1
After Nicole had returned home that night, she couldn’t sleep. Well, that was nothing new, she thought as she lay on the bed. And tonight it really didn’t matter. She felt energized, even lighthearted. She still didn’t know who was committing the murders, she was still under suspicion by the police, but she knew that Paul was innocent and that he still loved her.
“He still loves me,” she said aloud, touching the cross hanging from the chain around her neck. She wished she had someone to tell. At one time she could have told Carmen, but not now. Not even before she’d slammed out of the house on Sunday. Carmen was too determined to believe that Paul had killed Zand and Magaro. But Lisa said maybe Carmen had actually been the killer. It was true Zand’s death had given her Bobby. The question was, would she have killed to have him?
When the alarm went off the next morning, Nicole was still awake and staring at the ceiling, trying to find answers. But she couldn’t. All she knew was that she believed with all her heart in Paul’s innocence.
When she left for school, she felt better than she had for weeks. When a sad-eyed Nancy stopped her before she got to her office, she had to camouflage the improvement in her spirits.
“Nicole, I’m so horrified by what happened to Avis!” Nancy said. “When I was at her house earlier in the day, she was dead in her backyard. If only I’d gone on around.”
“It wouldn’t have made any difference,” Nicole said gently, aware that Nancy did not know all the details of Avis’s death. As with Dooley’s death, the police were withholding that information.
“Yes, I guess you’re right. It wasn’t suicide, though. Your friend with the police—did he tell you if they have any suspects?”
Yes, I’m the prime suspect, Nicole thought. “He didn’t say.”
Nancy sighed. “I can’t help feeling this has something to do with Avis’s behavior lately. She’s been saying the most awful things to just about everyone, and I’m sure there have been other incidents like the one with you in the parking lot yesterday. I begged her to get help—”
“Nancy, you were a good friend to her. You did all you could. Don’t torture yourself.”
“That’s what my husband says. And the Avis who was my friend hasn’t existed for a long time. I was so hoping this sabbatical would help. Three months. Three more months and she would have been in England doing research.” Nancy sighed again. “Oh, well, I’m handling the funeral arrangements. I doubt if you want to attend, but there will be so few people, so few flowers…”
Nicole put her hand on Nancy’s arm. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to attend.” I might be in jail, she thought with a shiver. “But I’ll certainly send flowers. Just tell me where to send them when the arrangements are made.”
After her first class, Nicole returned to her office to find Ray and Cy Waters waiting for her. She’d been telling herself all morning to expect this—after all, Ray had told her she would probably be formally questioned today. Still, seeing Ray in an official capacity jolted her, especially after her meeting with Paul last night.
“Do you want me to go to headquarters?” she asked.
“No, Mrs. Chandler,” Waters said. “We can talk here for now.”
“All right.” Nicole closed her door. “Would you like some coffee?”
“This isn’t a social call,” Waters snapped.
Nicole’s gaze fluttered to Ray, but he was taking out a pen and notebook, his face impassive. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to make light of this,” she said.
Waters nodded. “Good. Now, we’ve heard you and Ms. Simon-Smith weren’t the best of friends.”
Nicole sat down behind her desk. “No, we weren’t. She was rather odd. She was close to Nancy Silver, who also teaches in this department. Nancy could tell you more about Avis’s personality than I.”
“But you had a fight in the parking lot day before yesterday.”
“Yes. I’d said something last week that made her mad. I was trying to apologize, but she wouldn’t listen. She insulted me, and I insulted her back, and she shoved me. Not hard—I wouldn’t have fallen if I hadn’t been in high heels.”
“But you did fall and you were furious.”
“No, Sergeant Waters, I wasn’t furious. I was surprised and embarrassed.”
“If someone pushed me down like that, I’d be furious.”
“Well, I wasn’t.”
“But you didn’t like her.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Is it true that the next day you called Sergeant DeSoto and asked him to check on this woman because she hadn’t shown up for work and no one could reach her?”
“Yes.”
“Hmmm.” Waters looked up at a framed print of a Degas painting that hung over a bookshelf, then back at Nicole. “Mrs. Chandler, why were you so concerned about a woman you admit you disliked?”
“Because I know she has…had mental problems. When Nancy said she might have killed herself because she thought the incident in the parking lot was going to cost her her job, and I had provoked that incident by saying something cruel when I should have simply ignored her taunting…” Nicole raised her hands. “I felt responsible. I wanted to make sure she was all right.”
“That’s very noble.”
Nicole was silent. She glanced at Ray again. He had not said a word.
“Mrs. Chandler, where were you between ten and twelve night before last?”
“At home,” she said promptly.
“Did you have any visitors?”
“No.”
“Do you have any way of proving you were there during those hours?”
Ray was still gazing at his notebook. “There was a patrolman out front,” Nicole said. “He can verify that I didn’t leave.”
“You could have sneaked out the back.”
Nicole could feel herself coloring as she thought of last night’s secret flight. “The backyard is fenced in. I’m afraid I’m not up to jumping a six-foot fence.”
“Your prowler managed to get over it.”
Nicole’s mouth went dry. “Yes, he did. But I didn’t climb a rope and go over the fence that night.”
