A Killer Column mbtn-2 Read online

  I looked over her shoulder as she opened it.

  Roses the color of blood.

  They match your blouse nicely.

  Remember, this was your choice, Jennifer.

  “Call Murphy,” I said as I handed her the telephone.

  “He’s just going to say the same thing,” Jenny protested.

  “I’d say the threat level just elevated, wouldn’t you?”

  She took the phone from me and dialed the number she obviously knew by heart. After a brief conversation in which she was clearly getting more and more frustrated, she hung up.

  “What did he say?”

  “He’s coming by later, but as you heard me tell him, I’m not going to be here.”

  “Jenny, this is more important than my case. It can wait.”

  “No, it can’t,” Jenny said resolutely. “I’m not letting this creep win and keeping myself locked up behind a bolted door. We’re going hunting for a killer.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m positive,” she said.

  I insisted we take my car, and Jenny agreed. As we drove to the Crest Hotel, I tried to get her to talk about what was happening with her, but she didn’t really respond, so I finally dropped it. The police might not be taking these threats seriously, but I was going to make certain that Zach did. He’d figure out what was going on, and we weren’t going to leave Raleigh until he did.

  IT FELT STRANGE BEING BACK IN THE HOTEL WHERE I’D found Derrick’s body the day before. At least I wouldn’t have to go into the conference room again. At the front desk, I asked the clerk, “Could you tell me what rooms Brady Sims and Sylvia Peters are in?”

  The young woman behind the desk kept looking at me, and then she clearly made the connection. “I’m sorry, but we’re not at liberty to give out that information.”

  I looked around, suddenly realizing that Jenny had disappeared. I knew she didn’t mind conflict—she was a lawyer, for goodness’ sake—but I wasn’t going to let her desertion stop me. “They’re both friends of mine,” I said, stretching the truth to the point of breaking, but not really caring about doing it. I needed to speak to them both, and if that meant lying to get their room numbers, I was fine with that.

  “Sorry. There’s nothing I can do about it. Edmond, could you come here please?” She turned toward the office in back of her, and ten seconds later, a large dark man with a pasted-on smile joined her up front.

  “Is there something I can do for you?”

  She whispered something to him, and then faded into the back. “What seems to be the problem?” he asked, his smile a little less warm than it had been before.

  “I just need a few room numbers. Honestly, I don’t see what the big deal is.”

  “Ma’am, at this hotel, we protect the privacy of our guests.”

  I was about to argue when Jenny suddenly reappeared at my side. “Come on, there’s no use fighting with them.”

  I wasn’t about to move, though. “He won’t even call their rooms for me. This is insane.”

  “Savannah, trust me on this, okay?”

  I gave Edmond an icy look, and then let Jenny lead me away. “Why did you do that? I had him on the ropes.”

  “From the look of things, he wasn’t about to budge. I think you were close to having a police escort out of the building.”

  “I’ve been thrown out of nicer places than this,” I said.

  “But that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. There’s no need.”

  “Why not?”

  “Your two fellow suspects are having breakfast together in the dining room. It might be nice if we joined them, don’t you think?”

  “Lead the way. So that’s where you disappeared to before.”

  Jenny smiled. “Hey, it never hurts to know your surroundings.”

  She led me through the atrium and into the hotel’s dining room. I didn’t spot them at first, but then Jenny pointed to one side, and I saw them hiding behind a display of greenery. The table had been placed there for privacy, and my fellow columnists had taken advantage of it.

  “Mind if we join you?” I asked as we approached them.

  They both looked startled to see us.

  Brady said, “Not at all,” at the same time that Sylvia said, “Yes, as a matter of fact, we do.”

  I chose to ignore Sylvia and accept Brady’s invitation. “Excellent. I take it you have both seen the newspaper today.”

  “It’s actionable,” Sylvia said, “portraying us all as suspects in Derrick’s murder. Why, we were dear friends. I never would have dreamed of hurting that sweet man.”

