Necklaces & Nooses Read online

  “Thanks.” I walked to the back room, washed the cardboard dust off my hands, and popped my Lean Cuisine into the microwave. I had just sat down to start reading the latest issue of People magazine—I had to catch up on what the stars were doing—when Steph’s voice came over the intercom. I sighed. I hoped whatever she needed was quick; I really needed to eat and re-caffeinate.

  I hurried out to the sales floor to see Steph nervously standing behind a woman I would call handsome rather than pretty. She was tall, easily five ten, large-boned, but not fat at all. Definitely someone who worked out, and judging by the way her suit was tailored to fit her squarish body, she had money—but oh my, not any taste. Her suit was a coral color in fabric that I could only assume was a polyester blend of some sort. The kind you can wad in a ball at the bottom of the hamper and then take it out and it’s perfectly fine, no wrinkles. She had on shoes that I could only categorize as circa 1990s. Maybe that was why she seemed to be in such a pissed off mood. She hated her clothes and didn’t know what to do. I giggled inside but somehow knew my amusement would be short-lived. This lady was mad about something, and looked ready to take a bite out of anyone who didn’t give her what she wanted. That’s the not so fun part of being in charge.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I certainly hope so, since she surely isn’t capable,” the lady said, jerking her head in Steph’s direction.

  “Well, what seems to be the issue?”

  “Are you the one in charge?”

  “Yes?” How I didn’t want to admit that.

  “I special ordered a David Bertram necklace and would like to know if it’s in. This, this girl, can’t seem to figure out where my merchandise is.”

  “Did you look in the special order file?” I said to Steph.

  “I did, and it’s not there.”

  “Let me go back and look in the office. Sometimes she puts things in the safe if they are extremely valuable. What’s your name, please?”

  “Sheila. Sheila Barker.”

  My eyes widened at the sound of that name. Solange’s sister. Funny that I didn’t recognize her from the funeral.

  She saw the recognition in my eyes.

  “Yes, Solange was my sister,” she snapped. “All the more reason it’s ridiculous I have to deal with this. I just want my necklace.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” I murmured. “Let me run and check in the back, Sheila. I’m sure it’s there.”

  Steph followed me to the back and left Lily on the sales floor. “What the hell was that all about?” Steph whispered to me the minute we were safely behind the stockroom door.

  “Good question. She didn’t tell you who she was when she first came in?”

  “No. She just said she had special ordered the necklace, and I looked for it under the counter. I was about to ask her name when she started demanding to see who was in charge.”

  “I wonder if she even has a special order piece,” I said, rummaging through the safe where we kept those high-end pieces.

  “Wouldn’t that be something if she was doing this just to be a pain in the ass?”

  “I don’t see it. Unless, oh wait, here we go.” I pulled out an exquisite-looking chain of what seemed to be platinum and diamonds with red rubies interspersed throughout, just enough to give a red hue as the rubies’ sparkle glowed off the facets of the diamonds.

  “Wow.” Steph breathed out the word. “That is absolutely gorgeous.”

  “I guess we were wrong. She did have a special order.” I put the necklace back in the box and handed it to Steph to take back up front to Sheila. I sat there for a few minutes wondering what purpose it served for Shelia to come in like this. I guess you just weren’t meant to understand some people.

  I walked back out to the front where I was startled to see Willie.

  “I was in the neighborhood and thought you might be up for some coffee.”

  “I’m always up for coffee.”

  We decided to grab a coffee at the Starbucks down the street. I was a little disappointed when walking out to the front I noticed Shelia was already gone. I had wanted to talk to her about that necklace.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, what’s on your mind?” he said.

  “I was walking around Seventh Avenue yesterday, shopping, and I walked past Charlie’s.”

  “Oh,” he turned red. “So since you’re bringing this up, I guess you saw me?”

  I liked the fact he was being very forthright and not trying to hide anything. I had to appreciate his honesty. “Yep. It’s not really a big deal, but I don’t understand why you told me you hadn’t been dating anyone if you were. I’m not mad, just curious.”

  “I’m not dating anyone. That was Molly. “

  “Your ex?”

  “Yeah, she called and wanted to get together. I figured it couldn’t hurt. I would like to think we could be friends, if not now, at some point.”

  “Do you still feel that way after having dinner?” I was genuinely curious for my own relationship with Cooper. It just seemed so awkward when Cooper and I communicated, but maybe with time it would be okay.

  “Yeah, I really think so. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but then once we started talking it was good. You know how it is when you’re in a relationship and you have shared memories and good times. Things pop up that you can’t really share with anyone else but that person.”

  “Yeah, it would be nice if after a break-up you could erase all the memories good and bad.”

