Death Angel, page 24
“I was doing fine until I ran into Leidecker,” she said, earning a sharp glance.
“Leidecker? Was he looking for you?”
She shook her head. “Just bad luck.”
“What did he have to say?”
“Not much.” She stared down at her wine. “I’m not comfortable around Leidecker. Unconsciously, I blame him for what happened to Richard.”
Harumphing, Mike said, “Don’t feel bad. I have much the same reaction.”
“He says the case isn’t really closed.”
Mike leaned toward her. “Be careful of that man, Kate. I’ve told you before I don’t trust him. No matter what you think, he’s not your friend.”
Even though Kate herself had questioned Leidecker’s motives, she felt the need to defend him. “I think you’re being too hard on him. Carl’s an honest man. Although I may have accused him of having a personal vendetta against Richard, I don’t think he did.”
“Maybe.” His face was far from encouraging. “I’m just asking you to be careful around him.”
“I will.”
She was relieved when he dropped the subject, and led her over to their table and introduced the people they’d be sitting with. Members of the Fine Arts Council, she didn’t know any of them. Mike talked easily to them, letting Kate fade into the background. She leaned back and sipped her wine, surveying the room.
She recognized Nate Nathanson cutting through the crowd. Mike had told her that he was one of the award recipients. She was pleased. She’d always been impressed with his enthusiastic coaching of Jenny’s soccer team. The emphasis had been on fun rather than competition. She smiled at the look of surprise when he spotted her. He hurried around the table to greet her.
“How good to see you, Kate. How are you?” he asked, genuine concern in his voice.
“Fine. Every day a little better,” she responded vaguely. “And you?”
“Good. Good. Very good.”
He shook her hand in rhythm to his words, then stared at her as if unsure of what to say next. Since Jenny’s death, Kate had encountered this reaction before and knew it would be up to her to take the initiative in the conversation. Gently she pulled her hand away, nervously fingering the angel charm on her necklace.
“Congratulations on your award, Nate. Mike told me about your work with the children’s concert series. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t realize that was your pet project.”
“Yes.” He beamed at her words. “I grew up in a small town and as a kid loved parades and band performances. Just a way of passing on my own fantasies.”
“Well, it’s a real plus for Pickard. The summer concerts in the park have been a big success. Must be a real labor of love.”
He laughed self-consciously. “You’ve hit it on the head. And, of course, the kids are a great joy to work with.”
“Congrats, Nate.” Mike stood up and slapped him on the back. “You’ve done a fine job. Everyone on the council’s really pleased with your award.”
“I’m overwhelmed by all the praise.” Nate inched away, putting some distance between himself and Mike’s solid presence. “I enjoy everything I’m doing, so I feel sort of like a hypocrite.”
The overhead chandeliers blinked.
“Thank God,” Mike said. “I thought they’d never serve dinner. I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving.”
“You have more to fill up than we do,” Nate said. With a wink, he headed for the dais.
“Should I be insulted?” Mike asked, glaring after the slender young man. “Scrawny guys like that are always making jokes. Little twerp.”
Kate ate her dinner, surprised to discover that she actually was hungry. She let the conversation swirl around her, taking little part in it. By turning her head slightly, she was able to observe Garvey, seated on the dais beside his wife.
She’d never met Lisa Garvey. She looked older than her husband, but that might have been an unfortunate trick of the lighting. She wore a short emerald green sequined dress that did little to disguise the broad hips and thickened waistline. Outwardly the Garveys appeared to be a contented couple, although Kate noticed that they rarely spoke to each other.
When dinner was over, Lisa gave a brief welcoming speech and then led into the awards section of the evening. The awards were distributed and thanks given. At the end Garvey stood up and thanked everyone for coming and made a straightforward pitch for contributions to the Fine Arts Council.
After the applause, Kate remained seated, trying to sort out her thoughts about Garvey. She wondered if she had been completely mistaken about him. Surrounded by the elegance of the room and the beautifully dressed people, he appeared quite civilized. At this point she didn’t know what to think. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she jumped when someone placed a hand on her shoulder.
“So sorry, darling girl,” Christian Mayerling said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Please don’t apologize, Chris,” she said, standing up to kiss his cheek. “I was daydreaming.”
“Well, it’s a definite bonus finding you here. You look quite lovely.”
Uncomfortable with the compliment, she changed the subject. “I didn’t know you were involved with the Fine Arts Council.”
“I’m not. Although occasionally I’ve come out to one of their benefits.” He nodded toward the dais. “Lisa Garvey and I are on the board of directors for the Kitchie Home for Boys. She convinced me I ought to come to this. Now that I’ve had a chance to see you, I’m delighted that I agreed.”
After chatting with her for a few minutes, Chris gave her a final kiss, and wandered off. Kate took the opportunity to check on some of the other guests. The Pickard politicians were out in full force. Mayor Etzel and his wife were talking to Lisa Garvey. Joseph Garvey had his back to her, speaking to another group. Kate recognized several people as her eyes skimmed across the faces until suddenly she was staring at Carl Leidecker.
