad out of the way. Of the times I met David, I didn't like his attitude, especially the way he spoke to you at the hospital. I had to return to Calendar anyway so I decided to follow you discreetly. There was something about David's insistence that you leave with him immediately that raised my hackles. I wanted to make sure you reached the hotel before I continued working. I saw him swerve, not once, but twice. I was about to flash on my lights and siren when he ran the red light. Meredith, I briefly thought you were gone from this world! The car flipped twice and when I reached you, you were so still.”

“Is it bad that I can't remember all of it?”

“It's probably a good thing,” he assured me. “I wish I didn't. David was unconscious but the gun was still in his hand when we pulled him out. I thought he shot you. Instead, he shot the windshield. All I could do was thank the heavens for a misfire.”

“A misfire? I thought he had terrible aim,” I said. It was almost unbearable to think how close I came to an early demise. Perhaps the girls were right; maybe I did have nine lives.

“You were so lucky. One shot went off, probably when the car was hit in the crash, and the second misfired. And David... well, we have enough evidence to put him away for a very long time.”

“Really?”

“The knife helped substantially. He was so determined to incriminate you that it didn't matter how well he wiped the handle of his fingerprints to exonerate himself and shift the blame to you. The knife is one of those fancy sorts, for guys who like to brag about their hunting trips although they never really hunt. One of the hiking shops here sells them to tourists. They recognized it and told me to look for a maker's mark and serial number on the blade under the handle. Through that, I traced the purchase and confirmed the knife was bought by David.”

“Wow,” I said. “To think he could have just thrown it away someplace where it could never be found. Instead, he tried to pin it on me.”

“He planned to forge your signature too,” said Sam. “I found paper in the trash where he made several attempts. He must have figured you were desperate to put this all behind you and would eventually sign, but if not, he could pretend you had.”

“Especially with a gun to my head. He said he would make it look like an accident. Incrimination or death. What if...”

“Don't go that route,” warned Sam. “There is no what if.”

“One thing that puzzles me is how did he get to Calendar, commit the murder, and then get back in time to where he was staying to receive the news?”

“That's where David got lucky. I don't think he intended to kill Brad at first. He was staying upstate and knew Brad was here looking for you. I think he planned to surprise Brad, and perhaps threaten to ruin things with you if he didn't reverse the business decision or pay him off. He knew Brad was obsessed with you.”

“I bet Brad laughed in his face.”

“It seems that way from what we saw of the doorbell camera. Two men are talking and then they're scuffling.”

“But that doesn't answer my question.”

“Ah. About David getting lucky? He paid a hotel employee at the place he was staying a thousand bucks to borrow his car. I guess he didn't want the paper trail of a rental car tied to him. He drove here, confronted Brad once, then probably followed him to your house and confronted him again, only this time he had a knife. Then he hightailed it out of town and pretended he was in his hotel room all night. The electronic key suggests that was the case but it all fell apart after we found that witness and traced the car's movements.”

“I'm very impressed,” I said. “That’s one heck of an investigation.”

“The DA agrees with you. So what now?” asked Sam. “Since I'm not invited to your girls' lunch, I may as well ask.”

“Why don't I show you instead? I could do with a walk. If I sit here eating all these treats, I won't be able to get through my front door soon.”

“It’d be worth it for those muffins,” said Sam. He stood, offered me his hands, and pulled me to standing. I didn't need the help, of course, but it was sweet of him to offer. I knew he wouldn't take offense if I batted his hands away. “I had an idea.”

“Oh?”

“About how you came to Calendar?”

“I'm sure I told you... I was just driving until here I was.”

“Van den Berg means ‘of the mountains.’ Did you know that?”

I shrugged. “I don't think so. Maybe at one time.”

“I think you had mountains on your mind and your subconscious led you here.”

I smiled. “Are you saying it wasn't any choice?”

“Fate may have driven you here.”

“I think I like that.”

“Where are we going?”