  I exchanged a quick glance with Brady, who’d seen her storm out when I had. Neither of us decided to contradict her.

  “Actually,” Jenny said, “you aren’t mentioned as suspects, merely clients. The newspaper did nothing they can be sued over.”

  “And who exactly are you?” Sylvia asked with an arched eyebrow.

  “I’m an attorney,” Jenny said with her sweetest smile.

  “So, you feel you need legal representation?” Sylvia asked me. “That would seem to imply guilt to me.”

  “She’s my old college roommate,” I said.

  “I take issue with the word ‘old,’” Jenny said.

  “Former, is that better?”

  “Much.”

  “Still, you found reason to bring her with you,” Sylvia said.

  “Sylvia, I don’t like being in the bull’s-eye of a murder investigation any more than you do. Jenny’s here to help us clear our names.”

  Brady spoke for the first time. “You don’t think we did it, either?”

  “I haven’t formed an opinion one way or the other,” Jenny answered truthfully.

  “The sooner we can clear our names, the better off we’ll be,” I said. “Brady, where were you when Derrick was murdered?”

  “I was sitting in my car. I’d just been cut loose from the only job I can do. Savannah, you saw me when I left there. I was in shock, and I didn’t come out of it until I heard the police sirens.”

  I could very well believe that alibi. Then again, it was impossible to verify, so Brady had to stay a viable suspect.

  “How about you, Sylvia?”

  “I don’t owe either one of you an explanation of my whereabouts,” she answered snippily.

  “No, but I’m sure the police have already asked you,” Jenny said. “What is it going to hurt to tell us as well?”

  She looked from Jenny to me, and then back at Jenny. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was in my room.”

  “At this hotel?”

  “Yes,” she admitted reluctantly. “I booked the room when Derrick insisted on this ridiculous meeting. He wasn’t going to terminate our agreement, you know. My column was far too valuable for that to ever happen.”

  “I wonder what’s going to happen to us now?” Brady asked. At that moment, his phone rang, and we all listened to his side of the conversation. “Yes. Of course. I understand.” He looked surprised, and then added, “They’re both here with me right now. We’re in the hotel restaurant. Sure, we’ll wait.”

  “What was that about?” Sylvia asked.

  “It was Kelsey Hatcher. She needs to meet with us.”

  “Whatever for?” Sylvia asked. “She was Derrick’s assistant, for goodness’ sake.”

  “There’s only one way we’re going to find out,” I said. “I for one am going to wait.”

  Sylvia didn’t look pleased by the prospect, but she didn’t leave, so I had to assume she was as curious as I was by the odd summoning.

  While we waited for Kelsey to show up, I asked each of them, “Have either one of you ever heard of Mindi Mills?”

  Brady looked at me blankly, but from Sylvia’s reaction, I knew that I’d hit home. “Sorry, no idea,” she said, which was clearly a lie.

  “Sylvia, don’t hold out on me,” I said.

  “Are you questioning my truthfulness?” she asked archly.

&n
bsp; I was about to admit that was exactly what I was doing when Jenny answered before I could. “Not at all. But if there’s a link to someone else that might refocus the police investigation, I’m sure you’d do everything in your power to make that happen. I know from experience that when the police start digging, they don’t stop until they’ve uncovered everything there is to find, whether it applies to their investigation or not.”

  Sylvia seemed to take that in, and then reluctantly admitted, “I may have heard the name a time or two, but I hate to spread malicious rumors, especially when it involves the dead.”

  “I’d say this supersedes someone’s reputation, wouldn’t you?”

  Sylvia nodded reluctantly. “It is my understanding that Derrick was less than faithful to his current wife. Apparently, Mindi was Derrick’s mistress.”

  “When did you hear that?” Brady asked her. The news clearly hit him harder than I expected it should. “I don’t believe it.”

  “Do you know Mindi?” I asked him.

