Part 22 (1/2)
Daniel opened the phone book, dialed a number, then thought better and replaced the receiver. ”I can't do this over the phone. I have to go in person.” He drew his car keys out of his pocket.
”Who?” Sarah couldn't think of a soul, except her mother, who would voluntarily help them.
”Joshua Jenkins. It's the perfect opportunity to see if he's in this, too. We can set him up with what we know, see his reaction.”
”Right now?” Sarah thought of the black night and the many people who might be watching her and Daniel. She didn't want him to leave. Mora was hiding with some old friends in Arkansas, and she wanted to make certain that Daniel was safe, too.
”It's perfect. He won't be expecting me.”
”Familiar and I are coming, too. He might try to kill you if he feels threatened.”
”No.” Daniel shook his head. ”Mora is supposed to call in half an hour, and if you don't answer, she'll die of worry. Stay here, but remember the phone lines aren't secure. I'll be back.”
”Okay.” Sarah didn't like it, but there was nothing she could do. ”Go on before it gets any later, and hurry back.” She swallowed the sudden spurt of fear that threatened to choke her. To hide her distress, she rushed into his arms and kissed him.
”Don't let anyone inside,” Daniel cautioned her. ”No one. Not even Santa Claus.”
She nodded, unable to talk. When he furtively hurried out the front door, she locked every lock after him. Picking a wary Familiar up in her arms, she ran up the stairs and into her bedroom, locking that door, too. It wouldn't take Daniel all that long to run the errand. Everything was going to be fine, now that they knew where to look.
She'd just settled onto the bed with a book in one hand and the remote control for the television in another when she heard someone at the front door.
Fear tightened every muscle to the point that she felt paralyzed. Then she heard the familiar rap on the door. Two longs, two shorts, three shorts. She ran down the stairs in her socks, her face bursting with a smile.
”Uncle Vince!” She threw the door open and he captured her in his arms.
”I've been so worried about you since Lucinda's event. I've spoken with her, and she's no longer angry with you, cherie.”
Sarah tugged him inside, cast a quick look up and down the street, and then locked the door.
”h.o.a.rding gold here in the shop?” Vincent asked with a raised eyebrow.
”No. I wish it were that simple.” Sarah grabbed Vincent's hand. ”Come in. I have a lot of things to tell you.” ”Excellent. We haven't had much chance to talk lately and I've been concerned about you.
By the way, Jean-Claude said he spoke with you.”
Sarah sensed something in Vincent's tone. ”Is something wrong with Jean-Claude?”
Vincent smiled, but it was an expression of sadness. ”He is a disappointment, cherie. The two of you...”
”I'm sorry, I just don't feel that way about Jean-Claude.” Sarah felt a pang for her uncle's dreams.
”He thought he could save you by marriage. You know he went to Idlewild to protect you. He told me about sitting on the porch and spraying your... friend with pepper.” Vincent laughed, but it was harsh. ”He thought you were in danger. That you would be hurt in my home. He is a foolish boy who has grown to be a foolish man.”
”He thought Daniel was going to hurt me.” She shook her head. ”I'm sorry that happened.”
Vincent patted her shoulder. ”I brought a bottle of the very finest French wine for us to share,” Vincent said, producing it from the pocket of his coat.
”Wonderful.” Sarah led the way into the kitchen and deftly uncorked the bottle, all the while talking about her trip to Biloxi.
”I thought I saw Daniel leaving. Where has he gone?”
”He's running an errand.” Sarah handed her uncle a gla.s.s of wine and took a sip of her own. ”Uncle Vince, do you know anything about Lucinda Watts and how she became so wealthy?” If anyone knew, Vincent Minton would. She should have thought of him before Daniel left for Joshua Jenkins's house.
”Over the years I've advised Lucinda on some real estate.” He smiled. ”She's made good investments. In fact, she'd hoped to become a limited partner in one of my businesses. I've always admired Lucinda for her business ac.u.men.” His smile was brittle. ”She has more.. .sense than Jean-Claude will ever have.”
Sensing her uncle's disappointment in his son, Sarah sipped her wine again. ”Delicious.” She licked her bottom lip. ”Did you know Luanda's baby sister was murdered years ago?”
”Betty Jean.” Vincent swirled the wine in his gla.s.s. ”That was a long time ago. Lucinda had changed her name by then. She and Betty Jean were.. .determined to make a new life for themselves. Lucinda made it, Betty Jean did not.”
”You knew them both?”
”As did your father. It was hard to work the coast and not know those two. They were at every party, dancing, drinking, bringing good luck to the gamblers. Those were the days when there was money to be made.''
”And Lucinda did whatever she had to do to get a start.”
Vincent picked up the bottle and refilled Sarah's gla.s.s. ”She was shrewd and she worked hard. I admire that.”
”Is she still ruthless? Ruthless enough to... kill?” Sarah couldn't help the s.h.i.+ver that pa.s.sed through her at the memory of Cody Pruett and Graham Estis. She drank the dark red wine that made her feel so warm. Two murders that she knew of in the last month. In the past, how many others were there? Was her own father's death a murder at Lucinda's hand?
”Why do you ask?”
”I think Lucinda may have stolen some money....”
Vincent smiled, but there was no warmth in it. ”She did. Many times. From husbands, from politicians who were glad to exchange large sums of cash for photos and negatives. From anyone she could.”
Sarah felt sure victory. She started to rise, but she found her legs unsteady. Surprised, she glanced at the wine. She'd only had a gla.s.s and a half. She'd downed it quite fast, but not fast enough to make her drunk.
”She suckered many men.” His smile was cold. ”But never me. Never.”
She heard Vincent's words and stared at him, her errant legs forgotten as she saw his eyes. ”You?” The word was slurred.
”Yes. Lucinda is rather disturbed with me at this moment, but the little scene that you so obligingly created at her dinner party gave me the perfect opportunity to cut her out of my partners.h.i.+p. In fact, your cooking has presented a number of opportunities for me to... eliminate would-be partners.”
”My... food...” Sarah realized it was pointless for her to try to talk. She knocked the winegla.s.s off the table in one awkward gesture. Futilely, she looked at the clock. It was only an hour since Daniel had left. He'd never get back in time.
She swept the condiments off the table in front of her, but her arms and legs refused to do what she commanded. In the midst of the crash, Familiar leapt from the floor and knocked the portable telephone off the base. He slapped it several times until it skittered under the table, where he followed it.
”I hate cats.” Vincent eyed the feline with contempt. With a suddenness that belied his age, he reached down to capture Familiar and was rewarded with a savage bite that pierced his thumbnail.