This time, I grinned, growing more excited to show him my surprise. “You'll see.”

I slipped on my sneakers and we walked out of the house, heading down the street towards town. Conversation turned to different things — Sam's pleasure at a new detective joining the department, the TV show coming to town — and I found myself enjoying the walk. The smell of orange blossoms and roses hung sweetly in the air and the sun was bright and warm. When I found the street I wanted, we walked halfway along before I stopped. “Here it is,” I said, pointing to the house, and the mountains in the distance seemed to enhance it.

“Why are we here?” Sam frowned as he looked around. “Nice street.”

“Well, Sam...”

“Have I mentioned how much I like you calling me Sam?” he asked, his hand brushing my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.

“Well, Sam, this is what's next,” I said, pointing to the house in front of us with my free hand. It was one of the smaller Victorians, too small for the standard family that favored these grand homes. Someone painted it an ugly salmon pink but the gingerbread detailing and original porch were still intact. There were stained windows and a turret and a leaking roof that promised to be an expensive repair. On the other side of the house was a big sunroom that I imagined being an indoor garden. I might like to see if my thumbs are green by creating a garden I could enjoy all year round.

“This is what's next. The floors are slightly unlevel but Nate took a look already and said he could create a new subfloor and reuse the original wood that's still pretty good. The kitchen is a disaster and I guess the bathroom needs a lot of work too. If it gets really bad, Vanessa says there's always a room for me at the Inn.”

“This house? You're renting it?”

“No. I'm buying it. The realtor walked me through yesterday and I put in an offer. The owners don't want to move out for another couple of months, which gives me time to complete everything with my lawyer and sell Brad's house. I've arranged to rent a small apartment until then.”

“That's some fast work,” he said, gazing at the house. “I always liked this house but the color is awful.”

“It was listed at a good price in consideration of all the work it needs but I offered more than it's currently worth. Once I finish the restoration, it'll be worth it; plus, I have the money to do it now. I've had a lot of time to think about things since the accident and I realized three facts. One, I really like this town and I don't want to leave. I don't want to start over anywhere else.” I turned away from the house, smiling, to face Sam.

“And the second?” he asked.

“What I want most right now is a home of my own with all my things and where my family can come to visit. I inherited the money fair and square, and a significant chunk of it was my past earnings anyway. I finally have an opportunity to set down some real roots.”

“Have you spoken to your family?”

“Yes. I called them as soon as I got home. My mom and dad cried and promised to come out here in a few days. Blake, my sister, is bringing my cat as soon as the house is ready. We've spoken every day. I haven't told them everything but there’s plenty of time for that.”

“I'm so pleased for you.”

“I'm going to give some money to David's wife, Christine too. It's not her fault that David committed crimes and she shouldn't have to pay for them. It's not a huge amount but it'll clear away his debts and leave her a little nest egg to start over.”

“That's kind of you. I'm sure she appreciates the gesture.”

“I don't think we'll stay in touch but I hope she can move on, like me. I think she was already planning to divorce David. I'm donating some of it to good causes too. Maybe it’ll be the only good Brad did in his life, through his death.”

“He’s not doing it. That's all on you. What's the third thing?”

“I want new opportunities and good things to come into my life now. I think that can happen here.”

Sam's mouth split into a wide smile. “Would you consider a first date a good thing?”

I steeled myself. I had to be bold. That's how I planned to be from now on: bold. “If it's a date with you, then yes.”

“I’ve wanted to ask you out for so long,” he said. “But every time I started, something happened to interrupt me. Then came the investigation and I found out about your history and...”

“Maybe I should have asked you out,” I cut in, laughing.

The sun glowed around his dark red hair like a halo. He could have been my guardian angel... but hadn't I already rescued myself?

“How about we start now?” he said, wrapping his arms around me before kissing me. I tightened my arms around him as the sun shone down on us, warming us in the summer rays, and all at once, I knew life could never be more perfect than it was right now.