Death of a Bean Counter, page 7
Segue accomplished, Catherine reached down and slid out a brochure. ‘Have you had an opportunity to try out the C42?’ She tapped her glossy fingernail on the equally glossy photo on the front of the brochure.
‘Amy demonstrated it for me,’ I said, nodding at the real thing on the counter. ‘But we haven’t had time to discuss the idea further given Kip’s death—’
‘Amy must be totally devastated. I understand they’d just gotten engaged.’
Unlike Pavlik, I took Amy at her word that she’d rejected Kip’s proposal. Catherine apparently didn’t know that. ‘Where did you hear that?’
The question must have come off as accusatory, because she shifted in her chair before answering. ‘I … uh, well, to be honest, Kip told me he was proposing at dinner on Wednesday night. I just assumed he’d done it.’
‘He did.’ I didn’t see any reason to tell Catherine how Amy had answered.
‘Damn.’ Catherine twisted the diamond stud in her ear. ‘Maybe it would have been better if he’d never gotten the chance. To have all the joy and excitement of the engagement and then to come crashing down like that the very next morning.’
‘It was a terrible shock.’
‘At least she knows how he felt about her, I guess. It—’
The sound of feet came pounding up the side stairs and the door from the train platform swung open, hitting the wall hard.
Before I could get up to see who was causing the ruckus, the troublemaker rounded the corner. ‘That bastard!’
‘Which bastard?’ I asked mildly. Sarah’s tantrums weren’t an everyday occurrence, but they did happen often enough for me to take them in my stride. ‘We do have a customer, you know.’ I gestured toward Catherine.
‘The dead bastard.’ Sarah stomped over to the table. ‘And Catherine isn’t a customer.’
‘No, she’s the meeting you set up without telling me.’
‘Wah, wah, wah. I gave you an opportunity to meet a nice woman and learn something. Maybe make some money. Sue me.’
It was difficult to contest any of those points, at least with the ‘nice woman’ sitting right there. ‘I just don’t like to be ambushed. No offence,’ I assured Catherine.
‘None taken.’
Sarah was looking back and forth, back and forth between us. ‘If you two are done making nice-nice, can we get back to me?’
I swept my hand in a well, go ahead gesture and she did. ‘I just came from First Financial and there’s something going on with the investment account Kip set up there for me. I can’t access it online and even First Financial can’t – or won’t – give me a balance.’
‘You were able to get into it before?’ I asked. ‘Online I mean?’
‘Yes, of course. I’d sign in and it popped right up along with my checking and savings accounts. It’s not showing up anymore.’
‘I’m sure it’s just a bank computer glitch.’ The JavaDo rep stood, shoving her file folder hurriedly back in her case and slid a card across the table to me. ‘I should be going and let you two talk. I’ll be in touch.’
‘Some glitch,’ Sarah said, as the door closed behind Catherine.
‘Did she seem uncomfortable all of a sudden?’ I asked, craning my neck to see the woman getting into her car out front.
‘Would you mind focusing on me for just one second? Every dollar from the sale of Kingston Realty is in that account, and I can’t get into it. Hell, I can’t even see it.’
She plopped down in the chair next to me. ‘One point five million dollars. Gone.’
SIX
‘You made a million and a half on Kingston Realty.’
I’d said it before I’d called Pavlik to ask about Fargo’s business accounts, and now I was repeating it. It seemed like a lot of money.
The lunch and early afternoon crowd had come and gone and now we were waiting for the after-work commuter trains to chug into the station. We were back at our table.
‘Kingston Realty represents twenty years of my life, Maggy. It’s really not that much.’
It was to me, especially when you considered that Sarah also had made a very nice living off sales commissions over those twenty years. What would the purchaser of Kingston Realty be buying exactly? The name, of course, and the reputation of the firm. Those had value. What else? Probably a mailing list. Yard signs.
No matter how you cut it, it seemed like Kip had brokered a good deal for Sarah. If only she could find the money.
‘Catherine didn’t seem to think it was a big deal,’ I said. ‘But then she was a Private Banking client, so I assume she comes from money.’
‘Private Banking?’