His presence in such close proximity to Garvey startled her. She didn’t know why she was so surprised. As the assistant mayor, Garvey would obviously be acquainted with the chief of police.
Watching Carl, Kate doubted if she’d ever seen him so relaxed. He was laughing at something Garvey had said, his head thrown back and his eyes crinkled with amusement. He had a nice face when he wasn’t frowning, she thought.
As if her gaze were some sort of magnet, Carl looked up and she found herself staring into his dark eyes.
He acknowledged her glance with a slight nod of the head but made no move toward her. His expression was unreadable. He neither smiled nor frowned. She forced herself to look away.
Mike was easy to spot in a crowd. He was leaning over the busty redhead in the black dress, his gestures expansive, and his face alive with warmth.
Kate decided to walk around until he was finished checking out all the available women. She eased her way through the tables and out into the hall.
The air was cooler after the overcrowded dining room. She headed for the water fountain against the wall. Leaning over, she took several sips then stepped away from the fountain and collided with a solid wall of flesh.
“I’m so sorry,” she managed to gasp out.
“Are you hurt? I didn’t mean to —”
“Why hello.” Kate stared into the brick-red face of Ed Bushnell. “Sorry for plowing into you.”
“It was my fault. I’m so . . . so clumsy,” he stammered.
His face was a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. Kate was very conscious of his eyes fixed on her bosom. She could feel the angel necklace rising and falling with each breath. She took a step backward.
“In this case it was my fault, Ed. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“You’re not hurt, are you?” he asked. His eyes were now raised to hers and he blinked owlishly at her.
“No. Please don’t worry. It was a nice evening, wasn’t it?” She glanced around. “Is Agnes here, too?”
“Yes. She sent me to get the car.”
As if suddenly reminded of an urgent mission, he whirled around and, without another word, made a dash for the main entrance. Kate stared after him, wondering if she was the one who made him nervous or if he was just a very odd man.
“Kate? Over here, dear.”
She turned at the sound of the voice and, as if she had conjured up the woman, saw Agnes coming out of the dining room beside Grace Peterman, Kate’s neighbor from across the street.
“Agnes. Grace. It’s nice to see you,” she said, smiling at the two women.
“Glad to see you’re getting out socially.” Grace spoke in her usual staccato fashion.
“Actually this is the first time. I decided it was a good cause.”
“Everything going all right with you, dear? Anything I can do?”
“No, Grace. I’m fine. Really I am,” Kate said, unwilling to get into a discussion of her life. “I’ve been meaning to call you. I was wondering if you’d share the recipe for that rhubarb coffee cake you sent over.”
“She brought one for me when I had my gallbladder out,” Agnes said. “It really is wonderful.”
“Pleased you liked it,” Grace said. “I’d be delighted to give you the recipe.”
“Great,” Kate said, then turned to Agnes. “I saw Ed a minute ago. I nearly ran him down at the drinking fountain.”
“Oh dear. I suggested he bring the car around to the door, and he just up and raced off. I suppose we better get outside or he’ll start to fuss. He’s such an impatient man.” Agnes shook her head in exasperation.
Kate gave each of the women a hug and they bustled out the doors to the main entrance. Despite her words about Ed being impatient, Kate suspected it was Agnes who kept him in line. That might explain why Ed had been in such a hurry to get away.
Maybe she was becoming paranoid, seeing menace in everyone she met. All evening she’d had the sensation she was being watched.
Ever since Jenny’s death, she had been under scrutiny by friends, the press, the police, and by strangers. She’d accepted that, even if she hadn’t gotten used to it. Tonight it was different. It was as if the eyes watching her were unfriendly, even hostile. She shivered.
Returning to the dining room, she spotted Mike up at the dais. He motioned to let her know he was coming. The room was emptying out. She headed back to the table to pick up her purse.
A man stood beside her chair. He was half turned away, but she could see that he had one hand inside her white silk purse. She had just opened her mouth to speak when he raised his head and stared across the table at her.
It was Joseph Garvey.
“Is this yours?” He closed the purse with a sharp snap of the clasp. “I was just looking for some ID.”
Despite his nonchalant words, it was obvious he was embarrassed to be caught rummaging inside her purse.
“I saw you earlier with Mike,” Garvey said, his eyes narrowing as he stared across the table that separated them. “I feel as if I should know you, but I can’t place the connection.”
Kate turned her head, spotting Mike working his way across the room.
“Speaking of Mike, here he comes,” she said, ignoring his comment.
When Garvey made no attempt to give her the purse, she moved around the table and extended her hand. He stepped close to her, his eyes holding hers as he placed the purse in the palm of her hand.
“I’m sorry you have to leave before I’ve had a chance to talk to you.”
Kate shivered at the invitation in his words. She was short of breath and could feel perspiration beading her upper lip. Her suspicions returned in a flood and she shuddered, nearly dropping her purse in her agitation. She fumbled with it, and Garvey’s hand shot out toward her. Not wanting him to touch her, she jerked away.
“Steady, Kate.” Mike’s voice penetrated her panic. “Sorry to tear this lovely lady away, Joseph, but I’ve got early rounds tomorrow.”