  “Maybe we could invent that?”

  “Maybe.” I thought for a minute. “Then again, would you really want to give up those good memories? Isn’t it worth having the bad for the good? Let’s be honest, we all tend to forget the bad after a while. That’s why so many people break up and get back together, just to realize why they broke up in the first place.”

  “That’s a good point. Without memories life wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable.”

  Chapter 16

  I did it for her own good,” James said tearfully.

  Willie, James, and I sat in one of the interview rooms at the precinct. Willie had finally hauled James in for questioning, based on what I had told him about seeing James and that woman. I thought maybe he had a woman on the side, and either he or the woman in question wanted Solange out of the picture, since her not giving in to his demands was holding up the divorce. Actually, that was more Anna’s idea, but it was plausible. Willie himself said people did crazy things where money was concerned.

  Willie had asked James if he minded me sitting in, and he had said no that he had nothing to hide and didn’t want Solange’s employees, now his, to think he’d killed her.

  “How could all that fighting be for her own good?” I asked.

  “Presley. Please let me handle this,” Willie said giving me a look. He had told me when James said yes to me sitting in, to stay quiet and let him do the talking. He hadn’t been too happy at finding out I went against what I had told him and was investigating on my own, again. He said I lied to him. I said at the time I told him I had no interest in investigating, and I hadn’t. But then I changed my mind. It was a woman’s prerogative, after all. He still wasn’t too happy with me, and this was his domain. I probably should be keeping my mouth shut. At least give him a little time to get over it. Besides, this was his job.

  Willie turned back to James. “Even though Presley shouldn’t have been interfering, her question is a good one. Please answer it.”

  “I loved Solange. Sure, we had our difficulties, but we still loved each other.”

  “Then why were you divorcing?” I asked.

  Willie gave me another look.

  “Sorry.”

  Willie sighed. “Answer her question.”

  “I was getting to that. Solange’s grandfather left her and her brother and sister a lot of money. Her brother is an alcoholic and heavy gambler. He kept coming to Solange asking for money. He had already gone through his inhe
ritance, and their sister and mother had cut off all ties with him financially after the dad died a few years ago. Solange always had a soft spot. Being the oldest, she’d raised him in many ways. Steven was the baby of the family. I told Solange she had to stop enabling him. That he would never get the help he needed if she kept bailing him out. Even her mom agreed with me. She had also stopped bailing him out, and he was her son. It caused so many fights with us, and is how we got to the point we are, we were.” He choked back a sob. “I started divorce proceedings and then kept from working out a settlement to tie up her money so she couldn’t give it to him. I thought she would come to her senses and see I was doing it for her own good, to protect her inheritance and force Steven to get some help. Not because I didn’t love her. But she just got pissed and wouldn’t have anything to do with me.”

  What did he expect? I thought. Men! Dragging a wife he says he loved, through a nasty divorce just to keep her from giving her money—money that was rightfully hers, not theirs—to her brother, seemed a bit much. I agreed that she shouldn’t have kept bailing her brother out, he probably needed tough love, but that was her decision not his. Willie must have read my mind because he asked James pretty much the same thing.

  “I know it sounds stupid, but Solange and I had a long history together,” James said. “We’d been together since college, been through a lot of issues, and I thought we could get through anything.”

  “If you didn’t actually want a divorce, then who was the blonde I saw you with yesterday?”

  Willie glared at me but didn’t interrupt.

  James looked surprised and then ashamed. Maybe he was having an affair.

  “That is Penny, my therapist.”

  Okay, I wasn’t expecting that. I looked at Willie, and it didn’t seem like he was expecting it either.

  “Your therapist?” Willie asked.

  “What? That surprises you?” James asked sarcastically.

  “Frankly, yes, yes it does,” said Willie.

  “When Solange and I began the divorce proceedings I started seeing someone, thinking it would help.”

  “Doesn’t she have an office?” I asked.

  “Yes, she does, but it’s right around the corner from the bar where you saw us, and we often meet there as I feel more comfortable.”

  After James left, I asked Willie, “Did you believe him and his nutty story?”

  “As stupid as it seems, I do. Mostly because it is a ridiculous story, and in my experience I’ve found the more ridiculous the story seems, the more likely it’s true. When people try and make stuff up, it is very realistic. Real life is always stranger than fiction.”

  “Yeah, well, I can’t believe he would for a minute think Solange wouldn’t hate him for this. Not just for the whole divorce for no rational reason thing, but to control her money.” I shook my head. I couldn’t understand how James really thought this approach would have ever worked. Even though he thought what he was doing was in her best interest. What was that saying? The road to hell was paved with good intentions. James had definitely picked the wrong road if he’d wanted to stay with Solange.

