“Each one had something to gain from Wilton’s death,” Bent agreed. “So maybe it was one of them.”
“The probability makes too much sense to ignore.” Vera stared at her wineglass, wishing it weren’t empty, then she lifted her gaze to Bent’s. “They worked together for Wilton, what? Five years for Erwin? Eight for the others? Why now? Why not last year or next year? What was the impetus that set this whole plan in motion after so many years of dedicated service?”
“The answer takes us back to the new wife. Alicia was the most recent change.” Bent stood, picked up Vera’s plate and stacked it on his own. “She’s the newest factor in all their lives—that we know of. Maybe the decision came as a result of how she was changing the boss or the situation. All four complained about her.”
“She is the most logical trigger.” Vera felt only remotely guilty for not getting up to help with the dishes. But she was reasonably sure that moving right now would not be a good thing. “We just need to know in what way the change or changes Alicia prompted set off this chain reaction—if, in fact, that’s what happened. Something that will give us the evidence we need to cross the finish line.”
Bent came back for their glasses. “We’ll interview all four again tomorrow. Separately this time. We might just get lucky.”
“We can always hope.”
This time when Bent returned to the table, he held out his hand for hers. “But first, I thought we might do that tonight.”
Vera frowned, confused, then she got it. She put her hand in his, pushed back her chair and stood. “I believe getting lucky tonight can be arranged.”
He put his arm around her waist and started the journey toward the bedroom. “Not to toss in a downer, but Hayworth called me.”
The attorney Geneva Fanning had hired. Vera suppressed the urge to groan. “You saved that until now.”
“I only thought of it now.” Bent paused at the door to the place where the magic happened. “He mostly just wanted me to know that he was taking her case and thought I should be aware she planned to pursue civil action against the department if we didn’t thoroughly investigate Jackie’s death.”
Vera gritted her teeth. She so wanted to punch Geneva Fanning. Then she rolled her eyes. But that might border on elder abuse. The need to tell Bent everything Luna had confided in her nearly overwhelmed her ... but she couldn’t. Not yet.
“I don’t want to talk about work anymore.” Vera draped her arms around his neck. “You?”
Bent didn’t say a word, just lowered his mouth to hers.
Vera relaxed against him and put all the worries about murder and mayhem out of her mind.
26
Erwin Residence
Washington Street, 10:30 p.m.
Valeri stared at the total chaos she had caused. She had looked everywhere. On top of and under furniture, shelves, curtains—every damned place she could see or think of in her determination to ensure nothing had been taken or left behind. Her belongings were flung all over the place, including the floor. She groaned.
Someone had been in her house.
She leaned against the doorframe and surveyed her living room yet again. All those classic-looking hardcovers she had collected were stacked in columns next to the sofa. Her fondest memory was of Thomas dropping by to pick up a file and taking one of her books from its shelf and saying it was his favorite. The memory made her smile.
Didn’t matter now. He was gone. And that slut was still alive ... andpregnant. Valeri struggled to tamp down her emotions. No getting upset. If she got upset, bad things happened. She could not allow it.
She focused on the mess she had made once more. Magazines were tossed about. Scattered across the floor were her throw pillows and the vintage quilt she’d bought at a junk sale so she could tell anyone who visited that it was her one heirloom from her grandmother.
Valeri almost laughed out loud despite her current dilemma. Her grandmother never left her anything but all alone. Her mother hadn’tdone any better. As for her father, Valeri had no idea who he was. She pushed away from the door and wandered through the chaos. She had basically raised herself. Put herself through college. Made her own way without any help whatsoever.
No damned body was going to ruin this for her. Unexpected interference had almost destroyed her world as it was.
But she had that under control now.
A new level of fury abruptly twisted inside her. She had worked too hard, sacrificed too much to reach this place of contentment. No one was screwing it up.
Whoever had come into her home, Valeri was not about to let them get away with it.
Whoever?Please.She knew who it had been. A smirk spread across her lips. No way would she be beaten by the likes of that worthless piece of crap. No way. This wasn’t exactly the ending she had hoped for, but it was workable, and no one was screwing it up worse than it already was.
Valeri prided herself on always making backup plans. When one option went awry, she had another at the ready.