Waters wrote in his notebook. Ray wrote in his. He said he was going to give me an alibi, Nicole thought. I told him not to lie for me. But now I’m scared. Now I wish he’d say something. “Sergeant Waters, I believe I’ve said all I want to without my lawyer being present.”
“What are you afraid of?” Waters asked.
“I’m not afraid. I’m just not stupid.” She glanced at her watch. “Besides, it’s time for my next class, so unless you plan to arrest me…”
“Not now,” Waters said lazily. “Ray, the lady’s got a class. Guess we’d better be on our way.”
Ray nodded. They stood. “We’ll be talking with you again, ma’am,” Waters added.
“Very well,” she said in a steady voice that belied her pounding heart. “But the next time my lawyer will be present.”
After they left, Nicole put her head on her desk. Oh, God, she thought. Now I know how Paul felt fifteen years ago—scared, baffled, all evidence building against him, and no one to come to his defense.
2
Nicole was just leaving her office when the phone rang. She almost didn’t answer but at the last minute decided it might be something important.
“Nicole,” Ray said. “I was afraid I’d miss you.” Nicole could hear traffic noises in the background. “Where are you?”
“I’m using my cell phone. Cy’s in a restaurant picking up coffee for us.”
“Isn’t that what drive-through windows are for?”
“Cy likes the coffee here. You sound angry.” Nicole was silent. “You’re wondering why I didn’t say anything in your office today. Look, Nicole, I have to appear somewhat objective. Cy’s already making assumptions about our relationship. What I wanted to tell you is you don’t have to worry about an alibi. The patrolman outside your house saw you moving around inside, even saw your face at a window at the approximate time of the Smith woman’s death.”
Nicole breathed in relief. “Why didn’t Waters tell me?”
“He wanted to scare you. But Nicole, I had every intention of telling him I’d had a long phone conversation with you from about ten-thirty to eleven-thirty if it had come to that.”
“I’m glad it didn’t. I wouldn’t want to be the cause of problems with your career. But I wish I’d known this morning. Waters did scare me.”
“Sorry. I didn’t find out about what the patrolman said until a couple of hours before we questioned you. I never had a minute alone to give you a call.”
“All right, Ray. I’m glad you let me know. Maybe I can stop shaking now.”
“Just relax, Nicole. I know this has been awful, but justice will be served.”
The phone went dead. Probably Ray had seen Waters coming back to the car. “Justice will be served,” Ray had said. She wished that made her feel better, but it didn’t because she knew Ray believed justice would only be served if Paul Dominic were captured and prosecuted.
3
“Thank goodness today is over,” Nicole muttered, closing her briefcase, picking up a couple of books and her purse, and leaving the office. She knew she’d been more on target with her teaching than she had for days, but she was still exhausted.
She took the elevator down. In the large main hall, students milled around, forming into groups, laughing, picking up pamphlets someone was handing out. The place was always a scene of activity, a place to hang out between classes or just get together to socialize. Nicole passed through the crowd, nodding at familiar faces. Then her steps slowed as she saw Miguel and Lisa. Clearly they were arguing, Lisa’s color high, Miguel gesticulating, his voice loud. As Nicole neared them, she heard Miguel say, “I don’t know why I even bother with you!”
Miguel stalked off without ever seeing Nicole. She walked up to Lisa. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” Lisa’s cheeks grew even redder. “That was a shot in the dark, but I’m right.”
“Miguel doesn’t have anything to offer me. I’m with Roger.”
“And what does he have to offer you? I know he’s nice-looking and well educated, but he’s also twenty years older than you and a college professor. After he pays child support, he’s not going to be able to give you the good life.”
“Not now.”
“What do you mean, not now? What do you think is going to change?”
“His mother can’t live forever.”
“You’re counting on an inheritance. Well, don’t. She’s furious with Roger for deserting Shelley and me.”
Lisa’s eyes simmered. “I know that. She hangs up when he calls. But she’ll get over it.”
“I wouldn’t count on it. She’s never exactly doted on Roger, and now she’s angry with him and disappointed in him. I doubt if she gives him a penny.”
“She would have. She would have forgiven him. Everything would have been great.”
Her eyes filled with tears while Nicole’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve taken one shot in the dark. Let me try another. Roger no longer wants to marry you.”
Lisa’s face set obstinately. “Yes he does.”
“I don’t think so. I think he realizes he made a big mistake getting involved with you. That’s what you mean by ‘would have.’ Things would have been great if he hadn’t decided to throw in the towel.”
“That’s not true! He doesn’t love you anymore, Nicole.”
“I know. But in leaving his family, he tore up his life. His mother won’t have anything to do with him and will probably write him out of her will, not that she had a fortune to leave, anyway. He’s separated from Shelley, whom he does love. She’s so bitter she doesn’t even want to be around him. His friends don’t accept you or him when he’s with you.” Nicole tilted her head. “That’s why he’s drinking so much. He’s miserable.”
“You just want him back!”
“No. If he came to me tomorrow, I wouldn’t take him back. The damage is done. He’s already lost everyone who meant anything to him.”