  Brady shook his head, and then reluctantly nodded slightly. “We were at a few events together in the past, but I wouldn’t really say that I know her. I just can’t believe that she’d have anything to do with Derrick.”

  Sylvia looked at him with a mixture of pity and tolerance. “Dear sweet Brady, always one to think the best of people. I’m sorry to disillusion you, but often the nicer ones are the folks who end up disappointing us.”

  “I’m not simpleminded, Sylvia. I just don’t think that there’s anything wrong with giving people the benefit of the doubt.” He turned to me and asked, “How do you feel about the world, Savannah?”

  “I suppose I fall somewhere in the middle. I like to think the best of people, but I always try to watch out for their bad sides, too.”

  “Very diplomatic of you. I wonder what our lawyer has to say on the topic?”

  Jenny smiled at her, but there wasn’t a great deal of warmth in it. “I prefer to keep my options open, on every level you can imagine.”

  I wondered what exactly it was that she meant by that, but I didn’t have a chance to ask. Kelsey Hatcher walked toward the table, but it took me a second to recognize her. While her hair had been pulled back and a bit mousy before, now it was newly colored and styled. Gone was the simple outfit, too. She now wore a charcoal gray suit and sported sharp black flats; in her hand was a black leather briefcase.

  I walked up to her before she reached the table. “Kelsey? You look so different,” I said, relieved that she wasn’t screaming at me today. It took me a second before I realized how my comment must have sounded to her.

  “Do you like it?” she asked.

  “You look marvelous,” I said, and I meant every word of it.

  “Thank you. That means a great deal to me. Listen, I’m sorry about the way I acted yesterday. I kind of lost my head.”

  “It’s perfectly understandable,” I said.

  “I’m so glad you feel that way. I’d love it if you’d wish me luck today.”

  “What’s this about?”

  “I’d rather wait and say in front of everyone, if you don’t mind.”

  “Go right ahead.” I followed her to the table, and took my seat. Jenny shot me a questioning look with her eyes, but I shook my head. There were no previews this morning, for either one of us.

  “Thank you all for waiting for me. First of all, I’d like to say that I’m sure we’re all still in shock and mourning over Derrick’s loss.” She paused for a single moment, and then quickly continued. “But I’m certain he’d want us all to carry on in his memory.”

  “Excuse me, but I have a question,” Sylvia asked.

  “Certainly.”

  “We were terminated yesterday. Pardon me for asking, but what has changed since then?”

  “With Derrick’s demise, all contracts have been reinstated and the sale to the Harrison group has been terminated.”

  A look of disbelief exploded on Brady’s face. “Is this on the level?”

  “Trust me, I’ve been in meetings all morning. I had to take a rather firm stand with them, but the contracts spell it out clearly enough.”

  “That’s wonderful news,” Brady said. “Thank you, Kelsey. I don’t know what to say.”

  “Let’s refrain from extending congratulations just yet, Brady,” Sylvia said.

  “I agree,” I said. “Where do we stand now?”

  “Derrick’s company holds your contracts, and I’ve been named its interim operating officer. You’ll answer to me, at least until everything is sorted out.”

  “That’s quite a step up from assistant to managing editor,” I said. “Congratulations.”

  “Thank you,” Kelsey said, as she gathered her papers together. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

  She stood, and then, almost as an afterthought, added, “I’ll need new columns from all three of you by nine a.m. tomorrow. You can fax them to me at this number,” and she handed out brand-new business cards with her name and contact information embossed on it.

  After she was gone, Sylvia rubbed the business card with a fingertip. “That didn’t take long, did it? She must have had these made up weeks ago.”

  “I don’t know. They could have been a rush job.”

  “You’re certainly entitled to believe it, but I refuse to,” Sylvia said. “Well, it seems that the tide has indeed turned. If you’ll excuse me, I have a column to write.”

  “I’d better get busy myself,” Brady said as he stood.

  After they collected their checks and paid them, Jenny looked at me and said, “That was interesting.”