‘For “special”’ – finger quotes – ‘clients. Meaning the ones with the most money. Personalized services, investments, trusts. In the old days there was even a Women’s Department, that just dealt with the spouses.’
‘Who were all women at the time? What did the bank do for them? Schedule facials? Massages?’
‘Got me. That was before my time.’
‘The bad ol’ days,’ Sarah said. ‘So, what did Pavlik say again?’
‘I told you. He said that Kip’s accounts are frozen and that may be why you couldn’t get to the one he set up for you.’
‘Maybe,’ Sarah said. ‘But frozen and invisible seem two entirely different things. What else did he tell you, Maggy?’
‘Pretty much nothing.’ I shrugged. ‘I think he’s clamming up on me.’
‘Because of Amy being a suspect?’
‘And you, now.’
‘I’m a suspect? If I could kill him now, I would, but I didn’t even know my money was missing until this morning.’
‘If it is missing. Let’s not jump to conclusions,’ I said. ‘It’s probably not surprising that Kip’s accounts are frozen. That can happen even with a natural death until an executor is appointed and all. But in the case of a murder, if they’re looking into his financials that …’
Sarah waited for a moment, before letting out an exasperated, ‘That what?’
‘That may mean they’ve found some improprieties. Which would open up a whole new area of investigation. And suspects.’
‘Like me?’
‘Like anybody he might have cheated who knows about it.’
‘Which I didn’t,’ Sarah said.
So she says, I could hear Pavlik saying. I shook my head.
‘What?’ Sarah demanded again.
‘Just hearing voices.’
‘Kip stole Sarah’s money?’ Amy asked. After closing, we’d stopped at our barista’s apartment to see how she was doing.
‘We don’t know that,’ I said.
‘Well, I know that I don’t have it.’ Sarah was looking around. ‘And you don’t have furniture.’
‘I don’t sit much,’ Amy said, apologetically. ‘And I prefer the floor to a chair.’
‘Bean bags are fine,’ I said, before Sarah could tell her what she preferred. ‘There’s a yoga mat there, Sarah.’
‘Have you called the police?’ Amy asked, settling into lotus position. ‘About your money, I mean.’
Sarah sank down onto a blue yoga mat and tried to cross her legs. ‘Maggy called Pavlik.’
‘What did he say?’
‘Only that the accounts were frozen, pending investigation,’ I told her as I took a yellow bean bag. ‘Sarah is getting ahead of herself.’
‘I’m getting ahead of myself?’ Sarah asked incredulously. ‘You’re the one who already has me down as a suspect.’
‘You and anybody else he bilked. If he did bilk anybody. I’m just trying to help Amy. The more suspects the better.’
‘Even if they include me?’ She gave up on the leg-crossing.
‘But why would Kip cheat his clients?’ Amy asked. ‘He’s rich in his own right.’
‘Doesn’t mean he’s not a crook.’ Sarah’s opinion of Kip had changed dramatically over the last day. ‘Them that’s got gets. Or takes.’
‘Maybe.’ Amy was staring out the window.
‘What?’ I asked, following her gaze. ‘Is somebody here?’
‘I thought I heard a car door.’
That reminded me of something. ‘Was Jacque here this morning?’
Amy started. ‘I’m sorry, what?’
‘Jacque called last night and this morning I could swear I heard somebody who was also swearing. Maybe he stubbed his toe?’
‘Geez,’ Amy said, glancing around uncomfortably. ‘Do you have a camera in here?’
‘No, just good ears. And there’s only one person I can imagine who would say, “Sacrebleu”.’
‘My God,’ Sarah said, ‘what a little idiot you are.’
‘I’m not an idiot.’ Now her legs and arms were crossed.
‘That’s right,’ I told Sarah. ‘After all, Amy was hurting and Jacque offered comfort. The only stupid thing that Amy did was to take it.’
‘But I—’
‘Kip proposed two nights ago,’ I said.
‘And I turned him down.’ The arms stayed folded.
‘Even if you felt absolutely nothing for him,’ I said, ‘it doesn’t change the fact that the man was murdered.’
‘And you may have slept with the murderer last night,’ Sarah told her.
‘Jacque?’