Lisa glared. “He’ll feel different when everyone realizes what a nut you are,” she shouted. “When everyone knows all the awful things you’ve done lately, they’ll understand why he left you. They won’t blame him or me. His mother will forgive him, and he’ll get Shelley like he wants. Then he’ll be happy again. We’ll be happy.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Nicole said slowly. “You’d like for everyone to think I’m crazy. How far would you go, Lisa? Far enough to make me look like a murderer?”
Lisa’s eyes flashed at her. Then she turned and ran from the building.
4
Nicole’s mind churned as she drove home. So Roger didn’t want Lisa anymore. She supposed she should feel like gloating, but she didn’t. She realized now that her marriage had been over long before Roger left in January. Lisa had simply speeded up the inevitable.
Besides, it was clear both Roger and Lisa had each lost what they wanted most Roger wanted Shelley and the respect of his mother and his peers. His colleagues might be more receptive to him after he got rid of Lisa, but the damage his relationships with his mother and Shelley had sustained could probably never be completely repaired. And Lisa had apparently lost Miguel, which meant he’d been lying when he said there was nothing between them. How many other things had he lied about? Carmen had said Lisa’s parents sent her to college in Ohio to get her away from “some weird guy” in San Antonio. Could that have been Miguel?
Nicole stiffened. Had Miguel been watching her the last two weeks? Could all along Miguel have been both her protector and her tormentor?
If that were true, then he would have made the call she’d received from someone imitating Magaro. But how could Miguel have possibly known what Magaro said to her the night of the rape?
Simple, she thought as she stopped at a light. The information highway. Magaro told Bobby, Bobby told Lisa, and Lisa told Miguel. Maybe Miguel was going along with Lisa’s plan back then. Or maybe he was just trying to scare me so I’d turn to some man for protection, hopefully him. Or perhaps the information stopped with Bobby. Maybe it was Bobby on the phone that night. He’d certainly love to frighten me.
When she pulled into her driveway, she noted that the patrol car was still in front of the house. Well, at least she was providing fodder for the local gossips, she thought. Probably the only person who found it exciting instead of frightening was Newton Wingate, whom she frequently saw talking to the patrolmen. “Just brushing up on my police procedure,” he’d called to her one day, smiling merrily. “I’m thinking of writing a murder mystery.”
“Am I your inspiration?” she’d asked, amused.
Newton looked at her waggishly. “My dear, you’d inspire any man.”
But Newton was nowhere to be seen today. Maybe hard at work on his typewriter, she thought. Inside the house, Nicole sorted through the mail, noting there were no bills and no postcards, kicked off her shoes, and poured a glass of iced tea. I am so tired, she thought. So terribly tired. She set her glass on the coffee table and stretched out on the couch. In five minutes she was sleeping soundly.
It was night. She walked through the brush and voices floated toward her. “She thought she had us,” Magaro was saying.
“She almost did,” Zand answered, snorting something.
“No she didn’t. It would have been better if we could have killed her like I wanted, but she still couldn’t hurt us. I got too many friends, man. I told you I’d come up with an alibi.” Her right hand squeezed around something metal. It fit perfectly within her palm. It gave her a feeling of power. “I said I’d keep you out of prison, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did.”
“And you promised me something in return. I’ll tell you what I want. No more of this roadie stuff. I got talent, man. I shouldn’t be haulin’ around equipment I should be on the drums.”
“Vega’s on drums. He’s been with the band from the beginning.”
“So? You get rid of him. No big deal.”
“That wouldn’t be easy, man. I wouldn’t know how to do it.”
There was a long, ominous silence. “You never know how to do anything, do you?” Magaro hissed in disgust She saw the flash of an all-too-familiar knife. “You get rid of Vega, or he might meet an unfortunate fate, worse than the girl’s. At least she lived, although I’d still like to get this knife in her throat for all the trouble she caused.”
And then there was a crunching in the grass. Someone approached the two men, someone tall, someone she couldn’t quite see. Her fingers tightened on the object in her hand.
“All right, Magaro, take it easy,” Zand was saying. “If you want Vega out, he’s out. Put that damned knife away.”
The shadowy figure was off to her right, moving toward Magaro and Zand. She frowned, her sharp eyes piercing the clear night. Then, in the light of the moon, she caught a glimpse of the face…
The figure turned. Clifton Sloan looked directly into her eyes. “Nikki!” He rushed to her. Magaro and Zand were laughing uproariously at something. They hadn’t seen or heard them. They also didn’t see a third figure hovering near Nicole and Clifton. Clifton peered at her. “You’re sleepwalking again.” He dropped a gun into the grass. “Oh, God, you’re barefoot.” He lifted her, knocking the flashlight out of her hand. “We’re going home, sweetheart. We’re going home and you’re going to forget all about this.”
As he swung her around, heading for the road, she caught one last glimpse of the other figure standing absolutely still, watching them. The face. She could barely see the face…
Nicole bolted up from the couch, her heart hammering. “Oh, dear God!” she cried. “I was there that night. And so was my father. With a gun. My father had come there to kill Zand and Magaro!”