Kate let Mike take charge, nodding as he steered her toward the door then led her outside, and seated her on the stone wall that edged the parking lot. She sucked in the warm evening air. The rapid beat of her heart faded.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I got a little lightheaded.”
“Tension probably. After obsessing about Garvey, there you were talking to him.” He shrugged. “No wonder you were hyperventilating.”
“He frightens me, Mike.”
“Don’t dwell on it. It’s been a long evening and you’ve got to be tired. How about I get you home?”
Driving home she felt unsettled. She didn’t know if it was her running into Garvey or just the unfamiliarity of being out without Richard. She unclasped her purse, but Mike had his keys in his hand. He unlocked the door, and followed her out to the kitchen.
“Want a drink?” she asked.
“No thanks. I’ve got to be up early. I’ve got a golf game.”
She rolled her eyes and he chuckled.
“Well, it was a nice evening,” she said. “I hope my behavior didn’t embarrass you. Honestly, Mike, I couldn’t help myself. I had just decided that my suspicions of Garvey were groundless, when he got too close to me. Suddenly I got this creepy feeling, and it threw me into a tailspin.”
Opening her purse, she reached inside to return the house key to the key rack. The small silk bag was full of odds and ends. She couldn’t find the key. In exasperation she turned the bag over and poured everything out on the countertop.
Lying between the house key and her lipstick was a piece of candy. Printed on the distinctive plaid cellophane wrapper was a single word.
ButterSkots.
Twenty-three
ButterSkots!
Kate reached for the brightly wrapped piece of candy. Even before she touched it, she could smell the overly sweet butterscotch aroma. She tightened her fingers and the hard round disk pressed against the palm of her hand. So much had happened that made her question her own sanity. She needed the tactile sense to be sure she wasn’t imagining the whole thing.
“What is it, Kate?”
Sensing something wrong, Mike crossed to her side. Without a word, she held out her hand, opening her fingers so that he could see the tartan-plaid logo of the candy.
“Good God! Where did you get that?”
“It was in my purse. Someone put it there.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, of course I’m sure.”
Her lips were stiff, barely able to form the words. With a shudder of distaste, she dropped the candy back on the counter.
“When I was getting dressed tonight, I took the purse out of the closet. There was some loose change inside and I shook it out before I put anything inside.”
“Can you remember what you did with it at the dinner?”
“Not really. I had it at the table. I didn’t take it to the ladies room because I can remember muttering that I didn’t have my lipstick.”
“So anyone at the dinner could have put the candy inside,” Mike said. “Only a moment’s work. A simple clasp to open.”
The word clasp triggered the picture in Kate’s mind. She stopped her pacing and faced Mike.
“Joseph Garvey did it.”
She could see by the wary expression on Mike’s face he doubted her.
“It’s not just my obsession with Garvey. I didn’t realize it until now, but I actually saw him do it. When we were getting ready to leave, I went back to the table to get my purse. Garvey was holding it. His hand was inside. I literally caught him in the act. He said he was looking for ID.”
“That doesn’t mean he put it there.”
“Who else,” she snapped. “I’m not hallucinating, for God’s sake. I talked to him for a minute or two. In fact, that was why I was upset. Both his conversation and his behavior were strange.”
“How do you mean?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s hard to explain. It was just a feeling I got. All I know is that I was uncomfortable talking to him and had a panicky need to get away. Luckily you arrived and got me out of there.”
“God, what a mess!” Mike smacked his hand on the top of the counter, making Kate jump. “I think I’ll take that drink you offered earlier. Do you want one?”
At her nod, he moved to the liquor cabinet, and Kate got out ice and orange juice. In silence, Mike made her a screwdriver and then poured vodka into a glass and added ice. He took several healthy swallows before speaking.
“I know you’ve been saying all along that something was wrong with Garvey, and I didn’t believe you. I’ve been going on the assumption that you were reaching for straws. The ButterSkots makes a difference. If Garvey put the candy in your purse, it looks like he might —”
Mike stopped, almost as if he couldn’t bring himself to complete the sentence. The words hung in the air between them.
“Are you saying you believe me?”
“I said ‘might.’ Honest to God, Kate. I don’t know what to think. I’m still sort of stunned. Do you think we should call Leidecker?”
Kate shook her head. “Leidecker believes I’d do anything to prove Richard’s innocence. He’d suspect me of putting the candy there myself.” She stared at Mike, her eyes steady. “I didn’t put it there, you know.”
“I believe that, Kate.”
She was warmed by his words. Although it wasn’t the total conversion she’d hoped for, at least it was a start. After several minutes of silence, she asked, “What do we do now?”
“Nothing.”
The single word shocked her. “What do you mean?”
Mike took a long swallow of his drink, then reached for the bottle of vodka and added some more. He swirled the contents for several seconds. He took another long drink, then set it on the counter and folded his arms over his chest.
“I want you to give up the investigation.”
“You can’t be serious,” she said, shaking her head in confusion. “After what we know? What about the candy in my purse.”
When he spoke his tone was harsh.
“That’s exactly why I want you to give this up. How many people do you think know the significance of ButterSkots?”