Bingo. No wonder Amy hadn’t been able to get out of bed. ‘Yes, Jacque. If you’re right and Becky was sending him videos from the restaurant, Jacque knew that Kip proposed, and he thought that you accepted. Maybe he went to the house in order to confront him. When he found him asleep, Jacque—’
‘Shot him? That’s ridiculous.’
‘No more ridiculous than your doing it,’ Sarah reminded her. ‘Or me. Sleeping with Jacque right now is a terrible idea.’
I was glancing around. ‘He’s not here now is he?’
‘I … no, I told him to go home when you called to say you were coming over.’
‘Great,’ Sarah said. ‘We’re your staunchest allies, your first line of defense—’
‘Not to mention your employers,’ I added for no particular reason.
‘And you’re lying to us?’ Sarah asked.
‘I didn’t lie,’ Amy said defensively. ‘I … I just didn’t tell you.’
There was a tentative tap at the door.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Better let him in.’
Chastened, she went to the door and turned the knob to swing open the door. ‘Jacque, I—’
She stopped. ‘Please. Come in.’
As Amy swung the door wide, a girl walked in.
SEVEN
‘Jayden,’ I exclaimed, struggling to my feet to take the girl’s hands in mine. ‘I’m so sorry.’
Jayden Fargo was a few inches taller and a few years older than the last time I’d seen her, but there was no mistaking the thick, copper-blonde hair and blue eyes, now filled with tears. ‘Maggy, I’m so glad you’re here – I’ve been so upset.’
I didn’t know why she was happy to see me in particular. But if my being there helped in some way, I was glad, too.
‘Come in and sit down,’ Amy said, pulling up a bright-blue bean bag. ‘Would you like something to drink?’
‘No, I’m fine,’ Jayden said, folding her long legs under her neatly as she collapsed onto the bean bag. ‘Actually, I’m not fine, but I’m also not thirsty. Are you OK?’
Amy’s own eyes teared. ‘It’s so sweet of you to worry about me at a time like this.’
‘You lost him, too.’
Amy’s face reddened, and her mouth opened, but blessedly Jayden was still talking. ‘Daddy told me and Jason at lunch on Wednesday that he was going to propose. And now … I can’t believe they actually think you might have killed him.’
The color in Amy’s face drained away and she knelt next to the girl to take her hand. ‘I’m so sorry, Jayden. It was just so soon and I—’
‘It did seem fast,’ Jayden said. ‘But like I told Jason, the important thing is you made Daddy happy. I just didn’t know what you’d say, given the age difference and all. In fact, when I saw him lying there … It’s stupid, but I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe you’d said no, and—’ She broke off, fighting sobs.
‘But I did say no, Jayden.’ Amy said, looking stricken. ‘I told your father I wouldn’t marry him.’
‘I know. The police told me.’ The girl squeezed her hand. ‘It’s OK.’
‘It doesn’t feel OK,’ Amy said in a whisper, looking down at their entwined hands.
Sarah cleared her throat. ‘You sure nobody wants a drink?’
‘I have Aperol,’ Amy said, getting up hastily. ‘How about I make us all spritzes?’
I had no idea what that was, but since Jayden was nodding, I joined in.
‘Got any vodka?’ Sarah asked.
‘You finished it the last time you were here,’ Amy said. ‘I’m afraid it’s spritzes or beer.’
‘What kind?’ Sarah asked, following her. ‘If you’ve got …’
I turned to Jayden as the other two disappeared into the kitchen to check out the supply of brewskies. ‘It’s not stupid to have wondered if your dad had killed himself when you found him, Jayden. It’s the more likely bet in a gun death.’ I felt awful the moment I said it, but Jayden seemed a little buoyed.
‘Really?’ The girl swiped at her nose. ‘I felt guilty even thinking it, but Daddy has been feeling his age lately – complaining about losing his hair and all. Amy … well, I think she made him feel young again. Like I started to say, I was afraid that she turned him down and he did something stupid.’ She laughed, though there was no humor in it. ‘Kind of dumb to feel better that somebody killed my father, I guess, than that he killed himself.’
‘Not dumb at all,’ I said, lowering myself onto my own bean bag. ‘This way, your dad is still the person who you thought he was. And it’s all right to be angry at the person who took him away from you.’