  “I don’t know either, Presley. But one thing it does make me think about is her brother. I briefly talked to the family, but more from a condolences standpoint and to see if they knew of anyone who would want to hurt her. I need to run a background check on her brother, Steven Barker, and see if he’s ever been arrested for anything. Maybe he was angry. She cut him off financially.”

  “Angry enough to kill her?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I went across the street to Henry’s to have a cup of coffee, while waiting for Willie to run Steven Barker through their database to check if he had any priors. I stuffed the last piece of coconut cream pie in my mouth, thinking my hips weren’t going to like the result of the extra calories, but my mouth sure appreciated it. The waitress was right: they had amazing pie. It even made the coffee seem that much better. I motioned to the waitress to bring a cup of coffee for Willie as he sat down in the booth across from me.

  “What did you find out?” I asked.

  “About what you’d expect from a drunk and a gambler. He has a few drunk and disorderly, a DUI from five years ago, and was part of an investigation in a gentleman’s club of behind closed doors gambling. Poker mostly.”

  “Does that tell you anything?”

  “Well, not much except he might be in debt to people who don’t like waiting for the money. There’s a couple of guys in vice I can talk to and see if he is on their radar at all. But most of it seems straightforward and normal activity for a drunk. Nothing that would lead me to believe he killed his sister. Nothing violent in his past.”

  “James is in financial crimes. Could there be any kind of relation?”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone from James’s firm helped Steven with some of these charges as a favor.”

  “I say we just ask James.”

  “I’m not sure how much he is going to want to talk to us after what we just went through,” said Willie.

  “If he truly wants to find the killer of the wife he claims to love, then he shouldn’t mind.”

  “I’ll give him a call and see what he says.”

  “Willie, I still feel strongly that Peter Green has to be involved somehow. He’s shown up everywhere I have been, and where James has been, ever since he came in to the boutique. There has to be a connection between him and James. I think Anna was right when she said it looked to her like they knew each other at the Westin bar, and either they had planned on meeting there, or else Peter was simply following James. What could he possibly want?”

  “I did get the lab results back on that ivory. Your guess was right. It was real and it comes from the same town as where you get your jewelry, so it could have been some type of snafu.”

  “Do you think there could be something about that ivory that Peter is interested in?”

  “I’m not sure, but it’s worth exploring. Dinner tonight?”

  I smiled. “That would be nice.”

  “There’s a new place by the precinct if you don’t mind coming down this way.”

  “Not at all. Seven?”

  “See you then.”

  We met for dinner at a local pub not far from the precinct, one I hadn’t ever been to, imagine that. The food was decent, but filling, pretty typical for bar food. So we decided to take a walk and were happy to discover just one street over was an art and craft fair. “This is nice,” Willie said to me as we walked down the street looking at the different vendors displaying their wares.

  “It is nice.”

  People were selling anything from knickknacks imported from China in mass quantity, to handcrafted candles and homemade jams and knitted sweaters. I was in heaven and both disappointed and thankful most places were cash only, and I never had cash, so I was guaranteed not to spend any money. We were taking our time, strolling along slowly and just looking. I enjoyed sharing this with him. There were a lot of guys who wouldn’t spend time window shopping, or in this case, street shopping.

  As we walked through the vendors, Willie casually took my hand, and my heart leapt a little. We got along well. We had a lot in common, and we were very comfortable with each other. At least, I was with him, and I thought he felt the same way. There was none of the awkwardness between us I had often felt with other guys. I still thought about Cooper a lot, but Cooper wasn’t here, and wouldn’t be, at least not in the near future. Maybe Anna was right that I should move on. As I was having those thoughts, I felt Willie stiffen and drop my hand. I looked at him, wondering what was going on and noticed he was looking straight ahead in the distance.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. Then I followed his gaze until I saw what he saw, and it became clear what had startled him. It was the girl I had seen him with at Charlie’s. Molly, his ex. She was with a guy doing, I assumed, the same as us, just walking around and enjoying the evening. Willie looked at me, and his face turned red. I w
as mad, but I could also understand, so I thought maybe I should be nice and help him out of this situation. He was obviously uncomfortable. I could be actively angry later if I chose.

  “Hey,” I said softly to get his attention. He faced me. “We can go if you want. It’s okay, really.”

  He looked at me with a sad expression. “I’m sorry, Presley.”

  “It’s okay.” It wasn’t, and I was upset even though it was my idea to try to be a sincere person. But I didn’t want to be hypocritical. If we had run into Cooper, I would have reacted the same way.

  Chapter 17