  “I was surprised when you didn’t say anything.”

  “It wasn’t my meeting,” she said.

  “I know that, but surely you have an opinion about what just happened. Come on, spill.”

  “I think Kelsey Hatcher has more motive than the rest of you to have killed Derrick Duncan.”

  I nodded. “I was just thinking the same thing. She certainly changed a great deal in one day.”

  “I wonder,” Jenny said.

  “Trust me, you didn’t see her before. Yesterday she was this mousy little assistant, and now she walks in here like she owns the place, giving orders left and right.”

  “I’d like to see that contract,” Jenny said.

  “Mine’s in Asheville, sorry.”

  “I wonder how it’s worded, exactly.”

  “I wish I could help. What do you think about the revelation about Mindi Mills?”

  “It doesn’t surprise me one bit, based on what I’ve heard about Derrick Duncan’s life so far.”

  I looked around the dining room. “There’s no use hanging around here anymore. We’ve gotten all we’re going to out of those two.”

  “Three you mean. Kelsey’s as viable a suspect as the other two.”

  “Three,” I agreed. “But I’ve got a problem now.”

  “You sure do,” Jenny said. “You’ve got a puzzle to create.”

  “I’m not worried about that,” I said.

  “Maybe you should. Tell you what. Let’s go back to my place. You can come up with a new puzzle, and I can catch up on paperwork. Then we can put our heads together after we knock all of that out and start doing a little more digging.”

  I wasn’t thrilled about the idea, but I knew Jenny was right. With Kelsey in charge, I didn’t know what to expect. I’d come too close to losing my job to jeopardize it now.

  I’d better get a puzzle together before the deadline.

  Chapter 6

  BACK AT JENNY’S, WE WERE BOTH CLEARLY RELIEVED TO find no more flowers or notes by her door, though neither one of us said anything about it. I wasn’t going to just forget about it, but there was really nothing else I could do until Zach got back from Richmond. The second he returned, I planned to dump the entire thing in his lap. Jenny was too important to me—a sister I never had—and I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her if I could help it.

 
; “Would you like some coffee?” she said as we walked back inside her house.

  “I’d love some sweet tea, if you’ve got it.”

  She smiled at me. “I made a batch day before yesterday.”

  “You are an angel.”

  I got my briefcase and pulled out some of the paper and the pencils that I love. “I feel guilty working here. What are you going to do?”

  “Don’t worry about me, Savannah. I’ve always got a backlog of paperwork on my computer.”

  “You shouldn’t have to do that on your vacation.”

  Jenny laughed. “Trust me, none of this time is going to be counted as vacation. I’m going to be billing my hours the instant I get to work. Do you need anything before I get started?”

  “No, I’m set.”

  “Then I’ll leave you to it.”

  After she disappeared into her office, I started thinking about how brave she was being about her stalker. I wasn’t sure how I’d handle it if I were in her shoes.

  After a few hours, I had a puzzle ready, granted not a very complicated one, but I was satisfied with it. Now all I had left to write was my snippet for the day. Letting my mind wander, I tried to come up with a theme that would justify the simplicity of the puzzle. After a few minutes of pondering different possibilities, I wrote,

  Puzzles can provide us with many more answers than the ones we seek on the grids we love to play. Many times the events in our lives present puzzling challenges to us, and it is only after we see the patterns within them that their solutions become clear. As you work this puzzle, try to bear that in mind, and look for the patterns in the world around you. You might just be astounded by what you find.

  And that was it. I looked at what I’d done, made a few tweaks on the snippet, and then I was ready to send it to Kelsey.

  The only problem was that I didn’t have my fax with me, and I’d purposefully left my computer at home. How on earth could I have known that I would need it?

  Maybe Jenny had one. I walked down the hall and tapped gently on her door. I’d learned when we’d been roommates that if she was engrossed in what she was doing, the small taps wouldn’t interrupt her train of thought, but if she wasn’t deep into something serious, she’d hear me and respond.