‘Rather than angry at him?’
‘At him, or Amy, or whoever else might have done something to upset him. Even yourself for not realizing he was troubled.’
‘Sure, suicide leaves questions, but so does homicide.’ Beer bottle in hand, Sarah held the door into the kitchen open for Amy, who was balancing a tray of drinks. ‘Namely who could have killed him? There’s Amy, of course, and who else?’
‘Ouch,’ Amy said, setting down the tray to hand me a short glass filled with ice and something reddish brown. ‘Is there a knife sticking out of my back?’
Jayden giggled and then slapped her hand over her mouth. ‘I can’t believe I laughed.’
Sarah handed her a glass from the tray. ‘You’re hysterical. Drink this.’
‘What is it?’ I took a sip.
‘Aperol, Prosecco and a splash of soda,’ Amy said. ‘Oh, and I put a slice of orange in it.’
‘You don’t have chairs,’ Sarah said, taking a swig from her bottle, ‘yet you stock Aperol, whatever the hell that is, with all that other crap?’
‘Aperol is an Italian aperitif like Campari.’ Jayden took a sip.
‘Oh, shit!’ I said, reaching over to stop her. ‘You’re what? Nineteen? You’re not supposed to be drinking.’
‘And yet she is,’ Sarah said. ‘We’ll send her home in a taxi.’
‘I Ubered over,’ Jayden said. ‘Besides, I just turned twenty-one.’
I wasn’t sure I believed her, but it was good to see the girl relaxed enough to lie about her age. ‘Is Jason home?’
‘He drove back yesterday.’
‘Are you staying at the house or your apartment tonight?’ I asked.
‘The guest house. Jason, too. The police won’t let us into the main house, but I … just want to be close.’
‘How long will they keep the house off limits, Maggy?’ Amy turned to Jayden. ‘She’s marrying the sheriff, you know.’
‘I do,’ Jayden said. ‘That’s why I was glad to see her here. I figured she was helping you.’
‘I’m afraid I can’t influence an investigation,’ I told Jayden.
‘But she can inform on it,’ Sarah said.
‘No, I can’t,’ I said firmly. ‘Pavlik doesn’t tell me more than he tells the public.’ Mostly.
Jayden looked crestfallen.
‘I do think your house will be off limits until the crime scene technicians are done,’ I told her. ‘Maybe another day or so?’
‘Well, that will be good. Jason and his girlfriend were doing it when I left and the wall between his bedroom and mine isn’t all that soundproof.’
Ugh. I didn’t want to be a prude, but ‘doing it’ a few hundred yards from where your father was killed seemed messed up.
‘A two-bedroom guest house?’ Sarah always asking the pertinent question. ‘Yours is one of the few houses I haven’t been inside in Poplar Gardens. To my knowledge it’s never been on the market.’
Sarah was probably kicking herself for selling the realty business just when the Fargo gem might be coming onto the market. Not that she couldn’t represent them personally, of course. She just couldn’t use one of her Kingston Realty signs.
‘It’s stayed in the family since my grandfather built it,’ Jayden told her.
‘If you and Jason decide to sell it, I’d be happy to give you a market estimate.’
‘Geez, Sarah,’ I said.
‘What? You want them taken by some unscrupulous agent?’
‘Kip hasn’t been dead forty-eight hours.’
‘It’s OK,’ Jayden said. ‘You’re welcome to come by the house and look, Sarah. My dad and brother are all about the financial stuff – what things are worth and all. I never really cared much, but I guess I’ll need to harden up.’
‘No, you needn’t,’ Amy said, leaning over to touch her arm. ‘You need to stay you.’
‘Thanks.’ Jayden sniffled and then cleared her throat. ‘So Maggy, how can we help Amy? I hate that this is happening to her.’
I cocked my head. ‘Amy left your dad at nine thirty and I’m certain that will be proved very shortly, with or without me.’
Pavlik had told me only that the Prius owner was a woman last night, and I’d forgotten to ask for an update when I’d called him about Sarah’s frozen account. Still, even if the woman hadn’t been in the car and there were no witnesses to Amy’s leaving, there was no reason to raise the fear level in the room any higher than it already was.
